Graduate Certificate or Diploma of Political Science overview
Graduate certificates and diplomas offer similar experiences, each taking between six months to a year of full time study to complete respectively, or one to two years part time. Institutions like the University of Queensland or Macquarie University offer units in topics like:
- Global health & development
- Globalisation and economic development
- International crisis management
- Managing organisational behaviour
- Principles of global law
The most significant difference between the two courses is the duration; students doing diplomas have the chance to take more classes. Other than that, they are virtually identical.
Employment options
The employment options specified here are all excellent choices for political science graduates. Working for consulting firms like Keybridge PPE or FTI Consulting as a policy advisor or political consultant are great ways of utilising the knowledge acquired throughout these courses. A career in public relations working for the likes of Edelman isn’t too shabby a decision either.
Scholarships and funding
Postgraduate students of political science have access to the Fulbright Anne Wexler Scholarships in Public Policy. These are valued at a staggering $140,000, providing Australian citizens who do not have United States citizenship with the chance to study in the US. This amount covers all manner of things, including travel, accommodation, food, course fees and other expenses.
There are also opportunities available across disciplines, including:
- Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships, valued at $69,500 pa. These allow high achievers to study overseas.
- The Indigenous Australian Graduate Scholarship, valued at $27,082. This is exclusive to those who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students and requires no application; so long as aspirants attend ANU and meet the criteria, they have a chance to be admitted.
- The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship, valued at $120,000 pa. This requires students to argue for why their line of study benefits one of three focuses:
- Technology and innovation
- Strengthening Australia-Asia ties
- Enabling positive social change
Students of political science would have the easiest time arguing for either points two or three, depending on their interests. Due to the importance of Australia-Asia relations, many of these courses offer numerous components regarding this dynamic. Regardless if students have taken these however, political science is ultimately focussed on positive social change anyway, making it a great potential option.
Prerequisites and selection process
Students must have one of two things to enter these courses.
- A bachelor degree in any discipline, with a GPA of around 4.5/7, or
- Two years of relevant work experience