United States Politics: Money, Culture, Power
UndergraduateMAQ-POIX39202025
Previously MAQ-POIX392
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Take stock of how money and culture feeds into the American political system. Explain the power of the Constitution in US politics. Monitor the influence of special interest groups. See how race, faith and the economy intertwine with policy.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 20 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $2,160
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
United States Politics: Money, Culture, Power
About this subject
On successful completion of this subject, you will be able to:
- Analyse and interpret primary and secondary US political sources and present the information in a written form
- Distinguish between competing interpretations of key US political issues, and succinctly express the strengths and weaknesses of these interpretation in written and oral form
- Plausibly explain how and why Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential election
- Articulate your knowledge of US politics in virtual discussions and understand the articulation between money, culture and power in US politics
- A week-by-week guide to the topics you will explore in this subject will be provided in your study materials.
This subject was previously known as PLTX392 American Politics, POIX392 United States Politics: Money, Culture, Power.
US politics is today, as in much of its past, dominated by money and the power that money can buy. US cultural life is also preoccupied with money, in ways that profoundly affect the distribution of political power. Proceeding from these premises, this unit explores the relationship between money, culture and power in contemporary US politics. Topics covered include campaign financing, interest groups and the media; the impact of social inequalities of class, race, gender and sexual preference on US politics; the role of religion and political parties in the formulation of dominant political ideas; and the politics surrounding the global financial crisis and its aftermath.
- Major essay (50%)
- Take home examination (30%)
- Participation (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 10
Entry requirements
Prior study
You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
MAQ-PLTX392 (Not currently available)
MAQ-POIX392 (Not currently available)
Others
NCCW (pre-2020 units) PLTX392, POL392, POL383, POL385, POIX392
Pre-requisite: 130cp at 1000 level or above OR (20cp in POL or POIR or POIX units at 2000 level).
NCCW (2020 and onwards) POIR3920 United States Politics: Money, Culture, Power
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Students who have an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion under Macquarie University's Academic Progression Policy are not permitted to enrol in OUA units offered by Macquarie University. Students with an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion who have enrolled in units through OUA will be withdrawn.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateMAQ-ART-DEG
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