Summary
Philosophy, politics and economics together help you understand how societies are organised and how decisions are made.
On this course, you will explore how ideas, institutions and economic systems shape the world around us. You will study key concepts such as inequality, democracy, justice, work and money, combining theoretical thinking with practical analysis.
You will develop quantitative and analytical skills alongside critical thinking, learning how to frame complex questions and evaluate different perspectives. This interdisciplinary approach allows you to connect ideas across subjects and apply them to real world challenges.
As you progress, you will build a strong foundation for a wide range of careers and further study. A degree in Philosophy cultivates a deep understanding of human existence, thought, morality, and the nature of reality. Graduates are equipped with impeccable analytical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills – valuable assets in virtually any profession. This is reflected in our Graduate Outcomes where 95% of our Philosophy graduates were in employment or further study 15 months after graduation” (Graduate Outcomes, 2022/2023, published 2025)
Key features of the course
Shape your degree through a wide range of optional modules across Philosophy, Politics, Economics and other disciplines.
Learn in small groups, with opportunities to explore your ideas in depth with expert academics.
Develop career focused skills throughout your studies, embedded across the course.
Access the Southampton Ethics Centre and the Hartley Library, home to the University Archives and Special Collections.
Join a community of students through activities and events organised by the PPE society.
Use digital humanities facilities to explore ideas through technologies such as virtual reality, 3D scanning.
Student support
You will be taught by experts with a wide range of interests. Through small group teaching and one to one support, you will be encouraged to develop your ideas and build confidence in your work.
You will also have access to wellbeing services, peer mentoring and dedicated careers support, all within a welcoming and supportive community.
Further information
BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics is a three year full time course based at Avenue Campus. You can choose to extend your degree with a year abroad or a placement year.
Find out more on our course page.
The programme is designed to ensure that your learning is progressive. You will move from developing foundational skills in the first year, to pursuing your own self-directed research project in the final year.
Year 1: Develop foundational skills in critical thinking and economic analysis, through modules such as: Truth, Knowledge, and Objectivity, Engaging Political Ideas, and Principles of Macroeconomics.
Year 2: Deepen your understanding of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with dedicated modules such as Rationality, Preference, Wellbeing and Fairness.
Year 3: Year Abroad
Year 4: Personalise your degree, choosing to specialise in two of the three subjects, or continue with all three. You will undertake a self-directed dissertation project on a topic of your choice, and will choose from a range of specialist modules, each led by active researchers in the field exploring cutting-edge topics.
For a full list of modules available please visit the course page.
On this course you will learn through a range of activities that may include lectures, classes and tutorials, coursework, individual and group projects, and independent learning (studying on your own).
You will be able to demonstrate what you have learnt through a variety of assessment methods, such as debates, essays, oral presentations, dissertations, individual and group projects, written exams.
You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor who will offer support and advice throughout your studies. You will also receive feedback throughout your course, enabling you to identify areas for improvement before your work is formally assessed.
This course is available in Clearing. If you have submitted an application, you can add this course. If you haven’t sent us an application yet, you can do this until 24th September 2026.
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
University of Southampton has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
The following entry points are available for this course:
Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/uni-life/international/your-country.page
We welcome applicants with other qualifications eg. European Baccalaureate. You will be expected to attain an A level equivalent standard.
The University of Southampton requires all applicants to achieve at least a Grade 4 in English and Mathematics GCSEs (taken in England) or a Grade C in both subjects (where taken in Northern Ireland or Wales). Some degree subjects stipulate specific additional GCSE minimum grades, which will be specified as part of the individual degree programme entry requirements.
For more details on the suitability of your qualifications or foundation programme please contact the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Admissions Team at AdmissionsUG.AH@southampton.ac.uk
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | with no component below 6.0 |
Find out more about the University’s English Language requirementshttps://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/admissions/admissions-policies/language.page
Most of the students who enrolled on this course in previous years met their offer conditions at our published entry criteria, securing their place on their chosen course.
We encourage all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, to apply to study with us. Applicants who qualify for contextual admissions will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Please see our website for further details and updates: www.southampton.ac.uk/uni-life/fees-funding.page
Email:admissions@southampton.ac.uk
Phone:023 8059 4732
Email:AdmissionsUG.AH@soton.ac.uk
Phone:023 8059 4732
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
At University of Southampton
