Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Q45)

Politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) are central to understanding how modern societies are organised and governed. By studying them together, you'll gain a combination of skills that’s in high demand across the private, public and non-profit sectors. Whilst PPE has been described as ‘the degree that runs Britain’, this is better viewed as studying how countries are run, what motivates and constrains their rulers and residents, and how social order and prosperity are best understood and promoted. All three disciplines are presented in up-to-date form, covering alternative as well as ‘mainstream’ approaches and firmly rooted in the real world.

Key features of the course

• Understand the debates that dominate the daily news and look beyond the headlines

• Learn skills and techniques to help you analyse, present and contribute to discussion

• Explore how arguments and public policies are constructed in theory and tested in practice

• Increase your employability across the private and public sectors

• Enjoy synergies among three complementary disciplines while studying a full curriculum in each

Course Modules

This politics, philosophy and economics degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

At Stage 1, you can start with either a wide-ranging and topical introduction to the social sciences or take a combination of modules that focus on economics and personal finance. You’ll complete the stage by exploring UK and international politics through questions of rights, legitimacy, national identity, conflict and protest.

Next, in Stage 2, you’ll build on the foundations gained at Stage 1 to apply economic ideas, models and techniques to a range of contemporary issues. You'll also be introduced to philosophy through six essential topics: philosophy of religion; political philosophy through Plato; philosophy of mind; ethics; knowledge; and philosophy of race.

At Stage 3, you’ll focus on two of the three PPE subjects, selected by what you’ve found most interesting or most relevant to your career path. Your choices at this stage can also form the basis for postgraduate study options, including our MA in Philosophy.