Philosophy, Politics and Economics

About this course
Discover how the world works on our BA Philosophy Politics and Economics degree. You’ll learn the quantitative skills, technical knowledge, and critical thinking skills required to rigorously analyse past and current socio-economic systems. Through a wide range of modules, you’ll develop the ability to properly frame and explore the questions which unite philosophy, politics, and economics, including issues of inequality, democracy, justice, happiness, work, and money. You'll be supported throughout the course to develop the skills which perfectly suit you a range of careers linked to politics, philosophy and the arts.

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

• Customize your degree, with a wide range of optional modules, within Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and across other disciplines.

• Benefit from small group sizes and personalized attention from lecturers and tutors, with a chance to explore your ideas in depth.

• Career skills are embedded at every stage of our course

• Access to the Southampton Ethics centre, nurturing inter-disciplinary research and outreach, and the Hartley Library, home to the University Archives & Special Collections.

• Meet others with shared interests, with exciting activities and events organised by the PPE society.

• Study and research through cutting-edge technology at the Digital Humanities facilities, such as virtual reality, 3D scanners and printers, and a 360 degree fully immersive audio-visual centre.

Student Support
Our courses are taught by philosophy experts with an exceptional breadth of interests. We offer high number of contact hours on a wide range of programmes, with a focus on small-group teaching and one-on-one tuition. Beyond academics, you’ll have access to wellbeing resources, peer mentoring, and careers advice, all in a friendly, welcoming community.

Further information
The BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics is a three-year, full-time course at our Avenue Campus. You can also apply to add a year abroad or placement year, extending your degree to four years. For details, visit our course page.