Philosophy, Politics and Economics as an interdisciplinary program began in the early 20th century at the University of Oxford. The goal was to ensure that scholars were ready to apply their learning in practical, governmental, legal and business contexts to become leaders and change agents. Over the past few decades, as PPE made its way to the United States, the curriculum and tools of analysis have changed considerably. The more recent version of PPE was shaped by people like Geoffrey Brennan, an economist-turned-philosopher from the Australian National University and the Founding Director of the joint Duke/UNC PPE program. As Brennan conceives it, politics is a domain of study, but economics and philosophy provide the tools that help us explain, predict, and evaluate behavior under alternative political institutions.

Historically, the disciplines we know today as political science and economics descend from what was previously called “political economy” — the application of philosophical reflection and criticism to issues in markets and politics. It considered how societies decided what goods should be produced, under what conditions they were produced, and ultimately how those goods would be distributed and enjoyed. PPE today acknowledges the insight that is often lost in the separation of politics and economics, and is devoted to the idea that re-engaging them will inspire and empower students to leave an impact on the world.

The Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics provides students with opportunities to develop practical workplace readiness throughout the course of their degree. The core seminars involve topic-based work on real world issues, with the involvement of practitioners from business and government.

The Policy, Politics and Economics (PPE) degree at is an innovative, interdisciplinary program.

PPE brings together the study of Social Policy, Politics and Economics to examine and evaluate the arguments, ideas and evidence associated with some of the most pressing global issues. The program gives equal weight to all three disciplines for the duration of the course, while at the same time allowing you to tailor your degree to your strengths and interests

Course summary

The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics provides rigorous training in three interconnected areas that shape the world around us. You will learn to understand the complex interactions between economic and political factors that affect policy and decision-making in contexts ranging from local communities to international organisations. You will develop skills in political understanding, critical thinking, and economic analysis that are essential for careers in politics and government, entrepreneurship, international development, public service, and many other areas.

The BA in PPE degree program provides an education in the core elements of philosophy, politics and economics. Students begin in the first year by studying the basics of all three subjects, and then in their second year they choose to focus on two of them. In their third year, they continue with the study of their two main disciplines, and they write a thesis. In their fourth year, students continue to develop their skills and knowledge by taking a term to study abroad, take advanced courses in their chosen discipline and develop an independent capstone project. In their second and third years, they will also be able to complement their main study areas by taking courses from the other CEU BA program, Culture, Politics and Society.

The PPE program is multi-disciplinary — students receive a thorough training in at least two of the three PPE disciplines. But they can also do serious interdisciplinary work in their BA thesis and capstone project, and they can take courses from outside the PPE framework, which can offer contrasting or more interdisciplinary perspectives on the topics they are interested in.

What you will study/What the course entails

The program of study includes core subjects in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, plus a Major study focusing on a more extensive set of subjects within one of those three areas.

Through the study of Politics, you will learn the foundations of political theory, the impact of public policy, and the structure and history of politics in Australia. You will learn how political considerations affect international relations and the specific problems that arise in the politics of developing countries. You will also study the role of culture and media in politics, allowing you to situate your understanding in a broader social context.

Studying Philosophy will develop your skills in critical thinking and logical analysis. You will learn how distinct ways of understanding concepts such as justice, fairness, and human rights depend on different assumptions regarding knowledge, ethics, and the nature of mind and the self. You will also learn how fundamental philosophical problems relate to serious practical issues in areas such as mental health, bioethics and climate change.

Economics includes three components: macroeconomics, microeconomics, and quantitative methods. Through these, you will learn to interpret complex economic ideas and assess economic factors that arise in a wide variety of contexts. You will acquire formal skills that are essential in business and financial modelling, and you will study economic history, ensuring that your skills are informed by a broader context.

Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) degree helps you to come to grips with the interaction between politics, the economy and philosophy, equipping you with skills in analysis and critical thinking, economic theory in relation to globalization, markets and competition, and international relations. In your first year you’ll study a core group of subjects covering politics, economics and critical thinking, international relations and philosophy. In the second and third years, you can either study all three disciplines – politics, philosophy and economics – or specialize in two of these areas. You’ll have the flexibility to choose from electives across the University, building a degree that’s tailored to your specific interests. Alongside lectures, you’ll attend policy-focused economics seminars and specialized tutorial sessions and activities.

The Politics, Philosophy, and Economics bachelor’s degree program prepares students for a truly international career from day one of their college education. Students will gain a wide understanding of and exposure to various disciplines, from history and law, to political science, sociology, economics, statistics, methodology, always looking on their impact on today societies.

The first two years are intended to offer a broad and solid knowledge of the different historical, philosophical, economic, legal, sociological areas. In the third year, students have the opportunity to choose three elective courses, thus giving greater flexibility and specialization to their academic path.

Throughout their academic career, students will have the possibility to attend key workshops on data analysis and computer skills, soft-skills seminars, along with internships and different possibilities to study abroad.

it is also important to mention that a good PPE student will encounter a collective action problem like anthropogenic climate change or antibiotic resistance (both of which are global and intergenerational) and be able to use the tools of game theory to figure out whether it is best modeled as a prisoner’s dilemma or an assurance game, or something else altogether. She will also be able to think through whether a particular set of actions is an equilibrium (or stable point) in the game, and whether we might be able to use social norms or legal sanctions to move to a superior equilibrium at a sufficiently low cost. In other words, PPE helps us model problems that arise when we interact with each other and then evaluate the tradeoffs among the politically feasible and morally desirable set of solutions. Sometimes the solution is simply to allow people to communicate and share information; other times norms or laws are needed to solve the problem.

 

Why choose this course

The Politics, Philosophy and Economics program aims both at providing excellent basic skills to be able to access the most prestigious master’s degree programs worldwide, as well as at favoring an effective access into the job market.

Professional opportunities stand especially within international organizations, public authorities, regulatory agencies at national, EU and international level, public administration and public affairs offices, large companies and consulting firms, non-governmental and non-profit organizations, think-tanks and lobbies, embassies and communications departments as the interface between public and private entities.

By equipping students with diverse tools of rational analysis of the complex social realities of our time, PPE develops exceptional problem solving and critical thinking abilities useful not only to future politicians, diplomats, public servants, human rights activists and journalists, but also to future financiers, industrialists and to a range of other careers and activities which require drawing connections among political, economic, social and cultural phenomena.

Since all compulsory courses have to be taken during the first three semesters of the program, from fourth semester onwards students will be free to select their own specialization pathway and will be able to put greater emphasis on either politics alone, or on politics and economics, or on politics and philosophy, choosing elective courses, seminars and the topic of their bachelor thesis according to their preferences regarding their future professional career.

Studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics allows you to combine three vibrant areas into a program of study tailored specifically to your own interests. The combination of core subjects and electives in all three areas allows for a diverse range of specializations, enabling you to take advantage of faculty members with expertise in areas of study that are most important to you. The world needs flexible thinkers who can adapt to unexpected situations and help solve problems in ways that are neither narrowly political nor purely profit-driven. Also, the study of PPE helps to develop perspectives with real-world advantages that include:

• Historical insight: PPE helps students make sense of historical events and ideas in a comprehensive and insightful way.
• Marketable skills: PPE students develop analytical, writing, reading and dialogical skills that prove valuable in academic research and many business occupations.
• Pre-professional readiness: The skills acquired through the major make PPE students likely to fare well on graduate, law, business and medical school entrance examinations like the GRE and LSAT.
• Foundation in legal studies: PPE is particularly suited for pre-law students, since its subject matter involves major legal areas like public policy, government, civil rights and corporate responsibility.

 
Career opportunities

Due to its interdisciplinary character, BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) equips students with diverse tools of analysis of social phenomena, and develops exceptional problem solving abilities useful to future politicians, diplomats, public servants, local government officials, researchers and policy analysts, journalists, NGO activists, but also financiers. The ability to appreciate the importance of cultural factors for analysis of political processes is enhanced by the fact that the student body is highly diverse, enriching the class discussions with different sensitivities, and enabling students to learn how to feel comfortable and function effectively in an international milieu.

• Archiving and Librarianship
• Art & Design
• Arts
• Business Development & Administration
• Community & Social Services
• Consultancy
• Diplomacy
• Education
• Entrepreneurship
• Government Policy
• Healthcare Policy & Management
• Heritage Specialist
• Human Resources
• Information Technology & Design
• Journalism
• Social Policy
• Translation & Interpreting
• Legal Work
• Marketing & Advertising
• Media & Publishing
• Politics
• Production and Management
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Writing

PPE is thriving in the U.S. and U.K. in part because students are looking for conceptual tools to help them understand and evaluate the world around them. But many of these students want to do this while asking questions they typically don’t get to ask (or don’t get complete answers to) if they take economics, politics, or philosophy classes in isolation.

For these reasons, PPE is easy to sell to students, and to administrators who are seeking more collaboration between disciplines or who want philosophy departments to show that they can impact a wider discussion. With an upfront investment in building institutional infrastructure and bringing administrators and faculty from other disciplines on board, PPE can help increase the number of philosophy majors.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Admission is based on individual qualities of each student and also on the institution chosen. The program is looking for applicants with a high school education who can demonstrate Intellectual curiosity, and a proactive and problem-solving orientation. Interest in critical thinking, in interdisciplinary perspectives and in global processes will be highly valued, as well as an interest in civic engagement.