collageHave you been wondering if studying Philosophy, Politics and economics combined is actually for you? Then this article is actually for you! Read on…
PPE has long been known as one of ‘the’ Oxford degrees: a quintessential brand in and of itself. 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.
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.
Is PPE right for you?
The first and most important thing to bear in mind is that PPE is a generalist’s degree. The flip side of covering three subjects (politics, philosophy and economics) is that you get less depth on any individual one. If you’re really set on getting as deep into economics as possible, for example, Cambridge Economics is probably a better bet (or Cambridge philosophy). On the other hand, you still do get quite a lot of depth––enough for graduate study. Moreover, the essence of PPE is the connections between all three subjects: a knowledge of the other disciplines helps with any single one. For example, many political judgments need both economic knowhow and a normative (philosophical) basis. Finally, if you don’t want as much breadth, in your second and third years you can choose to narrow down to just 2 of the 3 subjects.
PPE is also both fascinating and difficult because it needs essay-writing and quantitative ability. Moral philosophy or political theory are close to humanities and require facility with essays; formal logic or econometrics are quite mathematical. This can be an attraction, but is worth bearing in mind. Again, this also means you have to be comfortable with each; otherwise the degree might end up becoming a grind.
Most universities offer this program degree or variations of it. It is an extremely valuable option to consider for those who do not have a specific idea of what to study or for learners who have a passion for current affairs and politics. If you choose to study this degree, it definitely can offer people a variety of job opportunities.
PPE brings together some of the most important approaches to understanding the social and human world around us, developing skills useful for a whole range of future careers and activities.
Make sure you do actually want to study these three subjects together – look at the following different subject descriptions carefully. There are different combination degrees available at other prestigious Universities – Politics and Philosophy at LSE for instance or Politics and Social Policy at Bristol. Make certain that you really do want to do a ‘PPE’ degree because of the subjects it includes in combination.
Economics will provide a useful knowledge of the functioning of the economy, which is necessary for any future businessperson or entrepreneur. Also, there is a trend for firms to employ people, who have a philosophical background, because this subject teaches critical thinking, logic and the development of arguments, all of which are valuable in any career option. Finally, the politics will give you an understanding how South Africa’s, and other countries political systems, functions. This is essential if you hope to become a diplomat, political analyst, politician or even president!
If you’re interested in the commercial, this course will increase your understanding of South Africa’s relationship with other countries. politics is essential, because as much as we wish to deny it, politics tends to dominate every part of our lives!
Once you have your degree, I would strongly recommend studying an honors degree. This will increase your knowledge of your career, for example, if you have dreams of entering the business world, honors in economics will bring your dreams that much closer. Also, if you want to live or work overseas, the students who have studied at foreign universities have an advantage, as an honors degree is included in their degrees, similar to our law program offered in South Africa.
This degree offers the best of all degrees that your chosen university will offer. The PPE degree will give you an excellent basis for your chosen career. The different subjects included in the degree will open you up to different career opportunities, which I think is important because during your working life, statistics show that you are likely to change jobs many times. Also, this is one of the most interesting degrees. You’ll actually enjoy what you are studying and this is extremely important because then you are more likely to succeed in your studies and in the rest of your life!
The PPE degree offers students the opportunity to study philosophical, political, and economic theories in order to better understand the world around us. Students study all three subjects in their first year to gain an introductory understanding of each subject’s key issues, culminating in an exam at the end of the year. In their second and third year, most students then choose to concentrate on two of the branches of PPE, pursuing a combination of core and optional modules. PPE is thus a highly flexible degree and allows students to study a range of subjects—from the narrowly empirical to the highly abstract—within a coherent overall structure
PPE: things to note about the application
Many aspects of applying for PPE follow from the nature of the course. Even before application season, the A levels you choose matter. Since PPE is both qualitative and quantitative, tutors look for ability in both the humanities and mathematics. Single Maths A-level is highly recommended, and in my experience Further Maths is even better. They also want to see an essay writing A level, such as History.
The first hurdle is the personal statement. Personal statements should first and foremost be academic—tutors who have devoted their lives to academia make admissions decisions. The books you have read, the essays you have written, courses you have taken, ideas you have had: these are the primary fodder of the personal statement. These play a role in deciding who gets invited to interview, but more importantly might steer the interview itself: be prepared to be grilled on anything in your personal statement. Re-read the books on it and don’t put down stuff you only half understand. If something from your personal statement comes up (and it might not), you really don’t want to be caught not understanding it.
Next, you take the Thinking Skills Assessment test (TSA). It’s worth getting special help with this test, as it determines a large amount of both the decision to invite you to interview, and the ultimate decision whether to offer a place. It has problem solving and critical thinking components, and practicing for a high score is essential.. Tutors will have to teach you for the next three years if they give you a place: they want to make sure they get the best candidates. The important thing is to remember that they are trying to help you give a good account of yourself. The important thing is to help them see your intellectual ability. To prepare, the only solution is to read a lot, think a lot, and practice putting yourself in that situation, so nerves don’t become overwhelming on the day.
A simple breakdown of the course
- Studying Philosophy, you will develop analytical rigour and the ability to criticize and reason logically, and be able to apply these skills to many contemporary and historical schools of philosophical thought, and to questions concerning how we acquire knowledge or how we make ethical recommendations.
- The study of Politics will acquaint you with the ideas behind the decisions which govern our lives as members of nations, states and other political groupings. You will also learn how to evaluate the choices which political systems must regularly make, and about the processes that maintain or change those systems. The study of Politics also includes opportunities to take core and optional papers in Sociology and International Politics.
An appreciation of Economics and the general workings of the economy has become increasingly necessary to make sense of governmental policy-making, the conduct of businesses and the enormous changes in economic systems which are occurring throughout the world at the current time. Economics focuses both on individual units and on the aggregate behaviour of groups, societies and international markets
Things to know before applying for PPE
PPE applicants should have sufficient aptitude for mathematics to cope with the mathematical elements of the course. Mathematics is a particular advantage for the Economics component of PPE, as well as for the first year logic course in Philosophy, and for understanding theories and data in Politics; it is useful to have learnt the basics of differentiation before starting PPE.
Many successful applicants have studied Mathematics to at least AS-Level or equivalent. Therefore you may like to consider taking Mathematics to AS-Level, or an equivalent qualification such as IB Standard Level, even if you do not pursue it further.
More reasons why PPE is for you
- PPE has no required subjects. You do not need to have previously studied any of the composite subjects individually, but the university does say History and Maths are helpful.
- PPE is reading and essay intensive. If you haven’t studied an obvious essay subject like English Literature, History, Politics etc at A level or similar, you will find the first year of the course very challenging.
- Without previous study of a related subject, you may find it difficult to write a sensible PS justifying your choice of course, but not necessarily. If you have a genuine interest in the subjects and can show wider reading, your statement may be more unique and interesting than someone who only reiterates A Level course material.
- You must be interested in intense high-level study in these specific subject areas. Yes, this sounds obvious, but clearly just wanting to be a future Cabinet Minister won’t get you through three years of PPE at Oxford if you aren’t actually interested in these subjects.
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
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.
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