DEGREE GUIDE

PPE

What do Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) degrees involve?

Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) degrees teach you how governments make decisions, how economies function, and how philosophical ideas shape political and economic systems. You will study key areas such as political theory, ethics, macroeconomics, international relations, and policy analysis. These courses help you develop strong critical thinking, research, and problem-solving skills while exploring how societies are structured and governed. As you progress, you may specialise in one or more of the three disciplines, tailoring your studies to your interests. You will also gain hands-on experience through policy research, political simulations, and economic analysis, equipping you with the expertise to work in government, finance, journalism, or public policy.

Example
Modules

Principles in Politics, Philosophy & Economics: An interdisciplinary foundation in key concepts, debates, and methods across the three PPE strands.

Introduction to Philosophy: Explore classic philosophical questions, such as what we can know and how we should live, while building logical and critical thinking skills.

Principles of Microeconomics: Understand how markets work by studying consumer behaviour, pricing, supply and demand, and economic decision-making.

Common Degree Names

PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics)

💼 Some courses offer placement years in government, think tanks or policy research roles.
🌍 Study abroad is available at many universities.

BA (Hons) Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
BA (Hons) Politics and Economics
BA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics
BA (Hons) PPE with International Relations

Level 3 (A-level / IB Diploma (HL) / Scottish Highers)

PPE combines three disciplines that help you understand how societies work, how decisions are made, and how to analyse complex problems. Universities welcome students from many different subject backgrounds.

Subjects that strengthen your application:

Mathematics – highly recommended or required by many universities for the economics component
Economics – useful preparation for one third of the course
Politics or Government and Politics – relevant foundation for political study
Philosophy or Religious Studies – develops analytical and argumentative skills
History – builds skills in analysing evidence and constructing arguments
English Literature or Language & Literature – strengthens essay writing and critical analysis

✨ PPE is competitive at many universities, and Maths requirements vary – some courses require it, others recommend it, and some offer extra support for students without it. Check carefully before applying.

Universities may also accept:

BTEC Extended Diplomas. (most universities don't specify a subject). GCSE Maths grade 6 or above is usually required
BTEC National Extended Certificates or National Diplomas alongside relevant A-Level subjects
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) with at least two IB Higher Level subjects (ideally three) alongside your Career-Related Study; Mathematics is recommended by many universities for the Economics component — see above for IB subjects that could strengthen your application

PPE is offered at many universities with varying emphasis on each discipline. Always check specific course requirements.

Level 2 Qualifications (GCSE or equivalent)

Most courses ask for:

GCSE English Language and Maths (or equivalent) – such as Scottish National 5s, BTEC Level 2, or IB MYP certificates
Some universities require Maths at a higher grade for PPE

📋 Strong performance in both English and Maths at Level 2 is important, as PPE combines essay-based work with quantitative analysis.

💬 Interviews

Interviews are not usually required, but some universities may invite you for a short conversation, either online or in person, to learn more about your interest in the subject.

📝 Admissions Tests

If you're applying to Oxford, you'll need to sit the TARA (Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions). It assesses critical thinking and problem-solving rather than subject knowledge.

🔍 Work Experience

You don't need work experience to apply for PPE. If you have a school placement to fill, a local council, charity, think tank, or any organisation involved in policy, politics, or economic decision-making could give you useful perspective.

✨ Personal Statement Tips

Why PPE rather than studying philosophy, politics, or economics separately? This degree is designed for students who want to explore how these disciplines connect - perhaps you're interested in questions that don't fit neatly into one subject, like how economic ideas shape political decisions, or how philosophical thinking applies to policy debates. If you've engaged with ideas across these areas through reading, podcasts, or following current affairs, think about what connections you've noticed and what questions you'd want to explore further. Admissions tutors want to see genuine intellectual curiosity that spans disciplines and an ability to analyse issues from multiple angles, not just strong opinions about current events.

If your qualifications don't match the usual entry requirements, there are some other possibilities.

🌱 Foundation Year in Social Sciences or Humanities

Some universities offer a foundation year that can lead into PPE or related degrees. This adds an extra year but provides a route in if you don't have the required subjects or grades.

🎓 Access to HE Diploma (Social Science or Humanities)

Accepted by some universities. Choose a pathway with essay-based and analytical units — economics, politics or philosophy content would be particularly relevant. Aim for Distinctions in your graded units.

Is this degree right for you?

Members can explore whether this degree fits who they are:

Skills you'd develop and whether they match your strengths
How this aligns with your interests, motivators and values
Career paths and where graduates end up

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Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Use the tabs to explore the kind of person that this would be a good fit for. Do you share the Interests, Motivations, Values, Work identity and skills that people who thrive in this course tend to have?

Not sure what these things are? Explore your Identity Tree with us first.

Interests that connect well with a PPE degree

Students who enjoy this degree often share these interests. You don't need to feel strongly about all of them, and interests develop over time. If one or two catch your curiosity, or sound like something you'd like to know more about, that's a good sign.

PPE brings together three disciplines: philosophy, politics, and economics. Most students engage with all three throughout their degree, though the balance varies by university and by your own choices. The interests below reflect the full range of what the degree covers. If two or three of them resonate with you, that's a strong signal this degree could be a good fit.

Fairness, Justice & Rights: Questions about justice run through all three PPE disciplines. You'll study what makes political systems fair, how moral reasoning applies to policy choices on healthcare, education, and poverty, and whether economic arrangements can be just as well as efficient.

Big Questions & Deep Thinking: Philosophy is one of the degree's three core disciplines. You'll tackle fundamental questions about what we can know, how we should live, and how to reason clearly about complex problems, developing the analytical rigour to examine political and economic questions at a deeper level.

Money, Markets & How Economies Work: Economics is studied as a full academic discipline, not just as context for politics. You'll learn how markets function, how consumers and governments make economic decisions, and how economic theory can be applied to real-world problems from inequality to environmental policy.

Society, Communities & How People Live Together: Through the politics strand, you'll study how different political systems shape people's lives, how public policy is designed and evaluated, and how institutions of government create or reduce inequality within and between societies.

Global Issues & International Affairs: Through political economy and international relations options, you can explore how global capitalism shapes inequality between nations, how countries negotiate trade and cooperation, and how international institutions respond to cross-border challenges.

Students who thrive in a PPE degree are often motivated by

Analysing and Investigating

You're energised by making sense of information, looking for evidence, spotting patterns, and piecing together how things connect. Whether it's pulling apart data, questioning assumptions, or tracing a problem back to its source, you find energy in the process of understanding what's really going on. You'd rather dig into the details than accept things at face value.

Curiosity and Learning

You're energised by the activity of learning itself: diving into a subject you've never explored, watching documentaries, taking apart how something works, or constantly asking "why?" The process of learning gives you energy, not just the outcome. You don't just want the answer; you want to understand how things connect, why they matter, and what's underneath the surface explanation.

Influencing and Persuading

You're energised by convincing others of your ideas, selling a vision, or motivating people to take action. Whether it's through a well-crafted argument, a compelling presentation, or a one-to-one conversation, you find energy in changing someone's mind or getting buy-in for something you believe in. The challenge of working out what will actually land with this person, in this moment, is part of what makes it satisfying.

Intellectual Challenge

You're energised by pushing your mind to its limits, tackling difficult questions, and wrestling with problems that don't have easy answers. You're drawn to work that requires deep concentration and rigorous thinking. The harder the problem, the more satisfying it feels to work through it, and you'd rather be stretched than comfortable. Easy work bores you rather than relaxing you.

What makes PPE click for the students who love it?

One angle on a problem is never enough for them. What gets them is how politics, economics and philosophy pull on each other, because the questions worth asking rarely stay inside one subject. They take it on partly because it is hard, three demanding subjects at once, each stretching them in a different direction. And holding an opinion is never the end of it: they want to argue it through, defend it when challenged, and bring someone round rather than talk past them.

These are the skills that students who love this degree tend to enjoy using. You don't need to be great at them already, but if they sound like you, that's a good sign.

Skill Name

Skills that suit this degree

You don't need to be great at these already — but if you enjoy using them or want to get better at them, that's a good sign.

Do you enjoy thinking carefully about ideas — testing whether an argument really holds up logically, not just whether it sounds convincing?
Are you someone who likes looking at a problem from more than one angle — combining different kinds of thinking to reach a better answer?
Do you find yourself thinking about how governments, markets, and moral principles all pull in different directions — and wanting to work out the best way forward?
Are you comfortable working with numbers and data — not just opinions — to back up what you think?

Careers a PPE degree could lead you to

PPE

What do Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) degrees involve?

Example Modules

Common Degree Names

PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics)

Is this degree right for you?

Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Careers a PPE degree could lead you to

Example
Modules