Course Structure
Your PPE programme will support you with the foundation of the disciplines and enable you to specialise and hone your skills to best suit your interests and career path.
In the course of your studies, you'll select your own individual pathway through the extensive module offerings, and so tailor the programme to your own passions and aspirations. For example, you can choose focus on two subjects in more depth, even taking up to 80% of your optional modules in one discipline, or you can choose to study all three subjects in equal proportion. Depending on your chosen pathway and modules, you can graduate with either a BA or BSc.
Each year, you can combine a number of core or optional core modules with your own optional module choices. Thus you can be sure that you are covering the foundations of the PPE subjects while exploring your own specialist interests and gaining in-depth knowledge by working with experts from across the university.
Philosophy:
Politics:
Optional Module(s):
A choice from a wide range of optional modules.
* EC120 Quantitative Techniques is a first year cluster module which is made up of one module in Mathematical Techniques (A (EC139) or B (EC140)), and one module in Statistical Techniques (A (EC122) or B (EC124)).
Core Modules
Your first year comprises foundation modules in each department. You will study a wide range of historical and contemporary philosophy topics such as moral philosophy, aesthetics, and logic in the introductory Philosophy module, and political theory and political science with Politics. In Economics you will cover micro- and macroeconomics, and mathematical and statistical techniques at either an intermediate or advanced level.
Optional Modules
You then choose one or two optional modules. Options from the three PPE departments in recent years have included 'World Politics', 'Key Debates in Moral and Political Philosophy', and 'Foundations of Political Economy'. But your options are not limited to the PPE departments. You can also choose modules from other departments in the Humanities and Social Sciences faculties, including the Business School and Language Centre, meaning there are dozens to choose from.
Find out more about Optional Modules available to PPE students.
Optional Module(s)
A choice from a wide range of optional modules.
Pathways
In Year 2, you will select a pathway, choosing either to continue on a Tripartite course and study all three disciplines, or to move to a Bipartite course and specialise in two of the subjects. You may also choose to major in Economics, which will allow you to graduate with a BSc rather than a BA.
Optional Core Modules
Depending on your chosen pathway, you will take a combination of optional core modules from across the disciplines. Some subjects allow you to choose your disciplinary core module from a range of options so that you can tailor your degree to your interests. If you wish to take a Bipartite pathway, you are not required to take the optional core module for the discipline that you discontinue. If you wish to major in Economics, you will take more modules from within the Department of Economics.
Optional Modules
Depending on your pathway, you will be able to choose up to half of your modules from a wide range of optional modules with the three departments. In recent years, students took modules such as 'The Philosophy of Terrorism and Counterterrorism', 'Democracy and Authority', 'International Security', 'Capitalism and its Alternatives', 'Collective Decisions' and 'Economics of Money and Banking'.
The PPE programme also offers an interdisciplinary module, which is available only to PPE students - PH255 PPE: Interdisciplinary Topics. The emphasis of this module is on developing the skills required to bring the three PPE perspectives together and develop cohesive policy responses to contemporary social problems.
Again, options are not limited to the PPE departments, as you may choose to study one year-long or two term-long modules in either your Second or Final Year from outside the departments. In recent years, students took modules such as 'Entrepreneurship in Practice', 'Beyond the Binary: Trans-forming Gender', 'Commercial Cultures in Global Capitalism', 'Empire and Oil in the Middle East', and language courses from the Warwick Language Centre.
Find out more about Optional Modules available to PPE students.
Philosophy, Politics & Economics:
A choice from a wide range of optional modules, including an optional PPE or disciplinary Dissertation or Research Project.
Optional Module(s):
A choice from a wide range of optional modules.
Optional Core Modules
In Year 3, all PPE students choose at least two from a list of three interdisciplinary modules in 'Principles of Political Economy'. These modules are available only to PPE students and are designed as part of our bridge model, providing real life context so that you can integrate your studies in the three disciplines and focus on important topics at the intersection of philosophy, politics, and economics.
Optional Modules
You will again be able to choose from an interesting variety of optional modules from the PPE departments. Options in past years have included 'Philosophy of Evil', 'Vigilant State: Understanding Secret Intelligence', 'The Political Economy of Money, 'The International Economy in the Twentieth Century' and 'Macroeconomic Policy in the EU'.
Many students also choose to take a dissertation or a research project either in PPE or the field of their choice. Dissertation topics have included 'Understanding the roles of social enterprises', 'The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Occupational Attainment in England' and 'Moral Obligations to Alleviate Poverty: A Virtue Ethics Approach'.
The option also remains for students to take optional modules from outside the disciplines, and you may choose to study one year-long or two term-long modules in either your Second or Final Year from other departments across the university, with students in recent years taking such modules as 'Public Opinion', 'Business Studies', 'Literature and Psychoanalysis' and 'Racism and Xenophobia'.
Find out more about Optional Modules available to PPE students.