PPE Pathways

A lot of decisions will have to be made in term 3, including how you’re going to shape your PPE degree. As a first year, this is a choice I will also have to make, but it’s one that will be easier to make with the right information.

In second year, we begin our real PPE degree: the year counts towards our final grade, and it is structured with 2 years in mind, not just that one. What makes PPE such a great course in my opinion is it’s flexibility; in second year you can decide whether you want to drop one of the three disciplines, or you can continue with all three if you want to! It’s crucial to know that at the end, your certificate will still say you studied a PPE degree.

There are 6 possible combinations of the PPE degree available to take in second year:

1. (BA) Tripartite
2. (BA) PhilPol
3. (BA) PhilEcon
4. (BA) PolEcon
5. (BSc) EconPhil
6. (BSc) EconPol

Now these all may look similar and a little confusing but there are key differences between them all. The Tripartite is where you continue to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics, going deeper into them equally, just like first year – you will also still be able to take an optional module. Numbers 2,3 and 4 are where you drop one of the disciplines and focus on these two equally. Choosing these will mean you have more CATS for optional modules, in which you can very easily take a module in the discipline you dropped.

Now for numbers 5 and 6: if you choose these you will major in economics, i.e. do 50% economics, and the rest of your CATS will be divided between your second discipline and your optional modules. With these options, you will have 2 required modules in Economics rather than just having one and you will receive a Bachelor of Science degree at your graduation rather than a Bachelor of Arts. We have been assured that it doesn’t matter whether your degree is a BA or BSc, so please don’t choose these options just for the name – we’re all coming out with a PPE degree!

If you’re an indecisive person like me, the uni has us covered. It’s possible to move between these 6 pathways if you have the required modules, and you most likely will if you’ve completed your first year.

Another possible option, after you’ve chosen your pathway, is to do an Intercalated Year Abroad. This just means that you can do a year abroad to the countries that your department offer between your second and third year. Sign-ups for this open in term 1 of your second year, so if this is something you’re interested in, make sure you think hard about it over summer and work extra hard to get the grades that you need!

If that’s not really your speed, you can apply for a Work Placement instead. This will give you a year of work experience under your belt and set you just a step ahead for your future. However, this is only offered through the Politics and Philosophy departments, so make sure you keep this in mind when choosing your pathway.

There are just so many options to choose from which is definitely a major benefit of doing PPE; I know I have a lot to think about for next year! I hope this has been informative for you, that it clears some things up about your next year doing PPE and that it makes your term 3 decision that much easier!