BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics
About this course
Philosophy, politics, and economics is one of the most celebrated degree combinations in British universities, and for good reason. Philosophy equips you with the tools to examine the foundations of knowledge, the basis of ethical judgement, and the logic of argument. Politics analyses how power is organised, contested, and legitimated across different societies and systems. Economics provides the analytical and quantitative framework for understanding how resources are allocated, how markets work, and how economic forces shape the decisions of individuals and governments. Studied together, the three disciplines illuminate each other in ways that none could achieve alone. At Durham University, this three-year full-time programme invites you to question what drives human actions and decisions, to examine how government policies shape society, and to engage with the ethics of global production and consumption. You will explore the connections, influences, and mutual shaping of these three disciplines, understanding why they have been so deeply intertwined throughout history and how that remains the case today. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad option, and work placements, which add professional and international dimensions to a degree defined by its intellectual breadth and analytical ambition. The typical entry tariff is 184 UCAS points. Graduates of PPE degrees from Durham are exceptionally well placed for careers in the civil service, public policy, political research, journalism, international organisations, finance, law, management consultancy, and academia. The combination of philosophical rigour, political understanding, and economic analysis is exactly what is needed in roles that engage with the most complex questions in public and professional life. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in economics, political science, philosophy, law, or public administration, finding that the breadth of PPE is a genuinely strong foundation for specialist advanced work.
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