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Philosophy, politics and economics

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Philosophy, Politics and Economics or Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (often abbreviated to PPE) is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines. The first institution to offer degrees in PPE was initially founded by the University of Oxford. It is now offered at several other leading colleges and universities around the world, including Durham University, Warwick University, University of York and Swansea University in the United Kingdom, and the University of Pennsylvania, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wesleyan University[1], and Claremont McKenna College in the United States.[1]

History

PPE was established in Oxford in 1920 as a modern alternative to Classics (known as Greats) because it was thought that a course in Philosophy and Ancient History was no longer relevant for those entering the civil service. It was thus initially known as Modern Greats.[citation needed] It was also the first opportunity for students to study philosophy at Oxford without having to learn Ancient Greek or Latin and hence sparked a huge growth in the number of students studying philosophy at Oxford.[citation needed]

Course material

The design of the programme emanates from the view that to understand social phenomena one must approach them from several complementary disciplinary directions and analytical frameworks. In this regard, the study of philosophy is considered important because it both equips students with meta-tools such as the ability to reason rigorously and logically, and facilitates ethical reflection. The study of politics is considered necessary because it acquaints students with the authoritative structures that govern society and help solve collective action problems. Moreover, the study of political science is thought to put students in a position to evaluate the choices political systems and regimes regularly make. Finally, studying economics is seen as vital in the modern world because political decisions often concern economic matters, and government decisions are often influenced by economic events. Additionally, the analytical framework of economics (the rational actor model) is an important approach to studying social phenomena and, as such, students ought to be familiar with it.[citation needed]

Notable people with PPE degrees from Oxford

PPE has traditionally been a programme pursued by those seeking a career in politics or public life, including senior positions in Her Majesty's Civil Service – with quite a few subsequently achieving it. A number of PPE graduates have also pursued careers in journalism. Oxford's notable PPE graduates include:

References

  1. ^ Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) - University of Oxford

See also

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