Philosophy, Politics and Economics (BSc)

Undergraduate

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

At University College Dublin (CAO code: DN700)

Dáil Éireann – Houses of the Oireachtas

There are four ways to study these three subjects within the DN700 Social Sciences programme:

Thematic pathway in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
Joint Major in Philosophy and Politics
Joint Major in Philosophy and Economics
Joint Major in Politics and Economics

The following will describe PPE, but applies to the others as well.

PPE provides a broad and deep understanding of how a society works, and indeed how international society works. It examines the complex economic and political forces in play, the problems of measuring and assessing the health of society, and the principles of justice that should guide political and economic decision-making to improve society.

10 arrested at anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne

PPE will teach students how to read beyond media headlines, and where to find more information about the hot policy questions of the day, in national and international contexts. PPE provides a thorough grounding in all three disciplines that are core to the social sciences.

All three disciplines share a commitment to rigour and problem-solving, which makes PPE an ideal programme of education for future politicians, civil servants, journalists and managers.

PPE is a popular degree at some famous universities such as Oxford, King's College London and the University of Pennsylvania. (opens in a new window)See the Wikipedia entry here.

The structure of the PPE degree

Four years long
Each year, the student takes three modules in philosophy, three modules in politics, three modules in economics.
At the end of Stage 1, the option to switch into a Joint Major in two of the subjects
At the end of Stage 2, the option to switch into a Single Major in any of the subjects (under certain conditions)
The possibility of a semester abroad in 3rd year.
The possibility of an intensive research project in 4th year.

Available modules include:

Philosophy	Politics	Economics
Ethics Critical Thinking Phil. of Social Science Theory of Knowledge Philosophy of Law Philosophy of Mind Family, Ethics and Law Feminism Phil. of Mental Disorder	Irish Politics International Relations Comparative Politics Int'l Political Economy Globalisation and development Capitalism and Democracy Politics and Human Rights Individuals and the State Environmental Policy	Microeconomics Macroeconomics Quantitative Economics Data Analysis Labour economics Irish Economy European Economy Economic History Int'l Money and Banking