Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Politics, philosophy, and economics, known widely as PPE, is one of the most ambitious and consequential degrees in higher education, combining three disciplines that between them address the organisation of society, the foundations of knowledge and value, and the behaviour of markets and economies. Politics examines how power is acquired and exercised, how institutions shape political behaviour, and how societies make collective decisions. Philosophy provides the tools of rigorous argument, the analysis of concepts, and engagement with the deepest questions of ethics, knowledge, and political obligation.

Economics brings the formal analysis of how resources are allocated, how incentives shape behaviour, and how markets and other mechanisms coordinate the decisions of millions of individuals.

At the University of Hull, this three-year full-time programme offers the PPE combination in a university with a genuine tradition of engagement in politics and social thought and a strong research culture across the social sciences. Hull's location in the East Riding of Yorkshire, a region with its own distinctive economic and social character, provides a concrete context for the kinds of questions the degree raises about inequality, governance, and economic change.

You will study the history of political thought and contemporary political institutions, engage with the major traditions in moral and political philosophy, and develop economic analysis, including both micro and macroeconomics and the quantitative skills that economic reasoning requires. The combination develops the ability to think across disciplinary boundaries and to bring multiple analytical frameworks to bear on complex social questions.

PPE graduates are among the most versatile and sought-after in any year group, moving into politics and public policy, management consulting, finance, journalism, international organisations, the civil service, law, and academia. The degree is associated with political and professional leadership, and its breadth is both its challenge and its principal advantage.