Student Profile: PPE

Read what one of our students, Capper, Tom (2nd year PPE), says about life at Mansfield.

Read more ››

PPE is a strong and well-established subject at Mansfield and a popular one among students, who go on to work in areas such as government, the civil service, the media, business, banking and academic life.

The College normally admits between 7-8 undergraduates to read PPE every year and they constitute a successful mix between British students and those from the European mainland, the US and Asia. There are no specific A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) on which we insist as a condition for studying PPE, but we are looking for critical, clear and reasoned thinking, as well as real enthusiasm for the subjects on offer.

Students develop their expertise in the subjects covered by PPE, engage their critical faculties in understanding their social environment, and are encouraged to ask the kind of questions that cast light on the different worlds we inhabit.

PPE at Oxford is a very flexible course. Students are required to study all three subjects in equal proportions in their first year, but after that they may continue with all three branches, or specialise in two. In the first year students prepare for three exams - one in each subject. The philosophy component consists of Logic, General Philosophy and an introduction to Moral Philosophy based on J. S. Mill’s Utilitarianism; in politics, students are introduced to Political Theory and Political Institutions; and in Economics, they study both Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.

There are two core paper requirements for each of the subjects in years two and three, but after that choices may be made from a wide-ranging set of options. Precise details of these can be found by consulting the University web page via the University Course Detail link at the bottom of this page.

Useful Links

• Department of Economics
• Department of Politics
• Faculty of Philosophy
• University Course Detail