Philosophy, Politics & Economics
There are usually eight undergraduates in each year studying PPE at Mansfield.
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 8 undergraduates to study PPE every year. 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 Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Statistics.
In years 2 and 3, students can choose to specialise in just two branches of PPE, dropping the third branch or they may choose to continue with all three branches. For each branch there are some core paper requirements, but after that choices may be made from a wide-ranging set of options.