Politics, Philosophy and Economics BA
Understand the ideas and theories which shape our world. Learn how and why the three subjects are intrinsically linked, and how they've developed alongside each other. Develop analytical skills to help you evaluate the impact of government policies.
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A Levels
AAA -
UCAS code
L200 -
Duration
3 years -
Start date
September
- Course fee
- Funding available
- Optional placement year
- Study abroad
Explore this course:
Course description
Why study this course?
Access to a wide variety of optional modules across all three disciplines.
The Sheffield Methods Institute teaching team will help you draw your understanding of all three subjects together.
Summer and year-long work placement opportunities give you a chance to see how politics, philosophy and economics can shape a career.
Our team and our network will bring current research into the classroom, and bring your learning to life.

Follow the ideas that intrinsically link these three subjects, learn how politics, philosophy and economics mould our societies and develop the analytical skills to understand how they influence current events.
This combined degree is distinguished by the expert teaching of the Sheffield Methods Institute in the School of Education, whose team bring together the many layers and perspectives of three subjects into one coherent course. You'll also have the opportunity to take up a language or additional courses in the social sciences and humanities.
Shaping the degree to match your interests, you’ll combine modules as diverse as metaphysics, Chinese politics and digital storytelling. In fact, this is a degree defined by variety and choice: with options to spend a year abroad, or complete year-long or summer work placements. You can specialise in quantitative economics by selecting BSc Politics, Philosophy and Economics.You will also have the opportunity to switch from BA to BSc on arrival.
And thanks to our partnerships with Civil Service departments based right here in Sheffield and many other employers, you’ll have the opportunity to gain valuable employment experience – working for governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other third sector employers focused on public policy.
After completing your dissertation, you’ll graduate with the broad experience and specialist knowledge you need to find the career of your choice.
Modules
Modules are subject to availability and specific combinations may be limited due to capacity and timetabling. Should this arise, we will provide you with support and guidance to find alternatives.
UCAS code: L200
Years: 2026
Core modules:
- Principles in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
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This module introduces students to the study of Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). It provides students with an understanding of how research in philosophy, politics and economics can fruitfully intersect. It articulates why PPE is such an exciting interdisciplinary field of study. It introduces some key theories and approaches at the intersection of philosophy, politics and economics. It provides the foundation that students need for the study of PPE as an interdisciplinary degree.
20 credits - Thinking Politically: Key Concepts
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A concept is a general idea about something. We use concepts all the time to make sense of the world. For example, we use the concept of a 'table' to describe a piece of furniture with a flat top and some legs to keep it stable. We also use concepts to make sense of our experiences and not just to describe 'things'. For example, we talk about a painting being 'beautiful' or a tyrant being 'cruel'.
20 credits
In this course, you will be introduced to a range of core concepts that inform the study of politics and international relations in the twenty-first century: politics, authority, power, democracy, rights, justice, freedom, nations, the distinction between refugees and migrants, and populism.
You will discover how these concepts shape our understanding of the political world around us, and learn how to engage in conceptual analysis (i.e. how to argue about how we should understand each of these concepts). By the end of the module, you will have learnt to problematise and evaluate events, information, and academic literature, enabling you to successfully and critically use key concepts in political debate. - Foundations of Economic Analysis and Policy
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Foundation of Economic Analysis and Policy is for students who are interested in the big policy challenges facing societies today; inequality within and between countries, environmental sustainability, the future of work, health and wellbeing, wealth creation and financial instability and so on. The module has been created specifically for social science students who are not economists, but who want to understand how the economy works, and how it can be made to work better.
20 credits
The module will give you an understanding of the ways in which we can interpret the evidence on the economic and social issues of today, and formulate appropriate public policy interventions. We emphasise issues of power, social norms, fairness, institutions, etc, and illustrate throughout with real-world data.
The module aims to:
introduce students to the language and some of the methods used by economics as a means of understanding the economy and the problems it presents today;enable students to be able to present reasoned and informed views on some of the most pressing problems facing society today, and to engage effectively in the associated debates;develop students' ability to analyse a broad range of contemporary economic, social and public policy challenges;provide practical training in using data to describe and measure the economy and to evaluate the effectiveness of public policy interventions. - Ethics and Society
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This module introduces students to some core questions in ethics, political philosophy, and social philosophy. We ask questions such as: What is a good life for you? What is a morally good life? Does being virtuous matter? What kind of moral consideration do we owe to non-human animals and the environment? Turning to political philosophy, we consider how societies should be organised if they are to realise values such as freedom, equality, and community. How should we understand these values? And what role might the state play in promoting (or undermining) them? We also look at some questions in social philosophy. For example: What are social groups? And when and why are social norms oppressive?
20 credits
Optional modules:
- Religion, Reason and Reality
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Religious traditions typically understand reality as involving more than just the tangible physical world. This module tackles philosophical questions about religion and reality. These include questions about different conceptions of God and the justification for religious beliefs, such as belief in God, supernatural forces and an afterlife. And questions about the nature of religious 'beliefs': are these the same kind of thing as mundane 'beliefs'? They also include questions about reality, raised by potential technological advances, like the question of whether we are living in a simulation, and how we should think about God if we think we are. And the question of whether technologies like virtual reality can offer what people have long sought from religion.
20 credits - Death and Killing
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This module introduces students to some key philosophical questions about life and death. What is death? What happens to us when we die? Could there be an afterlife? Would it be a good thing if there were? Is it rational to fear death? Do we have moral duties towards the dead? If death is usually bad for us then killing someone, or allowing them to die, is usually wrong. But it is not always wrong. There are exceptions. The module looks at a range of life-and-death situations that may include euthanasia, abortion, killing non-human animals, war and capital punishment.
20 credits - Writing Philosophy
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Philosophical writing is a skill that you, the student, must hone early on in order to succeed in your degree. It is also a transferable skill that will serve you in your post-academic career. Philosophical writing combines the general virtues of clarity, organisation, focus and style found in other academic writing with particular philosophical virtues; namely, the ability to expose the implicit assumptions of analysed texts and to make explicit the logical structure of one's own and other people's arguments. A precondition of philosophical writing is a unique form of textual analysis that pays particular attention to its argumentative structure. In this module you will learn and practice philosophical writing. You will learn how to read in preparation for philosophical writing, learn how to plan an essay, learn how to rework your drafts and learn how to use feedback constructively. Short writing exercises will help you hone specific writing skills. You will bring these skills together by writing a number of complete essays. The lectures in the course will be split between lectures on the art of writing and lectures on philosophical topics in the domain of fact and value. Essay topics will be based on the topical lectures and their associated readings.
20 credits - History of Philosophy
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In Philosophy the past can be a guide to the present. The ideas that shape and guide philosophical thought can be understood by examining their historical development. This module will introduce students to key debates and the thought of key figures from the history of philosophy. The focus will be on a number of selected readings covering topics of central philosophical importance from philosophy's long past.
20 credits - Understanding Approaches to Social Research
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This module introduces students to doing social research. Students will explore this through close engagement with the ways other academic projects (including those conducted by staff in the school) have been conducted. Students will gain familiarity with the process of doing social research, from designing research questions, and consideration of the approach taken, to the selection of methods, the implementation of ethical research in the field and the analysis and writing up of data.
10 credits - Planet Politics
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From climate change to biodiversity loss, humans have fundamentally transformed the planet. Patterns of resource consumption have had catastrophic effects but are difficult to change: humankind has become dependent on the very activities that are causing these dramatic transformations.
20 credits
Far from being automatic or inevitable, these transformations are deeply political. This module will help you make sense of planetary change by assessing different political causes and consequences whilst being introduced to different theories, ideas and critiques across disciplines about how we have got here and what we need to do to prevent further destruction.
By examining the major environmental challenges of our age, Planet Politics will take you through some of the most pressing and contentious questions about how humans have affected our shared planetary ecosystems and how we should live and what we should do for life to prosper on Planet Earth. - Race and Racism in World Politics
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Through historical and contemporary case studies, students will study how our world today has been shaped by historical events, many of which continue to inform current relations. We will discover how discourses around race, ethnicity, gender and class construct realities today, determining who rules and who is ruled, who lives and who dies.
20 credits
The module will give students a theoretical toolkit, including approaches from the majority world, enabling them to appreciate power and the political significance of silences in accounts of the global and political.
We will learn about the historical production of the idea of race; how it configured the world in particular ways; how race mandated the colonial project. However, the module will also go beyond race to think about colonialism and the identities that operate in conjunction with race including class, ethnicity, and gender, and how they can determine what type of life people can live or whether they can live at all. For example, they determine whether a child has the right to security, or has to risk losing life in the Mediterranean escaping violence at home.
Students will also learn about resistance and efforts to construct a different and more just world. Through rich historical and contemporary case studies, students will learn how to connect theories to understand current affairs, drawing on thinkers from various backgrounds to counter some of the dominant narratives within international relations. - Introduction to Comparative Politics
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Comparative politics is the systematic study and comparison of the diverse political systems in the world.
20 credits
Throughout the module you will examine the utility of the comparative approach to politics, focusing particularly on types of political regimes (democracies, dictatorships, and electoral authoritarian), and their implications for fascinating outcomes such as development (why some countries are more affluent than others), and conflict (why some countries are more prone to civil war than others). We will also discuss the role that colonialism plays in this interaction between regimes and consequences.
You will consider the key features of each regime type to be able to explain the nature of the comparative method, its strengths and weaknesses. You will also have the opportunity to learn useful skills which will help you design and come up with potential data to answer your research questions. - Reason and Argument
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This module teaches basic philosophical concepts and skills to do with argument. The first part of the course deals with arguments in ordinary language. It teaches techniques for recognizing, interpreting, analyzing, and assessing arguments of various kinds. It also teaches important concepts related to arguments, such as truth, validity, explanation, entailment, consistency, and necessity. The second part of the course is a basic introduction to formal logic. It teaches how to translate ordinary-language arguments into formal languages, which enables you to rigorously prove validity, consistency, and so on.
20 credits - Bodies, Sex and Desires
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This module introduces students to some key topics in the Philosophy of Sex and Queer Theory. We will begin with the surprisingly difficult questions of what sex is, and what a sexual orientation is, examining these questions from the perspective of contemporary philosophy, and also the history of sexuality and desire. We will consider a range of issues around the nature of embodiment, for example, whether there are only two biological sexes (male and female), as well as social and political implications of these categorisations. We will also discuss the nature of intimacy and relationships, including asexuality, aromanticism, polyamory; 'sexual racism'; how we should understand consent; and whether having power over someone makes it impermissible to have sex with them. Finally, we will think about some issues surrounding sex work, focusing on whether or not it is inherently different from other jobs, and whether there is anything morally problematic about pornography.The readings and perspectives covered in this module are diverse, and include examples from empirical studies, media and popular culture. You can develop knowledge of your favourite topics in the portfolio assessment, engaging with module readings in Philosophy of Sex, and Queer theory.
20 credits - Science, Medicine and Society
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This is a module on the relationship between science, society, and values and serves as an introduction to the philosophy of science and bioethics.
20 credits
Science plays an essential role in modern society. We trust science, and its results, on a day to day basis as we navigate our worlds and interact with each other. Yet, what is it about science, or scientific methodology, that makes it so trustworthy? We will investigate a range of questions that concern the epistemology and social structure of science. These include: What is the relationship between evidence, observation, and theory? Is there a distinctive scientific methodology? Does the social structure of science help or hinder scientific research? After considering these theoretical questions, we will turn to questions of value and a range of problems that arise with the application of science. Some of these problems are historic but many have emerged as we move through the 21st century. In a pandemic, for example, how should we balance concerns for liberty and protecting the vulnerable? Should we try to 'enhance' human beings, or should we be happy with the way we are? How might the use of artificial intelligence impact trust in the healthcare system? This module thus moves from the theoretical to the practical. - Introduction to Western Political Thought
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During this module, you will be introduced to political theory as a distinctive way of thinking about politics. You will engage with some of the most influential and renowned thinkers from the history of Western political thought, critically analysing questions of power, justice and legitimacy.
20 credits
Through the study of seminal texts, you will be challenged to evaluate historical responses to political questions and thereby start doing political theory for yourself. You will also develop a deeper understanding of various concepts that can be applied to your analyses of contemporary issues throughout the degree. - British Politics
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You will be introduced to the key concepts and debates that have shaped British politics with an emphasis on history, institutions and culture.
20 credits
Each lecture will focus on a specific element of British politics, with subsequent and linked seminars providing an opportunity to deepen this knowledge by looking at critical case studies or official reviews.
This module provides key employability skills and practice based knowledge through a focus on the theory and practice of political decision-making processes and the challenges of implementing policy. - Gender Politics
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This module aims to interrogate the role of gender and sex in shaping world politics. To do this, it asks how notions of masculinity and femininity shape our institutions, how gender might influence the political problems we prioritise and whose voices are taken seriously in developing responses to these problems.
20 credits
Students will answer these questions through the study of the politicisation of sex, the relationship between gender and violence, how current practices of gender are shaped by colonialism and a range of other timely topics that shape the world today.
The module will allow students to develop an understanding of different approaches to gender, be introduced to key concepts from feminism and queer theory, learn to apply these ideas practically to a set of case studies and debate what the future of gender is in world politics. - Introduction to Global Political Economy
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Global political economy (GPE) is a field of study that investigates the interaction between political and economic forces in contemporary and historical capitalism. You will consider key mainstream and critical theories.
20 credits
You will be introduced to major processes of trade, production and exploitation, sketching the power relations of the global economy by using examples of contemporary production in different industries. You will also consider how the political economy of race, class and gender have structured the global economy through histories of colonisation and decolonisation, from the fourteenth to the twenty-first century. - Economic History of Britain and the Modern World
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This module provides an introduction to the economic history of Britain and the evolution of the global economy in the context of modern theories of economic growth and development and present-day debates about poverty, inequality and North-South relations.
20 credits - Classical and Contemporary Thinkers in Economics
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This module introduces students to a range of classical and contemporary economists, including the founders of the discipline and some Nobel Prize winners, past and present. For each economist, a senior member of the department will give a short biography, outline their contributions to the discipline of economics and the development of the subject, and explain how they have influenced their own thinking and research that is undertaken in economics today. Examples of the contribution of these economists to a range of economic issues will be used to illustrate the continuing relevance and application of their ideas.
20 credits - Mathematical Methods for Economics 1
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This is a core module designed for students who do not have an A-Level in Mathematics or equivalent. It will provide you with specialist support and training to introduce you to relevant key elements of maths taught at A-Level. You will learn to apply these elements in ways that are essential for problem solving in economics. The tools you gain from this module will be used throughout the rest of your degree.
20 credits - Mathematical Methods for Economics 2
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This module is designed for students with an A-Level in Mathematics (or an equivalent qualification). You will revisit key mathematical tools covered in A-Level Mathematics (such as differential calculus) and learn to use them to formulate and solve problems in economics and finance. You will also be introduced to other techniques that are essential for problem solving in economics. These tools will be used throughout the rest of your degree. The topics covered include: sequences/series and the economics of finance, functions, univariate optimization, elasticity, integration, multivariate optimization, constrained optimization, and matrix algebra.
20 credits
You’ll have the opportunity to tailor your degree to your interests by taking a range of modules spanning areas such as Feminism, Political Philosophy, Social Justice, Chinese Politics, International Economics and Macroeconomic Policy.
You’ll have the opportunity to tailor your degree to your interests by taking a range of modules spanning areas such as Ethics and Belief, Global Justice, Feminist and Queer Studies, Global Culture Wars, Health Economics and Environmental Economics.
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we will inform students and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
Learning and assessment
Learning
As a student on the Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree programme at the Sheffield Methods Institute you will be taught through a variety of methods including lectures, seminars to help you learn how to understand things from multiple perspectives and think creatively about problem-solving.
Our teaching is informed by real-world events that are happening now, you'll have the option to choose optional modules throughout your degree to enable you to use the knowledge and techniques you’ve learned to tackle current issues.
You will benefit from the expertise and experience of our academics in the departments of Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
You’ll also study specialist PPE modules with our expert academics in the Sheffield Methods Institute who will teach you the methods and techniques to analyse and interrogate policy, skills that will set you apart from other graduates.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through a number of methods including essays, exams, group presentations and a final year dissertation.
Every student is assigned a personal tutor within the SMI who is there to support you throughout your studies.
Programme specification
This tells you the aims and learning outcomes of this course and how these will be achieved and assessed.
Entry requirements
With Access Sheffield, you could qualify for additional consideration or an alternative offer - find out if you're eligible.
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
AAA
- International Baccalaureate
- 36
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- D*DD in a relevant subject
- BTEC Diploma
- DD in a relevant subject + A at A Level
- Scottish Highers
- AAAAA
- Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels
- A + AA at A Level
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of Access to HE Diploma in Social Sciences, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 39 at Distinction and 6 at Merit
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GCSE Maths grade 6/B
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
AAB
- International Baccalaureate
- 34
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- DDD in a relevant subject
- BTEC Diploma
- DD in a relevant subject + A at A Level
- Scottish Highers
- AAAAB
- Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels
- B + AA at A Level
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of Access to HE Diploma in Social Sciences, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 36 at Distinction and 9 at Merit
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GCSE Maths grade 6/B
You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course, we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification
Equivalent English language qualifications
Visa and immigration requirements
Other qualifications | UK and EU/international
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department.
Graduate careers
This degree prepares you for work in government, NGOs and other third sector employers, and organisations focused on understanding, interpreting and advocating in the public policy arena. We'll teach you the principles and skills to start your career and make an impact in the workplace.
School of Education
The School of Education combines expertise from three areas of the University: education, the Sheffield Methods Institute and lifelong learning.
Five reasons to study at the Sheffield Methods Institute
- Be part of smaller seminar groups - giving you the chance to ask in-depth questions, discuss topics and solve problems with fellow students.
- We'll get you career ready - we'll develop your employability with industry-relevant skills and you'll have the opportunity to take a placement in industry.
- Choose your own study pathway - you'll have the chance to tailor your learning experience and follow your own interests.
- We're here for you - we know you all as individual students and have a dedicated support team.
- You'll be taught by experts - our academic staff are active in a variety of fields and use their cutting-edge research to bring classes and workshops to life.
Annual student conference
Our conferences brings together students from all our undergraduate courses to hear from and network with industry professionals, share knowledge, present research findings and explore new topics from across the social sciences forum.
We timetable teaching across the whole of our campus, the details of which can be found on our campus map.
University rankings
A world top-100 university
QS World University Rankings 2026 (92nd) and Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 (98th)
Number one in the Russell Group
National Student Survey 2024 (based on aggregate responses)
92 per cent of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent
Research Excellence Framework 2021
University of the Year and best for Student Life
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024
Number one Students' Union in the UK
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
Number one for Students' Union
StudentCrowd 2024 University Awards
A top 20 university targeted by employers
The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers report
Fees and funding
Fees
Additional costs
The annual fee for your course includes a number of items in addition to your tuition. If an item or activity is classed as a compulsory element for your course, it will normally be included in your tuition fee. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.
Funding your study
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.
Use our Student Funding Calculator to work out what you’re eligible for.
Placements and study abroad
Placements
There are also opportunities for placements taken over the summer.
Study abroad
Visit
University open days
We host five open days each year, usually in June, July, September, October and November. You can talk to staff and students, tour the campus and see inside the accommodation.
Subject tasters
If you’re considering your post-16 options, our interactive subject tasters are for you. There are a wide range of subjects to choose from and you can attend sessions online or on campus.
Offer holder days
If you've received an offer to study with us, we'll invite you to one of our offer holder days, which take place between February and April. These open days have a strong department focus and give you the chance to really explore student life here, even if you've visited us before.
Campus tours
Our weekly guided tours show you what Sheffield has to offer - both on campus and beyond. You can extend your visit with tours of our city, accommodation or sport facilities.
Apply
The awarding body for this course is the University of Sheffield.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.