Philosophy, Politics and Economics BA
Understand the ideas and theories that shape our world. Philosophy, politics and economics are closely linked subjects with common key historical intellectual figures at their core. Together they give you the concepts, the historical context and the analytical skills you need to understand complex social and political realities, to evaluate the impact of government policies and to change the world.
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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?
This course offers a genuinely interdisciplinary experience, with core modules focusing on the intersection of philosophy, politics and economics.
Choose between a wide variety of optional modules across all three disciplines, allowing you to pursue your own interests.
Summer and year-long work placement opportunities give you a chance to see how the skills and knowledge gained from studying philosophy, politics and economics can equip you for a career.
Our course brings cutting-edge research into the classroom, applying academic insights to pressing contemporary issues.

A degree in philosophy, politics and economics (PPE) gives you the tools to understand, evaluate and change the social and political world. You will learn about the political structures and economic forces which shape societies, critically evaluate social structures through the lens of core moral principles and political ideals, and master the analytical methods needed to develop and assess public policy.
This combined degree is distinguished by our expert teaching team at Sheffield, who bring together the insights, methods and frameworks of philosophy, politics and economics into a distinctive and unified course.
You will master core concepts in philosophy, politics and economics, and learn to combine insights from all three disciplines to answer such questions as:
- Who is responsible for addressing climate change, and how can economic policy and international institutions be used to confront this challenge?
- What (if anything) is wrong with economic inequality, and how do economic structures and political policies affect the gap between rich and poor?
- What is the value of democracy, and how can contemporary societies confront the challenges of online misinformation and authoritarianism?
At the heart of the degree are core modules covering the major questions, concepts and traditions in each of the three disciplines, alongside specially-crafted interdisciplinary modules which are exclusive to PPE students.
You can choose from a vast range of optional modules and then in your third year you'll bring together your learning with a capstone module and a guided independent research project.
A focus on developing key skills and employment-oriented expertise is woven throughout the course, starting from the first semester.
You'll have the option to spend a year abroad and have the opportunity to enroll in summer or year-long work placements.
Thanks to our wide variety of partnerships with employers in Sheffield and across the country, you'll be able to gain valuable subject-relevant employment experience, working for governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other third sector employers focused on public policy.
You will graduate from this degree course ready to play a role in shaping the future.
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.
Plus Ethics and Society - details to be confirmed.
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 - 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. - 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
Plus Comparative Politics - details to be confirmed.
In your second year, you’ll continue to build your foundational knowledge of Politics, Philosophy and Economics, looking in depth at materials and further developing your skills.
Core modules:
- Political Theory in Practice
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You will explore key debates in political theory and their implications for current political practice.
20 credits
You will have the opportunity to engage in: debates surrounding justice and what these mean for welfare and taxation policies; disputes over the meaning of democracy and their implications for how we choose our leaders; discussions about different ideas of freedom of speech, and what 'hate speech' is; and to explore controversies around multiculturalism, in particular its impact upon women.
Overall, this module will help you become well-equipped to identify and evaluate the competing values that lie behind so many of our current political controversies. - Statistics and Econometrics
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This module introduces dual honours economics students to Statistics and Econometrics and in particular how they are used in economics, to investigate economic relationships and to test economic theories. The first part of the module describes the key statistical ideas and methods that economics students need to know, and provides opportunities to practise their use. The second part of the module focusses on econometrics, providing students with the knowledge of how to model economic data, again with opportunities to develop practical experience in this area.
20 credits
Plus the below - details to be confirmed:
- Political Philosophy
- Case Studies in Politics, Philosophy and Economics
Optional modules:
- Feminism
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Feminists have famously claimed that the personal is political. This module takes up various topics with that methodological idea in mind: the family, cultural critique, language. We examine feminist methodologies - how these topics might be addressed by a feminism that is inclusive of all women - and also turn attention to social structures within which personal choices are made - capitalism, and climate crisis .
20 credits - The Political Economy of Global Capitalism
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In this module you will explore the political dynamics that underpin the organisation of capitalism.
20 credits
You will study major issues within the global economy, ranging from the contested rise of neoliberal globalisation to the gendered and racialised patterns of work, production, inequality, and (financial) crises. You will investigate the history and contemporary operation of capitalism as a mode of production, and examine how capitalist social relations affect individuals, communities, states and the environment.
The module will provide detailed knowledge of the political economy of capitalism and expose you to the tools to critically analyse it. You will become more familiar with cross-disciplinary methods as the module draws on a wide range of scholarship drawn from (International) Political Economy, Sociology, Geography and History. Finally, through a critical media analysis assessment, you will analyse current real-life developments with the help of theories and concepts. - Contemporary Security Challenges
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Throughout the module you will examine a series of key contemporary challenges to international security.
20 credits
You will engage in debates about the changing nature of security, analyse some of the causes of conflict and the development of new security threats, and understand the key ways in which states and non-state actors shape and respond to these threats.
You will explore a range of approaches to gain a theoretically-informed but policy-relevant understanding of security-related issues in the twenty-first century. - Europe in Crisis
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The European Union (EU) is a unique and highly developed instance of transnational governance and a major actor in world politics. It remains, despite Brexit, an important political and economic ally and partner to the United Kingdom.
20 credits
Your lectures will discuss the history and institutions of the EU and explore a range of contemporary debates and issues. Seminars will offer an opportunity for you to review and explore these topics in greater detail.
The module will provide a working knowledge of European integration, EU policy making, and of various recent political and economic crises. At the same time you will, via various seminar activities, group work and assessments, have the opportunity to develop a range of relevant transferable skills. - International Economics
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This module addresses fundamental questions in International Economics, with a particular focus on the phenomenon known as 'global imbalances'. Many countries, including the world's largest economies, have been accumulating increasingly large external debt positions or external asset positions over the last few decades. This phenomenon has important consequences for the stability of the international economy and is often a concern for policy makers. This module will introduce you to modern, microfounded tools required to understand these imbalances, based on the latest economic research.
20 credits - Labour Economics
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This module develops theoretical models of the labour market, starting with the competitive model of the labour market through an analysis of supply and demand for labour. A range of issues that can affect outcomes in the labour market will be considered, with an emphasis on the study of empirical evidence concerning these issues.
20 credits - Religion and the Good Life
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What, if anything, does religion have to do with a well-lived life? For example, does living well require obeying God's commands? Does it require atheism? Are the possibilities for a good life enhanced or only diminished if there is a God, or if Karma is true? Does living well take distinctive virtues like faith, mindfulness, or humility as these have been understood within religious traditions? In this module, we will examine recent philosophical work on questions like these while engaging with a variety of religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Islam, and Judaism.
20 credits - Chinese Politics
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Exploring the political development of China from the end of the Qing Dynasty up to present day, you will investigate China's continuous quest for modernity, the transformation of domestic politics, economics and society, and China's changing position on the international stage.
20 credits
You will have the opportunity to learn about a range of topics, including the 1949 revolution and the Mao Zedong era, the post-1978 reform and opening-up era, and the recent changes made under Xi Jinping.
Thinking critically about the transformation of China, you will develop your understanding of the main forces that shaped the country as well as the domestic and global implications. - Migration and World Politics
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Migration has been receiving more attention in international politics. This module analyses migration using a world politics lens. It will provide students with the concepts and theories - as well as the historical, contextual and critical skills - needed to understand international migration from different perspectives. It will discuss migration and problematise migration concepts and categories such as forced migration (asylum and internal people displacement), statelessness and citizenship, border control/security, labour migration, migration diplomacy, family migration and environmental migration. It will also approach case studies including the Migration and Asylum Policy of the European Union, migration politics in Latin America and the USA-Mexico border among others.
20 credits - Oppression and Resistance
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Intense and ongoing debates over oppression shape contemporary politics. The key to these debates are disagreements over what constitutes oppression, how it functions, and how it can be resisted.
20 credits
During this module, you will explore the strategies and legacy of movements that resisted specific forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, homophobia, class-based oppression and violence against non-human animals. To do this you will learn about movements like the Haitian Revolution, Black Lives Matter, Pride, #MeToo, and the 504 Disability Rights Sit-in.
You will be introduced to the historical, theoretical and empirical tools to understand and analyse modern oppression and resistance. - Public Economics
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Public economics uses the tools of microeconomics and empirical analysis to study the impact of government policies on economic behaviour and the distribution of resources in the economy.
20 credits - Macroeconomic Policy
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The module will focus on applying macroeconomic theory to a variety of economic policy issues. The module will consider fiscal and monetary policy and will include how policy responds to economic shocks. The course builds on the knowledge of the core first year economics modules.
20 credits
Plus the below - details to be confirmed:
- Ethics: From Theory to Practice
- Philosophy of AI and Robotics
- Science and the Search for Reality
- Global History of Philosophy
- Social Justice Today
- Autocracies and Democracies
In your third year, as well as working on your final year research project, you’ll continue to advance your knowledge in specific areas of politics, philosophy and economics.
Core modules - details to be confirmed:
- Politics, Philosophy and Economics Capstone
- Final Year Research Project
Philosophy optional modules:
- People, Organisations and Technology
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This module addresses some of the most important moral and political questions faced by human beings in our relation to each other, to organizations and to technology. The aim of the module is to understand some of our basic moral concepts as they apply in the context of organisational life as mediated by technology; including truthfulness, trustworthiness, integrity, manipulation, freedom, responsibility and complicity.
20 credits
Can organisations be held morally responsible for the effects they have on the world, or is moral responsibility restricted to individuals? What about the effects of technology, such as artificially intelligent machines?
Does it make sense to hold a machine morally responsible for its behaviour? Is information technology a threat to human freedom or flourishing in virtue of its ability to predict, manipulate or control human thought and behaviour? And to what extent do current technological development reinforce existing injustice, oppression or prejudice, as opposed to presenting us with new form
of emancipation, protection or control? In this module these and related questions are addressed both theoretically and by applying them to actual example in the present. - Ethics and Belief
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We know things as individuals, but we also know things collectively. And what we know individually can depend on our relation to other knowers and collective knowledge. These relations are not merely epistemic, they are also practical and ethical. Knowledge can, for instance, be based on trust, while a failure to recognize someone as a knower can be a matter of injustice. Knowledge thereby has a social character and an ethical dimension. This course will introduce a broad range of topics in epistemology that explore this social and ethical turn.
20 credits - Global Justice
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What are the demands of justice at the global level? On this module we will examine this question from the perspective of analytic Anglo-American political philosophy. We will start by looking at some debates about the nature of global justice, such as whether justice demands the eradication of global inequalities. We will then turn to various questions of justice that arise at the global level, potentially including: how jurisdiction over territory might be justified; whether states have a right to exclude would-be immigrants; whether reparations are owed for past international injustices such as colonialism; and how to identify responsibilities for combatting global injustice.
20 credits - Moral Theory and Moral Psychology
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This course examines the relationship of moral theory and moral psychology. We discuss the relationship of science and ethics, examine the nature of self-interest, altruism, sympathy, the will, and moral intuitions, explore psychological arguments for and against familiar moral theories including utilitarianism, virtue ethics, deontology and relativism, and confront the proposal that understanding the origins of moral thought 'debunks' the authority of ethics. In doing so, we will engage with readings from historical philosophers, including Hobbes, Butler, Hume, Smith, Kant, Mill, Nietzsche and Moore, as well as contemporary authors in philosophy and empirical psychology.
20 credits - Phenomenology
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This module introduces students to Phenomenology - a philosophical tradition in continental European philosophy, which is closely related to Existentialism. Phenomenology seeks to understand the human condition. Its starting-point is everyday experience, where this includes both mundane and less ordinary forms of experience such as those typically associated with conditions such as schizophrenia. Whilst Phenomenology encompasses a diverse range of thinkers and ideas, there tends to be a focus on consciousness as embodied, situated in a particular physical, social, and cultural environment, essentially related to other people, and existing in time. (This is in contrast to the disembodied, universal, and isolated notion of the subject that comes largely from the Cartesian tradition.) There is a corresponding emphasis on the world we inhabit as a distinctively human environment that depends in certain ways on us for its character and existence. Some of the central topics addressed by Phenomenology include: embodiment; ageing and death; the lived experience of oppression; human freedom; our relations with and knowledge of, other people; the experience of time; and the nature of the world. In this module, we will discuss a selection of these and related topics, examining them through the work of key figures in the Phenomenological Movement, such as Edmund Husserl, Simone de Beauvoir, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Frantz Fanon, and Edith Stein.
20 credits - Political Resistance
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This course examines various dimensions of political resistance in the face of injustice.
20 credits
The course begins with a basic examination of some key texts discussing concepts such as individuals' natural duties, political authority and political legitimacy. Here, the goal is to figure out the bases of citizens' obligation to comply with the law, in order to specify the conditions in which those obligations might be void, unenforceable, or overridden. This is crucial for understanding the conditions in which political resistance or even disobedience of the law could be permissible.
We will also examine various justifications for political resistance and disobedience. Is the point of resistance to communicate one's principled disagreements with, or objection to, some law or public policy? Or is it to make an appeal to the sense of justice of the community, in the hopes of stirring democratic action to remedy injustices? Or might resistance and disobedience be justifiable in a more direct fashion, as a form of defensive action which eliminates or at least mitigates injustice? Following this, we turn to the question of whether there might be principles that can even impose duties on individuals to engage in resistance or disobedience.
We will also examine the distinctions between different forms of political resistance and disobedience. How do we differentiate among legal protests and marches, illegal sit-ins or occupation of public or private spaces, property damage, rioting, among others? Why should we be interested in differentiating among these forms of political action? How can those who engage in political protest against injustice differentiate themselves from non-politically motivated criminals? A related goal is to critically examine the arguments for and against each of these forms of political action. We shall also consider the weight of pragmatic or strategic considerations, relative to those of normative considerations.
We will also examine how the state should respond to political resistance and disobedience which disrupts social norms or breaks the law. How should law-enforcement decide whether and how to intervene? How should prosecutors decide whether and when to file charges against protestors? How should judges and juries decide whether to convict, and how much to punish?
Throughout the course, the discussions are anchored in a variety of historical and contemporary cases of political resistance and disobedience, and in a variety of contexts. We will examine environmental activism, animal rescue, hacktivism, facilitating illegal migration, anti-colonial resistance, civil rights movements, independence and liberatory struggles, among others. Students should expect to develop their ability to critically analyse and assess these cases with reference to the philosophical ideas discussed in the course. - Plato's Symposium
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The Symposium is a vivid, funny and moving dramatic dialogue in which a wide variety of characters - orators, doctor, comic poet, tragic poet, soldier-cum-statesman, philosopher and others - give widely differing accounts of the nature or erotic love (eros) at a banquet. Students should be willing to engage in close textual study, although no previous knowledge of either ancient philosophy or ancient Greek is required. We will be exploring the origins, definition, aims, objects and effects or eros, and asking whether it is viewed as a predominantly beneficial or harmful force. Are some manifestations or eros better than others? Is re-channelling either possible or desirable, and if so, how and in what contexts? What happens to eros if it is consummated? We will in addition explore the issues that the dialogue raises about relations between philosophy and literature, and the influence it has had on Western thought (e.g. Freud). The edition we will use is Rowe, C . J., 1998, Plato Symposium. Oxford: Aris and Phillips Classical texts.
20 credits - Philosophy of Law
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Law is a pervasive feature of modern societies and governs most aspects of our lives. This module is about some of the philosophical questions raised by life under a legal system. The first part of the module investigates the nature of law. Is law simply a method of social control? For example, the group calling itself Islamic State issued commands over a defined territory and backed up these commands with deadly force. Was that a legal system? Or is law necessarily concerned with justice? Do legal systems contain only rules or do they also contain underlying principles? Is 'international law' really law?
20 credits
The second part of the module investigates the relationship between law and individual rights. What kinds of laws should we have? Do we have the moral right to break the law through acts of civil disobedience? What is the justification of punishment? Is there any justification for capital punishment? Are we right to legally differentiate between intended crimes (like murder) and unintended crimes (like manslaughter), or does this involve the unjustified punishment of 'thought crime'? Are we right to legally differentiate between murder and attempted murder, despite the fact that both crimes involve the same intent to kill?
Plus the below - details to be confirmed:
- Feminist and Queer Studies
- Utopia, Reform and Democracy
- Social Philosophy
Politics optional modules:
- Global Culture Wars
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Cancel culture, identity politics, the war on woke… How should we make sense of the so-called 'culture wars' that are transforming politics?
20 credits
Throughout this module, you will examine this topic from a global and historical perspective, investigating the contemporary politics of culture wars that are found worldwide, and the tensions that have existed in one form or another since the dawn of modernity. Topics you will study include the rise of the global right, the transnational backlash against LGBT+ rights, and how social media has shaped contemporary politics.
As a group, we will take a step back from the commotion, scandal and outrage to trace the historical lineages of culture wars across global politics. - The Ethics of Political Leadership
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This course examines the ethics of political leadership. To do so, it focuses on broad and timeless questions, such as 'What is the relationship between politics and morality?' as well as more focused questions, including 'May politicians bend moral constraints in the name of political necessity?' and 'Is it always wrong for leaders to lie?'
20 credits
To answer these questions, you will analyse and evaluate normative arguments on the significance and function of political leaders in contemporary politics. You will also examine competing theories of leadership in their historical and intellectual context. This module will encourage you to take a theoretical approach, using examples of political leaders to highlight strengths and weaknesses of competing theories of leadership, and to emphasise their ideological assumptions and implications. - Understanding Elections
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Elections are key moments in democratic politics. They influence the formation of governments and provide a means for citizens to express their political preferences and their judgements on the competence of those who govern them. In doing so, they offer important insights into public opinion, participation, and political behaviour. Elections are also complex events, influenced by political debates, ideas, and campaigns, by different rules under which particular electoral systems operate, and by large social forces beyond the control of governments. Understanding elections requires insights into many aspects of modern political life.
20 credits
During this module, you will investigate elections from a range of different perspectives, answering questions about what influences voter decisions and how these have changed, the effect of party political campaigns on election outcomes, and the impact of the 'rules of the game' governing the electoral system on the outcome of elections.
Examining elections in the UK and around the world, you will draw on the latest evidence and research to understand academic debates on electoral politics and to develop your ideas and analyses of elections. - Practical Politics: How to Make Policy and Influence People
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What is public policy? Who makes it? How? When is policy making successful, and why is it sometimes not?
20 credits
From health to education, from environment to crime, from central government to local councils, from NGOs to big tech, this course will teach you how policy is made and how you can influence it. It includes regular guest talks by politicians, civil servants, campaigners and think tankers, and independent tasks reflecting the things policy makers actually do.
This module will give you not just a practical understanding of how policy making is done, but a direct sense of what it would be like to work in the policy field. - Corporations in Global Politics: Possibilities, Tensions, and Ambiguities
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Corporations are ubiquitous, affecting everything from mundane individual consumption choices, to the investment decisions of both weak and powerful states. Importantly, their authority extends beyond the economic sphere and into the political, as they shape and execute policies and outcomes for some of the world's pressing problems.
20 credits
Drawing upon international relations, political economy, and global governance literatures, you will analyse the corporation theoretically and empirically by drawing upon a diverse range of case studies from environmental sustainability and development, to war-making and peacekeeping.
You will have the opportunity to explore the multifaceted political roles of corporations, learning to critically reflect on their implications.
Plus the below - details to be confirmed.
- State and Society in China
- Political Psychology
- Britain and the European Union
Economics optional modules:
- International Trade
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The first part of the course will cover neoclassical trade theories in which countries trade following their comparative advantage. The second part of the course deals with more recent trade theories based on economies of scale and/or imperfect competition that helps us to explain some recent patterns observed in the data. The third part of the course is an introduction to trade policy and the political economy of trade policy.
20 credits - Health Economics
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Economics is the study of how society allocates its scarce resources across competing alternatives. This notion of scarcity is as relevant in the health care sector as it is elsewhere and, thus, it is important that the resources available to health and health care are used in the best possible ways. This course will: look at how best should be defined in the context of health care; consider the roles that market forces and governments might play in achieving the sector's objectives; and discuss what information is needed so that resources can be deployed where they will do the most good. The aims of the module are: 1. To enable students to develop a critical understanding of the basis of health economics.
20 credits
2. To introduce students to the health economists' toolkit, the ways in which it can be used in to inform health care resource allocation, and its limitations. - Economic Analysis of Inequality and Poverty
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This module will cover the economic theories used for the analysis of inequality and poverty.
20 credits
The theories will be backed by evidence from both the developed and the developing countries. The module starts off by a discussion of issues around measurement of inequality and poverty; the different measures that are used and the inherent assumptions behind these measures. We then move on to explain the existing global trends in inequality and poverty. Different theories are used to explain these trends; for example: role of human capital, poverty traps etc. Finally we discuss the policy response of different countries to address the issues of inequality and poverty, drawing on the specific examples of welfare programmes in the developed countries and the conditional cash transfers in the developing countries. - Education Economics
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The amount of education possessed by individuals will influence their decisions in future. Education relates to issues such as health and labour market decisions. This module examines the demand for and provision of education, incorporating a mixture of economic theory such as human capital; rates of return to further and higher education and course type all of which directly relate to the labour market. The graduate labour market is analysed, incorporating changes in the provision of higher education and an understanding of the rationale for the introduction of top-up fees. A final section considers schools, analysing and evaluating issues such as class size reduction, competition and selection, the performance of teachers, and the importance of pupils' family backgrounds, all in terms of their effect on pupil performance.
20 credits - Political Economy
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Important economic processes cannot be fully understood without taking into account political and institutional factors and governments' political motivations. This module introduces insights from politics into the study of public policy and economic performance. In particular, it aims to give students: 1. an opportunity for interdisciplinary study within the undergraduate economics degree; 2. familiarity with the modern literature in theoretical and applied political economy; 3. an opportunity to develop their research skills through research-oriented assignments.
20 credits - Environmental Economics
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Economic choices shape nature just as nature can shape our choices. This module provides students with the opportunity to apply economic concepts and methods to issues related to the use and management of the environment and natural resources. The module explores issues, arguments and analysis of market failure in the protection of the environment. It also offers public policy responses to issues of sustainability and climate change.
20 credits - Behavioural Economics
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Standard economic models can successfully model human behaviour. However, the strong assumptions required of economic actors in those models will make systematic mispredictions in some contexts. Behavioural economics tries to overcome the systematic mispredictions by adopting non-standard assumptions, often inspired by insights from other disciplines. The module will discuss empirical evidence that underpins these non-standard assumptions, and will reflect on how insights from behavioural economics can be relevant in real life.
20 credits - Economics of Race and Gender
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The Economics of Race and Gender first presents an overview of differential outcomes by gender and ethnicity in the UK labour market and discusses the possible drivers of these differences. It then presents economic theories of discrimination in labour markets before discussing the strategies that economists use to test for discrimination in the real world.
20 credits
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
You'll be taught by experts working at the cutting edge of philosophy, politics and economics. Your learning will include lectures, seminars, workshops, and guided research projects. You'll learn to evaluate issues from multiple perspectives, and combine creative thought and analytical rigour in solving problems.
Our teaching is informed by real-world contemporary events. You’ll have the opportunity throughout your degree to apply your mastery of the history, insights and methods of philosophy, politics political and economics to the challenges facing our world today.
You will have opportunities to learn from high-profile guest speakers from the worlds of journalism, academia, policy, government, and non-governmental organisations.
Every student is assigned a personal tutor who is there to support you throughout your studies.
Our philosophy staff specialise in engaged, interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research, which informs all aspects of our teaching. .
Your modules will teach you the methods and techniques to analyse and interrogate policy, skills that will set you apart from other graduates.
Assessment
Our approach to assessment combines a commitment to academic rigour with an innovative approach to developing employable skills.
Assessment styles are tailored to each module, including traditional academic exams and essays, independent research projects, group presentations and class discussion boards, and reflective practice reports.
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
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of the 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
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of the Access to HE Diploma in Social Sciences, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 36 at Distinction and 9 at Merit
-
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
A Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree at Sheffield will teach you the methods and techniques to rigorously analyse and interrogate policy. The range of quantitative, qualitative and argumentative skills you gain will set you apart from other graduates.
The 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 History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities
In the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities, we interrogate some of the most significant and pressing aspects of human life, offering new perspectives and tackling globally significant issues.
As a philosophy student at Sheffield you will benefit from the diversity of our modules and the high quality of our teaching which draws on the research expertise of our staff to ensure your lectures and seminars are informed, relevant and exciting.
Our staff engage in cutting-edge research across a wide range of philosophical disciplines including epistemology, ethics, social, political and environmental philosophy, metaphysics and philosophy of the mind among others.
Our supportive and inclusive community will also provide you with opportunities to use your philosophical knowledge to engage with real world problems and make a difference in the community through projects like our award-winning Philosophy in the City programme, which enables students to teach philosophy in the local community to audiences of all ages. Our students also run a thriving Philosophy Society and an undergraduate philosophy journal.
Our Centre for Engaged Philosophy pursues research into questions of fundamental political and social importance, from criminal justice and social inclusion to climate ethics, all topics that are covered in our teaching. Events run by the centre are open to all students and there are opportunities to get involved in event planning and delivery.
PPE students at Sheffield form a distinctive and cohesive cohort, with their home in the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities at 9 Mappin Street.
For the Politics and Economics side of your degree, you will benefit from teaching in the state-of-the-art social science facilities at The Wave, a modern hub designed to foster collaboration and innovative learning.
Philosophy students are based at 9 Mappin Street, at the heart of the University campus, with teaching spaces inside the building. We're also close to the Diamond and the Information Commons, as well as to teaching spaces on Mappin Street, and a range of cafés and dining options throughout the campus and Sheffield City Centre.
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 (based on aggregate responses)
National Student Survey 2025
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.