BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

University RankQS Ranking

173

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Home/United Kingdom/Reading /University of Reading/BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics

University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

LV12

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 25,850 / year

Next Intake September-2026

BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics

About

Explore and analyse contemporary issues and complex dynamics in today’s world using three disciplinary perspectives on our BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) degree.

PPE at the University of Reading equips you with a wide range of key and complementary skills from the fields of Philosophy, Politics and Economics. This will enable you to critically assess and address some of the world’s most pressing problems from a theoretical, practical, and ethical point of view. You will be a member of three departments meaning you will receive support from each and benefit from optional modules which enable you to specialise in areas that interest you the most. During your first year you’ll develop a strong grounding in philosophy, politics and economics and have the flexibility to continue with all three subjects in your second and final years or focus on two.

Philosophy

Explore and challenge some of our most fundamental ideas about truth, reality and ethical judgements while developing a deep understanding of the central principles, concepts, problems of philosophy. You will be taught by experts who research a wide range of areas spanning applied philosophy – from business ethics and the philosophy of law, to traditional areas of western and global philosophy.

Politics

Examine ethical and moral issues that arise when political authority is exercised and gain a strong grounding in political ideas and democratic processes. You will learn from academics who regularly feature in academic literature and the media, offering their expertise on current issues and engaging in real-world politics.

Economics

In economics, you will study both applied and practical issues, focusing on the relationship between economics and society. Benefit from research-led teaching by tutors who have informed policy decisions made by governments, major multinational organisations, and agencies such as the UN and the World Bank.

This course places less emphasis on mathematical and statistical content than some Economics courses do; instead you will focus on the relevance of these techniques to applied problems. You will still learn necessary maths skills in your core modules, but extensive support is available should you need it.

Why study PPE at Reading?

The University of Reading is ranked 10th in the UK in Business and Economics subjects (Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024, United Kingdom providers only).
We are ranked 5th in the UK for politics (the Daily Mail University Guide 2025).
We offer you a vibrant learning environment, expert teaching and dedicated individual attention. We are ranked 34th in the UK for Philosophy overall (Complete University Guide 2025).
95% of students said our teaching staff were very good or good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2023, 95% of respondents studying BA Politics and International Relations).
97% of our research outputs are rated ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in Politics and International Relations, meaning that the University of Reading is 6th highest in the UK for research outputs (Times Highter Education analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021 – Politics and International Studies, when scoring by GPA Output).

Placement opportunities

Placements provide you with a chance to put your newly acquired knowledge and skills into practice, as well as allowing you to gain valuable real-world experience. If you choose to take a placement, you will have support from our dedicated Placement Coordinator.

You can undertake a placement at any point in your degree and work in a company or charity relevant to your studies. For example, a previous Philosophy student worked at a zoo to learn more about the ethical treatment of animals.

You can also choose our four-year BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Placement Experience course, which includes an integrated professional placement between your second and third year of study.

In Politics, you can undertake a two-week placement as part of our module on British Government and Politics, giving you the opportunity to gain first-hand experience working with an MP, charity, pressure group, local councillor or media organisation.

Other students have chosen to study abroad for one term in their second or final year. Partner institutions include universities in Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan or Australia.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

ABB

International Baccalaureate

32 points overall, including 4 in Maths at standard level

GCSE

GCSE Maths at grade B (6)

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0, with no component below 6.0

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

English Program Requirements

IELTS 7.0, with no component below 6.0

Career

Employability Skills

PPE at Reading aims to develop your transferable skills and gives you opportunity to gain hands-on experience through our career-related modules.

Studying philosophy enables you to develop a range of transferable skills, including: communicating ideas clearly and precisely, logical analysis and the critical assessment of argument. Economics will enhance your numeracy and IT, presentation, analysis and problem solving skills, Practical politics modules such as Model United Nations and lively class debates will enhance your interpersonal, debating, teamwork and public speaking stills.

Dedicated PPE Placements Coordinator

As a member of the School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, you will have support from our dedicated Placement Coordinator throughout your degree. They will help you through the career planning process and support you in identifying organisations suited to your individual career interests; reviewing your CV and application forms; building your confidence for interviews, tests and assessment centres; and receiving feedback. If you decide to do a placement during your degree, the PPE Placements Coordinator will also support you during your placement so that you get the best possible experience from the year.

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Programme (UROP)

You can also apply for a paid summer placement in our Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP), working with an academic on their research.You will gain transferable skills and a greater understanding of research methods. PPE student Amina speaks about her UROP placement in geo engineering and the ethics of communicating science to the public.

Graduate Outcomes

Studying PPE at Reading will open many career doors for you. Past students have put their political analysis skills to direct use in the home and European civil services, political research units, think tanks, non-governmental organisations and journalism. Other graduates have found employment in the civil service, journalism, consultancy, finance, local and central government, and previous employers have included the Ministry of Defence, Cambridge University Press, local authorities and other universities. Some graduates choose to continue their studies at postgraduate level, or through conversion courses and teacher training.

We place a strong emphasis on ensuring the employability of our students after they complete their studies.

94% of graduates from Philosophy are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation. (Based on our analysis of HESA data (c) HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22 includes all Philosophy responders)
89% of Politics and International Relations graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21; all responders from Politics and International Relations).

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 25,850

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

You can apply online for all of our courses, including courses with an Integrated Foundation Year, via the national admissions service, UCAS. You can choose to apply for up to five courses in total, including more than one course at the same institution.

1. Find a course

Browse our undergraduate courses and identify which ones you'd like to apply for. Make sure to check your course's entry requirements before you apply.

2. Begin your application

Our UCAS code is R12. The University does not have a campus code.

3. Write your personal statement

As part of your application, you'll be asked to submit a personal statement to support your application. This is your opportunity to tell us more about why you want to study the course and what interests, skills and experience you have that demonstrate your passion for the subject.

4. Submit your application

When you're happy with your application and have added the required information such as qualifications, personal statement and reference, you can submit your application.

A small charge is made by UCAS for applying to university. The application fee for 2024 entry is £27.50 for up to five choices.

Make sure to check the UCAS website for the most up-to-date application deadlines. If you have missed the January deadline, there is still the opportunity to apply (via UCAS), and we are happy to consider late applications until 30 June 2024 (all applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing). Please be aware that some of our courses may be full after the January UCAS deadline, so we recommend early applications where possible.