Foundation Year in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics)

Are you a student from the UK interested in studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)? Have your personal or educational circumstances meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades typically required for Oxford courses? If so, then choosing to apply for PPE with a Foundation Year might be the course for you.

The Astrophoria Foundation Year is completely free for students. It is designed to be a one-year intensive academic course which will bridge any gaps between school and our academically challenging undergraduate courses.

A typical week

During your foundation year you will be expected to devote at least forty hours per week to your studies. For the PPE units, you may have around 2 hours of lectures, 2-4 hours of seminars and classes, and 2-3 hours of tutorials in a typical week during full term.

You will also participate in regular meetings with tutors to discuss work, carry out independent research and you are likely to submit 2-3 assignments each week.

Your time will be spent both on academic work for your PPE programme and work related to the Preparation for Undergraduate Studies course. In each term you will study two of the constituent subjects of PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics) as well as a mathematics for PPE module. Each module should deepen your subject interest and build your skills in independent study.

Tutorials are usually for around two students and a tutor. Classes are slightly bigger, and class sizes may vary depending on the modules you are taking. There are likely to be around four students in a class, however when the whole PPE cohort is together, this may include up to 8 students. Lectures are a larger format again, and are likely to be delivered to the foundation year cohort (up to 50 students) as a whole.

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students.

To find out more about how Oxford's teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Courses

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Assessment

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Five courses are taken:

• Foundations in PPE
• Economics: Economic Development, Inequality and the Environment
• Philosophy: Introduction to Philosophical Analysis
• Mathematics for PPE
• Preparation for Undergraduate Studies (including General Academic Skills, Communication Skills, Society and Culture)

Coursework: four essays

Examination: Written papers