Drexel University's BA degree Philosophy, Politics & Economics, or PPE as it is often called, exemplifies Drexel's commitment to comprehensive education at the intersection of thought and practice. A joint endeavor of the School of Economics, the Department of Politics, and the Department of English & Philosophy, the BA in PPE provides a multidisciplinary foundation for professionals and researchers who want to address the complex, interconnected challenges of contemporary life. It prepares students for a wide variety of excellent careers that require thoughtful analysis and engaged leadership including, but not limited to, public service, government, international and domestic business, law, community organizing, publishing, journalism, education, academic research, and more.
PPE began in the early 20th century at Oxford University in the United Kingdom in an effort to ensure that scholars were ready to apply their learning in practical, governmental, and business contexts to become leaders and change agents. Historically, political science and economics descend from what had been called "political economy." PPE acknowledges what is often lost in the separation and specialization of these fields–the political wisdom that understands economic imperatives and the economic intelligence that recognizes the limits of political initiative. The philosophical dimension of PPE represents the vital reflective and critical aspects that are essential to bringing political and economic insights into conversation for understanding and leadership. PPE is devoted to the idea that great learning should inspire and empower students to have an impact on the world.
Students in the Drexel BA in PPE begin with the interdisciplinary class PPE 101 Introduction to Philosophy, Politics and Economics, which presents the field through a discussion of how the aims and methods of the three constitutive disciplines work together and discussion of the political, economic, and philosophical dimensions of specific topics and themes. The Philosophy classes in the major are mainly focused on issues in ethics, logic, philosophy of law, and social and political philosophy. The Politics classes cover a variety of subjects and constitute a solid foundation in political science covering topics that include comparative politics, history of political thought, qualitative or quantitative research methods, theories of justice, American foreign policy, social protest movements in comparative perspective, and more. The Economics classes are designed to give the student a foundation for profound analysis and insight. These include microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic ideas, public finance, and electives chosen from courses which include Game Theory and Applications, Economics of Small Business, Labor Economics, Comparative Economic Systems, Resource and Environmental Economics, and more.
PPE majors are encouraged to take a minor or certificate in a field they are interested in studying. Students interested in careers in the law are encouraged to consider adding a minor in Law offered through the Kline Law School, for example. The College of Arts and Sciences offers minors in many PPE-adjacent fields including Sociology, offering courses like Race, Ethnicity and Social Inequality, Wealth and Power, Gender and Society, Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South, Environmental Justice, etc. Other popular minors and even double majors for PPE students to consider include History, Global Studies, Criminal Justice Studies, and Science, Technology, and Society. In the senior capstone course PPE 450, students work with an instructor as they formulate, evaluate, and criticize public policy proposals, research, and/or theoretical perspectives on political and economic issues using the research tools, arguments, and methods drawn from the three fields. PPE majors at Drexel have access to the widest range of co-op positions related to public service, government, international and domestic business, law, community organizing, education, publishing, journalism, academic research, and many more areas.