Philosophy, Politics and Economics BA (Hons)

Understanding our world with its financial crises, interminable wars, ecological catastrophes and cultural clashes may seem almost impossible. A degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Winchester gives you the strongest possible start for not only understanding that world, but for stepping into it and enacting positive change.The particular concoction of disciplines that is Philosophy, Politics and Economics was first developed in Oxford in the 1920s in order to give future politicians and civil servants the range of skills they would need to govern modern Britain. Since then, those skills have proven themselves ideal for anyone who needs to engage with the modern state, from journalists and business-leaders to those working for international NGOs.Studying PPE gives students the chance to understand the development of the modern world, to discover how we can practically engage with the problems of today, and to reflect on the challenges of the future. The backbone of the programme is a three-year chronological sweep of Western philosophy, across which students trace the development of concepts such as democracy, freedom and responsibility from the Ancient Greek polis to the modern nation-state. We critically address the central notions that have developed in this tradition, such as the metaphysical doctrines of freedom, idealism and the existence of God; the political ideas of liberalism, democracy and property; and the economic notions of growth, laissez-faire capitalism and Marxism. Building on this philosophical backbone, a wide range of political and economic modules allow students to focus on the contemporary national and international situation. Students have the chance to debate contentious political issues and to test the limits of established models and orthodoxies, all on an exciting course explicitly oriented towards how future global challenges demand that we learn to think differently .The programme includes the opportunity for...