Philosophy, Politics and Economics with a Year in Industry
UCAS code L0V1
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration
- 4 years
- Start date and application deadlines
-
- Start date
About this course
This programme offers the same content as our three-year BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, but with the addition of a year in industry after the second year.
Introduction
A degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics unites three disciplines that are foundational to public life and policy. Nowadays, anyone hoping to understand or advance in politics has to be proficient in economics, and an understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of the various political views that jostle on the public stage has long been recognised as hugely important.
Programme in detail
As with the three-year degree, this programme provides the opportunity to master the overlap of the three disciplines, to come to grips with some of their specialisms, to attain a very thorough grounding in mathematical economics, and to develop skills in identifying and evaluating the principles and values that underlie debates. The combination is highly sought after by employers, who appreciate the breadth of knowledge and variety of skills that it provides.
Year one will comprise entirely of compulsory modules: four from Economics, and two each from Philosophy and Politics. In year two, as well as a range of Philosophy and Politics options, you will take some compulsory modules which include SOTA260, which will prepare you for your year in industry.
Your third year will be spent on a salaried placement in a role related to your studies, giving you the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge acquired during study to a real-life situation, thus developing key life and employability skills.
In your final year you will undertake a PPE-focused dissertation, and then optional modules from each of the three subjects.
Year in Industry
This programme is available with an optional year in industry. If you choose this option, year three is spent on a paid placement within an organisation in industry, broadly defined. You will be supported by the School of the Arts and the Department throughout, and your reflexive written account of the experience will contribute towards your final degree result. If you wish to study this programme with a year in industry, please put the option code ‘YI’ in the ‘further choices’ section of your UCAS application form.
What you'll learn
- Advanced numeracy and literacy skills
- Creative, critical, and independent thinking
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Efficient time and information management
- The ability to organise and present a persuasive case
- The ability to devise and sustain arguments, and solve problems
- Systematic knowledge and critical understanding of key aspects of Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Year one
You will take compulsory modules in each of the three subjects, which will give you the mathematical, philosophical, and political foundations for the rest of you degree.
Modules
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year two
You will take compulsory modules in Economics, a module in Business Ethics (PHIL272), and SOTA260 in preparation for your year in industry. The remaining 30 credits will be taken from a range of options in Politics.
Modules
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| BUSINESS ETHICS (PHIL272) | 15 |
| MACROECONOMICS 1 (ECON223) | 15 |
| MACROECONOMICS 2 (ECON224) | 15 |
| MICROECONOMICS 1 (ECON221) | 15 |
| MICROECONOMICS 2 (ECON222) | 15 |
| PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT (SOTA260) | 15 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year three
You will spend your third year on a paid placement within an organisation in a related industry. Support for your placement will be provided by the Department and the School of the Arts.
Modules
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| WORK PLACEMENT YEAR (SOTA600) | 120 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year four
In your final year, you must complete a dissertation (HASS301). The rest of your modules are chosen from a range of options.
In semester one, you will be required to:
- take up to two of the following (but not both ECON233 and ECON250): ECON233, ECON250, ECON322, ECON325, ECON335, ECON342, ECON362
- take up to two of the following: PHIL302, PHIL316, PHIL367
- take up to two of the following: POLI319, POLI322, POLI328, POLI329, POLI347, POLI349.
In semester two, you will be required to:
- take up to two of the following: ECON306, ECON337, ECON343, PHIL366, ECON333, ECON360
- take up to two of the following: PHIL312, PHIL365, PHIL366, PHIL311
- take up to two of the following: POLI302, POLI310, POLI314, POLI323, POLI345, POLI350.
Modules
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS DISSERTATION (HASS301) | 30 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Teaching and assessment
How you'll learn
In studying Philosophy, you will learn how to defend your views with reasoned arguments, and to assess the arguments of others. Argumentative skills are learned through attending lectures and reading philosophical texts, developed by group seminar discussions, and formally assessed through essays and exams. You will complete modules to the value of 120 credits per year, from a wide range of options available. Most modules employ a blend of lectures, seminars, and online support materials. You will learn by reading and studying outside class time, by attending and participating in classes, by doing coursework and, for dissertations, via one-to-one meetings with a supervisor. There is also scope, both formally in the placement module and informally, for you to develop practical skills by volunteering.
How you're assessed
Philosophy employs a mixture of modes of assessment: exams and coursework in many different varieties including essays, oral presentations, dissertations, exercises, and supported independent work (eg in the placement module).
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
The Liverpool Curriculum framework sets out our distinctive approach to education. Our teaching staff support our students to develop academic knowledge, skills, and understanding alongside our graduate attributes:
- Digital fluency
- Confidence
- Global citizenship
Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:
- Research-connected teaching
- Active learning
- Authentic assessment
All this is underpinned by our core value of inclusivity and commitment to providing a curriculum that is accessible to all students.
Entry requirements
The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.
| Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| A levels |
BBB (including Mathematics: B) |
| GCSE |
GCSE Mathematics at grade 5/C and GCSE English at grade 4/C required. |
| BTEC Level 3 national extended diploma |
DDD and grade B in A level Mathematics. GCSE Mathematics grade 5 required. |
| BTEC combinations |
BTEC National Diploma D*D plus grade B at Mathematics A level; BTEC National Extended Certificate D plus grade B in Mathematics at A level and grade D in another A level. GCSE Mathematics grade 5 required. |
| Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced |
B in the Welsh Baccalaureate, plus AB at A level, including grade B in Mathematics. GCSE Mathematics grade 5 required. |
| Access |
May be considered; please submit an application. Must include a minimum of 15 level 3 graded credits in Mathematics at Distinction. |
Course options
Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.
Year in industry
This course is also available without an included year in industry.
View Philosophy, Politics and Economics BA (Hons)
To spend a year in industry, you'll need to secure a placement with an organisation. If you're unable to find a placement, you'll continue with the standard version of the course without a year in industry.
Language study
Every student at The University of Liverpool can study a language as part of, or alongside their degree. You can choose:
- A dedicated languages degree
- A language as a joint or major/minor degree
- Language modules (selected degrees)
- Language classes alongside your studies
Your experience
The Department of Philosophy is based in the School of the Arts, although teaching will take place across the campus, including the Department of Politics and University of Liverpool Management School. Our staff and students have created an environment where critical, independent thinking flourishes, in a city that has a long tradition of welcoming radical thinkers and philosophers. Our friendly, down-to-earth atmosphere makes the exchange of ideas enjoyable, as well as intellectually stimulating.
Explore where you'll study
Studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
Virtual tour
Supporting your learning
From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:
- Careers and employability support, including help with career planning, understanding the job market and strengthening your networking skills
- A dedicated student services team can help you get assistance with your studies, help with health and wellbeing, and access to financial advice
- Confidential counselling and support to help students with personal problems affecting their studies and general wellbeing
- Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
Why study Philosophy at Liverpool?
- Our students’ study some of the most profound questions facing humankind, in a city renowned for its rich history of culture, protest and philosophical debate
- Our friendly, down-to earth atmosphere makes the exchange of ideas enjoyable as well as intellectually stimulating
- We have a long history of combining research excellence in core areas of philosophy with innovative work at the frontiers of the discipline: from literature to spirituality, Chinese philosophy to animal ethics, neo-Platonism to feminism
- Ranked 4th in the sector for outstanding (4*) research impact (REF 2021)
- We work as part of our amazing city; working with partners in the Bluecoat Gallery, Tate Liverpool, National Museums Liverpool, NHS and more to inspire our thinking and the practices of our communities
The interdisciplinary nature appealed to me. It provided me with a wide range of angles to approach both my modules and the wider world. I really enjoyed the Political Philosophy and International Political Economy modules.
Chat with our students
Want to find out more about student life?
Chat with our student ambassadors and ask any questions you have.
Careers and employability
Graduating with a degree in philosophy will empower you to delve into the profound questions that shape human existence but also position you as a valuable asset in today’s competitive job market.
The School has its own placements and employability officer, and you will have the opportunity to undertake a work placement or a year in industry as part of your programme.
Graduates in Philosophy obtain work in fields such as:
- advertising and marketing;
- the arts, broadcasting, and journalism;
- commerce and management;
- the civil service, law, and politics;
- teaching.
Meet our alumni
Hear what graduates say about their career progression and life after university.
The Honorable Wendy Beetlestone, BA (Hons) Philosophy 1984
US District Judge Wendy Beetlestone described her time at University of Liverpool as a “great start” that delivered the “thought discipline” that continues to influence her professional life.
Emma Little, BA (Hons) Politics and Communication Studies 2012
Emma is a Production Management Assistant on the One Show.
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year - £9,535
Year in industry fee - £1,905
International fees
Full-time place, per year - £24,100
Year in industry fee - £1,905
The tuition fees shown are correct for 2025/26 entry. Please note that the year abroad fee also applies to the year in China.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support. Learn more about paying for your studies.
Additional costs
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.
Scholarships and bursaries
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition and living expenses.
The Liverpool Bursary
If you’re a UK student joining an undergraduate degree and have a household income below £35,000, you could be eligible for a Liverpool Bursary worth up to £2,000 for each year of undergraduate study.
Asylum Seekers Scholarship
Apply for an Asylum Seekers Scholarship and you could have your tuition fees paid in full and receive help with study costs. You’ll need to have applied for asylum in the UK, or be the dependant of an asylum seeker, and be joining an eligible undergraduate degree.
Care Leavers’ Opportunity Bursary
If you’ve spent 13 or more weeks in Local Authority care since age 14, you could be eligible for a bursary of £3,000 per year of study. You’ll need to be a UK student joining an eligible undergraduate degree and be aged 28 or above on 1 September in the year you start.
Cowrie Foundation Scholarship
Are you a UK student with a Black African or Caribbean heritage and a household income of £25,000 or less? You could be eligible to apply for a Cowrie Foundation Scholarship worth up to £8,000 for each year of undergraduate study.
Estranged Students Bursary
If you’re a UK student identified as estranged by Student Finance England (or the equivalent UK funding body), you could be eligible for a bursary of £1,000 for each year of undergraduate study.
Nolan Scholarships
Do you live in the Liverpool City Region with a household income of £25,000 or less? Did neither of your parents attend University? You could be eligible to apply for a Nolan Scholarship worth £5,000 per year for three years of undergraduate study.
Rigby Enterprise Award
Are you a UK student with a household income of £25,000 or less? If you’ve participated in an eligible outreach programme, you could be eligible to apply for a Rigby Enterprise Award worth £5,000 per year for three years of your undergraduate degree.
ROLABOTIC Scholarship
Are you a UK student with a household income of £25,000 or less? Did neither of your parents attend University? You could be eligible to apply for a ROLABOTIC Scholarship worth £4,500 for each year of your undergraduate degree.
Sport Liverpool Performance Programme
Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.
Young Adult Carer’s (YAC) Bursary
If you’re a young adult and a registered carer in the UK, you might be eligible for a £1,000 bursary for each year of study. You’ll need to be aged 18-25 on 1 September in the year you start your undergraduate degree.
Last updated 1 July 2025 / / Programme terms and conditions