PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) Weekend

The Philosophy, Politics and Economics course offers students the chance to take part in lectures, seminars, activities and debates covering all three disciplines of this popular and competitive degree course. This course will particularly appeal to bright students who enjoy the discussion of complex issues, and would like to get a taste of undergraduate approaches.

Topics for discussion will include ‘Is it meaningful to talk about human free will in a scientifically determined world?’, ‘How can the government use fiscal and monetary policies to stablise the economy and promote growth?’ , and ‘Theories of Justice – designing a fair society behind John Rawl’s veil of ignorance’.

Each session will take the form of a seminar-style class, typically made up of 8-10 students, with lots of discussion and debate as well as time spent exploring texts and analysing some classic responses to these challenging questions. The conversation will be guided by one of our engaging and knowledgeable postgraduate tutors, but as far as possible learning will be student-led and reflective of the interests of the group. Peer-to-peer interaction is key, and students will get the most out of this course if they are prepared both to contribute thoughtfully to the class and to listen with an open mind to others.

This style of learning is an excellent preparation for university, enabling students to make a more informed choice about future study or career options.

For currently available dates, full practical details, and a link to the booking form please scroll down.

‘Before the PPE weekend I had very limited knowledge on the subjects but through this course I have become aware of what each subject consists and how important it all is to our society and the world. I my opinion it is highly recommended for anyone, whether you have very little knowledge and want to find out more or even if you are already studying the subjects but want to know even more.’

‘This course is extremely good fun and it really helped me make my A-level decisions. All the teachers are interesting as well as being very informative. I can guarantee that you will love it!’

‘The tutors were friendly and engaging, offering an introduction to those who hadn’t studied their subjects and a continuation to those who had. I met many people in the same position as me, wanting to test the waters before applying or deciding to apply. Several said afterwards that they had decided on PPE because of the course. Well worth it!’

‘I met a lot of nice people and gained a more knowledge about subjects that I would otherwise have not known about. This weekend was definitely worthwhile, and I am very keen to do a Debate Chamber summer school, perhaps in Philosophy. I really recommend it.’

‘The tutors were friendly and engaging, offering an introduction to those who hadn’t studied their subjects and a continuation to those who had. I met many people in the same position as me, wanting to test the waters before applying or deciding to apply. Several said afterwards that they had decided on PPE because of the course. Well worth it!’

Practical Details

The PPE course is a three-day online event for students aged 15-18, taking place on 11th – 13th February 2023. Teaching hours on each day will run from 10am till 3.30pm, with a break for lunch, and an independent study task.

This is a live online event, with small seminar groups offering fully interactive classroom discussion and debate. The event will not be recorded, so it is essential that you are able to attend during the course hours, and that you have a reliable audio and video connection.

The cost of the three-day PPE course is £295 per student. You can see our full booking terms and conditions here.

You can book online using the link below, or if you have any further questions, please call us on 0800 8101058, or email [email protected]

We offer a limited number of full and partial bursaries (of up to 80% of fees) to students who could not otherwise afford to attend. If you would like to apply for a bursary then please complete your bursary application here.