Frequently asked questions (undergraduate)     

‘PPE’ refers specifically to the three-subject degree programme Philosophy, Politics and Economics. The School is a collaboration between the three participating departments at York, which operates not only the PPE programme but also the two-subject degrees, Economics/Philosophy, Economics/Politics, and Philosophy/Politics.

York was one of the first universities after Oxford to offer PPE, starting in 1986, and in terms of student numbers it is the second largest PPE programme in the UK. From the outset our guiding principle within the School has been that the joint study of these subjects means more than just taking them in combination. 

York prides itself on a programme designed to facilitate students' capacity for independent learning. We expect our graduates to leave York as reflective and mature individuals who have the transferrable skills, both academic and personal, to succeed.

We receive around 600 applications per year. Of these, there are approximately 500 applications from UK/EU students for around 105 places. In addition, we receive around 100 applications from overseas (non-EU) students.

Typical offers are listed on the course pages - please follow the links below:

Typical offers for BA in PPE

Typical offers for BA in Economics and Philosophy

Typical offers for BA in Economics and Politics

Typical offers for BA in Philosophy and Politics

We do not normally accept General Studies as counting towards our standard A-level offer, although we may take it into account (along with for example references) as an additional factor. In addition, if you are taking A-levels both in Economics and in Business Studies then normally only one of these will count.

Yes – we look at each application in the round, taking a variety of factors into consideration.

Previous study may provide some familiarity with questions, issues and writers however both PPE and Philosophy at York presume no prior study with the subject.

There are some mathematical ideas and techniques which are essential to the study of Economics at degree level. Principally these are: 

• solving (simultaneous) algebraic equations;
• logarithmic and exponential functions;
• differentiation.

Some of these should be familiar to you from GCSE; others will be familiar only if you have studied maths beyond GCSE. At York, the first year module Mathematics I is designed to give all students an adequate grasp of these techniques. But if you are really uncomfortable with maths then you should think carefully before choosing to study Economics at degree level.

We need good evidence that individuals can cope with the mathematics required for Economics at university level so highly recommend Maths to AS level at Grade B or higher. A-Level Mathematics can also give students a distinct advantage with the study of Economics. One obvious advantage to taking Maths beyond GCSE level is that you will already be more familiar with the above techniques used in Economics.

For our joint degrees involving Economics (with either Politics or Philosophy), A-level Maths is an entry requirement. It is also required if you intend to study PPE route 2 (the 'econometrics route'). If you do not have a good facility with Mathematics and/or a strong background in the subject at AS level or higher, but are still interested in the School of PPE, then you may be well advised to consider applying for the joint degree in Politics & Philosophy that is offered within the School.

Yes, we usually admit a number of mature students each year. Our experience of mature students has been very positive. In view of the distinctive contribution they make to all aspects of university life, we regard them as an asset.

The entry criteria for mature students will depend on the qualifications they offer and so there are no set grades for entry although we will take into account A-level results where they exist.  We make individual offers depending on circumstances. In all cases we look for evidence of ability, interest and commitment, but we may not require specific formal qualifications. In most cases, we prefer to interview mature candidates before offering them a place.

Some of the most successful students have been those who have prepared themselves to return to academic study by taking Access courses, or similar periods of study. Others have come to the School straight from employment in a wide variety of work, or been fully occupied in raising a family.  Mature students who are considering making an application are welcome to contact the PPE Admissions Officer for further advice.

Lectures are given to larger groups of students. In the first year, students take introductory modules alongside students from a wide range of degree programmes, so you may be one of 300 or so students in the lecture theatre. In the second and third years modules, and hence lectures, are smaller - perhaps as few as 20 students.  In all modules, however, the main focus of your coursework will be your seminar group, normally containing 10-16 students.

The modular system is based on a notional 40-hour week for each student. In the first year you can expect around 12 hours of ‘contact’ (lectures and seminars) per week. This will decline in the second and third years to around 6-8 hours, depending on the modules chosen. York prides itself on a programme designed to facilitate students' capacity for independent learning. Most of your real work is therefore done in the library or at home, preparing for seminars and essays, reading around the subject, making connections, learning how to analyse ideas and data, and, of course, thinking.

You can change degree programme within the School reasonably easily (e.g. from PPE to one of the joint degrees in Philosophy & Politics, Economics & Politics, or Philosophy & Economics). However all changes will depend on whether there is space on the degree to which you are moving. In addition, there are some compulsory modules on the PPE degree programmes which are scheduled at fixed times in the year, so the window of opportunity can be fairly narrow.  

It is relatively easy to change within the first few weeks of the first year. After this, however, you may have to wait until the start of the second year, and at that point you can move only into a degree programme for which you have taken the relevant first-year foundation modules. But changing from PPE to any of the two-subject programmes is normally possible at this time. If you wanted to move out of the School altogether into, say, single subject Politics or Economics, then you would first have to be accepted by the corresponding Department.

Again, only if there is space, and provided that the degree course offers a suitable foundation for the second and third year at York.  Due to the fact that the School more often than not meets its quota of students, there are not usually any vacancies that would allow second years to transfer into the School of PPE.

A York PPE degree provides a very good background for a wide range of work opportunities because it helps students to develop the broad range of skills which many employers demand - quantitative, analytical, debating, logical argument, information handling, time management, collaborative work, capacity for independent study and learning, and so on.

Our students have an excellent employment record in everything from finance and management, through IT and the media, to teaching and working for international organisations. After graduating from York a large number take higher degrees. 

For further information, see https://www.york.ac.uk/pep/graduate-profiles/

If you were not taught at school or college in English, then we require an English language qualification such as the IELTS. Detailed English language requirements can be found here.