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Undergraduate
UCAS code:L0V0
Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method

BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Study philosophy, politics and economics at LSE – internationally renowned in all three subjects. Gain real-world experience on an external client project.

Overview

Introduction

What are the advantages of democratic institutions? Should we have limits on migration? What are the moral pros and cons of our financial markets? These are just some of the challenging questions you’ll address on this BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE).

You’ll look at fundamental philosophical questions, anaylse the way individuals and groups define political ideas, and look at economic challenges and change. Unlike most other PPE degree programmes, our students study all three subjects for the first three years. Final-year PPE students also complete independent research and work with external organisations on our innovative Capstone course.

LSE regularly achieves top rankings in university league tables for philosophy, politics and economics. Studying at a leading social science institution, you’ll develop interdisciplinary skills that will set you apart from other graduates. Our students progress to careers in financial services, accounting and auditing, consulting, IT and tech, and government.

Entry requirements

Here, you can check our entry requirements for GCSEs, A-levels (please read them alongside our information about subject combinations) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We also consider applications from students with a range of other UK qualifications and from overseas. Please select the overseas button below and choose your country from the dropdown list to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.

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We welcome students from all walks of life at LSE. We want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation. So, whatever your background, please do apply. Get all the details on our general entry requirements.

Competition for places at LSE is high. We cannot guarantee you an offer of a place even if you’re predicted or achieve our standard entry requirements.

Our standard offer requirements are intended only as a guide and, in some cases, you’ll be asked for different grades.

Programme content

On this four-year programme, you’ll study 16 units, plus LSE100.

The BSc PPE gives equal weight to all three subjects and the programme includes specially designed interdisciplinary courses.

You’ll have the chance to study abroad for one year in Year 3 and graduate with the degree, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a Year Abroad). See the BSc PPE (Year Abroad) programme regulations for more information on the year abroad.

Our students’ research is celebrated each year at our Showcase event, with the very best work appearing in our online student journal, Studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Year 1

In the first year, you take compulsory courses The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Political Science, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and LSE100. Then, you’ll either take Quantitative Methods (Statistics) and one of either Quantitative Methods (Mathematics) or Methods in Calculus and Linear Algebra, or Mathematical Methods.

Why study with us

Discover more about our department and students.

Meet the department

Founded by Sir Karl Popper in 1946, the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method is consistently ranked among the top places in the world to study philosophy.

Our research and teaching embody LSE’s long tradition of analytic, interdisciplinary and socially engaged philosophy.

We have particular strengths in:

  • the philosophy of natural and social sciences
  • logic
  • moral and political philosophy
  • epistemology
  • decision and game theory
  • social choice.

Some of the world’s leading thinkers and social reformers have taught or studied at LSE – including Beatrice Webb, Bertrand Russell and, of course, Karl Popper. Today, we offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, attracting high-calibre students from across the globe.

Located in the heart of London, LSE provides one of the most exciting places in the world to study for your philosophy degree. We were ranked second in the UK in the Good University Guide 2024 and third in the QS World University Rankings 2023.

Our research is internationally renowned. We were ranked joint third overall in the UK for the quality and impact of our research in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021).

LSE has some of the best outcomes for philosophy graduates in the UK. Our graduates find rewarding and interesting careers in government, the public sector, education, teaching, NGOs and charities, and research.

Learn more about our undergraduate, MSc and PhD programmes and research.

Your application

Overview

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage. See our English language requirements page.

1039
Applications
55
Intake
19:1
2022 Ratio

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for each year of your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Home

£9,250

Home student fee per each year of your programme

This is the 2025/26 tuition fee. The home student undergraduate fee may rise in line with inflation in subsequent years.

Learning and assessment

How you learn

Graduate destinations

Overview

The skills you will develop by studying philosophy, politics and economics are attractive to a range of employers. Our graduates have found work in a variety of industries including; politics and government, education and teaching, banking and finance, NGOs, charities and international development, as well as journalism, media and publishing, advertising marketing and PR, and accounting and auditing.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating:

£35,000

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

Financial and Professional Services
Accounting and Auditing
Information, Digital Technology and Data
FMCG, Manufacturing and Retail
Consultancy
This data is drawn from the 2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and in full-time employment.

Discover Uni

Every undergraduate programme of more than one year duration will have Discover Uni data. The data allows you to compare information about individual programmes at different higher education institutions.

Programmes offered by different institutions with similar names can vary quite significantly. We recommend researching the programmes you're interested in and taking into account the programme structure, teaching and assessment methods, and support services available.

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