England. Change location

Accessibility statement

Shortlist CourseShortlist Register nowRegister Request ProspectusProspectus

Course type: Degree

Degree

Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.

Internationally respected, universally understood.

An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.

Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.

Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
Credits: 360

Credits

Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.

One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.

You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.

For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Study method: Distance learning
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

Ask a question

BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics

: Course code: Q45

Politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) are central to understanding how modern societies are organised and governed. By studying them together you'll gain a combination of skills that’s in high demand across the private, public and non-profit sectors. Whilst PPE has been described as ‘the degree that runs Britain’, this combination is better viewed as the study of how countries are run, what motivates and constrains their rulers and residents, and how social order and prosperity are best understood and promoted. All three disciplines are presented in up-to-date form, covering alternative as well as ‘mainstream’ approaches and firmly rooted in the real world.

Key features

Understand the debates that dominate the daily news and look beyond the headlines
Learn skills and techniques to help you analyse, present and contribute to discussion
Explore how arguments and public policies are constructed in theory and tested in practice
Increase your employability across the private and public sectors
Enjoy synergies among three complementary disciplines while studying a full curriculum in each

Course type

Degree

Credits

360

How long it takes

Part-time study – 6 years

Full-time study – 4 years

Time limit – 16 years

Study method

Distance learning

Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

Ask a question

Course details

This politics, philosophy and economics degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

At Stage 1 you’ll choose among three optional modules before completing the stage with a compulsory module that will introduce you to studying politics.
Next, in Stage 2, you’ll study two further compulsory modules, one in each of economics and philosophy.
Finally, in Stage 3, you’ll focus on any two of the three PPE subjects.

You can either start by exploring important global challenges, including the climate crisis, legacies of colonialism and enslavement, and digital technology or take a combination of modules that focus on economics and personal finance. You’ll complete the stage by exploring UK and international politics through questions of rights, legitimacy, national identity, conflict and protest.

Please note this stage can only be studied at part-time intensity as you need to complete 60 credits from the OU level 1 modules before starting DD211.

Stage 1 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll choose 60 credits from the following:
Global challenges: social science in action (D113)	60
Economics in context (DD126)	30
You and your money (DB125)	30
You'll complete Stage 1 with:
Understanding politics: ideas and institutions in the modern world (DD211)	60

You’ll build on the foundations gained at Stage 1 to apply economic ideas, models and techniques to a range of contemporary issues. You'll also be introduced to philosophy through six essential topics: philosophy of religion; political philosophy through Plato; philosophy of mind; ethics; knowledge; and philosophy of race.

Stage 2 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll study both of the following:
Investigating philosophy (DA223)	60
Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)	60

At Stage 3, you’ll focus on two of the three PPE subjects, selected by what you’ve found most interesting or most relevant to your career path. Your choices at this stage can also form the basis for postgraduate study options, including our MA in Philosophy and MSc in Economics.

Stage 3 modules
Modules	Credits
You’ll choose two from three PPE subjects:
Politics (choose one of these modules)
International relations: continuity and change in global politics (DD313)	60
Modern political ideas (DD316)	60
Philosophy
Key questions in philosophy (A333)	60
Economics
Doing economics: inequalities, innovation and environment (DD320)	60

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.

Accessibility

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:

Online study – most modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills
Assessment in the form of short-answer questions, essays, and examinations
Feedback – continuous assessment includes feedback from your tutor and using this to improve your performance
Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
Finding external/third-party material online
Specialist software provided with the module.
Mathematical and scientific expressions, notations and associated techniques
Online tutorials
Group-work

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions. Visit our Disability support page to learn about our services.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:

Knowledge and understanding
Cognitive skills
Practical and professional skills
Key skills

The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; elearning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.

Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

If you have already studied at university level, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – which could save you time and money by reducing the number of modules you need to study. At the OU we call this credit transfer.

It’s not just university study that can be considered, you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications such as HNCs and HNDs.

You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where and when and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.

For more details of when you will need to apply by and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

Classification of your degree

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

The class of honours (first, upper-second, lower-second or third) will depend on your grades at Stages 2 and 3.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

International recognition

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Compare this course

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements to study this qualification.

At The Open University we believe education should be open to all, so we provide a high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

Even though there are no entry requirements, there are some skills that you'll need to succeed. If you're not quite ready for OU study we can guide you to resources that prepare you, many of which are free.

Answer a few quick questions to check whether you're ready for study success

How much time do I need?

Four years is the minimum time required to complete this qualification as Stage 1 can only be studied at part-time intensity. This means you must study 60 credits of OU level 1 modules before Understanding politics: ideas and institutions in the modern world (DD211).
Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
support from a dedicated team throughout your study
detailed written feedback on your work.

The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:

Science, technology and maths Access module

What you will study

This multidisciplinary module is an ideal starting point if you have little or no previous knowledge of the sciences, technology and mathematics. It’ll help develop your study skills in advance of your OU qualification, and you get to explore a number of STEM subjects including science, engineering and design, environment, mathematics, and computing and IT.

View full details of Science, technology and maths Access module

Y033

Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module

What you will study

This multidisciplinary module provides an excellent introduction to studying with The Open University; you'll get to cover a wide range of subject areas, including psychology, childhood and youth studies, health and social care, wellbeing, sport, education and social sciences.

View full details of Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module

Y034

Fees and funding

Compare the cost of studying at the OU with other campus-based universities in England.

Qualification	Total cost at campus university*	Total cost at The Open University**	Saving with The Open University
Honours Degree	£28,605	£23,352	£5,253 (18%)
Diploma of Higher Education	£19,070	£15,568	£3,502 (18%)
Certificate of Higher Education	£9,535	£7,784	£1,751 (18%)

Honours Degree

Total cost at campus university* £28,605

Total cost at The Open University** £23,352

Saving with The Open University £5,253 (18%)

Diploma of Higher Education

Total cost at campus university* £19,070

Total cost at The Open University** £15,568

Saving with The Open University £3,502 (18%)

Certificate of Higher Education

Total cost at campus university* £9,535

Total cost at The Open University** £7,784

Saving with The Open University £1,751 (18%)

*Based on maximum chargeable fees for 25/26 academic year.

**The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's Fee Rules.

How you'll study

How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
details of each assignment and their due dates
a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

Tutor support

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
guide you to learning resources
support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.
Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
free Microsoft Office 365 software
IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Careers

Skills for career development

In addition to specialist knowledge of politics, philosophy and economics, this degree course will help you develop valuable transferable skills for employment, including:

using a range of communication technologies to independently research, select and present information
analysing and critically evaluating information and data
writing and communicating concisely and clearly
assembling reasoned arguments for particular audiences
using a range of formats: essays, presentations, reports, collaborative working, online forums
reflecting on your own learning and developing strategies to update your knowledge
valuing critical feedback to reflect on progress and improve your work
working on your own initiative and managing your time.

Career relevance

A degree in politics philosophy and economics is internationally recognised as providing a set of conceptual and quantitative skills particularly relevant for many areas of public service, such as the civil and diplomatic services and local government. In particular, you’ll develop skills enabling you to express your ideas clearly and logically; understand and analyse complex information; and study independently.

Other careers

This degree course is also good preparation for a wide variety of other careers, including banking and finance, politics, journalism and broadcasting, law, industry, teaching, social work, accountancy, business management, consultancy, marketing and advertising – and many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers will require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree:

politician
economic analyst
policy advisor
civil servant
diplomat

journalist
chartered accountant
economist
lawyer
statistician

risk analyst
lecturer
investment banker
charity worker
business consultant.

Register for this course

Start dates

Oct 2025 - Registration closes 11/09/2025
Feb 2026 - Registration closes 08/01/2026

Credit transfer: apply by 14/08/2025

Credit transfer: apply by 04/12/2025

Request your Social Sciences prospectus

Our prospectuses help you choose your course, understand what it's like to be an OU student and register for study.

Request prospectus

Where do you live?

Please tell us where you live so that we can provide you with the most relevant information as you use this website.

If you are at a BFPO address please choose the country or region in which you would ordinarily be resident.

Please choose the country or region in which you would ordinarily be resident

Prepare for OU study with an Access module

Stage 1 (120 credits)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

Accessibility

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

Credit transfer

Classification of your degree

International recognition

Regulations

Compare this course

How much time do I need?

Preparing for study with an Access module

Science, technology and maths Access module

What you will study

Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module

What you will study

Fees and funding in England

Tuition fee