Course summary
Our BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics is a joint degree with a rich history — this combination of subjects has been a well-known favourite choice for politicians and future prime ministers. Studying philosophy at the University of Reading will equip you with the ability to think logically, to evaluate arguments critically, and to challenge your own ideas and those of other people. We will give you an understanding of the central principles, concepts, problems, texts and figures of philosophy. You will be taught by leading experts whose research strengths lie especially in moral philosophy and the philosophy of the mind and language. You will also have the chance to examine non-Western philosophies such as Indian philosophy. In politics, you will acquire a strong grounding in fundamental elements of the subject such as political ideas and democratic processes. You can study a wide range of specialist core modules, which cover topics such as British government and politics, European political integration, and political thinking. In economics, you will study both applied and practical issues and focus on the relationship between economics and society. This course places less emphasis on mathematical and statistical content than some Economics courses do; instead you will focus on the relevance of these techniques to applied problems. You will still learn necessary maths skills in your core modules, but extensive support is available should you need it. This course offers you the opportunity to study philosophy, politics and economics in the first year, and allows you to focus on two or continue with all three subjects in your second and final years. Most of your contact time will be spent in small seminar-style groups, allowing you to interact directly with staff and add your own voice to the discussion. For more information, please visit the programme page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/philosophy-ug/ba-ppe-philosophy-politics-and-economics
Modules
The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2025/26. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change. Core modules for this course: Reason and Argument; Principles of Economics 1; Politics of Climate Change; Study of Politics; Intermediate Macroeconomics. The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available in the summer of 2024. We suggest that you regularly revisit our course page during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme. Check our website for more details about the course structure.
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- LV12
- Institution code:
- R12
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - ABB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM
Access to HE Diploma - D: 30 credits M: 15 credits
Scottish Higher - AABBB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM
Scottish Advanced Higher - ABB
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 32 points
Extended Project - B
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H2, H3, H3, H3, H3
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal - D3, M2, M2
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level - D
Contextual offers for this programme are typically two grades beneath our standard entry requirement, e.g. BBC.
English language requirements
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 7 | We require a minimum score of 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). |
TOEFL (iBT) | 100 | We require a minimum score of 100 overall with no less than 20 in Listening, Writing and Reading and 21 in Speaking. |
Cambridge English Advanced | A | We require a grade A or a score of 185 overall with no element less than 169. |
Cambridge English Proficiency | C | We require a grade C or a score of 185 overall with no element less than 169. |
PTE Academic | 76 | We require a minimum score of 76 overall with at least 64 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). |
Institution's Own Test | Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP). We require a minimum score of 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). | |
Trinity ISE | Pass | Only ISE III and ISE IV are acceptable and we require a Pass in each element. |
Full list of acceptable English Language Tests
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
EU | £25250 | Year 1 |
International | £25250 | Year 1 |
England | £9250 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
University of Reading
Whiteknights House
PO Box 217
Reading
RG6 6AH