University: The University of Western Australia

Degree: Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

School Subjects: Economics, Politics and Law, Mathematics Methods, Literature and Philosophy and Ethics

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Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is an extended major that UWA offers that explores these three disciplines. Having done all three of these subjects’ ATAR equivalent, I wanted to try PPE to see how these three topics intertwined. If you are in Year 12 and you are juggling up these three majors, I would recommend considering PPE as it serves as an opportunity to explore all of them without having to only commit to one. A point to note is that it is definitely not necessary to do PPE’s ATAR subjects equivalent to succeed in PPE. Although prior knowledge is useful, it is not essential, as concepts covered in ATAR will be discussed in first-year units—sometimes in even greater detail.

Economics

First-year Economics is similar to high school content, with much of the material either already covered or building off familiar concepts. However, in second and third year, the units become more challenging as they incorporate maths and more complex theories. What I found is that students more ‘mathematically inclined’ tend to excel more in Economics than in Philosophy or Politics.

Marks are typically distributed across weekly quizzes, assignments, a mid-semester test, an assignment, and a final exam, depending on the unit. Unlike Politics and Philosophy, Economics assessments focus more on understanding and applying content rather than writing expressively.

Out of the three disciplines, Economics is my favourite and the one I am performing the best at. However, a challenge I faced is when the political side of Economics is explored, particularly in the unit Foundations of Global Political Economy – POLS2220. This unit required a deeper understanding of political theory and how it applies to Economics. If you find yourself weaker in Politics, you may find this unit difficult due to the heavy application of already complex political theories.

Philosophy

Out of the three disciplines, Philosophy is the one where if you studied it in school for ATAR and enjoyed it, there’s a strong chance you’ll enjoy it as well in university. University Philosophy delves deeper, providing a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of various theories.

I found that Philosophy’s tutorials required more rigorous attention than Economics, as tutorial marks are often hard to achieve due to the high level of participation needed. I highly recommend properly preparing for tutorials instead of ‘winging’ it, as tutorials can be easy marks if the necessary work was put in prior. Philosophy also requires essay writing, with some weighted as much as 40%, such as in Bioethics – PHIL2001. I found these essays to be the most difficult aspect, as essay writing for Philosophy demands extensive research. Luckily, the exams for Philosophy are often straightforward, as questions can be predictable with only a select number of topics actually being examinable.

Philosophy isn’t limited to lengthy essays and heavy reading. Units like Introduction to Critical Thinking – PHIL1002 and Logic: How to Defeat Your Foes with Reasoning – PHIL2002 focus on developing logical and analytical skills. These units often require a more mathematical approach compared to a traditional philosophical mindset, making these units more favoured by PPE students who prefer maths over long-winded essay writing.

Politics

In my experience, Politics is the hardest aspect of PPE. University Politics not only requires an understanding of complex theories but also how to apply them. For those who studied Politics and Law ATAR, university Politics is a significant shift, focusing more heavily on political theory and history. Like Philosophy, Politics places a strong emphasis on tutorial participation, so make sure you prepare and engage well in these classes (because it is easy marks if you put your hand up to answer or ask a question). For most Politics units, essays typically account for a significant portion of your final grade—often ranging from 40% to 50%. These essays are generally less structured and in-depth compared to Philosophy, making them easier to tackle. However, the Politics exams can be challenging due to the wide range of content, unpredictable questions, and the substantial preparation needed to excel in them.

Students who have a genuine interest in Politics outside of the classroom tend to perform best in this discipline. These students are able to draw upon examples not covered in lectures or readings, as well as show a broader understanding of political events and ideas. This kind of analysis and discussion often impresses tutors—contributing to a stronger tutorial participation mark. So, I highly recommend that students try to engage with politics outside of the classroom to keep up in group discussions; this can even be as simple as keeping up with the news.

Further Comments about PPE

Although PPE does offer students a chance to explore three different disciplines and how they interconnect, this does come with drawbacks. Options for unit choices become very limited, especially in third year. For example, if you strongly favour studying Economics over Politics and Philosophy, you won’t be able to choose many Economics units in your final year due to the structure of this degree. In fact, you’ll only have the space to do two Economics units in total in third year out of a selection of eight Economics units. In comparison, for the Business Economics major, you can choose three Economics units in third year out of a selection of 11 units. Another example of this is in second year, you only get a selection of one Economics unit out of two options. Although this may seem small, it is important to choose units that you are genuinely interested in, as it naturally helps with studying them.

Additionally, do keep in mind PPE is a competitive degree. As it has a 90 ATAR prerequisite, you can expect students to be more proactive and prepared in tutorials, which can feel overwhelming (especially when some dominate group discussions). Try not to let this stun you so you become ‘left behind’ in tutorials.

Advice for Future Students

My advice for future students is to take full advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Whether this be co-curricular, social, work, or academic, university provides an experience that students often fail to capitalise on. Joining university clubs or sporting programs provides an opportunity to make new friends and also develop a greater network for professional life.