Philosophy, Politics and Economics BA

Major: Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits:  180.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 45.1004
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-1065

About the Program

Drexel University’s BA degree Philosophy, Politics & Economics, or PPE as it is often called, exemplifies Drexel’s commitment to comprehensive education at the intersection of thought and practice. A joint endeavor of the School of Economics, the Department of Politics, and the Department of English & Philosophy, the BA in PPE provides an interdisciplinary foundation for professionals and researchers who want to address the complex, interconnected challenges of contemporary life. It prepares students for a wide variety of excellent careers that require thoughtful analysis and engaged leadership including, but not limited to, public service, government, international and domestic business, law, community organizing, publishing, journalism, education, academic research, and more.

PPE began in the early 20th century at Oxford University in the United Kingdom in an effort to ensure that scholars were ready to apply their learning in practical, governmental, and business contexts to become leaders and change agents. Historically, political science and economics descend from what had been called “political economy.” PPE acknowledges what is often lost in the separation and specialization of these fields—the political wisdom that understands economic imperatives and the economic intelligence that recognizes the limits of political initiative. The philosophical dimension of PPE represents the vital reflective and critical aspects that are essential to bringing political and economic insights into conversation for understanding and leadership. PPE is devoted to the idea that great learning should inspire and empower students to have an impact on the world.

Students in the Drexel BA in PPE begin with the interdisciplinary class PPE 101 Introduction to Philosophy, Politics and Economics, which presents the field through a discussion of how the aims and methods of the three constitutive disciplines work together and discussion of the political, economic, and philosophical dimensions of specific topics and themes. The Philosophy classes in the major are mainly focused on issues in ethics, logic, philosophy of law, and social and political philosophy. The Politics classes cover a variety of subjects and constitute a solid foundation in political science covering topics that include comparative politics, history of political thought, qualitative or quantitative research methods, theories of justice, American foreign policy, social protest movements in comparative perspective, and more. The Economics classes are designed to give the student a foundation for profound analysis and insight. These include microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic ideas, public finance, and electives chosen from courses which include Game Theory and Applications, Economics of Small Business, Labor Economics, Comparative Economic Systems, Resource and Environmental Economics, and more.

PPE majors are encouraged to take a minor or certificate in a field they are interested in studying. Students interested in careers in the law are encouraged to consider adding a minor in Law offered through the Kline Law School, for example. The College of Arts and Sciences offers minors in many PPE-adjacent fields including Sociology, offering courses like Race, Ethnicity and Social Inequality, Wealth and Power, Gender and Society, Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South, Environmental Justice, etc. Other popular minors and even double majors for PPE students to consider include History, Global Studies, Criminal Justice Studies, and Science, Technology, and Society. In the senior capstone course PPE 450, students work with an instructor as they formulate, evaluate, and criticize public policy proposals, research, and/or theoretical perspectives on political and economic issues using the research tools, arguments, and methods drawn from the three fields. PPE majors at Drexel have access to the widest range of co-op positions related to public service, government, international and domestic business, law, community organizing, education, publishing, journalism, academic research, and many more areas.

Additional Information

For more information about the Drexel Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program, please visit the Department of English & Philosophy website or stop by to see one of our co-directors anytime. The Department of English & Philosophy is located in MacAlister Hall, Room 5016. The co-directors of the Drexel Philosophy, Politics and Economics program can be contacted at: 

Dr. Peter Amato, Department of English and Philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences, pa34@drexel.edu

Dr. Jose Tapia, Department of Politics, College of Arts & Sciences, jat368@drexel.edu 

Dr. Roger McCain, School of Economics, LeBow College of Business, mccainra@drexel.edu

Admission Requirements

The interdisciplinary Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) program exemplifies Drexel's commitment to comprehensive education at the intersection of thought and practice. A joint endeavor of the School of Economics, the Department of Politics, and the Department of English and Philosophy, the BA in PPE provides a multidisciplinary foundation for professionals who will address the complex, interconnected challenges of contemporary life. It prepares students for careers that require careful analysis, clear foresight, and thoughtful leadership: government, politics, law, public policy, public service, and business. Our program starts from the idea that the economy is fundamentally political, politics are fundamentally economic, and both are shaped by centuries of philosophical inquiry. We build on a foundation of rigorous philosophical thought, political and economic theory, and applied research skills.

Degree Requirements

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Students not participating in co-op will take one additional credit of free elective instead of COOP 101.

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

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See Core Curriculum List  for complete list of course options.

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The 103 level class requires 102 and 101 (all 4 credits each) unless one tests out of 101 or 102. A student who tests out of 102 must take 103 and 201.

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For Analysis, take either MATH 101 and MATH 102, or MATH 172 and MATH 173 and any necessary prerequisites, For Calculus, take either MATH 116 and MATH 117 or MATH 121 and any necessary prerequisites.

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Recommended electives: ECON 301 and ECON 321.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, no co-op

4 year, 1 co-op

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Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

5 year, 3 co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Affiliated Faculty

Peter Amato, PhD (Fordham University) Teaching Professor of Philosophy. Ethics, Marxism, Continental Philosophy

Debjani Bhattacharyya, PhD (Emory University) Assistant Professor of History. South Asia, Environmental History, Global History

Sebastien Bradley, PhD (University of Michigan) Associate Professor of Economics. Public Economics, Real Estate. Applied Econometrics

Zoltán Búzás, PhD (The Ohio State University) Assistant Professor of Politics. International Norms, Human Rights, Race and Ethnicity in International Politics

Erin Graham, PhD (The Ohio State University) Associate Professor of Politics. International Organization, Institutional Design and Development, Climate Change

Nathan Hanna, PhD (Syracuse University) Associate Professor of Philosophy. Ethics, Philosophy of Law, Philosophy of Punishment

Amelia Hoover Green, PhD (Yale University) Associate Professor of Politics. Armed Conflict, Political Violence, Empirical Research Methods

Roger A. McCain, PhD (Louisiana State University) Professor of Economics. History of Economic Ideas, Welfare Economics, Game Theory

Carol Mele, PhD (University of Pennsylvania) Associate Teaching Professor of Philosophy. Ethical Theory, Social and Political Philosophy, Rawls

Joel E. Oestreich, PhD (Brown University) Professor of Politics and Global Studies. Human Rights, Economic Development, International Relations Theory

Maria Olivero, PhD (Duke University) Associate Professor of Economics. Open Economy Macroeconomics, Monetary Economics, Quantitative Methods

Flavia Padovani, PhD (University of Geneva) Associate Professor of Philosophy. History and Philosophy of Science, Epistemology, Logic.

Rachel Reynolds, PhD (University of Illinois at Chicago) Associate Professor of Communication. Language and Linguistics. Immigration, African Studies

Andrew Smith, PhD (SUNY, Stony Brook) Associate Professor of Philosophy. Environmental Philosophy, Social and Political Philosophy, American Philosophy

José A. Tapia, MBBCH, MPH, PhD (New School for Social Research) Associate Professor of Politics. Climate Change, Social Development, Economic Effects on Health