POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY AND ECONOMICS (MSC)  POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY AND ECONOMICS (MSC) Birkbeck, University of London ../webroot/files/Institutions/cover_photo/1563773744Birkbeck-University-1.jpg

It is impossible to fully understand the modern world without knowledge of politics, philosophy and economics. They have long been recognised as overlapping and informing one other and it was only relatively recently in intellectual history that the three subjects were separated from one another. PPE brings together these subjects to help you understand and engage with the world. You will develop essential skills of reasoning, inquiry and analysis that are applicable to a wide range of careers, including banking and finance, law, academia and teaching, journalism and politics. 

Birkbeck's interdisciplinary MSc in PPE introduces you to the basics of the three subjects and it will hone your ability to understand, evaluate and analyse real-world information. The study of philosophy will introduce you to critical reasoning and some of the most profound questions it is possible to ask about humanity. The study of politics will acquaint you with modern governing structures in the UK, EU and further afield and with the concepts and ideas that underpin the theory and practice of politics. The study of economics will help you grasp how business, finance and politics intersect and determine how we live and work. 

You can choose from a wide range of option modules and your learning will be informed by the cutting-edge research and expertise of academics across three distinguished departments at Birkbeck: Economics, Mathematics and Statistics; Philosophy; and Politics. 

You will also receive one-to-one dissertation supervision on a topic of your choosing. 

Our standard postgraduate entry requirement is a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification.

We will review every postgraduate application to Birkbeck on its individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now to secure your place and allow enough time for the application and enrolment process. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

COURSE SPECIFIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A second-class honours degree in any subject; prior exposure to at least one of the three component subjects would be a distinct advantage, but it might be possible for able students to acquire the relevant knowledge as part of this programme.

INTERNATIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Our standard postgraduate entry requirement for international students is a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university or an equivalent international qualification.

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. Some courses may require higher scores, particularly in the following subject areas:

• arts management
• cultural studies
• development studies
• film and media
• geography
• history
• law
• organizational psychology
• psychology.

Please carefully check the Course-Specific Entry Requirements on your chosen programme for details of higher English language entry requirements.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

If you are not from the European Economic Area (EEA) and/or Switzerland and you are coming to study in the UK, you may need to apply for a visa.

The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

• Courses of more than six months' duration.
• Courses of less than six months' duration.
• Pre-sessional English language courses.

International students who require a Tier 4 visa should apply for our full-time courses (with the exception of modular enrolment certificates of higher education and graduate certificates), as these qualify for Tier 4 sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Tier 4 visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.