Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics
Course code/s: LBPPE - Melbourne
Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics is a prestigious degree favoured by students with their ambitions tuned towards becoming tomorrow's decision makers and opinion shapers. The premise that guides La Trobe University's PPE degree is the recognition that economic, political and philosophical dimensions lie at the heart of every issue that informs life and work in contemporary society.
Admission requirements
Admission requirements are VCE Units 3 & 4 with a study score of 30 in English (ESL) or 25 in English (any) and 25 in mathematics (any). Applicants with comparable qualifications will be considered. A limited number of students may also be considered under Special Entry Schemes. Students may be granted accelerated entry into the PPE program if they have an ATAR score of better than 90 and a study score in VCE mathematics (any) of at least 30.
Degree requirements
Students must complete a course of subjects accumulating at least 360 credit points. The course is designed to be completed within three years of full-time study, although part-time study is possible. Maximum course duration is nine years.
Students should undertake 120 credit points at each year level and must undertake at least 120 credit points at third year level. Variations to this structure are subject to approval by the Director PPE.
Course structure
Students must pass the compulsory and elective subjects listed below.
First year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | PPE Microeconomics 1* | ECO1PPA |
| TE-SEM-1 | Critical Thinking | PHI1CRT |
|
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2 |
Two of the following three subjects | |
| States, Security and International Relations | POL1SNS | |
| Australian Politics: Government and Society | POL1AUP | |
| International Relations and the Global Economy | POL1EEH | |
| One first year LTU elective | ||
|
TE-SEM-2 |
PPE Macroeconomics 1* | ECO1PPB |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Philosophical Problems | PHI1PPR | |
| Great Philosophical Ideas | PHI1GPI | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One first year LTU elective |
* Students enrolling into the PPE under the advanced entry scheme are asked to contact the PPE Director, as they may be eligible to enrol in PPE Microeconomics 2 (ECO2PPA) and PPE Macroeconomics (ECO2PPB).
Note: In choosing two of the three subjects offered in first semester, students are required to complete the third subject in second semester.
The second and third years involve either a balanced/standard course or a choice of one of three specialisations.
PPE Standard second year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| PPE Microeconomics 2 | ECO2PPA | |
| PPE Macroeconomics 2 | ECO2PPB | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Logic: Analytic and Systemic Reasons | PHI2LOG | |
| Reasoning and Uncertainty | PHI2RUN | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Political Ideas and Ideologies | POL2PID |
| TE-SEM-1 | One second or third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong | PHI2ETH | |
| Human Rights | PHI2HUR | |
| TE-SEM-2 | History of Modern Political Thought | POL2MHP |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year LTU elective |
PPE Standard third year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year Economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Logic: Analytic and Systemic Reasons | PHI3LOG | |
| Reasoning with Uncertainty | PHI3RUN | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One third year economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong | PHI3ETH | |
| Human Rights | PHI3HUR | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Politics of the Twentieth Century (30 cps) | POL3HON |
PPE Philosophy and Economics Specialisation (post first year)
Second Year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| PPE Microeconomics 2 | ECO2PPA | |
| PPE Macroeconomics 2 | ECO2PPB | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Logic: Analytic and Systemic Reasons | PHI2LOG | |
| Reasoning with Uncertainty | PHI2RUN | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Philosophy of Science | PHI2PSA | |
| Certainty and Subjectivity | PHI2CAS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One second or third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Human Rights | PHI2HUR | |
| Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong | PHI2ETH | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year philosophy or economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Two second or third year LTU electives |
Third year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Logic: Analytic and Systemic Reasons | PHI3LOG | |
| Reasoning with Uncertainty | PHI3RUN | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year philosophy or economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One third year subject in economics | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong | PHI3ETH | |
| Human Rights | PHI3HUR | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Philosophy in the Twentieth Century | PHI3TCP | |
| Language, Meaning and Understanding | PHI3LMU | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One third year LTU elective |
PPE Politics and Economics specialisation (post first year)
Second year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| PPE Microeconomics 2 | ECO2PPA | |
| PPE Macroeconomics 2 | ECO2PPB | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Political Ideas and Ideologies | POL2PID |
| TE-SEM-1 | One second or third year politics or economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One second or third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | History of Modern Political Thought | POL2MHP |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year politics or economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year LTU elective |
Third year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year Economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year politics or economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year politics or economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One third year Economics elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Politics of the Twentieth Century (30 cps) | POL3HON |
PPE Politics and Philosophy specialisation (post first year)
Second year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Logic: Analytic and Systemic Reasons | PHI2LOG | |
| Reasoning with Uncertainty | PHI2RUN | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Political Ideas and Ideologies | POL2PID |
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Philosophy of Science | PHI2PSA | |
| Certainty and Subjectivity | PHI2CAE | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One second or third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong | PHI2ETH | |
| Human Rights | PHI2HUR | |
| TE-SEM-2 | History of Modern Political Thought | POL2MHP |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year politics or philosophy elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One second or third year LTU elective |
Third year
| Teaching period | Subject title | Subject code |
|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong | PHI3ETH | |
| Human Rights | PHI3HUR | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year politics or philosophy elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year politics or philosophy elective | |
| TE-SEM-1 | One third year LTU elective | |
| TE-SEM-2 | One of the following two subjects | |
| Logic: Analytic and Systemic Reasons | PHI3LOG | |
| Reasoning with Uncertainty | PHI3RUN | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Politics of the Twentieth Century (30 cps) | POL3HON |
| TE-SEM-2 | One third year LTU elective |