Embark on a rigorous education that integrates multiple disciplinary approaches in the study of society, politics, the economy, and ethics in a four-year honours degree programme based in the School of Social Sciences (SSS) in partnership with the School of Humanities (SoH). Our programme is designed to cultivate a holistic perspective that fuels innovation and creativity.
As a PPE candidate, you shall deep dive into two or three chosen disciplines to acquire substantive knowledge and technical skills, develop professionalism through an internship, and broaden your academic exposure through a one-semester overseas exchange.
It is not just an education, but a transformative journey where diverse insights converge, sparking creativity and gearing you up for the complexities and challenges of tomorrow.
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is a new integrated Major. This will be a four-year honours degree programme where students learn to integrate multiple disciplinary approaches in the study of society, politics, the economy, and ethics.
Elevate your education with NTU's BSocSci (Hon) PPE degree, which sets itself apart in three key ways from other similar degrees offered in Singapore and Asia:
PPE@SSS Degree : The Social And National Relevance
PPE@SSS degree at NTU is the key to strategic thinking, tackling complexity, and offering solutions towards a sustainable global future. In recognition that the full complexity of the social and political worlds is incapable of being grasped via any single and isolated mode of analysis, PPE students will cultivate the analytical and critical skills required to confront the emergent and recognised challenges of the 21st century, particularly as they develop within the Singaporean and East Asian contexts.
As a country pursues progress for its society and economy, it is often inevitable for tradeoffs, conflicting interests, and diverse values to feature in its policy deliberations. For example, should economic growth take precedence over social progress? Such policy questions are fundamentally philosophical, political, and economic. As a PPE graduate, you can harness the multidisciplinary synergies that empower you as a future leader to think critically and to make informed choices that shape our future.
For GCE 'A' level certificate holders:
International Baccalaureate Diploma:
NUS High School Diploma:
International & Other Qualifications:
More details on admission can be found at the Office of Admissions website.
Successful Polytechnic applicants will be exempted from certain courses that will be confirmed before the start of their first semester.
Bachelor of Social Sciences in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is designed as a four-year course. To graduate, students are required to complete 134 Academic Units that comprise Major requirements from Philosophy, Politics and Economics as well as Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC) and Broadening and Deepening Electives (BDEs).
Philosophy, Politics and Economics are three highly complementary disciplines.
The distribution of the courses of study and the number of academic units are shown below.
| Curriculum Structure AY2025-2026 Intake | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Major Requirements | B. Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC) | C. Broadening and Deepening Electives (BDE) | Total (AUs) | ||||||
| Core | Prescribed Electives | Interdisciplinary Special Topic Capstone (Core) | GP* or two HA4000 level courses | Common Core | Professional Series | Care, Serve, Learn | |||
| 45 | 34 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 134 | |
*Graduation Project
Table A: Major Requirements (CORE and Major PE)
| Major Requirements | 91 |
|---|---|
| Core Courses (45 AU) HE1001 Microeconomics I HE1002 Macroeconomics I HE2001 Microeconomics II HE2002 Macroeconomics II HE2003 Econometrics I HA2001 Philosophy, Politics, and Economics HA1001 Introduction to International Relations and Foreign Policy HY1001 Introduction to Philosophy MH1820 Introduction to Probability & Statistical Methods HA1011 Politics of Singapore HA1012 Fundamentals of Politics HY2002 Moral Philosophy HA1002 Introduction to Political Theory HA1003 Introduction to Public Administration and Policy HY2005 Political Philosophy | 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 |
| Compulsory capstone course (4 AU) Interdisciplinary select topics in PPE | 4 |
| Prescribed Elective (34 AU) Students are to choose six (6) level 2000 or 3000 courses and four (4) level 4000 courses. ● Additionally, students on the: ○ Bipartite track should take at least four MPEs from each of the two specialist disciplines, and one from the non-specialist discipline. ○ For example, if a student selects PPGA and Economics tracks, they will have to complete at least: - 4 MPEs from HAxxxx courses - 4 MPEs from HExxxx courses - 1 MPEs from HYxxxx courses AND - Fulfil at least 6 level 2000 and 3000 courses, and 4 level 4000 courses. ● Tripartite track should take at least three MPEs from each discipline. ○ For example, students on this track will have to complete at least: - 3 MPEs from HAxxxx courses - 3 MPEs from HExxxx courses - 3 MPEs from HYxxxx courses AND - Fulfil at least 6 level 2000 and 3000 courses, and 4 level 4000 courses. | 34 |
| Graduation Project* OR two (2) level 4000 prescribed electives | 8 |
Table B: Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC)
| ICC – Common Cores | 14 |
| CC0001 Inquiry and Communication in an Interdisciplinary World | 2 |
| CC0003 Ethics & Civics in a Multicultural World | 2 |
| ML0004 Career and Entrepreneurial Development for the Future World | 2 |
| CC0015 Healthy Living & Well-being | 2 |
| CC0006 Sustainability: Social, Economy & Environment | 3 |
| CC0007 Science & Technology for Humanity | 3 |
| ICC – Professional Series | 11 |
| Effective Communication II - HW0208 Academic Communication in the Social Sciences | 2 |
| Digital Literacy II (can choose from a basket of courses) | 3 |
| Internship | 5 |
| Profession Preparation | 1 |
| ICC - Care, Serve, Learn | 3 |
Table C: Broadening and Deepening Electives (BDE)
| BDE (Students may choose from the list of courses offered by NTU) | 15 |
*Note:
1. Students must opt in to read Graduation Project.
2. To obtain Honours (Highest Distinction & Distinction), students must complete their graduation project.
Graduates of the programme will be well-equipped to succeed in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, as well as potentially pursue graduate studies. It opens doors to vibrant industries such as public service, finance, consulting, research, and education leadership. The PPE programme offers versatile and rigorous training, charting a path for diverse careers. The programme takes a special interest, however, in preparing promising students for important public-service roles within their society, through developing a theoretically informed and civically-minded concern with many of the most important shared issues facing 21st-century Singapore, Asia, and the world.
