BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics: Standard pathway

Stage 1

You’ll start your degree studies with one of two options:

1. Introducing the social sciences (DD101)Introducing the social sciences::This key introductory Level 1 course is an ideal introduction to the social sciences – psychology, social policy and criminology, geography and environment, politics and international studies, economics and sociology – through study of contemporary UK society. Using a blend of text, audio, DVD and online materials, you’ll explore a wide range of topics, including questions of society’s relationship to the environment, questions of identity and issues of social order and governance – all considered in their national and international contexts – that will equip you with a range of skills for independent study and for your personal and working life.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DD101,,1 (60 credits): a broad, fascinating introductory module covering psychology, social policy and criminology, geography and environment, politics and international studies, economics and sociology.   
2. Introducing the social sciences - part one (DD131)Introducing the social sciences - part one::This key introductory Level 1 module provides an approachable and contemporary introduction to the disciplines and subjects that form the social sciences, as well as the questions and issues that social scientists investigate and explore. It tackles everyday issues in an appropriate way, so that you can build on what you already know and gain a solid grounding in study techniques and social science skills and debates. Combining this with another 30-credit course – such as Discovering psychology (DSE141) – is an excellent choice if you want a gradual entry into the social sciences.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DD131,,1 (30 credits) with You and your money: personal finance in context (DB123)You and your money: personal finance in context::Are you interested in making more informed decisions about your personal finances? You and your money is a practical course that will develop your financial skills and improve your understanding of the constantly changing social and economic environment in which financial decisions are made. You’ll explore questions such as: Why do people borrow so much? How can I plan for my retirement? By the end of this key introductory Level 1 course, you’ll have a detailed understanding of some key personal finance issues that affect people’s lives, and the skills and knowledge needed to improve your own financial capability.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DB123,,1 (30 credits): a shorter version of option 1 with an additional module focusing on your personal finances. You’ll consider how your money is involved in savings, debt, mortgages, pensions and other financial services.

You’ll then begin your study of politics with Power, dissent, equality: understanding contemporary politics (DD203)Power, dissent, equality: understanding contemporary politics::Tumultuous events like 9/11 and the war in Iraq have reminded people how vital – and sometimes how deadly – the world of politics can be. Even at the very local level, the everyday politics of schools, hospitals, petitioning and local council debate affects people’s lives. This course invites you into the world of politics in a fresh and accessible way, using a wide variety of case studies drawn from the UK and beyond. It sheds light on the inner workings of power, decision making and protest, and it covers politics from parliament to the street, and the politics of ideas as well as institutions.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DD203,,1 (60 credits). Drawing on a broad range of examples from UK and international politics – including questions of rights, legitimacy, national identity, conflict and protest – this module studies the ideas, values and institutions through which societies are ordered and people are governed. Through a range of media including podcasts, forums and blogs, you’ll learn how political ideas inform and influence everyday life. You’ll also learn a range of analytical and critical skills which you can use to make sense of and evaluate political debates for yourself.

Stage 2

Stage 2 comprises the other two disciplines of this degree – economics and philosophy. Running the economy (DD209)Running the economy::This course responds to the need to understand the problems of running national and global economies in the wake of a major economic crisis. It starts with macroeconomics, looking at how economies work from global and integrated perspectives. It then moves to microeconomics, drilling down into the behaviour of people, firms and governments. This combined analysis allows you to explore how policy affects, and is affected by, the economy and its constituent members. Using a simulator, you will apply what you have learned, taking on the role of an economic analyst to make or advise on policy choices.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DD209,,1 develops a strong understanding of key economic ideas and modelling techniques, applying these to a broad range of contemporary issues. You’ll look at how individuals, households, firms and markets make economic decisions and how these affect the ways in which income and wealth are produced and distributed, both within and between societies. You’ll also study how the economy as a whole operates, how international economic forces shape events and how economic policy can influence events. You’ll practise key analytical techniques used by economists to study and model economies, using quantitative data.

Exploring philosophy (A222)Exploring philosophy::This introduction to philosophy considers fundamental questions from six core areas: the self; philosophy of religion; ethics; knowledge and science; the mind; and political philosophy. What makes me ‘Me’? Does God exist? Why should I act morally? Can I trust science? How can I, a physical being, have thoughts and emotions? Should I obey laws I disagree with? Philosophers – both past and present – have offered radically diverging answers to these and the other questions asked in this course. Guided engagement with this philosophical tradition will provide the platform for you to tackle the big questions of philosophy for yourself.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,A222,,1 covers a very broad range of inquiry, from questions of the nature of the self, the philosophy of religion, and issues in ethics to the nature of knowledge and science, the study of mind and political philosophy. You’ll study the ideas of leading philosophers, past and present, and learn how to analyse, develop and criticise philosophical arguments. There’s a strong emphasis on developing critical reasoning skills so that you can apply what you’ve learned to other contexts beyond academic philosophy.

Stage 3

At Stage 3, you’ll specialise in any two of the three subjects covered by the degree.

For politics you have a choice of two 60-credit modules. Living political ideas (DD306)Living political ideas::Should religious beliefs shape how politics are conducted in the contemporary world? Does violence have a role in politics? Should animals as well as humans be represented in politics? What do bodies and sexuality have to do with politics? Living political ideas is an exciting Level 3 politics and international studies course that debates these and similar questions. It demonstrates the relevance of political ideas for understanding contemporary issues in national and world politics. The award winning study materials include software, video and audio on the website (British Universities Film & Video Council, Learning on Screen Awards 2009).undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DD306,,1 looks at political ideas and ideologies as these are employed, debated and questioned in a wide variety of settings. You’ll explore questions of representation, toleration, violence, sexuality and the natural world, you learn about the ideas that shape our political lives. A world of whose making? (DU301)A world of whose making?::How can we best understand and analyse international developments such as the role of the World Trade Organisation, the power of the USA, the rise of China and India, or contests over religion, culture and rights? What are the main features of international order, how are they changing, and what can we expect in the future? This interdisciplinary course provides the tools of political and economic analysis needed to answer such questions. You will also review and debate the power politics of dominant states; struggles for rights and justice; economic and technological developments; and how world order is changing.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DU301,,1 focuses on international studies and considers far-reaching questions of international order and power (with case studies from America and the Middle East) through the rise of China and India, to questions of globalisation and international justice.

If you choose economics, you’ll look in detail at rival economic theories that explain the behaviour of people in households, firms, markets and governments. You’ll also develop the research skills needed to undertake your own project on a topic of your choice. At the end of Doing economics: people, markets and policy (DD309)Doing economics: people, markets and policy::This course teaches economic theories that explain the behaviour of people in households, firms, markets and governments. It presents alternative economic explanations that will enable you to make your own critical judgements of which theory serves which purpose best. The course also equips you with the research skills that you’ll need to conduct your own project on a topic you want to know more about. At the end of the course, you should have developed a more critical view of the socio-economic world in which you live.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,DD309,,1, you’ll have developed a more critical view of the socio-economic world in which you live.

If you choose to specialise in philosophy, Thought and experience: themes in the philosophy of mind (AA308)Thought and experience: themes in the philosophy of mind::On this course, you will explore a number of central philosophical questions concerning the nature and activities of the human mind, and its place in the natural and social worlds. You will encounter the opinions of great thinkers from history as well as of contemporary philosophers, and examine related issues in aesthetics, the theory of knowledge, metaphysics and the philosophy of language. You will examine the development of conceptions of the mind and explore four topics in detail: emotion; thought and language; imagination and creativity; and consciousness.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q45-1,module,AA308,,1 is a broad-based module that provides a general introduction before focusing on four specific themes regarding the central philosophical questions that concern the human mind, and its place in the natural and social worlds. 

All three subjects place a strong emphasis on your development as an independent thinker – confident at finding, evaluating and presenting complex data and information. You’ll be able to build robust, reasoned arguments backed up by the appropriate evidence. You will have gained a portfolio of critical, analytical and practical skills as well as specialist knowledge that you can apply to a range of workplace environments.

If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards an Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible, and before you register for your chosen qualification. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.

Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.