1. International orientation
PPE at VU is truly international in its orientation: 50% of the students who study PPE come from abroad. They are not the only non-Dutchies in the city. With 180 different nationalities, Amsterdam's population is one of the most diverse in Europe! But numbers only tell part of the story. All the students and employees in our programme also have a very international outlook on life. They bring along an interest in foreign politics, as well as other cultures and philosophies. That's important given that almost all PPE students complete one semester at a partner university abroad - whether in the US, Europe, Asia or South Africa. Have a look at the VU world map to see PPE’s exchange partnerships.
2. Small scale education
VU’s PPE programme is based on “small scale and intensive education”, like many University Colleges. This means there are more professors and support staff available per student than in regular programmes. Each lecture is followed up by a seminar. In small groups, you will debate big questions, look at how policies are applied, and critically discuss the outcomes. PPE has around 100 first-year students each year. However, seminars are always taught in groups of 10 to 20 students. During the corona crisis, our small scale has also given PPE the opportunity to keep parts of their education on campus (for first year students) when that was not possible for the VU at large.
3. Community feeling
The transition to university from high school can be daunting, but with the PPE programme you will never have to look far to find your classroom. We have our own floor within VU Amsterdam’s main building: the John Stuart Mill College (also known as “the fourth floor”). This allows students to experience the vibrant VU campus life while taking advantage of the college’s private spaces available only to PPE students. In addition to the PPE study area, the college provides spaces for social activities (mostly organized by PPE’s own study association KallioPPE) and extracurricular events organized by staff. The college also encourages new initiatives, such as book clubs or podcasts, made possible by the PPE Incubator Fund. Read more about PPE’s student initiatives here.
4. Truly interdisciplinary
The original “PPE” programme was founded at the University of Oxford in the 1920s in response to traditional monodisciplinary studies. PPE originated from the idea that to understand complex societal problems, one must approach them from different complementary disciplines. With PPE at VU, you do not simply study these disciplines side-by-side, you apply them in an integrated manner. For instance, during PPE in Practice courses, you will study theories at the intersection of philosophy, economics, and political science and learn how to apply them to analyse policy issues and democratic decision-making. You will learn how to apply theoretical insights to topical and often controversial issues, such as gambling, animal experiments, poverty relief, global warming, and international trade. Topics that are impossible to fully unpack using just one of these disciplines.
5. A new perspective
Many students say that PPE changes the way they look at the news, politics, and even personal relationships. Critical thinking is a vital skill for all university students and at PPE, you will be asked to look critically at topics such as economic justice, migration, inequality, animal rights, and freedom of speech. There will surely be some lively discussions with your peers after learning the main approaches in normative ethics! Best of all, everything you learn is also applicable to the outside world. As one PPE alumna put it, “For me, [PPE] laid the foundations of my thinking in a lot of different ways. It’s more than a degree [...]. It’s something that really shapes how you interact with the world.” Read the full interview here.
6. Future prospects
During your second year, you will design your own programme by choosing to focus on two out of the three disciplines (or all three if you are very ambitious). During your third year, you will deepen your knowledge even further by choosing your own exchange programme and thesis topic. Regardless of which specialization you choose, you will graduate with a highly interdisciplinary and transferable skill set. PPE graduates make excellent opinion leaders and decision makers due to the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills they've acquired, as well as the multidisciplinary nature of the programme itself. The majority of PPE graduates continue their studies with a Master’s programme in one of the three disciplines (philosophy, politics or economics) or in a related subject like environmental policy or development studies. Have a look at what our alumni do after graduating.
Convinced? Good news: with our rolling admission, you can apply (and be admitted) straight away! Would you rather have a video call with a student first, or sign up for a Taster Day? Create a My Study Choice account and sign up for an activity of your choice.
