Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Our Politics, Philosophy and Economics course draws on a variety of disciplines in the Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences.

The first and second years provide the building blocks for subsequent study. You'll develop expertise in a wide range of philosphical, political and economical thining, and learn to apply the knowledge and professional skills you've acquired in practical ways.

The final year project is an opportunity to synthesise and apply your knowledge and understanding across all of these disciplines, bringing them together in a major piece of work.

Year one
Introductions and foundations: Ask questions, challenge your assumptions, interrogate evidence, data and opinions. You’ll follow a broad curriculum and develop your understanding of economic, political and philosophical thinking and how they interconnect.

Year two
Practical, applied, relevant: this year combines the academic study of Politics, Philosophy and Economics with the acquisition of professional skills as you apply your knowledge and understanding to a defined problem or idea.

Year three
Achievement, consolidation, creativity: your final project in the third year brings all this together. You’ll identify your own area of study, develop your proposal and put it into practice. This might be an extended piece of academic writing, a pitch to a local employer, a community project or the creation of digital resources.

We’ll assess your progress through a variety of coursework tasks including:

• Projects
• Portfolios
• Reflective writing.

You'll be taught through a mix of seminars, workshops and lectures. You'll learn in small groups, with as many opportunities to work outside the seminar room as possible.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

We'll encourage you to work outside of the seminar room as much as possible, through fieldwork, projects with our industry partners, placements and internships.

We'll work with you to develop your professional skills and to identify ways of applying them externally – to roles that are current in an ever-changing work landscape. 

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

The course is based at our Newton Park campus, which combines outstanding modern facilities with a beautiful setting.

The Library provides many core resources, both in print and online. We draw on a wide range of resources, and encourage the use – and creation – of different materials. 

You'll have access to other excellent facilities including:

• Subject resources and subject Librarian
• Virtual Learning Environment
• Writing and Learning Centre
• English Language Unit