Bachelor of Social Sciences in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

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:

• The programme has a bipartite or tripartite structure for specialisation in two or three disciplines, respectively, which NTU reinforces with an interdisciplinary final-year project under the guidance of co-supervisors from different departments.
  
• Leveraging NTU’s distinct profile and strength as a leading technological university in Asia, the curriculum boasts seven integrated themes: quantitative methods, Singaporean governance, Asian regionalism, and issues on the interface between science, technology, ethics, and society.
  
• On top of the opportunity for overseas exchange studies, students will be immersed in real-world experiences to translate theory to practice through a local or overseas compulsory internship.
  

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:

• A good grade in H2 Level Mathematics
• A good grade in General Paper/ Knowledge & Inquiry /H1 or H2 Level

International Baccalaureate Diploma:

• A good grade in Mathematics at Higher Level
• A good grade in English at Standard Level

 NUS High School Diploma:

• Major CAP of 2.0 in Mathematics
• Good Overall CAP in English Language

 International & Other Qualifications:

• A good grade in Mathematics at Senior High School Level
• A good grade in English at Senior High School Level

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. 

• Philosophy: Develop a sharp sense of logic, rigorous reasoning skills, and a comprehensive worldview. This isn't just about philosophy, but a journey into interconnected knowledge, spanning disciplines like mathematics, physics, biology, economics, and more.
  
• Public Policy and Global Affairs: The dynamic PPGA program provides interdisciplinary training to tackle real-world challenges. Gain practical insights and skills needed for political leadership and global problem-solving. PPGA courses lay the foundation in politics, international relations, public administration, and policy – your gateway to shaping the future.
  
• Economics: Immerse yourself in rigorous training in theoretical, empirical, and applied economics. Choose from a plethora of courses tailored to your interests and mathematical aptitude. Stay ahead with electives covering every facet of economic knowledge, including cutting-edge fields like Internet Economics and Behavioural Economics.

The distribution of the courses of study and the number of academic units are shown below.

Table A: Major Requirements (CORE and Major PE)

Table B: Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC) 

 

 Table C: Broadening and Deepening Electives (BDE)

*Note:

1. Students must opt-in to do the 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.

For more information about the NTU School of Social Sciences and other programmes, click here.