PPE
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PPE Summer Courses
Explore Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Atlas Summer Courses. Designed for students aged 16–17, our two-week PPE summer course explores some of the biggest questions shaping society, from political power and economic decision-making to ethics, justice and individual freedom.
Through seminars, tutorials and independent study, you'll explore PPE in greater depth, develop your own ideas and experience a more independent approach to academic learning.
What's Included?
Your residential PPE summer course includes academic teaching, accommodation, half-board meals, a certificate on completion, airport transfer from Heathrow and insurance.
Choose from Plus, Superior and Premier packages, with accommodation and additional benefits varying by package.
What Is PPE?
PPE stands for Philosophy, Politics and Economics, bringing together three different ways of understanding people, institutions and society.
Philosophy explores reasoning, morality and justice. Politics examines power, government and public policy. Economics considers how individuals, businesses and governments make decisions and allocate resources.
Many of the most interesting questions cross all three disciplines. Inequality, for example, raises economic questions about why it occurs, political questions about how governments should respond and philosophical questions about what makes a society fair.
Studying PPE encourages you to approach complex problems from different perspectives, challenge assumptions and develop well-reasoned arguments of your own.
What Will You Study on a PPE Summer Course?
There is no prescribed syllabus that every PPE student follows. Atlas Summer Courses tutors create their own syllabi, drawing on their expertise while taking the interests and needs of their students into account.
Depending on your course, you could explore questions such as:
- What makes a society fair?
- When should governments intervene in markets?
- What makes political authority legitimate?
- Why does economic inequality arise?
- How should individual freedom be balanced with collective interests?
This flexible approach allows tutors to explore their specialist areas, respond to students' interests and incorporate relevant developments within the field.
Any syllabus shown on our website is an example from a previous course rather than a guarantee of the exact topics you'll study.
How You'll Learn on a PPE Summer Course
The Atlas Summer Courses PPE summer course combines three forms of academic study across the two-week programme:
18 hours of small-group seminars
Explore ideas through discussion, case studies and activities. You'll question arguments, consider different perspectives and develop your own responses.
2 hours of tutorials
Take part in one tutorial each week, providing a focused environment to discuss the essay or problem sheet you've been working on and receive detailed feedback.
Around 20 hours of private study
Prepare reading for seminars and work independently on an essay or problem sheet for each tutorial.
Together, these give you experience of a more independent approach to academic learning, where preparation, discussion and your own ideas all play an important role.
Who Is the PPE Summer Course For?
Our PPE summer course for 16–17-year-olds is designed for students who are curious about how societies work and enjoy considering different sides of difficult questions.
You don't need to have studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics as a combined subject before. PPE may particularly appeal to you if you follow current affairs, enjoy debating ideas or are considering PPE or a related subject at university.
You'll also practise transferable skills including critical thinking, analysing arguments, evaluating different perspectives and communicating your reasoning clearly.
If one area particularly interests you, explore our philosophy summer courses, politics summer courses and economics summer courses.
Learn from Expert Tutors
Atlas Summer Courses tutors are experienced educators and subject specialists active across academia, industry and education. They bring their own academic expertise and interests into their teaching, allowing each course to offer a distinctive approach to the subject.
Tutors are confirmed closer to the summer, so profiles on our website are examples of tutors who have previously taught with us rather than confirmation of who will teach your course.
Where Can Studying PPE Take You?
PPE and related interdisciplinary degrees are offered by universities in the UK and internationally.
Students may go on to study PPE or related subjects such as politics, economics, philosophy, international relations, law and public policy, with potential career paths spanning government, law, finance, business, journalism, consulting and research.
A PPE summer course gives you the opportunity to explore these interests before making longer-term decisions about university and your future.
Don’t see the course you’re looking for?
Explore our full range of courses by subject, age, and location using our course finder. With over 40 subjects available across top locations, there’s something for everyone.
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FAQs about Our Summer Courses
No. You don't usually need to have studied your chosen subject before joining an Atlas Summer Courses summer course. Courses are designed for the relevant age group, and tutors can adapt their approach to the abilities, interests and experience of the students in their group.
There is no fixed curriculum that every student follows. Our tutors create their own syllabi based on their academic expertise and the interests and learning needs of their students.
This means the exact topics can vary between courses and years. Any syllabus or topics shown on our website are examples from previous courses and shouldn't be taken as a guarantee of exactly what you'll study.
Teaching depends on your age group. Students aged 9–12 and Scholars aged 12–14 learn through structured, interactive small-group classes. Students aged 13–15 combine small-group seminars with private study, while students aged 16–17 and 18–24 experience seminars, tutorials and independent study.
Across our programmes, teaching is designed to encourage active participation, questioning and independent thinking rather than simply listening to lectures.
Your course includes your academic programme, accommodation, meals and a certificate on completion, alongside the activities and experiences included within your programme.
What's included can vary depending on the programme, age group and package you choose, so we recommend checking the individual course details for the full inclusions before applying.
Explore Our
Summer Courses
Choose from over 40 subjects taught through flexible, age-appropriate programmes. Our tutors adapt their teaching methodologies to different age groups and shape course content around students’ interests, rather than following a fixed curriculum.
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