What can I do with a degree in…..
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
The flexibility inherent in the PPE degree and the wide range of study approaches you will have used, are
reflected in the wide range of options open to you at the end of it.
Employers will like PPE students because they:
 Are likely to have a clear understanding of how thoughts and decisions in one area can affect those
made in another. Students interested in economics will understand how political decisions and the
philosophy behind them will affect decisions made, students interested in politics will be able to
identify and analyse the philosophical standpoints and economic reasoning behind political
decisions, and so on
 Can use the experience of seeing things from different standpoints to notice aspects of an idea
which might otherwise have been missed
 Can work effectively with different kinds of information, numerical and written.
 Are familiar with presenting information in a variety of ways
 Have developed excellent research skills and demonstrated the ability to work without close
supervision
 If you choose to specialise in economics (to at least 50% of the total degree, and including both
macro- and microeconomics) then more specialist roles (and Master’s courses) within economics are
also available to you
Why Come to Warwick?
The Top 100 Graduate Employers survey of employers consistently puts Warwick in a top ten position as the
university employers most prefer to target.
What do Warwick PPE graduates do?
The number of students who have found work or further study within six months of graduating is usually
above 90% and has never been below 87%.
Examples of job titles include:
Analyst, Broadcasting Intern, Business Analyst, Campaigns Officer, Charity Intern, Civil Service Policy Adviser,
Community Organiser, Corporate Tax Adviser, Learning Support Assistant, Maths Teacher, Parliamentary
Assistant, Production Editor (Publishing), Researcher (Think Tank), Royal Navy Lieutenant, Sales Manager,
Teaching Assistant, Trainee Auditor, Trainee Chartered Accountant.
Companies where graduates were working include:
Bank of America, Bank of England, Barclays, BDO International, Bloomberg, Christian Aid, Civil Service (UK
and overseas), Co-operative Group, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Full Fact, Global Development Institute,
Goldman Sachs, House of Commons, KPMG, Liberal Democrats, McKinsey, McQuarrie Capital, Oxford
University Press, PWC, RBS, Royal Navy, Schroders, Scottish Widows, Transition Institute, UBS, University of
Warwick, War on Want.
Of those who went on to further study:
45.5% went on to study a higher degree as a taught course (almost always a Master’s). Titles of courses
taken over the past few years included:
 Actuarial Science, Continental Philosophy, Development Management, Economics, Economic Policy,
Economics and Philosophy, European Public Policy, Globalisation and Development, International
Politics, International Security, History of Political Thought, Management, Medicine, Modern Chinese
Studies, Political Theory, Public Administration
 27.3% of the remainder went on to study a professional qualification alongside work or to qualify to
do a job. Accountancy, marketing or law are popular choices with teaching (especially secondary
maths) also a frequent choice. Journalism and Community Organisation also featured
Graduate Recruiters tell us that what they want from applicants is:
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A good degree from a good university
Work Experience
Involvement in extra-curricular activities
The ability to describe and articulate their unique achievements and skills
At Warwick you have the opportunity to access all of the above, and the Department of Student Careers &
Skills is here to help you achieve your goals.
Given that 92% of all Warwick Graduates end up in either employment or further study, and that 70% of
graduate recruiters do not require graduates to have a specific degree, perhaps the most important question
to ask is not “What degree will get me a good graduate job?” but “How can I make the most of my time at
Warwick so that I can get the job I want?
“We very much value PPE graduates. They have a rounded sense of economics as part of a
complex – and by nature political – real world, and strong communication skills.”
Charles Davis (Head of Macroeconomics, Centre for Economics and Business Research - and
University of Warwick PPE graduate).
Find out about career paths and employment destinations of recent graduates from the University of
Warwick: go.warwick.ac.uk/whatdowarwickgradsdo