Philosophy,
Politics, and
Economics
M Phil in PPE Course
Norair Babadjanian
Yerevan, Armenia
2009
Philosophy, Politics, and
Economics
The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
(PPE) course was first established in Balliol
College, Oxford in 1920’s;
 PPE was initially seen as the modern
alternative to Classics (the “Greats”), since it
was believed that a traditional course in
Philosophy and Ancient History was no longer
relevant for those entering HM’s Civil Service;
 PPE was thus known as the “Modern Greats”
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Some Notable Oxford PPE Graduates
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Bill Clinton, Former US President;
Harold Wilson, Former British Prime Minister;
Edward Heath, Former British Prime Minister;
Benazir Bhutto, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan;
Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand;
John Kufuor, President of Ghana;
Isaiah Berlin, Founder of the modern British philosophy;
Stephen Breyer, US Supreme Court Justice;
Baroness Young, First female Leader of the House of Lords;
Stephen Hester, Chief Executive of The Royal Bank of Scotland;
William Hague, Former leader of the Conservative Party, UK;
Nicky Oppenheimer, Chief Executive of De Beers, South Africa;
Wesley Clark, Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe;
Rupert Murdoch, Media mogul, Australia; and
Many politicians, MP’s, ministers, academics, economists,
businessmen, army officers, lawyers, journalists, civil servants, and
diplomats both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere
Universities Offering PPE Now Include
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American University of Paris
(France)
Duke University (US)
Durham University (UK)
Queen’s University (N.
Ireland)
Stellenbosch University
(South Africa)
University of Cape Town
(South Africa)
University of Exeter (UK)
University of Manchester
(UK)
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University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill (US)
University of Notre Dame
(US)
University of Oxford (UK)
University of Pennsylvania
(US)
University of Southampton
(UK)
University of York (UK)
Warwick University (UK)
PPE
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PPE is an unusual highly intellectually
stimulating course offering contrasting
teaching styles and challenges designed to
develop the independent thinking and
analytical skills;
PPE in Armenia shall mirror that of Oxford’s
and world’s other top universities with certain
exceptions peculiar to our country and the
region;
PPE Armenian academic staff shall adopt the
Oxbridge instruction methods and
techniques;
There shall be a considerable scope for
specialization within each of PPE subjects
Philosophy Papers
First Year:
Core Papers (2 hrs/Week)
Introduction to Philosophy
 Moral Philosophy
 Formal Logic
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Modules (12 hrs/Total Each)
Armenian Philosophy
Aesthetics
Philosophy of Mind & Religion –
Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,
Moslem, and Oriental (18 hours)
Philosophy of Criticism
Second Year:
Core Papers (2 hrs/Week)
 History of Western Philosophy
 Aristotle’s Nicomachean’s Ethics
 Plato’s Republic
Modules (12 hrs/Total Each)
 Emmanuel Kant & Post-Kantian
Philosophy
 Philosophy of Frege, Russel &
Wittgenstein
 Philosophy of Law
Politics Papers
First Year:
Core Papers (2 hrs/Week)
 Introduction to Politics
 Comparative Government
 International Relations
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Modules (12 hrs/Total Each)
Classical Political Thought up to 1800 &
Industrial Society
Political Thought in the XX century:
Njdeh, Ataturk, Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin,
Mao, Mussolini, Hitler, Ter-Petrossian,
Muradian, et al
Sociological Theory & Social Policy
Quantitative Methods in Politics,
Sociology & Demography
History of Labour Relations & Labour
Economics
Second Year:
Core Papers (2 hrs/Week)
 Armenia’s Society, Politics &
Government in the XX Century
 Immediate Neighbors: Georgia,
Azerbaijan, Turkey & Iran
 Major Players: Russia, UK, US & EU
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Modules (12 hrs/Total Each)
Armenia & International Military
Alliances
International Relations in the Era of
Two World Wars & Cold War
Regional Politics of Maghrib, Levant,
Black Sea, Caspian & Mediterranean
Governments & Politics of Central Asia,
India & Pakistan
Governments & Politics of China, Japan
& South-East Asia
Economics Papers
Second Year:
First Year:
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Core Papers (2 hrs/Week)
Economic Theory & Classical
Economists
Econometrics, Statistical Method &
Analysis
Further Maths
Modules (12 hrs/Total Each)
Armenia’s Economic History Since
Foundation of the First Republic
Demographic Systems & Comparative
Demography
Economics of Industry
Public Economics
International Economics
Core Papers (2 hrs/Week)
 Quantitative Economics
 Money & Finance
 Macroeconomics & Microeconomics
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Modules (12 hrs/Total Each)
Armenia, Globalization & Regional
Integration
Labour Economics & Industrial
Relations
Command Economies & Privatization
Economics of Developing Countries
Further Papers, Etc.
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Grabar - two hours a week in the course of both years;
Latin, Ancient Greek & Hebrew - one hour a week in
the course of both years each;
Psychology & Applied Psychology - one hour a week
in the course of both years;
Research & Writing and Rhetorics & Semiotics one hour a week in the course of both years
***
Core Papers’ two-hour written Examinations to be
held at the end of each semester;
Each Module to conclude with a one-hour written Test
and an Essay;
Further Papers’ one-hour written Tests to be held at
the end of each semester;
A Thesis to be submitted at the end of the second year
Careers to Include
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Banking;
Business Management;
Industry;
Finance;
Human Resources;
Journalism;
Law;
Local Government;
Management Consultancy;
Marketing & PR;
Military;
Politics;
Social Work;
Teaching; and
All branches of the Public service, including Civil
and Diplomatic services