Degree Requirements - 126 credits
Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major
Politics Philosophy and Economics Major Requirements: 14 courses, 54 credits
Core Requirements (8 courses, 30 credits)
Choose one of the following:
| POLS-181 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 4 |
| POLS-225 | U.S. Constitutional Law & Civil Liberties | 4 |
Choose one of the following:
Electives (6 courses, 24 credits)
Choose two courses from each of the groups A, B, and C as listed below:
A. Political Science
| - | Choose one 4-credit Political Science course at the 200-level or higher | 4 |
| - | Choose one 4-credit Political Science course at the 300-level or higher | 4 |
B. Philosophy
| - | Choose PHIL-113 or any 4-credit Philosophy course at the 200-level or higher | 4 |
| - | Choose one additional 4-credit Philosophy course at the 300-level or higher | 4 |
C. Economics
Choose two Economics courses from the list below, at least one must be at the 300-level or higher.
| EC-131 | Environmental Economics | 4 |
| EC-141 | Development Economics | 4 |
| EC-151 | Economic & Human Geography | 4 |
| EC-311 | Intermediate Micro Theory | 4 |
| EC-421 | Public Finance | 4 |
| EC-430 | International Trade Theory & Policy | 4 |
| EC-442 | International Monetary Economics | 4 |
| EC-445 | The Economics of the European Union | 4 |
| EC-460 | Game Theory | 4 |
Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.
About the Politics, Philosophy and Economics Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page
Politics, Philosophy, and Economics Major Learning Goals and Objectives
Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.
| Learning Goals |
Learning Objectives |
| Students will... |
Students will be able to... |
| Understand core contributions of political science, economics, and philosophy |
- Examine the institutions and rules that govern and structure political decision-making
- Identify the main theories and concepts of ethics and political philosophy
- Interpret the basic dynamics of market exchange and economic production and distribution |
| Critically evaluate structures, perspectives, and approaches |
- Combine perspectives, theories, and data from politics, philosophy, and economics to engage in real world social and political issues
- Accurately describe and evaluate the ethical stakes of decisions and their potential consequences from multiple perspectives or standards/criteria
- Compare and contrast existing social structures with alternatives
- Critique one’s own views and arguments |
| Identify and investigate an important research question |
- Formulate interesting and important research questions
- Identify relevant scholarly resources and synthesize the information essential to a research question
- Understand and apply qualitative and quantitative data from economic and political research |
| Defend a position clearly and directly in writing |
- Organize an argument in a form and level of depth suitable to a broad audience
- Employ philosophical tools (distinctions, objections/responses, convincing hypotheticals and counter-examples) constructively
- Produce clear, persuasive prose and write with accuracy, precision, consistency, and relevance to topic at hand |
| Discuss concepts and issues in a manner that is informed, creative, and civil |
- Engage in civil dialogue through group work, open discussions, Q&A, formal and informal presentations.
- Use sound argumentation strategies
- Debate issues in a respectful and empathetic manner |
About the Politics, Philosophy and Economics Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page
Honors
To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:
-
Graduate with a major GPA of 3.5 or higher
-
Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
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Complete at least two 400-level courses in Political Science, Philosophy, and/or Economics. Courses may be from different departments
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Complete PPE-H401
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Complete a research paper/thesis in PPE-H401 that is approved by the PPE Honors Committee
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CAS Honors Program students only: Present work from the senior honors experience at the Honors Symposium or Pecha Kucha event
-
All other students: Present the research paper/thesis to the PPE Honors Committee
To become a candidate for honors in the major, a student must:
-
Have a major GPA of 3.4 or higher
-
Have an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
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Have completed at least two PPE core requirement courses
CAS Honors Program students only: CAS Honors Program students who fulfill the above GPA requirement and minimum coursework are assumed to be candidates for departmental honors and should consult with a major advisor during junior year about registering for major honors requirements as described above
All other students: Apply to the program director at the beginning of junior year and find a thesis supervisor by the end of junior year
About the Politics, Philosophy and Economics Major
Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.
View the Program Page