Finally, PPE @ Brown

The PPE model originated at Oxford University in the 1920s and has since become popular with students interested in understanding how societies make decisions, how governments function, how markets shape behaviour and, importantly, how questions of justice and fairness influence both politics and economics. Recently, Brown University has launched a new undergraduate concentration in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), bringing one of the world’s best-known interdisciplinary degrees to its Open Curriculum. Brown announced its new PPE concentration in September 2026. With 18 course requirements, it is expected to become the University’s most intensive formal A.B. concentration.

What makes PPE particularly interesting is that it does not treat economics, politics and philosophy as three unrelated subjects. Instead, students learn to examine the same problem from several perspectives. An economist might ask whether a policy is efficient. A political scientist may investigate whether it is realistically implementable. A philosopher may ask whether it is fair. Students will complete core PPE courses alongside classes in philosophy, political science and economics. They will also undertake a capstone project, which could take the form of a senior thesis, an independent study or a special project linked to an advanced course. Until now, Brown students interested in PPE sometimes created their own independent concentrations. The new formal program gives students a structured pathway while preserving the interdisciplinary thinking for which Brown is known.

Brown faculty describe PPE as a toolkit for tackling complicated problems rather than searching for simple solutions. That may ultimately be the concentration’s biggest attraction: it trains students not merely to ask, “What works?” but also, “Who benefits, who decides, and is it fair?”

The concentration could appeal to students interested in economics but unwilling to give up history, political science or philosophy, as well as students considering future careers in public policy, law, consulting, finance, international affairs, journalism, social entrepreneurship or academia. For international students from India, this approach could be especially relevant. Consider questions such as unemployment, reservation policies, climate change, urban development, artificial intelligence regulation or inequality. None can be understood through economics alone. Each involves questions about incentives, political institutions, ethics and competing ideas of what society should prioritise.