Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Placement Year)

This degree lets you explore the events and ideas that make up our world today. How are societies and political institutions influenced by economic forces? What difference do ideas and ideologies make? How do international treaties and conflicts shape people’s lives?

Three ways to explore the world In this course, you’ll explore philosophical arguments, analyse political structures, and engage with economic models. You’ll gain a better understanding of our world, as well as developing your critical and reasoning skills and abilities to communicate clearly and articulately.

The broad scope of our department means you can study ethics and society, political institutions and financial markets. You can explore Indian philosophical thought as well as Western approaches. You also have the option of adding an International Relations element to your politics studies to develop a truly global perspective.

Tailor your degree With the support of your supervisor, you’ll have the freedom to define the topic of your dissertation in your third year. Previous students have researched a range of subjects including bitcoin and crypto currencies, long-termism and sustainability, and the justification of war.

Want to add experience to your CV? Apply for one of the internships offered every year by the Richardson Institute for Peace Studies, based in our department. These are research projects in external organisations such as NGOs, think tanks, charities and faith-based organisations. We’ll also support you in finding placement opportunities in a range of organisations.

The University usually runs short, overseas study trips to give you the chance to experience a different culture. In the past these have included Malaysia, India, Ghana, China and the US, where we visited the J.F.K Presidential library, the United Nations and the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Your Placement Year You'll spend your third year in a paid, graduate-level position, where you’ll work for between nine and twelve months in the type of role that you might be considering for after you graduate. A very wide range of companies and organisations offer placements across all sectors. As a full-time employee, you’ll have a detailed job description with specific responsibilities and opportunities to access training and development, the same as other employees.

Our Careers and Placements Team will help you to secure a suitable placement with expert advice and resources, such as creating an effective CV, and tips for applications and interviews. You will still be a Lancaster University student during your placement and we’ll keep in touch to check how you are getting on.

The university will use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills. If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year.