- Enable you to reason at a high level about political and economic decisions, by integrating statesmanship with economic knowledge of cause-and-effect relations, and philosophical knowledge of ethics and human nature
- Do political discussions lead you to questions about right and wrong and human nature? Or do ethical discussions lead you to look for practical solutions? If your thoughts slide between philosophy, politics, and economics, then PPE is your best match.
- If you fear none of these disciplines, and want to integrate them, the PPE major will challenge you to become a philosopher, statesman, and economist with an understanding of statistics.
- The PPE’s Philosophy courses include studies of Logic and Ethics.
- The PPE’s Political courses include studies of Constitutional Law and American Political Thought.
- The PPE’s Economics courses cover both micro- and macroeconomics.
- In addition, you specialize in one of the three areas, study statistics, and improve in one skill (language, mathematics, history, psychology, or international relations).
- All of these studies are integrated in our interdisciplinary Senior Seminar in Contemporary Problems, and in your Senior Thesis or rigorous Internship.
With a PPE bachelor’s degree from Belmont Abbey College, you will be able to pursue a variety of career opportunities, including:
- Statesman
- Diplomat
- Politician
- Lawyer
- Business leader
The Abbey Difference:
Our program at Belmont Abbey College is based on the Oxford PPE program that has produced many presidents, prime ministers, and other world leaders. Our program is ideal for future political leaders as well as future lawyers, as philosophy majors score highest (and economics majors third highest) on the LSAT. But many PPE majors will find their vocations in finance, consulting, and business. The three disciplines (philosophy, politics, and economics) together provide the skills to succeed in graduate school and to climb organizational ladders, and typically provide better salaries than business majors.
- From its beginnings at the University of Oxford, the PPE model has spread to many of the top colleges in the English-speaking world. Belmont Abbey College offers the first PPE program in the Charlotte area.
- In Philosophy, we focus on the Aristotelian and Thomistic traditions, in dialogue with modern thinkers such as Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and Nietzsche.
- In Politics, we focus on both Classical and American polity.
- In Economics, we introduce you to the breadth of economic thought, including the Chicago Neoclassical, the Post-Keynesian, and the Austrian schools of economics.
Experience Highlights:
- Small classes with dedicated teachers, at a beautiful campus!
- PH301 The Good Life (Ethics): How should humans live? Study the main approaches to ethics as represented by Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, Mill, and Nietzsche, and apply these approaches to contemporary issues.
- PO361 American Political Thought I: Study the political ideas of American statesmen and thinkers such as Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Hamilton, and Calhoun.
- EC317 Intermediate Microeconomics: Learn the foundations of economic analysis in this course on price theory, with applications to labor, commodities, and financial markets.
Program Requirements:
Philosophy Requirements:
- PH 202 Introduction to Logical Reasoning
- PH 301 The Good Life (Ethics)
- At least 3 additional course hours from among Philosophy (PH) courses at the 300- or 400-level
OR TH 340 Catholic Social Teaching: God and the Good Society
Politics Requirements:
- PO 309 American Constitutional Law I
- PO 361 American Political Thought I
- At least 3 additional course hours from among Government and Political Philosophy (PO) courses at the 300- or 400-level.
Economics Requirements:
- EC 201 Introductory Economics I
- EC 202 Introductory Economics II
- At least 3 additional course hours from among 6 hours Economics (EC) courses at the 300- or 400-level.
Specialization Requirements:
- Another 6 credit hours in one of the three disciplines: PH, PO, or EC
Further Requirements:
- MA 208 Statistics OR EC 306 Quantitative Analysis
- PE 300 PPE Seminar in Contemporary Problems
- Senior Thesis PH 470 or PO 490 or EC 490
- Either 6 credit hours in one language
OR 6 credit hours from among the following:- Mathematics (MA) courses at the 200-level or higher
- Selected History (HI) courses
- International Relations: PO 299 Fundamentals OR PO 375 Western Diplomacy
- Psychology: PC 330 Organizational Psychology OR PC 360 Social Psychology
- Internship
Electives: 19–22 hours
Note on Specialization: We recommend that students also pursue a minor. They can minor in one of the three disciplines (Philosophy, Politics, or Economics) by taking at least 9 additional credit hours in that area.
It is the student’s responsibility to see that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
Required Courses:
- PE 300 PPE Seminar in Contemporary Problems
- Two courses at the 300- or 400-level in Philosophy (PH)
- Two courses at the 300- or 400-level in Government and Political Philosophy (PO)
- Two courses at the 300- or 400-level in Economics (EC)
It is the student’s responsibility to see that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
Faculty
Philosophy:
Dr. Matthew Siebert
Assistant Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy
B.A., University of Winnipeg
M.Phil., University of Oxford
Ph.D., University of Toronto
Economics:
Dr. Gary J. Scott
Professor and Chair, Department of Business & Economics
B.A., Bowling Green State
M.A., Bowling Green State University
Ph.D., University of Notre Dame
Michael Szpindor Watson
Assistant Professor of Economics
B.A., Indiana University
Ph.D. (candidate), George Mason University
Political:
Dr. Travis Cook
Associate Professor and Chair of Government and Political Philosophy
B.A., University of Maine
M.A., Boston College
Ph.D., Loyola University, Chicago
Dr. Laurence Reardon
Associate Professor, Department of Government and Political Philosophy
B.S. Computer Science, University College Dublin
M.A. Political Theory, The Catholic University of America
Ph.D. Political Theory, The Catholic University of America
Dr. Eugene Thuot
Professor Emeritus
B.A. Philosophy, Assumption College
M.A. Political Science, University of Chicago
Ph.D. Political Science, University of Chicago
Dr. Joseph F. Wysocki
Associate Professor of Government and Political Philosophy
B.A., Belmont Abbey College
M.A., Baylor University
Ph.D., Baylor University
Dr. D. Scott Broyles
Director St. Thomas More Scholarship Program Associate Professor, Government and Political Philosophy
B.A., Wake Forest University
M.A., University of Dallas
J.D., Washington & Lee School of Law
Ph.D., University of Dallas
Mary Imparato
Assistant Professor in Government & Political Philosophy
B.A., Harvard University
M.A., City University of New York/Queens College
Ph.D. (candidate), Rutgers University