PPE advice

[llareggub]

My son is thinking about PPE. He’s currently studying Politics, Geography and Sociology A-Level (and Welsh Bacc, which he doesn’t count!). He loves Politics and research methods. He’s pretty strong in Politics and Geography, less so in Sociology.

Will his lack of maths at A Level be an issue? He’s not going to be Oxbridge and I am not expecting all As but perhaps he will surprise me! Any suggestions on universities to target?

One of the unis with a Q step centre as they are happy to teach the maths/stats/methods without an A Level.
DD would recommend a placement year (she did hers with civil service).

Thanks - what’s a q step?

There are a good amount of unis that don't require maths a level for PPE. Nottingham I believe, Durham, York.

https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/students-teachers/q-step

Manchester doesn't require maths and is a popular uni for politics.

Sheffield don’t require maths for PPE

Although the economics may be tricky with no maths or economics

He might want to look at the PPE degree at Birmingham (policy, politics and economics) which suits his A levels better.

Why does he want to do PPE? He only seems to have the one A level which naturally feeds into it.

Has he considered a politics and IR/ development degree , or perhaps a human geography degree? Southampton does a degree in Population Studies iirc.

He wants PPE because eventually he wants to be an MP and he thinks it would be good preparation. He would have done A Level Econ but his school doesn't offer it.

He does really enjoy Human Geography. I will tell him about Population Studies. His maths is pretty good, he would cope.

Regarding Politics & IR yes - he would definitely consider it.

I think the reason a certain clutch of MPs have PPE degrees is more the Oxford degree than the degree itself tbh (and probably the public school education for many). Most MPs don't have PPE degrees. My DS did the Brum PPE degree . You need a good GCSE maths grade but he really didn't enjoy the extra maths they had to do and found the economics dry (this is with an A star in economics A Level!)

This is the Southampton degree

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/population-sciences-degree-bsc#modules

Yes, I think you are right about why many politicians have PPE. He won’t be told though. I can only bring things to his attention!

The Soton degree looks like it would really play to his strengths. I have sent it on to him. It’s also where I did my Politics & IR degree years ago!

Oh, maybe it's fate!