Philosophy Politics & Economics
PPE's advanced interdisciplinary courses (PPE 4500+) are the highest level classes offered by the program for our majors. They offer advanced students a quasi-graduate environment inviting students to the frontiers of research. Classes are taught by interdisciplinary instructors, on interdisciplinary topics, reserved for PPE majors. All PPE majors must take at least one advanced seminar to complete the major.
PPE majors are encouraged to take several of these courses to count towards your theme.
Course Goals
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Students should be able to accurately and clearly summarize a scholarly article. This requires basic understanding of the article's field, as well as the ability to write or speak clearly.
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Students should be able to raise and evaluate arguments on both sides of issues that an author has raised.
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Students should be able to criticize, without being unfair, without setting up straw men, and without neglecting possible counter-arguments to the criticism.
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Students should be able to give a presentation, effectively using visual aids as appropriate.
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Students should be able to synthesize readings into a position and defend that position against possible objections. They should know how to search efficiently for relevant literature.
Apart from our 4500+ Capstone courses, we also offer PPE 4000 courses, which are very small research-based seminars, capped at only 6 students. Topics change every year, depending on the projects and interests of our post doctoral researchers. Please see below, or check Path@Penn, for 4000 courses taught in the current semester.
Advanced Interdisciplinary Courses, Spring 2025
PPE 4000-301 Research in PPE: Corruption and Development (Patel)
F 12:00pm-2:59pm
This capstone seminar explores the intricate relationship between corruption and development, focusing on the political economy of the Global South. Drawing on theoretical frameworks, empirical studies, and ethical considerations, we will examine how social, political, and economic institutions succeed or fail in various contexts. Key topics include the nature and impact of corruption, the functioning of unconventional markets (e.g., vote markets), and the interplay between formal and informal institutions in shaping societal outcomes. By applying core concepts from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE), students will critically analyze questions such as: What are the ethical implications of corruption? How do informal economies persist despite apparent obstacles? What role do institutional characteristics play in determining a nation's developmental trajectory? This course aims to equip students with a nuanced understanding of the complex factors influencing governance and progress in developing regions.
PPE 4000-302 Research in PPE: Advanced Behavioral and Experimental Economics (Cordero)
R 12:00pm-2:59pm
This course offers a mathematical treatment of key topics in behavioral economics, with a focus on testing behavioral theories through experiments. Students will explore areas such as individual choice under risk and uncertainty, intertemporal choice, social preferences, behavioral game theory, trust and reciprocity, public goods provision, and discrimination. We will read both classic papers in behavioral and experimental economics and recently published articles, providing a strong foundation in the field's evolving literature. By the end of the semester, students will understand the flexibility and limitations of the economic approach to modeling behavior, be able to use existing behavioral models to explain new economic phenomena, and design experiments to evaluate proposed models. They will also learn how to critically assess research in economics and related disciplines, develop novel research questions, and design plans to investigate these questions using experimental methods.
PPE 4000-303 Research in PPE: Research Methods and Experimental Design (Moreira)
M 1:45pm-4:44pm
This course will equip you with the comprehensive skills necessary for designing, conducting, and analyzing empirical research. You will develop an understanding of the philosophical debates surrounding the nature and meaning of scientific inquiry, as well as existing conceptions of cause and causality. You will acquire foundational skills in experimental design, including developing research questions, forming concepts and measuring them, translating theories into testable hypotheses, and utilizing the logic and power of random assignment. In addition, the course introduces quasi-experimental and regression discontinuity designs, as well as emerging techniques such as staggered regression discontinuities. We will read interdisciplinary research papers that draw on the fields of psychology, behavioral economics, and political science, with an eye to analyzing their methods and experimental design. You will also receive hands-on experience proposing and designing your own research study. By the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of experimental design and methodology, and you will be equipped to critically evaluate empirical research across disciplines.
PPE 4500-301 Advanced Seminar in Philosophy: The Empowerment of Women and Girls (Staff)
W 10:15pm-1:14pm
This is an interdisciplinary course on the empowerment of women and girls. We aim to know how best to understand, measure, and successfully intervene on our phenomena of interest. And we will integrate relevant ethical, social, political, economic, and technological considerations into our investigations. Who count as "women" and "girls?" Why do they count? What counts as "empowerment?" Are various kinds of empowerment -- economic, social, political, legal, moral -- intertwined in some relevant way or ways? What are the obstacles to the empowerment of women and girls? And what are the practical pathways by which we could travel to empower them? We will read widely from philosophy, social science, public policy, law, and intervention strategies. And we will integrate these readings into our answers to our questions of interest.
PPE 4600-301 Advanced Seminar in Political Science: Behavioral Political Economy (Hsieh)
MW 3:30pm-4:59pm
This course delves into the intersection of behavioral economics and political science. We'll explore how psychology-informed economic models can explain individual and institutional decision-making in the political realm. By examining voting behavior, collective action, inequality, redistribution, public choice, and other key areas, this course highlights the interdisciplinary nature of behavioral political economy, drawing upon concepts from economics, psychology, and political science.
PPE 4600-302 Advanced Seminar in Political Science: Political Psychology (Moreira)
F 1:45pm-4:44pm
In this course, we will investigate the psychological mechanisms that influence political attitudes and behaviors. We will utilize theories from social, personality, cognitive, and evolutionary psychology to analyze various political phenomena. We will cover topics in political behavior, including the effects of cognitive biases, emotions, persuasion tactics, social dynamics, identity formation, prejudice and discrimination, personality traits, and evolutionary and genetic factors on political behavior. Additionally, the course examines how a thorough study of politics enhances our understanding of fundamental human psychology.
PPE 4600-303 Advanced Seminar in Political Science: How Voters Decide (Staff)
M 5:15pm-8:14pm
Over the course of the semester we will investigate the institutional and psychological factors that influence how voters make decisions. Some questions include: What are common decision making styles? How do we come to identify with a political party? Who is most influential in shaping our political identities? What motivates us to vote? Why do some people only watch one news channel? Who is prone to believing in conspiracy theories? By the end of the semester, students will form an understanding of the genetic and socialized mechanisms at work when making a decision, and develop a messaging campaign that attempts to change voters' minds given this new understanding.
PPE 4601-301 Advanced Seminar in Social Policy: Money, Power, Deceit (Patel)
R 5:15pm-8:14pm
In this capstone, we will explore the complex dynamics surrounding corporate and financial corruption and its profound social, political, and economic impact on society. We will address important and timely questions related to corporate corruption, such as the causes and consequences of unethical business practices, the responsibilities and obligations corporations have toward the relevant stakeholders, and the role of national and international regulation in curbing corporate and financial misconduct. Questions we may consider include: What is a corporation? What kinds of legal and ethical frameworks (e.g., international conventions, anti-bribery laws, and corporate governance mechanisms) are effective at curbing corporate and financial corruption? What are the psychological and sociological factors that influence individuals within corporate structures to participate in corrupt practices? What are best practices with respect to public and corporate policy aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity within corporate environments? We will approach these questions (and others) by analyzing notable corruption scandals as case studies through a broadly interdisciplinary lens.
PPE 4650-401 Advanced Seminar in Political Science: The Politics of Climate Change (Bergquist)
T 1:45pm-4:44pm
The purpose of this course is to explore the political dynamics that shape the debate, enactment, and implementation of policies to address climate change. By reading the latest research on the political determinants of climate policy, the course will help students develop a nuanced understanding of the ideas, institutions, and behaviors that structure the climate policy process. We will focus primarily on climate policy and politics in the United States, while occasionally incorporating comparative perspectives to provide insight into the US case. Throughout the course, we will discuss why climate policies are designed in particular ways; when and why policies pass or fail to pass; how various institutional, organizational, and public interests influence the climate policy process; and what questions remain unanswered about how to address the problem of climate change.
PPE 4804-301 Advanced Seminar in Psychology: Origins of Cooperation and Conflict (Deutchman)
T 12:00pm-2:59pm
In this seminar, students will take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the origins of cooperation and conflict. This course will foster integrated learning by drawing on perspectives and bodies of research spanning evolutionary biology, game theory, anthropology, and experimental psychology. In the first part of the course, we will examine the evolutionary roots of cooperation and conflict, including the role of natural selection in shaping human behavior, and explore how game theory can help us understand when individuals are likely to cooperate or compete in strategic interactions. In the second part of the course, we will examine cooperation and conflict from a more psychological lens, reading a diverse range of primary research encompassing social, developmental, political and comparative psychology. Readings in this section will cover topics such as collective action, social emotions, morality, theory of mind, punishment, intergroup conflict, and social norms. Lastly, in the third part of the course, students will apply the knowledge acquired in the first two parts of the class to contemporary social issues broadly related to cooperation and conflict, including polarization, politics, immigration, and misinformation. Students will be encouraged to make connections between course material and their interests in other academic disciplines (e.g., how psychology can inform theories of international relations). The class will culminate in an independent research project broadly related to cooperation and conflict, allowing students to conduct independent research in a topic that interests them and gain hands-on experience with the research process. By the end of the course, students will have a deep understanding of the key concepts related to the origins of cooperation and conflict and the ability to use this knowledge to generate scientifically informed interventions to promote cooperation across a variety of contexts. While the course has no prerequisites, students may find it useful to have taken a course in psychology or anthropology.
PPE 4900-301 Advanced Seminar in PPE: Cooperative Altruism (SNF Paideia Course) (Cordero)
M 12:00pm-2:59pm
Cooperative altruism is the intention to benefit sentient beings and work together to accomplish this. Students in this interdisciplinary course will collectively explore cooperative altruism, both in theory and in practice. By engaging with a variety of approaches and perspectives — from microeconomics and experimental psychology to contemplative sciences and North American indigenous philosophy — each student will develop a robust vocabulary to support their capacity to learn about and practice cooperative altruism in dialogue. The specific content and course of study will be partially determined by the themes that emerge in class discussions and assignments. However, students can expect to engage with questions such as: What is the relationship between self and other? What does it mean to benefit someone's well-being? Can altruism be developed within individuals, and if so, how? How can moments of individual altruism become sustained altruism in community? Some of the topics that students will learn about and reflect on as part of the course include love and compassion, risk and relationships, and service and social responsibility. This course is offered as part of the SNF Paideia Program. Students must request permission to register.
PPE 4903-301 Advanced Seminar in PPE: Policy Task Force on US-China Relations (SNF Paideia Course) (Mahboubi)
TR 10:15pm-11:44pm
More than forty years after the normalization of relations between the United States and China, the relationship faces new and fundamental challenges with global implications. Designed as a policy task force, taught in coordination with a similar course to be taught at Tsinghua University in Beijing, this course will introduce students to the most pressing issues in U.S.-China relations –– including security, trade, climate, tech competition, and human rights –– and invite them to deliberate on and formulate recommendations for U.S. policy towards China. Each student will be required to complete a policy paper on some aspect of U.S.-China relations. At the end of the course, students will travel to China to meet in-person with their Chinese counterparts at Tsinghua University, and to present their policy papers and recommendations to relevant interested Chinese audiences in Beijing and Shanghai.
PPE 4950-301 Advanced Seminar in Research Methods (Deutchman)
W 12:00pm-2:59pm
This course is aimed at understanding how to do research in the interdisciplinary methods of PPE. Whether it is a scientific paper, a thesis proposal, a research statement for grant or fellowship applications, or a report for a public or private employer engaged in any type of research, it is essential to know all the steps and the elements to make the final manuscript captivating and exhaustive. In this course, among other things, you will be learning (i) how to choose a topic of your interest, (ii) how to formulate specific research questions, and (iii) what methods, frameworks, and theories you can use to answer your research questions, and turn your initial idea into a well-structured written production. This course is strongly encouraged for juniors intending to pursue the Senior Honors Thesis track in PPE and upperclassmen in PPE with serious research aspirations here at Penn and beyond. While the final project in this course will depend on the individual student's purpose for taking this methods seminar, this course will fulfill the capstone requirement in the PPE major. Interested students must apply.