Philosophy Politics & EconomicsPPE students at Penn can take classes that count toward their major from virtually any university that the Study Abroad Office has approved. Typically PPE students will take some of their thematic concentration classes abroad -- e.g. philosophy classes for Distributive Justice, political science classes for Public Policy and Governance, Economics and Psychology classes for Choice and Behavior, etc. You might also be able to take classes that count toward your PPE Foundations if you haven't already completed them at Penn. This means that you do not need to study at a university that has a PPE program to get credit toward your major at Penn, though you do need to have your major advisor approve the classes ahead of time as counting toward some aspect of your major (though you're also free to take free electives, and other classes that don't count toward your major). While you don't need to study abroad at a university with a PPE program to get PPE credits, we do have partnerships with the following universities that offer PPE majors:
Our Exchange Programs
PPE in Paris, Sciences Po
PPE Majors Only
Reduced language requirement: Two semesters of French at Penn.
Students are drawn to Sciences Po for its strength in the social sciences. The educational project at Sciences Po is based on the development of self-confidence, negotiation and decision-making skills obtained through teamwork, effective oral and written expression, and analytical reasoning.
Please note that students on the PPE Sciences Po track must take either a French language course or a regular course in French as part of their schedule while abroad!
Popular Programs for PPE Majors
Kings College, London UK
Minimum GPA: 3.3
It may be worth giving special attention to the Department of Political Economy.
University College London, London, UK
Minimum GPA: 3.3 but may be higher depending on department
You must have 3 classes completed at Penn in a subject area before applying to that department at UCL.
Note that you *must* take two courses in a home department at UCL. For other courses, you *must* be in that department to have access to the course. If applying to UCL, check their 'study abroad modules' to see what courses are offered to ensure your home department has options for your theme. For example, if you are a choice and behavior major, UCL's political science department does not include any courses that would count for your theme.
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Minimum GPA: 3.1
The Swedish Program, Stockholm, Sweden
Minimum GPA: 3.0
The Swedish Program is a small program affiliated with the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). It has been a popular choice for PPE students, especially those with career aspirations in international business, economic policy, banking, and so on.
Year-Long Programs
At LSE and Oxford, Typically, students take 4 courses each semester to transfer back 8 total courses.
London School of Economics, London, UK
Minimum GPA: 3.3
Penn students at LSE are on what's called the General Course.
Pembroke College Oxford, Oxford UK
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7. Pembroke's PPE Page.
Other Programs
PPE at LUISS, Rome, Italy
Penn PPE's exchange program with the PPE program at LUISS University in Rome was formally terminated in Spring 2022. However the LUISS program remains a compelling option for PPE students, especially those interested in the intersection of behavioral economics, game theory, business, and so on. Students interested in pursuing study at LUISS should contact the Associate Director about petitioning this option with Penn Abroad.
Penn in Washington
Over the years, Penn in Washington has helped thousands of students find internships in Washington, engaged thousands of alumni in mentoring and hiring interns from Penn, and organized hundreds of events both on campus and in Washington. Their events are designed to give Penn students the opportunities to explore many fascinating topics addressed in the public policy arena, and to meet some of the most interesting decision makers in Washington, many of whom are proud Penn alumni.
Through the Penn in Washington Semester Program, students spend either the fall or spring semester taking classes and interning in Washington, D.C. On campus, PiW hosts lectures, lunches, internship workshops, and other events for students interested in living and working in Washington. Over the summer, PiW arranges in-person (in D.C.) networking and online informational interviews with PIW alumni living and working in Washington and around the world.