Student review [#18788] for Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
at University of Warwick

Arriving at Warwick as an international student amid the covid19 pandemic was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. At first, I was intimidated by the institution, moving to a different country, and having to socialise and make new friends from scratch. One year later, while writing this review, I’m looking back to last year I realise how truly easy it has been.

To begin with, Warwick feels a bit like a bubble, as you can literally find everything you need without the need of going anywhere else. I’m talking study spaces, gyms, bars, cafés, supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, bus stations etc. Life on campus is therefore highly rewarding and enjoyable, most people, including myself, misses it a lot after their first year. It is a massive campus, and it combines the green natural countryside with modern facilities and buildings. You can tell the University really has student commodity in mind.

This favours life on campus greatly and makes social life quite effortless. Living surrounded by people who are going through the same as you is reassuring and makes people easily approachable. I found students to be generally very open-minded, friendly, hungry for new experiences, and happy to start a conversation. Also, the student environment is so international that it creates an amazing multicultural vibe. It is literally the ideal place to learn about other places and make friends from all over the world.

During the first weeks, everyone might find themselves nervous about making friends, and the University and societies do a great job by putting together multiple activities for student interaction. Last year, covid forced most in-person freshers’ events to be cancelled, however, the University departments and societies organised a good deal of online events. My advice is to be open-minded and to take off the initial shyness, everyone starts in the same situation!

As for accommodation, I found it very decent. I have been to the majority of accommodations and I have to say there are better and worse, but I really wouldn’t have minded living in any of them. I stayed in Sherbourne my first year, which is one of the farthest from the central campus. Distance in Warwick is relative though, as most accommodations lie within a 5-minute walk from central. Sherbourne is around 12 minutes from central, so it isn’t actually that much.

Rootes, the Cryfield fields, and kitchens of every accommodation are where most of the parties take place. You can find nightlife everywhere and there are options for the liking of all people.

Also, the more than 200 societies really help students find and focus on their interests. I highly encourage anyone to apply to executive positions and to join as many as they can. They don’t only provide great social grounds, but also a space for discussion and development of common interests.

Now, in relation to my course. I have found PPE to be better than I expected. It is very integrated, although you are part of three different departments. By the way, all three ranked 6th in the UK by the Guardian 2021.

The course is three years, with the possibility of doing a year abroad or a work placement, and sums up 390 CATS (basically, a lot of work). I found the structure really well thought and helpful for academic and personal development.

The first year lays out the base for the course; you will have 3 core modules (Intro to Philosophy, Intro to Politics and Economics I) then, 2 optional core (math A or B and stats A or B), and then 30 CATS to choose any other module you want (you can even choose modules from other departments). I chose French as an optional last year for instance.

For the second year, you will choose a pathway that is basically the specification of your preferences. I have chosen BA Philosophy and Economics, which basically means I have philosophy and economics as core modules and then 60 CATS for optional ones. Mine are: Intro to Political Economy, Daoism and Chinese philosophy, and Topics in Philosophy and Literature. Here is where you can really focus on your interest, and the course is incredibly mouldable and easy to adapt to whatever you want to do.

The third year follows this line of specialisation, and has a blended focus on the core modules which is where you can clearly see the integration of the three subjects.

The teaching has a high level, but it’s comprehensive and goes from essentials and general knowledge towards a more academically demanding one. I had not studied any subjects of the course before University and I really got the grip of it quickly.

The professor body is more than competent and very specialised in the areas they teach. Lecturers and Seminar tutors are very interesting people in general. Search them up on google! they have probably done very interesting things.

It was hard at first to get used to Online Lectures, however, I now find them very useful and I think they allow you to absorb all the information taking your own time. This comes in handy for the most complicated course material!

Seminars demand participation in order to be useful, as the discussion is essential and their main focus is really for you to improve your communication and development of ideas.

As for career prospects, they are very good for Warwick students in general, and for PPE in specific, they are fantastic (95% employment rate). I cannot give a personal insight into this, but from what I hear, once graduated you’re very likely to get a job. Try to get internships while you’re at Uni!

PPE at Warwick is highly integrated, versatile, and, at least in my case, has made me develop multiple skills, both academic and personal. To be honest, the growth you achieve through the whole Warwick experience is much more valuable to me than the academic part. Self-esteem, independence, discovering what you are really interested in, and truly achieving are priceless and thanks to Warwick I have gained in all of them and other many personal aspects too.