Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics
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The King’s College program
in Politics, Philosophy, and
Economics (PPE) weaves
together the academic
disciplines that examine the
nature of human communities.
Politics deals with the
question, “How should we
govern ourselves?”
Philosophy
asks, “What
can we know through reason?”
And
economics asks, “How can
the community prosper within
the constraints of the
material world?”
Oxford University created
the first PPE degree in
1920. Since then, more than
two dozen colleges and
universities have adopted
the idea and developed their
own versions of it. The
King’s College PPE program
takes its inspiration from
this tradition, but has its
own distinct content. PPE at
The King’s College has three
particular distinctions.
First, it is built on the
Common Core.
All King’s College students,
not just those studying PPE,
take a sequence of 20
courses that are designed to
give students a firm
grounding in politics,
philosophy, and economics,
as well as in history,
theology, and writing.
Second, all PPE courses at
The King’s College have a
strong theological
component. It is based on
the idea that Christianity
gives powerful insights into
the key questions that
political theorists,
philosophers, and economists
pursue.
Third, students in the PPE
program prepare for public
debate and advocacy. The
curriculum places persuasive
writing and speaking at the
center of nearly every
course. During the senior
year all PPE students
complete a Senior thesis as
a capstone experience that
integrates student learning
in philosophy, politics, and
economics. The aim is to
prepare graduates who are
not just knowledgeable about
the world, but ready to act
in the world.
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Course |
Year |
Term |
Title |
Credits |
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YEAR 1 |
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CREDITS |
| ENG |
110 |
1 |
Fall |
College Writing I
|
3 |
| REL |
112 |
1 |
Fall |
Introduction to Old Testament Literature*
|
3 |
| HIS |
111 |
1 |
Fall |
Western Civilization I*
|
3 |
| URB |
110 |
1 |
Fall |
Introduction to the City
|
3 |
| PHL |
110 |
1 |
Fall |
Logic*
|
3 |
| |
|
|
|
Fall Total |
15 |
| ENG |
120 |
1 |
Spring |
College Writing II
(ENG 110) |
3 |
| ECO |
110 |
1 |
Spring |
Introduction to Economics*
|
3 |
| REL |
110 |
1 |
Spring |
Christianity and Society*
|
3 |
| MAT |
155,160 |
1 |
Spring |
Quantitative Reasoning*/Pre-Calculus*
|
3 |
| ELC |
|
1 |
Spring |
Open Elective
|
3 |
| |
|
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Spring Total |
15 |
| |
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YEAR 1 CREDITS |
30 |
| |
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YEAR 2 |
|
|
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CREDITS |
| POL |
210 |
2 |
Fall |
Foundations of Politics*
|
3 |
| ECO |
211 |
2 |
Fall |
Microeconomics*
(ECO 110) |
3 |
| HIS |
112 |
2 |
Fall |
Western Civilization II*
|
3 |
| MAT |
274 |
2 |
Fall |
Statistics
(MAT 155 or MAT 160) |
3 |
| PHL |
213 |
2 |
Fall |
Classical and Medieval Philosophy
|
3 |
| |
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Fall Total |
15 |
| REL |
211 |
2 |
Spring |
Introduction to New Testament Literature*
|
3 |
| POL |
215 |
2 |
Spring |
American Political Thought and Practice I*
|
3 |
| ECO |
210 |
2 |
Spring |
Macroeconomics*
(ECO 110) |
3 |
| PHL |
214 |
2 |
Spring |
Modern Philosophy
|
3 |
| ELC |
|
2 |
Spring |
Open Elective
|
3 |
| |
|
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Spring Total |
15 |
| |
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YEAR 2 CREDITS |
30 |
| |
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YEAR 3 |
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CREDITS |
| SCI |
312 |
3 |
Fall |
Scientific Reasoning*
(PHL 110) |
3 |
| POL |
313 |
3 |
Fall |
American Political Thought and Practice II
|
3 |
| POL |
351 |
3 |
Fall |
Constitutional Law
(POL 215) |
3 |
| PHL |
361 |
3 |
Fall |
Ethics
|
3 |
| ELC |
|
3 |
Fall |
Open Elective
|
3 |
| |
|
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Fall Total |
15 |
| REL |
354 |
3 |
Spring |
Biblical Interpretation*
(REL 112, REL 211) |
3 |
| HIS |
315 |
3 |
Spring |
American Political Thought and Practice III
|
3 |
| POL |
312 |
3 |
Spring |
Enlightenment and Liberal Democracy
(PHL 213, HIS 112) |
3 |
| ECO |
311 |
3 |
Spring |
History of Economic Thought
|
3 |
| ELC |
|
3 |
Spring |
Open Elective
|
3 |
| |
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Spring Total |
15 |
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YEAR 3 CREDITS |
30 |
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YEAR 4 |
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CREDITS |
| REL |
412 |
4 |
Fall |
Foundations of Judeo-Christian Thought*
(REL 112, REL 211) |
3 |
| POL ELC |
|
4 |
Fall |
Politics Elective
|
3 |
| POL |
452 |
4 |
Fall |
Political Economy
(ECO 211) |
3 |
| ELC |
|
4 |
Fall |
PPE Elective of Choice
|
3 |
| ELC |
|
4 |
Fall |
Open Elective
|
3 |
| |
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Fall Total |
15 |
| ENG |
412 |
4 |
Spring |
Persuasive Writing and Speaking*
(ENG 120) |
3 |
| ECO ELC |
|
4 |
Spring |
Economics Elective
|
3 |
| PHL ELC |
|
4 |
Spring |
Philosophy Elective
|
3 |
| PPE |
451 |
4 |
Spring |
Senior Thesis
(Sr. Standing) |
3 |
| ELC |
|
4 |
Spring |
Open Elective
|
3 |
| |
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Spring Total |
15 |
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YEAR 4 CREDITS |
30 |
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TOTAL FOR DEGREE |
120 |
The Common Core component of
the PPE program introduces
students to the fundamental
principles of the three
disciplines, plus theology.
Upper level courses in the
PPE major focus on
contemporary issues and more
advanced topics. The
program, however, is
completely integrated. As
students advance in their
sophistication with the
ideas and techniques of the
three disciplines, basic
questions raised during
freshman year are raised
again in courses throughout
the students’ Program.
In the discipline of
politics, PPE students study
the constitutional history
of the United States from
its founding up to and
including the expansion of
civil rights. Students also
consider the hallmarks of
statesmanship by examining
various plays by Shakespeare
as well as the writings of
great statesmen such as John
Adams and Abraham Lincoln.
American foreign policy
presents real world
challenges for the United
States in this time of
international volatility.
PPE students study these
challenges with the goal of
assessing and determining
future policy decisions as
they relate to the
international community.
In the discipline of
philosophy, PPE students
study the major theories
that form the systematic
treatment of ethics,
including the nature of
values, considerations of
human freedom, and the
sources of moral goodness
and moral evil. Aesthetics,
the human capacity to
perceive beauty and
ugliness, equips PPE
students with the ability to
understand how the arts can
both reflect and instigate
cultural change. Students
explore New York’s museums,
architecture, music and
other arts to develop
aesthetic perception as well
as critical competence.
In the discipline of
economics, PPE students
study how economic analysis
can be applied to the role
and function of government,
governmental
decision-making, and the
interaction between public
and private interests.
Further study concentrates
on the choices that
political states face
regarding economic
management as well as the
limits that markets place on
such policies.
An additional course in
Persuasive Writing and
Speaking builds a strong
foundation for rhetorical
skills. And in addition to
the required courses, all
PPE students take eight
electives.
Students may choose,
however, to use five of
their electives to take a
concentration. The King’s
college offers PPE students
four concentrations:
Theology, Media, Literature,
and Foundations of
Education. Each
concentration introduces
disciplines or fields of
study that students may
pursue in graduate school or
as a career. PPE students
may also take courses within
a concentration without
taking the whole five-course
sequence.
Four PPE Electives:
At least one elective must
be chosen in each of the
three disciplines; the
fourth one is at the
discretion of the student in
consultation with his/her
advisor
Politics Electives:
POL 451 Civil Rights <POL
315; POL 351>; POL 352:
Public Policy <ENG 120; POL
312>; POL 452: Statesmanship
<POL 312>; POL 454: American
Foreign Policy <HIS 112; POL
315>
Philosophy Electives:
PHL 412: Theories of Human
Nature <REL 211; PHL 110>;
PHL 351: Culture &
Aesthetics
Economics Electives:
ECO 453: The Global Economy
<ECO 210; ECO 211>; ECO 451:
Public Choice <ECO 211>
Open Electives: These
slots can be filled with any
elective, a concentration,
up to two internships or any
combination of the
aforementioned
*These courses are offered
in both the Fall and the
Spring semesters. Students
may take them in either
term.
** Courses in bold (e.g. ENG 120, POL 210 and SCI 312) must be taken at King's. No transfer
credit accepted.
While the Bachelor of Arts
program in Politics,
Philosophy, and Economics
may be started at the
beginning of any semester,
students should be aware
that not all courses will be
offered each semester.
While completing this course
of study, the following
requirements must be met:
- No fewer than 60 of the
semester hours of coursework
must be earned at The King’s
College, and these 60 hours of
credit must include at least
48 semester hours within the
PPE program.
- The successful candidate
for this degree must have a
cumulative GPA of 2.00 in all
work completed at The King’s
College. In addition, all
students must maintain at
least a 2.0 cumulative GPA in
the courses that are a part of
the Common Core.
- A student must obtain a
grade of C or higher in both
ENG 110, College Writing I,
and ENG 120, College Writing
II, within his first three
semesters of attendance.
Failure to do so will result
in dismissal from the College.
- The successful candidate
must satisfactorily complete
all the requirements for
Interregnum.
- The successful candidate
for the BA degree must obtain
approval for graduation from
the Office of the Registrar
and upon vote of the faculty.