PPE BA in 2 years

not1

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

Kalypso

edders

Although I'm on a physics MSci course, politics is probably my major ongoing interest in life. I've read that Oxford lets graduate students complete their PPE BA in 2 years. What kind of students do they let onto the 2 year BA? How many places are there for graduates (how competitive)? Would one feel isolated doing a second degree, or would one feel part of the community? Are the fees different for graduate students compared to fresh-faced 18/19 year-olds? Could one get a further loan to pay for it?

I feel that if I had a physics and a politics degree, a job in the Office of Science and Technology would be beckoning. :wink:

http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/grad/ has some info on doing 2nd BAs - you can do it in 2 years rather than 3 if you are granted 'senior status' but they don't seem to be too clear on what criteria you have to fulfill to be given that...

I think if you're doing a 2nd BA you are a member of the MCR so maybe socialise more with other grad students than undergrads? I'd imagine the community feel woiuld be quite strong - at post-grad level most people will be doing their own thing work-wise, so doing something slightly different shouldn't be any barrier. Also, you can always mix with the other undergrads doing the subject as well, if you want to (you'd probably have tutes etc... with them)

finance - could be a tricky one, I'm not sure where you apply for money, or even if 2nd BAs get any LEA subsidy at all... maybe try contacting the admissions office for info?

Reply 2

RxB

If you jump straight into the second year, you'd only have to do 2 of the 3 branches, and you can probably end up with 6 of the 8 papers being politics (if you take political theory as a philosophy paper)

I don't know anyone that's done that, though

(edited 6 years ago)

(edited 6 years ago)

Getting senior status is by no means automatic - you have to apply for it when you're applying for everything else, and I think it's pretty rare (but then again, so are 2nd BAs so I don't really have a big enough sample to look at).

I don't think doing A-levels in P P and E would be that helpful, as the sort of stuff you cover in first year (the stuff they might hope for) doesn't cross over much, except possibly for Politics. Maths and History, and possibly English, would most likely be more helpful.

Edit to add: for Finals, there's 2 philosophy of physics papers, one of which it's extremely rare for non Phys/Phil students to do, the other of which it's not unknown. There's also a philosophy of maths paper and a philosophy of science paper.