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Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil)

What is a dphil.

A DPhil is Oxford's name for a PhD - a higher research degree which allows you to make an original contribution to mathematics in the form of a thesis. A DPhil takes three to four years to complete. During your DPhil, you will be supervised by at least one academic, although some students will have more than one supervisor (particularly if they are working across disciplines). Unlike CDT courses (and PhDs in other countries), you will begin to do research straight away and there is no prescribed taught component. 

As part of your study toward a DPhil in Mathematics at Oxford, you will also be required to complete broadening and skills training and deliver class teaching to undergraduates, to enhance your broader mathematical knowledge and develop your career. You are very welcome to attend seminars and there may also be journal clubs or seminar series specific to your area of study. 

If you enjoy doing mathematics, and would like to be part of a lively and world-class research institute, take a look at our research groups to see if they align with your own interests. 

How to apply

All applications should be submitted online through the University's Graduate Application Form . Before you apply, check that you can meet the entry requirements , and read the   University of Oxford's graduate application guide .

Key Deadlines

Application deadlines for the DPhil in Mathematics:

• 8th January 2025
• 4th March 2025

Please apply by the 8th January deadline to be considered for available University-administered or Departmental scholarships. 

Martingale Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships

The Martingale Foundation awards fully funded Scholarships for postgraduate degrees in the mathematical sciences at research universities in the UK. 

Tuition fees and research expenses are fully covered, and Scholars receive a tax free living wage stipend. Martingale Scholars also receive access to leadership and career develop through a multi-year programme of training and support. Visit the Martingale website for more information.  

Applications for the 2025 academic year are open until 27 October 2024.  

Why do a PhD?

Research interests:  group theory, representation theory and algebraic aspects of geometry.

Who's who in Algebra

Find out more about the group

Combinatorics

Research interests: extremal combinatorics, graph theory, and combinatorial number theory.

Who's who in Combinatorics

Functional Analysis

Research interests: operator theory, including unbounded operators, and abstract differential equations.

Who's who in functional analysis

Research interests: algebraic geometry,  geometric representation theory , and differential geometry.

Who's who in Geometry

History of Mathematics

Research interests: history of algebra (19th and 20th century), history of modern algebra, and Soviet mathematics. 

Research interests: analytic topology,  geometric stability theory, and the model theory of p-adic fields and diophantine geometry.

Who's who in Logic

Machine Learning and Data Science

Machine Learning and Data science are being developed using wide ranging mathematical techniques. Our particular research expertise include: applied and computational harmonic analysis, networks, optimisation, random matrix theory, rough paths, topological data analysis, and the application of these methods.

Who's who in machine learning and data science

Mathematical & Computational Finance

Research interests: behavioural finance, financial big data, high dimensional numerical methods, stochastic analysis.

Who's who in Mathematical and Computational Finance

Mathematical Biology

Research interests:  cancer modelling, collective behaviour, gene regulatory networks, multiscale modelling, pattern formation, and sperm dynamics.

Who's who in Mathematical Biology

Mathematical Physics

Research interests: gauge and gravity theories (quantum field theories), string theory, twistor theory, Calabi-Yau manifolds, quantum computation and cryptography.

Who's who in Mathematical Physics

Number Theory

Research interests: analytic number theory, arithmetic geometry, prime number distribution, and Diophantine geometry.

Who's who in Number Theory

Numerical Analysis

Research interests: complexity in optimisation, symmetric cone programming, numerical solutions of PDEs. 

Who's who in Numerical Analysis

Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

Research interests: energy, industry, geoscience, networks, finance, methodologies.

Who's who in OCIAM

Oxford Centre for Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations

Research interests: geometric analysis, inverse problems, nonlinear hyperbolic systems, specific PDE systems.

Who's who in OxPDE

Stochastic Analysis

Research interests:  rough path theory, Schramm-Loewner evolution, mathematical population genetics, financial mathematics, self-interacting random processes.

Research interests: geometric group theory, 3-manifold topology and knot theory, K-theory, algebraic topology.

Who's who in Topology

Faculty of Philosophy

The Faculty’s high standing, together with internationally renowned lecture series such as the annual John Locke lectures, attract many distinguished academic visitors, with a very large number of philosophers both from around the UK and from the rest of the world giving lectures or seminars in Oxford each year. Almost every major philosopher speaks in Oxford at some time in their career.

Our work is immeasurably helped by the generous support of our donors. Gifts help us maintain Oxford’s status as a world-leading centre of philosophical research and teaching, through the support of academic posts, and through scholarships and bursaries for graduate and undergraduate students. We are grateful to all our benefactors, and welcome new donors. All gifts, large and small, go towards helping us to achieve our goals.

If you would like any more information or to discuss making a donation, please use the contact details provided.

Faculty of Philosophy - General Support

Support for Faculty priorities, including widening graduate scholarships, attracting the best academics and creating a world-class centre for the study of Philosophy.

Faculty of Philosophy - Graduate Scholarship Fund

Donations will go towards supporting graduate scholarships in Philosophy, which help to ensure that we can continue to attract the most outstanding students, regardless of their background.

Donors in the US can give tax-effectively via Americans For Oxford (AFO). Donate via AFO

• Faculty of Philosophy website

Find other funds to support

Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Geography and the Environment

Admissions guidance, potential supervisors and topics for dphil research, current graduate research, frequently asked questions, where can i get more information.

The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Geography and the Environment is our premier research degree. The DPhil (or PhD as it is known in most other universities) is an advanced research degree awarded on the basis of a thesis and oral examination (assessment of other work is not taken into consideration). The DPhil is of a higher standing than the MSc by Research or the MLitt. Examiners of the DPhil must be satisfied that the thesis represents a significant and substantial piece of research, is conveyed in a lucid and scholarly manner and that the candidate has a good general knowledge of the field of their thesis. The DPhil in Geography and the Environment is offered as either a full time 3-4 year degree, or a part-time 6-8 year degree.

Students intending to read for the DPhil are initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). During their first year (or second year for the part-time pathway) of work, students must apply for transfer to DPhil status, which requires successful completion of a Qualifying Test. This involves submission of a piece of written work which is examined by two assessors. Students will also be required to undergo a similar examination to confirm their DPhil status during their third year (or by the end of the sixth year for the part-time pathway).

Full-time DPhil students must be resident in Oxford for at least six terms (2 years). It is mandatory for students at the School of Geography and the Environment to spend their first year in Oxford so that they can take full advantage of the research training which is provided. Field work undertaken in the second or third year can be counted towards the residency requirement. Currently the expected contact time for the part-time pathway is thirty days at Oxford per year, the majority of this will take place across the three eight week terms, and will include supervision meetings and core research training.

It is expected that the thesis will be submitted after three or at most four years from admission (or within the sixth/eight year time limit for the part-time pathway). The standard fee liability for students registered for the DPhil is 9 terms (3 years) (or 6 years for the part-time pathway). The University applies a termly Continuation Charge for graduate students who exceed the standard period of University tuition fee liability.

Some DPhil study in the School is supported by various scholarships and grants available through Oxford University and from sources outside of the university such as government scholarships and research council funding. In the period 2019-2021, 40% of DPhil students at SoGE were fully funded, whilst 28% were partially funded. Each year around 20% of DPhil offer holders receive funding from Oxford University. The vast majority of Oxford scholarships are open to new graduate students only. Funding options for on-course students are extremely limited. The School of Geography and the Environment is working hard to expand access to funding for all students but unfortunately we feel we must discourage students who have not secured funding for the whole period of their DPhil from taking up their place.

For more information on scholarships and funding for under-represented groups, please see the University's scholarships and funding for under-represented groups webpage.

Currently available scholarships from SoGE are listed on our graduate fees and funding webpage.

For information on graduate admissions, selection criteria, funding and how to apply for the DPhil in Geography and the Environment, please see the DPhil in Geography and the Environment webpage on the University's Graduate Admissions website.

Please also read through the following information which will help support your application. Applicants are expected to have made contact with a potential supervisor and obtained their provisional agreement to act as a supervisor. Please note that provisional agreement from a supervisor is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place as final decisions are made by the departmental admissions panel. Applicants who have not made contact with a potential supervisor are unlikely to be considered for a place.

Read the form we use to assess every DPhil application

Guidelines to writing a research proposal

Meet potential DPhil supervisors and discover the topics for research that are available.

Explore our current graduate research

Why are there multiple application deadlines?

We offer two application deadlines to maximise the time scale for candidates to prepare and make their application.

Can I apply before I secure funding?

Applications will be considered without secured funding. The college which accepts you will require you to complete a Financial Declaration form in order to meet your financial condition of admission and the college will give you a deadline for meeting this requirement. For further details please see the University's Financial Declaration webpage. If you have any questions regarding the financial declaration, you should contact your college and not the department.

Is there funding available?

Do i need to submit a research proposal.

If you apply for the DPhil you must submit an acceptable research proposal which addresses the questions of what you plan to accomplish and why you want to and how you are going to do it. You can find full information and guidelines on writing a research proposal on our website.

Do I need to contact a supervisor before I apply?

Yes. All applicants are expected to have made contact with a potential supervisor before applying. Applicants who have not made contact with a supervisor are unlikely to be successful in obtaining an offer of a place.

Please note that provisional agreement from a potential supervisor is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place. Final decisions are made by the departmental admissions panel.

What level of written and spoken English do I need?

Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency of English at the higher level required by the University. You can find details of what is required from the University's Application Guide . The department may be able to consider a waiver of this requirement if you are currently completing, or have completed within the last two years, a degree-level course that is: full-time; at least nine months long; undertaken at a recognised institution where the medium of instruction and assessment throughout the course is entirely in English. To request a waiver, you will need to write a letter or statement giving the reasons for your request and upload this to your application. We will ask you for proof by means of a letter from your institution indicating that the medium of instruction and assessment has been in English.

You do not need to submit an English language test result at the same time as your application if you have not yet taken a test or received your results; your application will still be considered (provided that all other required documentation has been submitted) by the department but any offer of a place will be conditional on your supplying English language test results at the required level.

Can I apply to the DPhil from the MPhil?

Application process.

MPhil students who wish to apply for the DPhil in the department must follow the same application process as any other applicant for the DPhil. There is no automatic progression from MPhil to DPhil and applications from MPhil students will be assessed against the same criteria as all other applicants.

Current MPhil students are eligible to be considered for all Oxford funding schemes. If you are made an offer, you will automatically be considered for funding, but you should be aware that the funding available is limited and very competitive.

The DPhil thesis via the 2+2 route

Students following the 2+2 route have the same thesis requirements as all other DPhil students: the book format following the traditional thesis-style, or the article-based thesis which comprises a minimum of three academic papers.

Students who have followed the article-based format for their MPhil should be aware that papers included in the thesis must have been written whilst holding the status of PRS or DPhil. A DPhil thesis may build directly on work completed during a Master's programme at Oxford but material which has already been submitted for assessment as part of an MPhil thesis cannot be included in the DPhil thesis.

When should I expect a decision on my application?

You can expect to hear the outcome of your application about 8 to 10 weeks after the application deadline. You should expect to receive college notification around 8 to 10 weeks following the department decision. This timetable is for guidance only and notifications may take longer in some cases. For further information on what to expect after you apply please see the University's After you apply webpage.

If my application is declined, will I receive feedback?

Due to the volume of applications the University receives; it is not possible to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications. For further information on admissions decisions please see the University's Decision timeline webpage.

When does the course begin?

The academic year starts in October each year and students are normally admitted for an October start. The department will notify you of the exact date in their offer letter which will also give you information about any pre-sessional courses/fieldwork that you may be required to attend and the relevant dates. Please see the University's Your offer and contract webpage for further information about your offer and contract.

I need to apply for a visa, when can I expect to receive my CAS number?

CAS numbers cannot be issued until you have successfully met all academic and financial conditions which were outlined in your offer letter. You are unable to apply for your visa until three months before your course start date. In most cases we would normally start issuing CAS numbers from July onwards. Once a CAS request has been made you will receive an email asking you to check the information that has been used for the CAS request. You should contact your departmental course-coordinator to let them know that the information is correct or let them have any amendments. Once the course-coordinator has been informed, they will be able to submit the CAS request and the CAS number will be sent to you via email within a few days of submission. For further information about the visa application please see the University's Before you arrive webpage and the University's information on the Student visa .

Do I need an ATAS certificate?

It is very unlikely that DPhil students will need to apply for a certificate. For information about the ATAS certificate please see the University's Student visa webpage.

What level of supervision can I expect?

Your offer letter will state who your supervisor(s) is and you should arrange to meet with them as soon as possible after arriving in Oxford to establish a timetable of regular meetings and they will help you devise a programme that allows you to realise the full benefits of the resources and intellectual community in Oxford. Your supervisor will meet with you regularly to provide advice about your specific project and suitable research methods and they will review your progress and help you to work within a planned framework and timetable. We would normally expect that you would meet with your supervisor(s) for at least nine one-hour meetings during each academic year. It is departmental practice for all research students to have two supervisors if possible. You may be allocated two supervisors when you are admitted however, in some cases only one supervisor may be allocated and a second supervisor will be allocated at the end of the first year if a suitable secondary supervisor can be found. You can find further information on research courses and supervision on the University's Research courses webpage.

What research training is provided?

DPhil students will be required to attend a weekly training seminar which is held each term. The aim of the DPhil training programme is to welcome, introduce and orientate students into DPhil work and life at the School. The seminars will be led by academics and some sessions will involve experiences from current DPhil students.

Doctoral students at Oxford will need to combine detailed subject knowledge with thorough training in relevant quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques, as well as general research management skills, professional knowledge and career development. This combination of skills, knowledge and training is intended to help with research and also to enhance personal and professional development and employability.

DPhil students will have access to a wide range of training whilst undertaking their research at the University, including:

• Research methods training within the department, and other departments as appropriate;
• Researcher Training provided by Doctoral Training in the Social Sciences open to all doctoral student;
• Training provided by University providers such as the Careers Service, IT Services and Bodleian Library.

Where can I find accommodation in Oxford?

Colleges are unable to accommodate all graduate students and the offer of a college place does not guarantee accommodation. The college which accepts you will contact you with regard to making an application for college accommodation. The Graduate Accommodation Office lets and manages rooms, flats and houses in and around Oxford city centre and on sites owned by the University to full-time graduate students. They also offer advice on renting private accommodation. If you wish to look for private accommodation and are based outside of the UK, please see the section on the International Students webpage about immigration checks required by law before agreeing a tenancy. We also recommend you look at the Oxford University Student Union's helpful guide on Living Out .

What are the likely career destinations of postgraduate students?

Many of our graduates are commanding influential positions in multinational corporations, in national, state and international government, in non-governmental organisations, and by continuing with further research. For further information on potential careers and alumni please see the departmental alumni webpages and the University's Careers and alumni webpage.

Can I work to help fund my studies?

We advise that no student should expect to fund their studies through taking on paid employment or teaching. The MSc or MPhil programmes have a very intensive teaching programme which leaves very little time to take on paid work. You should generally regard your studies as a full-time occupation of at least 40 hours per week, and you should normally be available for academic commitments during core working hours (i.e. 9am to 5pm on weekdays during term for MSc and MPhil students and year-round for DPhil). You may also have a work restriction placed on your student visa. If you do undertake some paid work, you should ensure that this does not impact on your studies. Please see the University Policy on Paid Work Guidelines for Oxford Graduate Students .

Are there any opportunities for developing teaching skills?

As the undergraduate and MSc teaching system at Oxford University is normally delivered by academic staff, there are very limited opportunities for graduate students to become involved and, if any teaching is available, it will only be available to DPhil students in their 2nd or subsequent years. Most opportunities arise from undergraduate teaching or acting as a teaching assistant on our MSc courses. Before students are allowed to commence any teaching, they must undertake an 'Introduction to Undergraduate Teaching' seminar which is held in the department each year and, after attending this, students can also take advantage of the Social Sciences Division Preparation for Learning and Teaching at Oxford seminars which are accredited.

Are there any opportunities for work experience and internships?

The School of Geography and the Environment does not normally arrange work experience or internships for DPhil students, however, many students have very successfully taken up opportunities related to their research and temporary suspension of studies can be arranged to cover any period which is spent undertaking this.

What workspace is provided?

DPhil students have access to the Staff Common Room where they will find a microwave, fridge and hot water. There are also three DPhil study rooms. Our large DPhil room offers space on a 'hot desk' basis and rooms two and three have allocated spaces for those who are writing up their thesis. Working space is also available in some of the Libraries.

If you have any questions about the University's application process you are strongly advised to contact the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions Office, tel: +44 (0)1865 270059, or by e-mail: [email protected] taking particular care to follow the instructions in the automatic reply, in the first instance.

If you have any further questions that have not been answered by the information provided by the Graduate Admissions Office or our website then please contact the Research Degrees Coordinator at the School of Geography and the Environment.

Report a problem

Thank you, your report has been submitted. We will deal with the issue as soon as possible. If you have any other questions, please send an email to [email protected] .

Your Programmes

University of Oxford

DPhil BPhil MSt (PhD) Philosophy

1 in 3 applicants to this programme received an offer.

Data shown above is for entry in academic year 2023/24 (sources) .

Previous Years

Data sources.

• FOI Request by S.H Crozier. July 2016.
• FOI Request by Albert Warren. December 2019.
• FOI Request by AFW. December 2023.

The acceptance rate , or offer rate, represents the fraction of applicants who received an offer. Note that this will be generally lower the acceptances rates (acceptances divided by applicants) published by many other sources. This article explains it in more detail. The acceptances generally indicate the number of offer holders who accepted the offer and fulfilled its conditions. For some universities, however, it denotes the number of applicants who accepted the offer, regardless of whether they subsequently met its conditions.

Data Reliability

Unless otherwise noted, the data presented comes from the universities and is generally reliable. However, some of the differences between years and/or courses may be due to different counting methodologies or data gathering errors. This may especially be the case if there is a sharp difference from year to year. If the data does not look right, click the "Report" button located near the top of the page.

Online philosophy courses

Study from anywhere in the world with an online short course.

Our short online courses in philosophy include live-time weekly classes, lecture series, day and weekend schools, and flexible online courses.

Credit earned from some of these courses is transferable towards our Certificate of Higher Education – a part-time undergraduate course in which you study a main subject discipline, but also undertake study in other academic subjects.

Browse below to find the online philosophy course for you.

Upcoming courses

Introduction to philosophy (online).

• Mon 09 Sep 2024 – 29 Nov 2024

Philosophy of Religion (Online)

• Wed 11 Sep 2024 – 29 Nov 2024

Theory of Knowledge (Online)

• Mon 16 Sep 2024 – 29 Nov 2024

Ethics: An Introduction (Online)

• Wed 18 Sep 2024 – 29 Nov 2024

Philosophy of Science (Online)

Also available:.

MSt in Practical Ethics

Undergraduate certificate of higher education (from 2025).

DPhil in Law

• Course overview

Student experience

 The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) is the Faculty’s most advanced research qualification, and entails writing a thesis of between 75,000 and 100,000 words, which must make a significant and substantial contribution to its field.  It can be undertaken as either a full-time or part-time degree.

Course in brief

Please consult the University Prospectus for further information about the DPhil in Law 

Full-time study for the DPhil usually comprises three to four years and part-time six to eight years, inclusive of research methodology training in the first year for full-time students and over years one and two for part-time students. Part-time study requires attendance for a minimum of 30 days of university-based work each year, normally coinciding with the full terms of the academic year, to be arranged with the agreement of the student’s supervisor.

The Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford has one of the biggest cohorts of law research students in the English-speaking world.

Students are not admitted to the DPhil degree directly. Instead, they are first admitted to Probationer Research Student (PRS) status. During the first two terms, all full-time students, except those who have previously completed an MPhil in Law at Oxford, are required to undertake the Faculty’s Course in Legal Research Method (CLRM), or the alternative methods courses run by the Centre for Criminology and the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies for students affiliated with those centres. Part-time students must also take the CLRM (or the Centre for Criminology / Centre for Socio-Legal equivalent), but may do so over a period of two years. At the same time, students begin working on their doctoral theses, and in their third term (or sixth term for part-time students) undertake a Qualifying Test which involves the submission of a draft chapter and an outline of the intended thesis. Providing they pass the Qualifying Test, students are then admitted to full DPhil status.

A further assessment known as Confirmation of Status is conducted in the sixth term after admission (the 12 th term for part-time students) which also involves submission of draft chapters of the thesis and an outline of the research topic. This is intended to ensure that the student is making satisfactory progress toward ultimate submission of the thesis. After satisfactory completion of Confirmation of Status, students then submit the completed thesis in the third or fourth year (or between years six and eight for part-time students).

Students who have previously completed an MPhil in Law with the Faculty may incorporate the MPhil thesis into the DPhil and, once they have passed the Qualifying Test, may count the three terms of MPhil fees towards the DPhil fee liability.

All students are assigned a specialist supervisor, who will meet regularly with the student throughout the course of the DPhil. A list of Faculty members and their research interests can be found via the link at the foot of this page (applicants to not need to identify or make contact with a prospective supervisor before applying).

The induction programme is usually held in the last week of September and comprises Bodleian Law library and IT induction sessions and an orientation session for all new research students. During October the Social Sciences Division also holds a welcome event for all new research students.  

The Library has 40 reader workstations, which provide access to the internet, legal databases, Microsoft Office applications and Endnote.  There is a Graduate Reading Room, a large seminar room, two IT rooms, and three small ‘discussion rooms’ for private study or group work.

Once a year the Law Faculty runs a two day graduate teaching skills programme - the Preparation for Learning and Teaching at Oxford (PLTO) programme. Students must complete the PLTO if they wish to undertake teaching for the Faculty Research students who complete the course are listed on the Faculty’s Teaching Register, a resource for Faculty members who are looking for teaching provision in particular areas.

Each year the Faculty also appoints a number of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in areas where additional undergraduate teaching is particularly needed.  Read about our GTA programme .

In addition to the pastoral support provided by college advisors, the Faculty seeks to support students by various means. Each programme has dedicated administrative support and the administrators in question will be able to help and advice students on a range of matters relating to their studies, or point them towards dedicated sources of support elsewhere in the University. Academic Supervisors and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies - Research can also serve as a source of support.

Apart from these more general roles, the Faculty also offers support in certain specific areas (for example, Disability Contacts and Harassment Advisors).

I gained from my Oxford education a passion for lifelong learning and never-ending curiosity about the world. I learned so much from the most brilliant legal minds in the world — my professors as well as my peers.

The most distinctive feature of the Oxford DPhil programme is the intensity of supervision. 

Menelaos Markakis

Want to know more about what it's like to study Law at Oxford?

Visit the Oxford Law Forum

Full information and advice on how to apply can be found on Graduate Admissions

Our academic staff

You don't have to have a supervisor before you apply, but you might like to see which areas our staff work in. 

Find out more about our Research Groups

Research Groups

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Harvard Staff Writers

7 Rhodes Scholars from Harvard represent sciences, education, and social science fields

They took different paths but share a sense of wanting to make a difference. Six Harvard seniors and a master’s student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education were named Rhodes Scholars this year, representing four U.S. states, Canada, and Jamaica. They will begin their graduate studies at the University of Oxford in October 2022 to pursue research interests including the philosophy of physics, energy systems, and the social science of the internet.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer

Maya Burhanpurkar

Hometown: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada Concentration: Physics

Maya Burhanpurkar found out she had received a Rhodes Scholarship just as she arrived back to Quincy House following a whirlwind two-day trip to Toronto for in-person interviews. After receiving the congratulatory call from the prize committee, which included Nobel Prize winner in physics Donna Strickland and Canadian Supreme Court Justice Mahmud Jamal she called her parents and started texting and emailing friends and mentors with the good news.

“I really just felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude to all of those family members, friends, professors, and mentors who supported me along the journey,” said Burhanpurkar. “Without every single one of those people, this probably wouldn’t have happened.”

Burhanpurkar plans to pursue two master’s degrees at Oxford: Advanced Computer Science and Philosophy of Physics. The areas of study reflect her interests in those fields, as well as her recent research on algorithmic fairness.

Reflecting on her Harvard experience, Burhanpurkar emphasized the value of community in academic and social life on campus.

All three of the physics concentrators who received scholarships “have been mentored by female faculty in the department, and I think we have—I know I have—spent a lot of time trying to help make the department more welcoming to underrepresented students,” she said. “It’s really meaningful for me to see this happening.”

“The thing that I really cherish about Harvard is definitely the community,” added Burhanpurkar. “That’s part of why I was so involved in the physics department and trying to help foster more of that there.”

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer

Michael Y. Cheng

Hometown: Philadelphia and Wynnewood, Pa. Concentrations: History and Mathematics, concurrent master’s degree in Computer Science

The rich rowing tradition at the University of Oxford was one of the reasons Michael Y. Cheng wanted to attend the university and apply for a Rhodes Scholarship. A recent convert to the sport, Cheng taught himself to swim last year in order to try out for the men’s varsity lightweight crew team, and earning a spot on the team was “the thing I am most proud of,” he said.

Cheng expressed gratitude to coaches Ian Accomando and Jesse Foglia in particular for the one-on-one coaching they provided during the pandemic.

“When I got to Harvard, I didn’t really have a community, and joining the team junior year gave me that. I am especially grateful to my coaches,” he said. “I was a complete novice and was quite unathletic growing up, so getting that kind of attention is something I’ll always be grateful for. Rowing helped me develop an imagination, a sense that things in my life, or in the world, don’t have to stay the way they are.”

That sense of possibilities also fueled the history and mathematics concentrator’s academic plans to pursue a doctorate in engineering science at Oxford. He’s also very much looking forward to having a chance to focus on just one field as a graduate student.

“I’m looking forward to having the chance to develop expertise, do cutting-edge research, and then figure out what I want to do,” said Cheng.

He also wants to develop his leadership skills to emulate his coaches and mentors at Harvard who helped him succeed on the rowing team and navigate the Rhodes application process.

“I won this scholarship, but it took a team to get me here,” he said.

Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer

Elizabeth Guo

Hometown: Plano, Texas Concentration: Physics

Elizabeth Guo is always looking for ways to bridge her interests in law, policy, and science. At Harvard, she studies nanoscale quantum materials as a researcher in the Hoffman Lab and uses statistics and other quantitative measures to design ways to make the U.S. justice system fairer and more efficient as a researcher at the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School.

These experiences, as well as an internship with Quantum Undergraduate Research at IBM and Princeton, helped shape her interdisciplinary approach to current issues in technology policy and law.

She plans to continue this intersectional work at Oxford in both mathematical and theoretical physics and social science of the internet as a master’s student. In 2024, Guo will matriculate at Harvard Law School.

“I think it’s really important for people with science backgrounds in general to have a seat at the table in policy discussions, and I’m excited to blend together my passions and figure out how to make a difference in these spaces,” she said.

Guo was an active member of the physics department during her time at Harvard, both academically and as the chair of Undergraduate Women in Physics. She was excited to see that two other women concentrating in physics also were Rhodes recipients this year.

“I’m very passionate about gender inclusivity in science, and I’ve worked towards building a more inclusive, diverse, welcoming, and joyful atmosphere within the department, so this is very exciting,” said Guo.

“Being a physics student has really taught me to be open minded and creative, and I’ve developed a passion for diving into problem solving because of that,” added Guo, who is a member of the Harvard College Honor Council and a news editor at the Harvard Crimson. “I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to figure out how I can best make a difference.”

Samantha C.W. O’Sullivan

Hometown: Washington, D.C. Concentration: Physics and African American Studies

Samantha C.W. O’Sullivan is fascinated by the intersection of language and science. The dual concentrator in physics and African American Studies has spent the last three years studying Gullah — a Creole language spoken by African Americans living in the coastal areas and islands of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida — and looking at how science and the physical universe are discussed in different languages.

At Oxford, O’Sullivan hopes to pursue a master of studies in philosophy of physics and a master of science in applied linguistics. She’s not only eager to explore the rich culture and history at Oxford, but is excited to connect with professors there, she said.

“I feel so honored. I know the scholarship has a very long, storied history of so many amazing, impressive scholars,” O’Sullivan said. “So, to just join the ranks of them feels so humbling.”

Apart from her studies, O’Sullivan started and led the Generational African American Students Association at Harvard, an experience she called “transformative.” The organization aims to foster community among students who identify as Generational African Americans (a term coined by O’Sullivan’s grandfather to identify Black people who trace their lineage in the United States back hundreds of years), the larger Black community , and Harvard, as well as raise awareness and spark change on issues surrounding the legacy of slavery.

“I’m really hoping that the activism we set in place here continues after I graduate. I recognize that founding this organization was a big part of me becoming a Rhodes Scholar,” O’Sullivan said. “I feel so passionately about it and hope that it continues to do a lot of work on Harvard campus.”

Trisha Prabhu

Hometown: Naperville, Ill. Concentration: Government, Technology Science Track

Trisha Prabhu is dedicated to making the internet a safer place. At Harvard, Prabhu is concentrating in government on the tech science track, which looks at the unexpected consequences of technology and aims to create new solutions to conflicts between technology and society.

“My goal will be to continue the work that I’ve had the chance to do here at Harvard, where I look at the unforeseen consequences of technology and the internet on our society,” Prabhu said. “I think about how we can solve the internet’s harms and try to create a digital world that is more kind, inclusive, and fair.”

Prabhu is the founder and CEO of ReThink Inc., an app that detects offensive digital content and allows users the opportunity to reconsider posting it online. She also holds several patents and was recently a Civic Digital Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped lead the KidneyX Accelerator to incentivize businesses and innovators to work on kidney care technology solutions.

At Oxford, Prabhu hopes to study the social science of the internet and public policy.

Being named a Rhodes Scholar “is such a surreal, yet very special experience. More than anything, I just feel such immense gratitude for the people that have gotten me here, members of the Harvard community like my professors, who encouraged me to go after an opportunity like this and equipped me with the skills and confidence,” Prabhu said. She noted that she’s excited to join the “exceptional community” at Oxford, with “smart changemakers who care deeply about the problems that they want to try to affect change on.”

Photo by Daniel Huang

Ramiz Razzak

Hometown: Brossard, Quebec, Canada Concentration: Applied Mathematics and Economics, Secondary in Philosophy

An applied mathematics and economics concentrator, Ramiz Razzak studies monetary and fiscal tools that can be used to manage economic crises, which typically disproportionately affect the most vulnerable. As part of his senior thesis, Razzak is investigating whether central banks should use interest rate policy to counteract the buildup of financial imbalances. His research is also looking at whether North American monetary policy has historically been responsive to changes in sentiment in credit markets.

At Oxford, Razzak hopes to continue this work, with a particular focus on how current economic tools affect financial stability and inequality. He intends to study economic and social history.

“I really am passionate about that research, because I feel that people who are most vulnerable during those types of events are the ones that get hit first,” he said. “If we can get even a little bit more clarity in terms of how to go about doing a better job using monetary and fiscal tools, I think that we can have a big impact.”

While he’s unsure where his studies will take him, Razzak is sure about one thing: He eventually wants to return home to Canada to serve his community.

“I don’t know what form it’ll take,” Razzak said. “If it’s through monetary policy at the Bank of Canada or fiscal policy with the Department of Finance Canada, or even involvement in Quebec, I just know that’s something that I hold dearly. I want to give back to a community in a country that has given so much to me.”

Tonia N. Williams

Hometown: Spanishtown, Jamaica School: Harvard Graduate School of Education

Tonia N. Williams sees her next chapter at Oxford as a chance to continue to pursue her academic passion for education — a journey she began at Harvard last year. Williams, who is a master’s student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education , will seek a doctorate in experimental psychology with a focus on developmental psychology.

Williams entered Vassar College with a desire to learn more about the intersections of computer science and education, and focused on psychology. By the end of college, she had a strong foundation in neuroscience and other physiological elements of psychology but wanted to expand her understanding of early childhood development.

That led to her HGSE degree and a position as a research assistant in the Spelke Lab at the Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies. At Oxford, she wants to continue learning about psychological research in early childhood development that can be used to improve education.

“This whole process taught me to trust my instincts,” said Williams. “I almost applied for the Rhodes last year and didn’t because I thought my application could be stronger this year. I followed my interests from computer science and education to physiological psychology and back to human development. My interests have pulled me in different directions, I’ve trusted the process, and it’s all worked out.”

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Oxford theses

The Bodleian Libraries’ thesis collection holds every DPhil thesis deposited at the University of Oxford since the degree began in its present form in 1917. Our oldest theses date from the early 1920s. We also have substantial holdings of MLitt theses, for which deposit became compulsory in 1953, and MPhil theses.

Since 2007 it has been a mandatory requirement for students to deposit an electronic copy of their DPhil thesis in the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) , in addition to the deposit of a paper copy – the copy of record. Since the COVID pandemic, the requirement of a paper copy has been removed and the ORA copy has become the copy of record. Hardcopy theses are now only deposited under exceptional circumstances. 

ORA provides full-text PDF copies of most recent DPhil theses, and some earlier BLitt/MLitt theses. Find out more about Oxford Digital Theses, and depositing with ORA .

Finding Oxford theses

The following theses are catalogued on SOLO (the University libraries’ resource discovery tool) :

• DPhil and BLitt and MLitt theses
• BPhil and MPhil theses 
• Science theses

SOLO collates search results from several sources.

How to search for Oxford theses on SOLO

To search for theses in the Oxford collections on SOLO :

• navigate to the SOLO homepage
• click on the 'Advanced Search' button
• click the 'Material Type' menu and choose the 'Dissertations' option
• type in the title or author of the thesis you are looking for and click the 'Search' button.

Also try an “Any field” search for “Thesis Oxford” along with the author’s name under “creator” and any further “Any field” keywords such as department or subject. 

Searching by shelfmarks

If you are searching using the shelfmark, please make sure you include the dots in your search (e.g. D.Phil.). Records will not be returned if they are left out.

Oxford University Research Archive (ORA)

ORA was established in 2007 as a permanent and secure online archive of research produced by members of the University of Oxford. It is now mandatory for students completing a research degree at the University to deposit an electronic copy of their thesis in this archive. 

Authors can select immediate release on ORA, or apply a 1-year or 3-year embargo period. The embargo period would enable them to publish all or part of their research elsewhere if they wish. 

Theses held in ORA are searchable via  SOLO , as well as external services such as EThOS and Google Scholar. For more information, visit the Oxford digital theses guide , and see below for guidance on searching in ORA.

Search for Oxford theses on ORA

Type your keywords (title, name) into the main search box, and use quotes (“) to search for an exact phrase.

Refine your search results using the drop-downs on the left-hand side. These include:

• item type (thesis, journal article, book section, etc.)
• thesis type (DPhil, MSc, MLitt, etc.)
• subject area (History, Economics, Biochemistry, etc.)
• item date (as a range)
• file availability (whether a full text is available to download or not)

You can also increase the number of search results shown per page, and sort by relevance, date and file availability. You can select and export records to csv or email. 

Select hyperlinked text within the record details, such as “More by this author”, to run a secondary search on an author’s name. You can also select a hyperlinked keyword or subject. 

Other catalogues

Card catalogue  .

The Rare Books department of the Weston Library keeps an author card index of Oxford theses. This includes all non-scientific theses deposited between 1922 and 2016. Please ask Weston Library staff for assistance.

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

You can use ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global  to find bibliographic details of Oxford theses not listed on SOLO. Ask staff in the Weston Library’s Charles Wendall David Reading Room for help finding these theses. 

Search for Oxford theses on ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

Basic search.

The default Basic search page allows for general keyword searches across all indexes using "and", "and not", "and or" to link the keywords as appropriate. Click on the More Search Options tab for specific title, author, subject and institution (school) searches, and to browse indexes of authors, institutions and subjects. These indexes allow you to add the word or phrase recognised by the database to your search (ie University of Oxford (United Kingdom), not Oxford University).

Advanced search

The Advanced search tab (at the top of the page) enables keyword searching in specific indexes, including author, title, institution, department, adviser and language. If you are unsure of the exact details of thesis, you can use the search boxes on this page to find it by combining the key information you do have.

Search tools

In both the Basic and Advanced search pages you can also limit the search by date by using the boxes at the bottom. Use the Search Tools advice in both the Basic and Advanced pages to undertake more complex and specific searches. Within the list of results, once you have found the record that you are interested in, you can click on the link to obtain a full citation and abstract. You can use the back button on your browser to return to your list of citations.

The Browse search tab allows you to search by subject or by location (ie institution). These are given in an alphabetical list. You can click on a top-level subject to show subdivisions of the subject. You can click on a country location to show lists of institutions in that country. At each level, you can click on View Documents to show lists of individual theses for that subject division or from that location.

In Browse search, locations and subject divisions are automatically added to a basic search at the bottom of the page. You can search within a subject or location by title, author, institution, subject, date etc, by clicking on Refine Search at the top of the page or More Search Options at the bottom of the page.

Where are physical Oxford theses held?

The Bodleian Libraries hold all doctoral theses and most postgraduate (non-doctoral) theses for which a deposit requirement is stipulated by the University:

• DPhil (doctoral) theses (1922 – 2021)
• Bachelor of Divinity (BD) theses
• BLitt/MLitt theses (Michaelmas Term 1953 – 2021)
• BPhil and MPhil theses (Michaelmas Term 1977 – 2021)

Most Oxford theses are held in Bodleian Offsite Storage. Some theses are available in the libraries; these are listed below.

Law Library

Theses submitted to the Faculty of Law are held at the Bodleian Law Library .

Vere Harmsworth Library

Theses on the United States are held at the Vere Harmsworth Library .

Social Science Library

The Social Science Library holds dissertations and theses selected by the departments it supports. 

The list of departments and further information are available in the Dissertations and Theses section of the SSL webpages. 

Locations for Anthropology and Archaeology theses

The Balfour Library holds theses for the MPhil in Material and Visual Anthropology and some older theses in Prehistoric Archaeology.

The Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library holds theses for MPhil in Classical Archaeology and MPhil in European Archaeology.

Ordering Oxford theses

Theses held in Bodleian Offsite Storage are consulted in the Weston Library. The preferred location is the Charles Wendell David Reading Room ; they can also be ordered to the Sir Charles Mackerras Reading Room .

Find out more about requesting a digitised copy, copyright restrictions and copying from Oxford theses .

• Retired civil servant Rachel Cartland tells Kate Whitehead about being one of few women in the Hong Kong government in the 1970s, experiences remembered the memoir Paper Tigress

My roots are in rural Buckinghamshire (southeast England), which is where my parents’ families come from. My mother’s side were farmers and my father had been part of a family brickmaking business. He managed to quarrel with everybody in both families, so we were rootless for the first eight years of my life, going around the country looking for new ways to make his fortune and by and large not succeeding. My younger sister, Alicia, and I had minimal contact with the (extended) family and other people and were reliant on each other. We are still close. My father had a romantic idea about being by the seaside and in 1959, when I was nine, we moved to Portsmouth. It wasn’t a chic seaside resort at all but a working dockyard servicing the navy.

A fair chance

The great piece of good luck for me was that there was a very good girls’ school there, Portsmouth High School. It was a fee-paying school for the middle classes but thanks to the direct grant scheme, 50 per cent of its places were open to students to get in on the basis of exams and so I was able to go there. The teachers believed that families with not much ought to have a fair chance. I loved the artsy subjects – English, history, French – and was very studious. One of my happiest memories is of being given the new A-level books for French and thinking, “Wow, these look so fabulous. I’m going to spend two years reading these books, isn’t it wonderful!” Portsmouth High School was a life-changing thing because now and again it sent people to Oxford and Cambridge, and that was how I got to Oxford University in 1969.

The #MeToo movement of recent years was a bit of an eye-opener because you look back and think, ‘My gosh, what a lot of rubbish I had to put up with’

Making the right noises

Foot in the door, him more than her.

I was put up in a place at the junction of Kennedy Road and MacDonnell Road called The Hermitage, which was the most misnamed building ever. It was bedsitter luxury for single administrative people, police officers and teachers. It was a lot of fun. We had six months of intensive Cantonese and then spent six months in the Kowloon City District Office. It was an interesting introduction to Hong Kong. In 1973, (British missionary) Jackie Pullinger, who was working in the Walled City, wanted to meet somebody who dealt with social-welfare issues. I introduced her to Michael Cartland, who was in the Social Services Policy branch, but him more than her as it were. Michael and I got married in 1976.

Tests of time

Everything seemed quite amateur at the time. The Philharmonic had only just gone professional. It was a bit wobbly and we were doing our best to shore it up

Sowing seeds

(Chief secretary) David Akers-Jones, a mentor and later a dear friend, advised me to go to the Finance Branch, which was seen as the challenging peak workwise. I went to the Finance Branch just after 1976. I was looking after the whole education and medical budgets; it was a fabulously exciting time. We all worked very hard without thinking twice about it. We didn’t realise quite how special it was because it was as if every time you put down a twig it would grow into an enormous tree.

Hot in Yuen Long

MacLehose said Michael should go and get some mud on his boots, so he became district officer for Yuen Long. There was a house for the district officers called Dunrose. It was a 1920s bungalow with a big veranda and an established garden. It was beautiful, but down a valley so there wasn’t much breeze and it was incredibly hot. We had ceiling fans and mosquito coils burning all the time. We lived there three or four years. Our son was born in 1979 while we were living in Dunrose. It was the time of the Vietnamese refugee crisis, so Michael suddenly got yanked out to deal with that and we moved to Borrett Road, in Mid-Levels. It was while we were living there, in 1982, that our daughter, Caroline, was born.

Heart in art

Fringe benefits.

One of the things we did quite early on was to salvage the Arts Festival and the Ballet because they both ran into massive financial crises for separate reasons. We had internal debates about whether to let them go and did we really need a ballet company? I went to the deputy financial secretary and said we need X million to plug the hole. In those days, the finance committee tended to broadly agree with whatever the government said to them. The Fringe Club was in a nascent stage. Michelle Garnaut wanted to run a restaurant there. People within government said you couldn’t let an arts organisation make money out of a restaurant. I said it was a good idea, it was an indirect subsidy to the arts. Often things that you achieve in government are to do with internal arguing and not giving up. And so, M at the Fringe began, and it was successful and popular for years.

Conduit Connection

As 1997 loomed, they didn’t know what to do with expats. So many people were emigrating pre-1997 and they had a lot of gaps in the Social Welfare Department. I took a two-rank demotion to do that. Before I’d been in the secretariat dealing with high-powered broadcasting policies and had about four people working for me. Then I took this downwards move and (as assistant director of Social Welfare) had 2,000 staff working for me. Instead of being a policy thinking and writing job, it was much more a what’s actually happening job. I was there for about nine years until I retired from government in 2006. In 2001, we had to leave our government quarters on Mansfield Road on The Peak. We were super lucky because it was a down time in the property market and we bought on Conduit Road and have stayed there since. That makes all the difference to the decision about whether to stay in Hong Kong or not.

That is it?

Lots of retired civil servants set up a consultancy and that’s what we did. I’ve done some consultancy work, but I’m not a very active consultant. I got lured into writing my memoir, which took me ages – Paper Tigress: A Life in the Hong Kong Government (2013). And I’ve said yes to lots of voluntary work including The Women’s Foundation, Hong Kong Society for the Blind, China Oxford Scholarship Fund and City Chamber Orchestra. The whole family is in Hong Kong, which is lovely. One thing Hong Kong does teach you is that you’ve got to be pragmatic. You’ve always got to be ready to pack up and go if necessary. Our whole life is here, a great big web of family and friendships, great memories, but if necessary, you’ve always got to be ready to say, “That is it.” But we are certainly not planning to do that.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

• Admissions Requirements
• Fees and Funding
• Studying at Oxford

Course overview

UCAS code: L0v0 Entrance requirements: AAA Course duration: 3 years (BA)

Subject requirements

Required subjects: Not applicable Recommended subjects: Maths Helpful subjects: History

Other course requirements

Admissions tests:  TSA Written Work: None

Admissions statistics*

Interviewed: 35% Successful: 11% Intake: 232 *3-year average 2021-23

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 288564 Email:  [email protected]

Unistats information for this course can be found at the bottom of the page

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.

About the course

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) arose from the belief that the advanced study of all three subjects would transform students’ intellectual lives, to great social benefit. This conviction remains as firm today as it was then. As the world has evolved, so has PPE. The course brings together some of the most important approaches to understanding the world around us, developing skills useful for a wide range of careers and activities.

PPE is a highly flexible degree which allows you to shape your own path through it. You may choose to specialise in two branches at the end of the first year, or continue with all three. You can also explore a wide variety of disciplines under the overarching headings of Philosophy, Politics and Economics. For example, you can specialise in Sociology or International Relations by choosing the relevant Politics options. 

The three subjects each make a distinctively valuable contribution to the degree. Studying philosophy develops analytical, critical, and logical rigour – a highly transferable skill – through discussion of deep, puzzling questions such as 'what can we (really) know?' and 'why be moral?' that are fascinating in their own right.

In turn, the study of politics provides a thorough understanding of the impact of political institutions on modern societies. It helps you to evaluate the choices that political systems must regularly make, to explain the processes that maintain or change those systems, and to examine the concepts and values used in political analysis.

Economics is the study of how consumers, firms and government make decisions that collectively determine how resources are allocated. An appreciation of economics has become increasingly necessary to make sense of governmental policy-making, the conduct of businesses and the enormous economic transformations throughout the world. 

All three branches of PPE at Oxford have an international reputation, supported by more than 200 renowned scholars. 

Astrophoria Foundation Year

If you’re interested in studying PPE but your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades typically required for Oxford courses, then choosing to apply for PPE with a Foundation Year might be right for you.

Visit our Foundation Year course pages for more details. 

Unistats information

Discover Uni  course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.

Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for PPE. 

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small. 

Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.

A typical week

Your weekly timetable will usually include six to eight lectures and two to three tutorials and classes, supplemented by private study, which will be mainly spent preparing essays or problem sets for tutorials and classes.

Tutorials typically involve two to four students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose.

Teaching in all three PPE subjects is normally done in tutorials rather than classes. Where a class does form part of the teaching for a paper, it will typically include around six to ten students, although one computer-based training course in Politics may have up to 24 students in it. 

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are specialists in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students, typically doctoral students who are also expert in the relevant field.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our  Academic Year  page.

Course structure

Years 2 and 3

The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes .

Academic requirements 

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.

View further information on  how we use contextual data .

* Although a background in Mathematics is not an essential requirement for admission, it is recommended, and   PPE applicants should have sufficient interest in, and aptitude for, mathematics to cope with the mathematical elements of the course. Mathematics is a particular advantage for the Economics component of the course, as well as for the first year logic course in philosophy, and for understanding theories and data in politics. It is recommended to have learnt the basics of differentiation before starting your university course in PPE. Many successful applicants have studied Maths to at least AS-level, or another equivalent.

You may like to consider taking Maths to AS-level, or an equivalent qualification such as IB Standard Level, even if you do not pursue it further. However, we do understand that these qualifications may not be available to all students.

Extra tuition will be available to students that have not studied Maths A-Level who require any assistance. View the  PPE admissions statistics  for information on the success rates for applicants applying with different A-level subjects.

If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.

If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements .

If your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades listed above for undergraduate study, but you still have a strong interest in the subject, then applying for PPE with a Foundation Year might be right for you.

Visit the Foundation Year course pages for more details of academic requirements and eligibility.

Admissions tests

All candidates must take the  Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)  as part of the application. 

All the information you need to arrange to take your test as well as how best to prepare can be found on  your test page .

Written work

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

What are tutors looking for?

Admissions tutors will want to find out if you can think clearly and analytically. They are less concerned with what you know than with how you think and use your knowledge. They will seek evidence of interest in all three subjects. 

Visit the PPE website for more detail on the selection criteria for this course.

Many PPE graduates go on to further academic study. The careers most commonly chosen by PPE graduates are in:

• banking and finance
• broadcasting and new media
• political activism and campaigning
• social work
• voluntary organisations and charities
• accountancy
• business management
• management consultancy
• advertising
• university teaching and research
• think tanks and consultancy
• work in international organisations
• and the many branches of public service.

Ella was managing director of Abel & Cole, the organic food retailer. She says:

'I first saw a video of the Amazon rainforest burning when I was at school in the early 1990s. From that moment, I urgently wanted to protect the natural world. I didn’t know how, though. PPE was invaluable in helping me understand how economic and political systems work, and how they drive such damage to nature. PPE also gave me confidence to evaluate solutions to these problems, and to articulate my responses. The degree gave me credibility when I was starting out, and it helped me navigate my way to a constructive career. I feel proud of what I achieved at Abel & Cole. I’m sorry to say that the Amazon is still burning, though, and that there is a great deal more work to be done.'

Rayan went on to pupillage at a leading barristers’ chambers in London. He says:

'PPE encouraged me, more than anything else, to think critically about the social world and our place in it. It taught me how to test and challenge arguments and disentangle their constituent parts. That experience has been crucial to my pursuing a career as a barrister. First, because the philosophical skills that I acquired have proven invaluable in thinking about, developing, and challenging legal arguments in practice. And second, because it's helped me to continuously reflect upon the social impact of the law and its relationship with political power.'

Note: These annual fees are for full-time students who begin this undergraduate course here in 2024. Course fee information for courses starting in 2025 will be updated in September.

We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

For more information please refer to our  course fees page . Fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our  guidance on likely increases to fees and charges.

Living costs

Living costs at Oxford might be less than you’d expect, as our  world-class resources and college provision can help keep costs down.

Living costs for the academic year starting in 2024 are estimated to be between £1,345 and £1,955 for each month you are in Oxford. Our academic year is made up of three eight-week terms, so you would not usually need to be in Oxford for much more than six months of the year but may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs. For further details please visit our  living costs webpage .

• Financial support

**If you have studied at undergraduate level before and completed your course, you will be classed as an Equivalent or Lower Qualification student (ELQ) and won’t be eligible to receive government or Oxford funding

Fees, Funding and Scholarship search

Additional Fees and Charges Information for Philosophy, Politics and Economics

There are no compulsory costs for this course beyond the fees shown above and your living costs.

Contextual information

Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.

The Oxford tutorial

College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.

During tutorials (normally lasting an hour), college subject tutors will give you and one or two tutorial partners feedback on prepared work and cover a topic in depth. The other student(s) in your tutorials will be doing the same course as you. Such regular and rigorous academic discussion develops and facilitates learning in a way that isn’t possible through lectures alone. Tutorials also allow for close progress monitoring so tutors can quickly provide additional support if necessary.

Read more about tutorials and an Oxford education

College life

Our colleges are at the heart of Oxford’s reputation as one of the best universities in the world.

• At Oxford, everyone is a member of a college as well as their subject department(s) and the University. Students therefore have both the benefits of belonging to a large, renowned institution and to a small and friendly academic community. Each college or hall is made up of academic and support staff, and students. Colleges provide a safe, supportive environment leaving you free to focus on your studies, enjoy time with friends and make the most of the huge variety of opportunities.
• Porters’ lodge (a staffed entrance and reception)
• Dining hall
• Lending library (often open 24/7 in term time)
• Student accommodation
• Tutors’ teaching rooms
• Chapel and/or music rooms
• Green spaces
• Common room (known as the JCR).
• All first-year students are offered college accommodation either on the main site of their college or in a nearby college annexe. This means that your neighbours will also be ‘freshers’ and new to life at Oxford. This accommodation is guaranteed, so you don’t need to worry about finding somewhere to live after accepting a place here, all of this is organised for you before you arrive.
• All colleges offer at least one further year of accommodation and some offer it for the entire duration of your degree. You may choose to take up the option to live in your college for the whole of your time at Oxford, or you might decide to arrange your own accommodation after your first year – perhaps because you want to live with friends from other colleges.
• While college academic tutors primarily support your academic development, you can also ask their advice on other things. Lots of other college staff including welfare officers help students settle in and are available to offer guidance on practical or health matters. Current students also actively support students in earlier years, sometimes as part of a college ‘family’ or as peer supporters trained by the University’s Counselling Service.

Read more about Oxford colleges and how you choose

FIND OUT MORE

• Visit the PPE website
• Visit the Philosophy Faculty's website
• Visit the Politics Department's website
• Visit the Economics Department's website

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• Economics and Management
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Feel inspired?

You might like to read some of the following sources:

Thomas Nagel’s  What Does it all Mean? and Jennifer Nagel’s Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction are useful introductions to Philosophy.

Jonathan Wolff’s An Introduction to Political Philosophy , the Palgrave Macmillan series Developments in British [French, German, East European, etc.]  Politics and Adrian Leftwich’s What is Politics? are good introductory texts for Politics.

The best introduction to Economics is to read the economics and business pages of newspapers.

Tim Harford’s Undercover Economist and Paul Krugman’s The Accidental Theorist are also recommended.

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