Testimonials

Third year

"Especially the third year offers a lot of freedom. I decided to do a broad variety of courses, from economics and art history to administrative and constitutional law. My advise to prospective students would be to use those three years for exploring what things you find most interesting and exciting.”

Social issues

“I have always been interested in social issues. So when I started looking for a bachelor's degree that matched this interest, I came across the BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics. What I liked about the course is that it equips you to look at societal questions from various perspectives. I remember one of the submission assignments was to write an interdisciplinary essay about a recent political development (this was before Gen AI made it’s way into our lives). I remember I wrote about the economic, political and philosophical dilemmas surrounding a potential foreign intervention in Venezuela in 2019. Little did I know this topic would become very relevant again years later!”

Creative mix

"What drew me specifically to PPE at Utrecht University was that it didn’t just combine the three disciplines on paper, but it also pushed me to creatively work across them. Through the welfare state track in my second year, I was able to define my focus without losing the breadth that made PPE valuable in the first place. Moreover, my tutor played a significant role in shaping where I ended up. Rather than directing me toward a preset path, he helped me map out tailored opportunities, from specific electives to extracurricular activities that matched my interests in social policy and European governance. One of those was a trip to Brussels I organised through the Metis study association, during which we visited the European Commission and Parliament and spoke with people working there about their careers.”

International institutions

“PPE provided the analytical toolkit to contribute to policy work at international institutions. During my traineeship at DG REGIO of the European Commission, I contributed to drafting the flagship European Semester Country Report, coordinating quantitative and policy insights on regional policy and related financing developments. Subsequently, as a policy consultant, I worked on evidence-based policy in regional development and just transition across EU regions and beyond. The ability to move between quantitative analysis, institutional context and policy implications, something PPE explicitly trains you to do, turned out to be exactly what my work demanded."

Group work

"Coming from South Africa, I did not know what to expect from the programme on a practical level, but I remember thinking that there would be many opportunities for discussion, debate, and a high expectation for academic theory application. Still, I was worried, for instance, that I would not be able to work well in a group. However, group work has become such an integral part of my PPE experience and I have really been so amazed at the increased value that group work has given to my work. Additionally, the teaching staff are all incredible in terms of what they have to offer and their own careers."

Social inequities

"I have not given too much thought to the specifics of my plans after graduation. But I would love to continue studying after this before starting to work. It would be amazing to combine my love of science with my passion for social inequities and working with people. Therefore, I think that I will hopefully end up working in some kind of public health institution at a grass roots level."

Municipality

"I think this helped shape me into the employee I am now. When working, I always try to look at different sides of a problem and solve it by interacting with multiple people from different backgrounds and disciplines. It also helps me navigate the political side of municipality work, where we have to stay sensitive to the interests of both politicians, civilians and external partners. My work involves writing policy, advising other policy writers and politicians, advising on building projects and monitoring the effects of our policies. Through those activities, I help to realise building projects best suited for the people from our municipality."

Friends

"One thing good to know is that PPE offers courses, like Politics and Policy-Making, that are very theory-driven. You’ll find the balance between your courses and real-world issues hence a lot outside the classroom in discussion with others. The connections I made with other students were also the best part of PPE for me. I still see my group of friends a lot, even though most of us have moved out of Utrecht and live in different countries. We really enjoy each other’s company and to be surrounded by ambitious and motivated people is really great."

Intensive training

"Currently, I’m pursuing a Master’s degree in International Affairs and focussing on Energy and Environment. During my third year of PPE, I realized I was very interested in international relations and issues of sustainability, so I applied to various universities and eventually was accepted to Columbia University in New York City. Because PPE is more intensive teaching than regular Bachelor programs, the workload of my current Master’s is similar to my Bachelor’s. PPE thus prepared me really well for this current education."

Capstone project

"Throughout my entire journey in PPE, I knew I was in the right programme. If I have to specify one moment at which I knew this programme was the right fit for me, it would definitely be during my capstone project wherein I independently wrote an 8000 words interdisciplinary research paper on the justifiability of economic sanctions. This enabled me to witness my growth and learning trajectory in the programme. I was able to independently conduct interdisciplinary research that exhibited the culmination of skills and knowledge I had acquired throughout the programme."

Development Sector

"My academic knowledge deepened my desire to contribute to societal issues. A combination of both my academic and extracurricular pursuits enabled me to realize that I want to work in the nongovernmental/development sector in the future, working towards resolving various social issues through policymaking, project design, and project implementation."