the structure of the major
Units
The PPEL major aims not simply at breadth of knowledge, but detailed understanding. To do this the major is composed of 45 units.
Disciplinary Foundations (12 units)
In their first and second years of university study, potential PPEL majors must complete four courses of disciplinary study.
Economics Foundations (BOTH of the following)
ECON 200: Basic Economic Issues (3 units)
National and international economic issues. An introduction to economic analysis.
ECON 205: The Ethics and Economics of Wealth Creation (3 units)
The study the ethics and the economics of such phenomena as market competition, institutions of private and public property, trade restrictions,
globalization, and corporate welfare.
Philosophy Foundation (1 of the following)
PHIL 210: Moral Thinking (3 units)
What does it mean to "do the right thing?" and how do we decide what is the right thing to do?
This course surveys the different ways that these questions have been answered, using both historical and contemporary sources.
PHIL 250: The Social Contract (3 units)
The moral requirements of social life and social cooperation, and the nature of a just social and economic order.
Among others, the course considers the classical theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau, as well as contemporary theories such as that of John Rawls.
Politics Foundations (1 of the following)
POL 203: Political Ideas (3 units)
Basic issues in political thought, with emphasis on contemporary problems of democracy, liberty, authority, obligation, and ideology.
POL 206: Public Policy and Administration (3 units)
Theory and practice of executive agencies, including policy making and other functions, processes, personnel and fiscal management,
and administrative law.
Core curriculum (21 units)
Students admitted to the PPEL major are required to take PPEL 301, 310, 320, 326, 330, 340 and 400. PPEL 400 cannot be taken until the senior year.
The PPEL program guarantees course and place availability, allowing all students to complete the core in their third and fourth years of university study. Except with special permission, only students who have completed their disciplinary foundation courses can enroll in the core courses.
Recommended Course of Study
Junior Year
PPEL 301 (3 units) Fundamentals of Economics
A survey of economic analysis covering topics in microeconomics and welfare economics.
PPEL 310 (3 units) Economic Analyses in Philosophy and Politics
This course introduces students to the ways in which economic analysis has been applied to issues in social philosophy and the study of politics;
it analyzes the ways in which tools from economics have been applied to the problems of social and political theory.
Game theory, axiomatic social choice theory, and public choice theory are discussed.
PPEL 326 (3 units) Laws and Constitutions
This writing-intensive course explores basic legal doctrine and legal theory in a central area of the law.
In general, philosophical and/or economic analysis will be brought to bear on substantive areas of law. In a given semester,
the course might focus on basic constitutional law and constitutional theory, basic property law and theory, the law of torts
and tort theory, or criminal law and the philosophy of criminal law.
PPEL 340 (3 units) Justice and Welfare
Normative economics, social, and political philosophy are all concerned with the evaluation of social states and distributions: what constitutes a better economic distribution, or a fair way to sustain social and economic cooperation? How do the values of freedom, justice and welfare relate? The course centers around two broad families of approaches: those that focus of fairness or justice, and those that evaluate on the basis of welfare improvements. Topics to be considered include the morality of markets, egalitarianism, The Pareto criterion, economic desert, and mutual gain.
Senior Year
PPEL 320 (3 units) Classics in Political Economy
This course acquaints students with the contributions to PPEL by, among others, John Locke, David Hume, Adam Smith, J.S. Mill, Karl Marx, F.A. Hayek and John Maynard Keynes. The course considers why the field of political economy, combining social philosophy, politics, and economic analysis, flourished for most of the nineteenth century, but broke into separate fields at the end of the century, and the consequences of this rupture.
PPEL 330 (3 units) Democracy and Social Choice
Theories of democracy have been advanced by economists, political scientists, and philosophers.
This course will consider these contrasting analyses, and the ways in which democracy constitutes a procedure of social choice.
PPEL 496 (3 units) Capstone Seminar
In their fourth year all PPEL students take a capstone seminar, of no more than 15 students. This seminar will be on a topic in philosophy,
politics, economics, or law chosen by the faculty member, but the aim of all the seminars will be to bring the
student's PPEL skills to bear on a problem or issue.
Tracks (12 units)
The third element of the PPEL major is one of six tracks that allow students to focus on an area of individual interest and of general importance. For each track the student must complete FOUR courses from the relevant list.
Students are premitted to devise their own tracks with the apporval of the Director. Honors students can substitute their thesis for 6 hours of track requirements.
Other PPEL Courses
PPEL 302 ( 3 units) The Philosophy of Economics
An introduction to the main philosophical questions raised in the study of economics. Is economics a
science along the lines of natural science? Can there be a value free economics? Is economics
necessarily individualistic? What is rationality? Are rational actor explanations causal explanations?
And if most people are not rational most of the time, how does appeal to rational actors help explain
real people?
Note: PPEL 302 may sometimes be offered as a substitute for PPEL 301 in years in which PPEL 301 is not taught.
PPEL 493 (1-3 units) Internship
Limited to PPEL majors with advanced standing. With the approval of the director, students may arrange an internship experience for credit towards the track requirment. This course may be taken ONCE only.
PPEL 499/PPEL499H Independent Study (3 units)
Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work.
