Interviewing in: Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Background on subject

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) is a highly relevant and dynamic subject area, which allows specialisation to varying degrees.

PPE is only offered at Oxford, with the Cambridge equivalent being HSPS.

There are no specific subject requirements, but students are required to sit the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA).

Can I interview in this subject?

You do not have to have studied PPE at university to give a robust and rigorous practice interview in this subject.

Volunteers from the following subjects, or similar, will also be able to deliver PPE interviews:

Interview types

There are two different types of practice interviews in PPE, which you may be asked to deliver.

Interview on 'application material' - asking the students' questions about their personal statement, or an essay they will submit as part of their application
Interview on 'unseen material' - asking the students' questions on an article, study, or research paper they have not seen before, testing how they handle new material

Learn more about Interview Types

SAMPLE Resources

Below you can access a folder of resources for conducting PPE interviews:

Interview on application material - you can see a sample personal statement, highlighted with examples of questions which could be asked
Interview on unseen material - you can see examples of articles which have previously been given to students, along with questions

These resources are intended for inspiration - to give you an idea of the level, length and themes of the material we use in our practice interviews. However, should you wish to use this material in the practice interviews you deliver, just let us know so we can make sure returning students haven't seen it before!

Access PPE Interview Resources

Meet one of our VOLUNTEER INTERVIEWERS: Christoph

I graduated with a BA in Political Science and Public Law from Mannheim University, and went on to study a Masters degree in International Relations at Oxford.

I tutored on the summer school last year, running a 2-week course on Politics and International Relations for students from around the world.

I volunteer with OxFizz because, being in a privileged role, it is essential to contribute in some way to the distribution of knowledge, and to support invaluable social initiatives in world still marked by substantial inequality and unfairness.