BA (Hons) Philosophy, Politics and Economics · UHIBachelor's degree · 4 years
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University of the Highlands and Islands · Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Philosophy, Politics and Economics Bachelor's degree at UHI

BA (Hons) Philosophy, Politics and Economics at UHI integrates core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development.

BA (Hons)
Award
4
Years
Full-time
Study mode
90%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

BA (Hons) Philosophy, Politics and Economics is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at UHI, based in UHI Argyll,Highland Theological College UHI,UHI Inverness,UHI Moray,UHI North West Hebrides,UHI Orkney,UHI Perth,UHI Shetland. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.

For Historical, philosophical and religious studies graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £23,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)

For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Economics, see the sections below.

Course evidence score

The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.

7.0
/ 10
Strong
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent81

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Exceptional90

Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Fair40

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 40% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Curriculum & modules

Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.

Year 1 5 modules
  • Philosophy Problems in philosophyCore
  • Thinking and writing for study, work and lifeCore
  • Ideas and ideologies in politicsCore
  • Economics for businessCore
  • Exploring economics in a changing worldCore
Year 2 6 modules
  • Knowledge: a philosophical analysisCore
  • Moral philosophyCore
  • Comparative politicsCore
  • History of political ideasCore
  • Approaches to economic developmentCore
  • Exploring the urban and rural places, people and placesCore
Year 3 6 modules
  • Mind, machines and morality: the philosophy of mind, AI and technologyCore
  • Philosophy of religionCore
  • Challenging liberal democracy: political ideas in a changing worldCore
  • European politicsCore
  • Community-based economic developmentCore
  • Globalisation and sustainable developmentCore
Year 4 7 modules
  • Existential philosophy and literatureOptional
  • Scottish tradition in philosophyOptional
  • Geopolitics: territory, security and strategyOptional
  • Political theoryOptional
  • Terrorism and unconventional warfareOptional
  • Social enterprise and the social economyOptional
  • The consumerist societyOptional

Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.

Course in depth

What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.

What you'll study

You'll study the interconnected workings of markets, societies and governance through economics, political systems and philosophical reasoning. A course like this typically moves from foundations in microeconomics, macroeconomics and quantitative methods in your first year, through intermediate economic theory and empirical analysis in your second year, before advancing to specialist options and independent research in your final year. Along the way you'll examine policy questions in labour, health and the environment, and develop econometric skills for causal inference with real data. Specialisations such as behavioural economics, development, financial economics, econometrics and data, public policy, and international trade allow you to focus on areas that interest you. You'll typically complete the degree with a dissertation, an independent empirical or theoretical research project of your own design.

Who it's for

This course suits students interested in understanding how economic systems, political institutions, and philosophical principles shape society. It's designed for those who want to develop analytical and critical thinking skills applicable to policy, business, public service, and research. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent qualifications, with typical UCAS tariff points ranging from 96 to 111.

Careers & job market

Across Economics courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 75% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries typically range from £26,500 to £35,000 at 15 months post-graduation, rising to £36,125–£51,000 after five years. These figures reflect broader labour-market outcomes rather than guarantees specific to this institution.

University & format

This is a full-time Bachelor's degree (BA Hons) studied over 4 years at the University of the Highlands and Islands, taught in English. The university is a publicly recognised degree-awarding body delivering the degree across multiple learning centres in Scotland, including UHI Argyll, Highland Theological College UHI, UHI Inverness, UHI Moray, UHI North West Hebrides, UHI Orkney, UHI Perth and UHI Shetland.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
94%
Learning opportunities
82%
Assessment and feedback
87%
Academic Support
79%
Organisation and management
83%
Learning resources
83%
Student voice
60%

Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 92%.

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Applicant information

The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

Published entry3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above typical offer · At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects

Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.

Entry & how to get in

Typical offer (from the provider)The university’s course page lists a typical A-level offer of 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent55% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 96 - 111 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check UHI's official course page for the current offer.

Who gets in

What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.

UCAS tariff of entrants

Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.

Qualifications held on entry

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent55%
another higher-education qualification30%
a previous degree10%
Other10%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Accessible entry

Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.

Will you get in? Plot your grades

Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.

Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.

How to apply

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.

Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesAABA-level equivalent admitted students held
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write your personal statement

    A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results day & confirmation

    On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.

💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask UHI whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.

Fees & funding

UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.

Published UHI fee framework

Scotland-domiciled, 2026/27Degree £1,820/year; HNC or HND £1,285/year
Rest of UK, 2026/27Degree £9,790/year; HNC or HND £7,886/year
Part-time and onlineCharged by module or credit; the rate depends on domicile and award level
InternationalEligibility and fees are course- and delivery-specific
StudyKit · free

Still deciding what to study?

StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.

Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

Careers & earnings

What Economics graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.

Graduate earnings: this course

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£23,000£22,000 – £25,50015
3 years after£17,000£12,000 – £22,00075
5 years after£22,000£15,500 – £27,50085

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

90%
in work or further study 15 months on
60%
in highly skilled work or study
40%
continue past their first year
90%
find their work meaningful
60%
say work fits their future plans
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in economics · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Economics nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£23,000
£26,500 – £35,000
After 3 years LEO
£17,000
£26,775 – £37,800
After 5 years LEO
£22,000
£36,125 – £51,000
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £14,500 – £53,500

National figures for Economics graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.

Work out your pay

Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.

What happened to 100 students?

Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.

90 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

55% working10% working and studying25% in further study60% in highly skilled work or study

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.

Value compared with similar courses

How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Economics courses at the same study level.

UK occupations graduates enter

Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.

  • Welfare ProfessionalsSOC 2020 246 · 50% of published destinations · ASHE median £39,047
  • Skilled trades occupationsSOC 2020 5 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,241
  • Caring personal servicesSOC 2020 613 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £23,668
  • Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
  • Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
  • Customer service occupationsDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations

Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 35; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.

Job market & outlook

How Economics graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.

87%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Economics courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
75%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
92%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How AI is changing the work

AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.

What AI takes off your plate

  • Routine information gathering
  • First-draft writing and summaries
  • Standard analysis and admin
  • Repetitive processing tasks

More human than ever

  • Judgement and original thinking
  • Working with and leading people
  • Owning and sense-checking AI output
  • Ethics and accountability

The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.

Roles & employers

Where Economics graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.

Where they work

  • Banks & consultancies
  • Bank of England
  • Government Economic Service
  • Think tanks

Is this course right for you?

The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.

💷

Fees and funding

UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.

📈

Where graduates go

90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £23,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.

🎯

Your entry chances

Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.

Official-data snapshot

Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.0 out of 10: NSS 81.1% · in work or study 90% · continued 40%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

University of the Highlands and Islands

All students8,685
International2.1%
Aged 25+57.7%

Social sciences across the UK

Students275,900
Aged 25+37%

HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.

Is Economics right for you?

Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.

Common questions

Entry is historically accessible, accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 128 - 143 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by UHI. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Historical, philosophical and religious studies graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £23,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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