Students who know they want to be business leaders, CEOs, or simply more ‘supple of mind’ — this one’s for you.
Having multiple majors, minors, certificates and credentials can advance a person’s career. But what about a person’s humanity?
A Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) brings together interdisciplinary studies that prepare students to navigate complex real-world challenges. It’s essential for students seeking answers to the timeless questions that have shaped civilizations for centuries: What does it mean to live a good life? What rights should all people have? What makes a society fair?
These questions lie at the heart of what it means to be human. Basic human rights — what are they, and who decides? As a Christian university, CUW roots students in their faith and service to Christ. Through the development of mind, body and spirit, CUW students are morally and ethically prepared to meet the world where it is.
Dr. Michael Munger: PPE has a timeless purpose
Michael Munger, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of the PPE certificate program at Duke University, has helped launch more than 40 PPE programs nationwide over the last decade.
PPE gives students a “suppleness of mind,” as Munger put it — one that helps them not only attract future employers but also make meaningful contributions in a world where societies seek to flourish.
“PPE is an elite leadership curriculum, and it’s generally a way of thinking about three interdisciplinary focuses — one that has now stood the test of time,” Munger said. “It’s been exactly 100 years that PPE in the U.K. has been the source of many prime ministers, members of Parliament and business leaders.”
A booming niche major for all leaders
In January 2024, Forbes published an article titled “Philosophy, Politics and Economics: A Booming College Major,” in which the author, Dr. Marlena Corcoran, stated that more than 75 universities in the United States offer this program. She also noted that in 2024 more than 600 students at Oxford University were studying philosophy, politics and economics — the birthplace of PPE programs, which began in the 1920s.
PPE is becoming a more prominent degree
While it remains a niche major, interest in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics is steadily rising as more U.S. institutions adopt the program — and with good reason. Several influential figures have earned PPE degrees and gone on to prominence in their fields, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, media executive Rupert Murdoch, and others.
PPE is a powerful major, Munger said: “You do your major for your first job, and you do PPE for your career.”
Munger notes that every generation believes its challenges are unprecedented — and in many ways, they are. “Each generation faces a new set of difficulties, but there are some permanent, important things — questions that have plagued philosophers for 3,000 years, and that people of faith for 2,000 years now have worked to try to understand.”
That tension between enduring questions and modern realities is where PPE shines most. “PPE is one of the only fields that combines a reverence for culture and learning from the past with applying that knowledge in a setting where we have to worry about things like AI,” Munger continued. “What does it mean to be a human being? How will people find work and create communities of meaning in a setting where we’re increasingly isolated?”
According to Munger, PPE doesn’t provide answers per se; it reminds people of the enduring questions that never change — the ones each generation may try to answer differently.
Makayla Runyon: Thinking like a leader
Current PPE student Makayla Runyon is enrolled in the Pre-Law Pathway at Concordia. She entered the PPE program with some hesitation, admitting she’s not a “math person”— in fact, she detests it. “At first, I didn’t understand why it was so important to combine all three areas — philosophy, politics and economics. I thought economics was just a small piece. But I’ve learned it’s deeply integrated into political decisions. And philosophy is just as important,” Runyon said.
“I’ve realized how vital it is to have all these different perspectives, even if you end up working primarily in one of the fields,” she continued. Even though PPE is a new major at CUW, Runyon sees how valuable the combination is and how it will serve her in the future. “It’s not just three random things squished together. It’s intentionally designed to give us a broad, interconnected view of how the world works — ethically, politically and economically.”
Runyon, along with several other students, is currently forming a law-focused organization on campus. “It’s for anyone interested in law — future lawyers, law enforcement, politicians, people interested in public service,” she said. “We’re looking at mock trials, exploring different areas of law, and talking about what it looks like for police officers, firefighters, people working for the State Department, and more.”
After graduation, Runyon plans to attend Marquette Law School. Grounded by her faith and her experience with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), she feels called to help change the laws related to how the United States combats human trafficking.
“At YWAM, we talked a lot about hearing God’s voice, and that’s been a big part of my life,” Runyon said. “Sometimes it’s an instinct — like the undeniable urge I felt to come to Concordia. Other times it’s more like a clear thought in my mind. I felt God telling me to leave the missions field and go back to college.”
Open the mind, tear down the walls
To educate students in a world as complicated as the one they live in today makes PPE an essential pursuit for future leaders because they can’t just hide behind the usual disciplinary boundaries, Munger explained.
“We need our students to be better than the faculty,” he said. “Many faculty are still going to be narrow and teach within their specialty — which is fine. We need students to be comfortable dealing with experts so they can take leadership roles in government and business.”
Munger continued: “The reason to do PPE is that by the time you’re 30, you have a broad view of what constitutes your place in the world and the possibilities you have.”
College students should let go of their preconceived narratives for the future and embrace the journey, exploring these disciplines and celebrating the “I don’t know,” as Munger called it.
“The problem is that many students got into college because they had this sort of planning mentality. But you’re in. You’re there now. So take advantage of it. Take more advantage of the IDK.”
“Life is long. If you start doing something, and you do something else, it’s fine. In fact, it’s probably better.” —Michael Munger
More about their journey
Michael Munger’s first job out of graduate school was at the Federal Trade Commission. He then taught economics at Dartmouth College, followed by political science at the University of Texas. After that, he became a dean at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked in public administration and trained city and county managers. At Duke University, he served as chair of the political science department and now directs the PPE program. He is also one of the editors of the Oxford PPE Anthology.
Munger’s must reads:
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
- The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith
Makayla Runyon is also a published author. Her book, Blood Bound, began as a writing project that helped her cope with difficult periods in her life. After high school, she joined YWAM for several years, where she witnessed the devastation caused by human trafficking.
“We worked in the red-light districts, walking around and praying. You see traffickers, you see victims behind the windows. To many tourists, it just looks like ‘their job,’ but when you dig deeper into why they’re there, you see the reality,” Runyon said.
To read more about CUW’s PPE program, click here.
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Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.
The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) major offers an integrated approach to understanding the ideas and institutions that shape our world. Graduates will be prepared to engage thoughtfully with the challenges of public life and to lead with insight and integrity.
This interdisciplinary program fosters critical thinking about the foundations of ordered liberty, the principles of constitutional governance, and the dynamics of free markets — all in service of human flourishing. You’ll learn to assess whether a policy or action is politically and economically viable, morally justifiable, and how to navigate the complex tradeoffs among competing social goods. The PPE major is grounded in the rich tradition of great thinkers — Aristotle, John Locke, Adam Smith, Alexis de Tocqueville, Friedrich Hayek, James Buchanan, Elinor Ostrom, and others — whose enduring insights continue to shape our understanding of freedom, justice, and the common good.