Skip to menu Skip to content Skip to footer

You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student

You're a domestic student if you are:

  • a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

You're an international student if you are:

  • intending to study on a student visa,
  • not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • not an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia.
You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student
Change
Student wearing UQ PPE Society t-shirt talking to another student.

How to get the most out of studying a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics at UQ

Study tips
Published 2 Oct, 2020  ·  3-minute read

The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (Honours) (PPE) is one of the most engaging programs on offer at UQ's Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.

UQ PPE student Oliver Friendship shares some of the perks of studying the program and provides some useful tips on how to make the most of your university experience.

Choosing PPE at UQ

UQ’s PPE program is unique among degrees because of its variety. It combines three quite disparate, but not unrelated, study areas, and provides a fantastic academic challenge to students who excel across the board. It allows you to improve your mathematical abilities alongside your written expression; and your critical thinking alongside your research abilities, in a way that is unparalleled in any other program.

If you are a motivated and high-achieving student with a keen interest in the world around you, PPE is the program for you.

Getting the most out of the UQ PPE experience

My single biggest piece of advice for all new and aspiring Bachelor of PPE students at UQ is to physically turn up to uni as much as you can.

One of the benefits of the UQ PPE program – and this is especially true in the first year – is that you are part of a small cohort who all study the same courses. This allows Bachelor of PPE students to get to know and build lasting connections with like-minded people in a way that students in other programs simply cannot.

Being part of a small cohort is only an advantage if you turn up or tune in to your lectures and tutorials and get to know the people in your course.

In the age of recorded lectures it can be tempting to skip classes and catch up on them later, but physically being present as much as possible ensures that you have the best chance of thriving in your degree. I can honestly say that the bulk of my university friends were made through lectures and tutorials.

Not only does this network of friends provide an obvious social boon to my university experience, but we also help each other out with assignments and study, so it brings out the best in my academic work as well.

Join a club or society (or four)

I recommend that all new UQ students should, without exception, join their relevant faculty club or society. For PPE students, this means getting a $5 membership to the wonderful PPE Society (UQPPES) and maybe one to the Economics Society (UQES) as well.

These clubs and societies organise a vast array of fantastic social and academic events that will make your time at university more enjoyable and stimulating while giving you endless opportunities to meet other students who are also studying PPE.

UQ also has numerous special interest clubs that are well worth getting a membership to as well. From surfing to debating, you’ll be sure to find something that suits you.

Tips for transitioning from high school to uni

While much is made of the step up from high school to uni, the greatest difference I personally noticed is just how much more work you have to do without any form of supervision when you get to university.

In uni, you can skip every lecture, miss every tutorial and fail to hand in one assignment – all without hearing from a member of staff. It’s on you to learn what you need to learn and do what you need to do.

This freedom and flexibility comes with obvious bonuses of course, but it’s worth keeping in mind just how self-motivated and driven you need to be to achieve the grades you want. I recommend making a study diary, never allowing yourself to get more than one week behind when learning content and starting on assignments as early as possible.

Learn more about the benefits of studying a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Honours) at UQ.

Related stories