PPE Core Requirements
The 27-hour core curriculum invites students into meaningful engagement with fundamental questions that shape human communities. Through Microeconomics, students explore how individuals and societies make choices about resources and community well-being. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy opens doors to timeless questions about truth, goodness and the flourishing life, while coursework in Greek or Roman history reveals the foundations of political thought that continue to guide communities today.
The core journey continues through American Political Thought and the History of Economic Thought, where students discover how ideas about governance and prosperity have evolved to address human needs across generations. Coursework in Democracy explores how communities balance individual liberty with collective responsibility. Ethics provides careful training in moral reasoning grounded in Christian values, while Political Philosophy examines competing visions of justice and human flourishing. This integrated foundation supports students in developing the wisdom to think across boundaries while remaining rooted in principles of compassion and service.
Concentration Options
After building this strong foundation together, students pursue a 9-hour concentration that aligns with their calling and areas of passion.
Political Science Concentration
The Political Science concentration nurtures understanding of governance, civic engagement and community building through courses in Ancient and Medieval Political Thought, Campaigns and Elections, and either Intelligence and National Security or Church and State Politics. This path supports students called to serve in public office, advocacy or community leadership roles.
Philosophy Concentration
The Philosophy concentration creates space for developing sophisticated analytical skills and deeper wisdom through Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, Business Ethics or focused study of individual philosophers, and Great Philosophers and Their Works. This concentration welcomes students planning graduate work in philosophy as well as those seeking to strengthen their capacity for thoughtful analysis applicable across professional contexts where ethical reasoning matters.
Economics Concentration
The Economics concentration builds analytical capabilities while maintaining focus on human flourishing through Macroeconomics, Global Economy, and either the Seminar on Law and Economics or Business Ethics. This track equips students for careers in finance, consulting or policy analysis where they can contribute to community prosperity, as well as graduate study in economics or business administration.
Legal Studies Concentration
The Legal Studies concentration provides supportive preparation for law school through Constitutional Law I and II, and either Law and Religion in the United States or Comparative Politics. This concentration helps students develop the analytical and argumentative skills central to legal reasoning while exploring how constitutional principles protect human dignity and justice.
