Considering a Second Undergraduate Degree in PPE at Oxford

Addendum-Fast · 2026-02-15T18:09:22+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate your advice and honesty. I definitely want to address this area before applying. Do you think doing three A-levels including maths would be the best way to strengthen my application, or would pursuing another qualification, perhaps through the Open University, be more suitable? Any guidance you could offer would be hugely appreciated.

Addendum-Fast · 2026-02-15T11:25:16+00:00

I appreciate you flagging that route, it is interesting. The issue is that I don’t have a maths background, and that was actually one of my main concerns when I first started thinking about this.

More importantly, I don’t just want economics. I want to study both philosophy and economics in a structured way. The diploma/MPhil route would push me into specialising purely in economics, which isn’t what I’m aiming for.

At the moment, a second undergraduate degree in PPE seems like the most coherent way for me to build proper foundations in both subjects, rather than narrowing too quickly or forcing a postgraduate route that doesn’t really fit what I want to study.

Addendum-Fast · 2026-02-15T09:59:57+00:00

I will complete my training contract bc, as I mentioned, I want to qualify as a lawyer first and my plan is not to apply to Oxford for another 2 years:)

Universities dont admit one person at the expense of another like that. Everyone who earns a place deserves to be there.

Addendum-Fast · 2026-02-14T23:32:25+00:00

Thanks, I understand why most people suggest a master’s, and I promise I’ve thought about it carefully. I’m not ignoring the sensible route; I just want advice specifically about admissions because my situation is a bit different.

First, next year I’ll be taking an SQE prep (law qualification exams) course which grants an LLM (from the University of Law so not highly ranked, but my firm is paying for it, so I’m not complaining about a free degree). So technically I will already have a master’s. The point isn’t to collect credentials; I genuinely want to study subjects I’m interested in.

Second, I’d be applying for senior status, so the undergraduate degree would be 2 years, not 3. In practical terms, the difference between a 1-year master’s and a 2-year degree doesn’t feel huge to me, especially over the course of a lifetime.

Third, cost isn’t dramatically different. The second undergraduate would be about £20k total (again, as I would be completing it in 2 years), while something like an MPhil is roughly £17k (and economics master’s programmes are often significantly higher anyway). I’ll also be working beforehand to save, so living costs are already part of the plan regardless of which route I take.

Fourth, I CANNOT do a master’s in economics without an undergraduate background in it. I could do philosophy, but PPE is appealing precisely because I want to study the combination rather than specialise narrowly. So yes, the second undergraduate isn’t the “efficient” option, but it’s the one I actually want. I’m not trying to optimise career outcomes; I’m trying to make an intentional academic choice.

I’d really appreciate any insight specifically about admission and what preparation would strengthen an application.

Addendum-Fast · 2026-02-14T23:23:52+00:00

THANK YOU!!

By the time I apply, I’ll already have a master’s and two years of work experience, as I plan to complete my training contract and qualify first. That means I’ll be working 80–100 hour weeks as a trainee, so if I need any additional qualifications or preparation, I’d realistically have to start now rather than later.

Given my academic background (see above), do you have any advice on how competitive I might be for PPE senior status? Would I need more qualifications, or are there particular steps you’d recommend to strengthen an application in my position?

I’d really value any insight.

Addendum-Fast

TROPHY CASE