PPE: Leadership in Politics, Business, and Beyond

Whether it is a politician guiding a nation through crisis, a visionary tech entrepreneur disrupting the global business landscape, or an inspirational activist campaigning for social justice, great leaders have the power to change the world. But what makes a great leader, and how do you become one?

The course begins with an introduction to the study and analysis of leadership, from philosophers like Sun Tzu, Plato, and Machiavelli, to modern theoreticians such as Bernard Bass and Bruce Avolio. You will learn about the current state of research into leadership, gaining an understanding of different leadership styles, and discovering how to put them into action. As the course progresses you will consider more advanced topics, including transformational and change leadership, ethical leadership, and gender issues in leadership. Throughout the course you will explore historic examples and contemporary case studies of leadership from a range of contexts, and draw on academic analysis from not only Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Management, but also Sociology, Psychology, and History.

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is a combined interdisciplinary area of study which has been taught at the University of Oxford since the early 20th century to equip students with the breadth of expertise required to understand and influence the world around us.

Target group

This course would suit students from a range of academic disciplines, but especially those with a background or interest in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and Management, or who wish to develop their knowledge and skills in anticipation of future leadership roles.

Course aim

By the end of this course, you will:
- Understand traditional leadership theories and be able to demonstrate awareness of recent research and current models.
- Be able to assess critically the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to leadership on an organisational, national, and international scale.
- Identify your own leadership traits, style, and skills.
- Be able to demonstrate awareness of leadership challenges faced by moderns organisations, including those related to ethics, culture, and gender.