Bachelor’s in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics – Applied Economics Understand Markets, Policy, and Global Trade

120

Credit Hours

View Courses

100% online, 8-week courses

Some programs have courses that follow a full-semester schedule or are offered in specific terms only.

Transfer in up to 75% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: August 24, 2026 | September 21, 2026 | October 26, 2026

Available Fall 2026

Markets do not move in isolation; they are shaped by ideas, laws, institutions, and human choices that affect daily life, public trust, long-term opportunity, and the way organizations respond to change. If you want to understand economic problems from more than 1 angle, Liberty University’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) – Applied Economics offers a path that connects market analysis with political and ethical reasoning. Through this online degree, you can prepare to examine economic decisions with both data awareness and a broad view of society.

Across business, government, finance, and public service, leaders often need more than technical knowledge to make sound decisions. You’ll study how philosophical ideas, political systems, and economic forces influence public policy, financial institutions, international trade, and market behavior. At the same time, this applied economics degree emphasizes practical analysis, so you can connect big-picture questions to real-world economic challenges. Liberty’s program is designed for students who want an interdisciplinary foundation with a focused applied economics specialization that supports clear thinking, careful communication, and responsible decision-making in settings where policy, business, and culture overlap.

At Liberty, this online applied economics degree brings together liberal arts study and career-focused economics coursework in a format built for distance learners who want both flexibility and academic depth. You’ll explore topics such as macroeconomics, free enterprise, political thought, predictive analytics, money and banking, and global trade while working through this bachelor’s degree. Because the program is offered online, you can engage with these subjects while maintaining many of your current responsibilities and pursuing a college path that fits your season of life without losing sight of your professional, personal, and service-related goals.


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What Sets Us Apart?

  • Private Nonprofit University
  • 600+ Online Degrees
  • No Standardized Testing for Admission
  • Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
  • Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Economic decisions carry human, cultural, and ethical weight, especially when markets affect families, businesses, and public institutions. Liberty’s online applied economics degree addresses these situations through a biblical worldview that values integrity, stewardship, and responsible leadership. In your courses, you will consider how economic systems affect people, communities, and organizations, rather than treating financial choices as isolated calculations or purely technical matters. That perspective can help you think beyond numbers alone as you evaluate financial and policy questions that involve both measurable outcomes and human consequences.

If you’re balancing college with work, family, military service, or ministry, flexibility matters. Our program is offered 100% online, allowing you to access coursework without relocating to campus or stepping away from your other important commitments. You’ll engage with assignments, discussions, and course materials through an online format built for working professionals and traditional students alike across many locations.

Additionally, Liberty’s faculty bring relevant academic and professional experience into the online classroom. In this philosophy, politics, and economics degree, course concepts are connected to business, government, economic forecasting, public policy, and international markets. You can study under instructors who understand how ideas, institutions, and financial systems intersect outside the classroom. Through that blend of scholarship and real-world analysis, Liberty’s program can help you examine economic issues with clarity and purpose while staying grounded in ethical analysis.


Liberty’s applied economics program begins with the larger questions behind economic life and public responsibility. You’ll study ethics, constitutional government, American entrepreneurship, probability and statistics, macroeconomics, political philosophy, and the relationship between freedom and society. These core topics can help you examine how ideas about human flourishing, civic responsibility, and free enterprise shape economic and political systems in both American and international contexts.

Within the applied economics specialization, Liberty’s coursework focuses on financial systems, global markets, and data-informed analysis. You’ll explore how the U.S. and international financial systems operate, including the role of the Federal Reserve, monetary theory, and monetary policy’s effect on markets and the economy.

Through coursework in forecasting and predictive analytics, you will examine data collection, pattern discovery, regression forecasting, and time series methods that are often used to interpret trends and support planning. These studies can help you build a stronger foundation for evaluating economic patterns, communicating findings, and considering business decisions with a broader context, especially when data must be interpreted for practical use.

Because applied economics often crosses national borders, Liberty’s program includes global business and trade topics. You’ll study country differences in political economy and culture, cross-border trade and investment, global strategy, global operations, and international human resources considerations. Coursework also covers market integration and trade agreements, including major regional and international economic partnerships that influence how organizations operate across borders and respond to emerging markets.

Practical application is woven into the way this degree connects philosophy, politics, and economics. You’ll evaluate ancient and modern political and economic ideas while considering how those ideas influence current markets, institutions, and public policy. By combining applied economics with ethical and political analysis, this degree can help you prepare for career paths tied to economic forecasting, public service, project coordination, cultural liaison work, management, and graduate study.

Degree Completion Plan coming soon


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At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for all undergraduate courses at no additional cost to you. As a full-time student, this could save you an estimated $800-2,000 per year on textbooks!

Undergraduate Full Time $390/Credit
Undergraduate Part Time $455/Credit
Military Undergraduate $250/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.


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Military

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

  • Active Duty
  • Reserve/National Guard
  • Veterans/Retirees
  • Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
  • Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

  • Tuition discounts – $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
  • Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $565 per course)*
  • 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
  • Potential college credit for military training

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.