Politics: Philosophy and Economics
- Degree
- Undergraduate School
- Credits
- 180 ECTS
- Duration
- 3 Years
- Language
- English
- Year
- 2026/2027
The Luiss Bachelor’s Degree in Politics: Philosophy and Economics, taught entirely in English, offers an international and interdisciplinary pathway that combines philosophy, politics and economics with law, history, sociology and quantitative methods.
The programme prepares students to understand the complexity of contemporary societies and analyse political, economic and social phenomena from different perspectives, at both national and international levels.
The programme develops critical thinking, argumentation skills, ethical awareness and analytical abilities, providing students with the tools needed to address major global challenges related to Artificial Intelligence, sustainability and the protection of fundamental rights.
Director
Cristina Fasone
Cristina Fasone is Associate Professor of Comparative Public Law, Department of Political Science, at Luiss University, where she is also the Director of the BA Program in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, and Visiting Professor at NCU, Torun (Poland). Co-coordinator of the IACL Research Group on Judicial Review and Electoral Law, she has held a Jean Monnet Module 2016-2019 on Parliamentary accountability and technical expertise; local coordinator of the GEM-DIAMOND Marie Curie doctoral network and of the RED-SPINEL Horizon Europe Project. She has published extensively, nationally and internationally, on parliamentary democracy in Europe, legislative studies, secession and differentiated integration, independent fiscal institutions, constitutional adjudication and the rule of law.
The study plan of the Luiss Bachelor’s Degree in Politics: Philosophy and Economics offers a multidisciplinary education in philosophy, history, law, political science, sociology, economics, statistics and social science methodologies.
During the first two years, students acquire the theoretical knowledge and analytical tools needed to interpret the dynamics of contemporary societies and understand the relationships between institutions, markets and political processes.
In the third year, students can personalize their study path by choosing one of the three interdisciplinary tracks focused on:
- Artificial Intelligence;
- Sustainability;
- Fundamental Rights.
The programme also includes elective courses, data analysis, coding, humanities and academic writing workshops, activities to develop soft skills, internships and study abroad opportunities, including through double degree programmes.
Language training includes the development of academic English skills and the study of a second foreign language, chosen from Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and German.
Study Plan
Year 1: 2027/2028
Microeconomics
The course provides the tools needed to understand the economic behaviors of consumers, producers, and markets. There will be a particular focus on how market mechanisms work and when they malfunction.
Contemporary History
The course provides students with an understanding of history from 1789 to 1989, as well as the tools to conduct a complex historical analysis of events and their consequences.
Sociology
The course covers the sociological approach to understanding numerous relevant areas of social life. Upon completion, students will be able to discuss and critically address key sociological issues.
Elements of Mathematical Analysis
The course provides the foundational elements of mathematics that are useful for studying subjects like Statistics and Economics, as well as other disciplines that employ mathematical models. It also provides the main mathematical terms used in scientific language.
AI Literacy and Coding Lab
The course provides a foundation for understanding the operating principles of modern digital technologies and their implications for everyday life. Students will be introduced to computer programming to develop an alternative approach to problem-solving and understand its fundamentals.
Grand Challenge (Module I)
In the first two years of the degree program, students tackle a social challenge aimed at fostering their civic engagement. Under the guidance of an academic tutor, they will develop and complete a project—either research-focused or policy-oriented—potentially linked to an internship.
Public Law
The course is designed to provide students with a foundational knowledge and understanding of the broader framework of public law and its impact on political systems, as well as to serve as a prerequisite for subsequent legal courses.
Political Philosophy
The course aims to introduce students to the main paradigms of contemporary political philosophy, developing their critical thinking and ability to analyze political issues at both the national and global levels.
Behavioral Economics and Psychology
The course aims to equip students with knowledge of the main topics in behavioral economics and their applications, as well as an overview of the fundamentals of utility theory through psychological tools and theories.
Statistics
The course introduces the main concepts of probability and statistics, providing the methodological foundations for data collection and analysis. Students will then be able to understand and interpret statistical models.
Humanities - one elective course between:
Humanities lab: reading classics for civic leadership
Humanities lab: Nature of Reasoning
Humanities lab: the politics of meaning. An introduction to semiotics
Year 2: 2028/2029
Lab of Data Analysis for Economics and Political Science
By the end of the workshop, students will be able to collect and process data, interpret the results, and communicate them in a way that is useful to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, while also developing critical thinking skills.
Macroeconomics
The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of economics as a system of businesses, institutions, and consumers, with a focus on the main features of economic policies and the role of the state in the economy.
International Relations
The course provides students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze the international system, examining the main interpretative paradigms, the historical development of the discipline, analytical approaches to international politics, and the main issues in contemporary global politics.
Methods of Social Research
The course introduces students to the logic of social inquiry and the practice of empirical research, teaching them how to tackle the fundamental concepts and techniques used in the social sciences.
History of Political Thought
The course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the historical roots and evolution of classical and modern political thought. It also provides methodological skills, such as the ability to read historical texts.
Grand Challenge (Module II)
In the first two years of the degree program, students tackle a social challenge aimed at fostering their civic engagement. Under the guidance of an academic tutor, they will develop and complete a project—either research-focused or policy-oriented—potentially linked to an internship.
International Law
The course develops students’ knowledge and understanding of international law, strengthening their ability to engage with the key issues within the field that shape the evolution of contemporary international relations.
European Union Law
The course aims to provide a general understanding of the EU’s institutional architecture, its legal system, and the internal market, while also developing a critical approach to EU legal issues.
Political Science
The course provides students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze political systems, exploring key interpretative paradigms, the historical development of the discipline, analytical approaches, and central issues in contemporary politics.
Academic Writing Skills
The course provides the knowledge and skills needed to write a variety of academic texts clearly, coherently, and accurately, as well as the linguistic components and writing strategies suitable for a wide range of contexts and purposes.
Year 3: 2029/2030
Economics of Digital Innovation
The course critically examines various innovation models and practices related to the pervasive use of digital technologies, as well as the competition and collaboration models that characterize the contemporary economy.
Artificial Intelligence for Social Impact
The course delves deeply into the nature and characteristics of artificial intelligence devices, providing students with both theoretical and practical knowledge of how they are built and how they work. Building on these skills, students will develop the ability to assess the social impacts of these tools.
The Law and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
The course equips students with the knowledge to address the legal and ethical implications arising from the use of AI technologies and tools in national and international systems.
Additional credits
2 Electives
Academic English
Second Mandatory Language
Internship
Other activities
Final Thesis
Total ECTS
Year 1: 2027/2028
Microeconomics
The course equips students with the tools they need to understand the economic behaviors of consumers, producers, and markets. There will be a particular focus on how market mechanisms work and when they malfunction.
Contemporary History
The course aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of history from 1789 to 1989 and equip them with the tools to conduct a complex historical analysis of an event and its consequences.
Sociology
The course covers the sociological approach to understanding numerous relevant areas of social life. Upon completion, students will be able to discuss and critically address key sociological issues.
Elements of Mathematical Analysis
The course provides the foundational elements of mathematics that are useful for studying subjects like Statistics and Economics, as well as other disciplines that employ mathematical models. It also provides the main mathematical terms used in scientific language.
AI Literacy and Coding Lab
The course provides a foundation for understanding the operating principles of modern digital technologies and their implications for everyday life. Students will be introduced to computer programming to develop an alternative approach to problem-solving and understand its fundamentals.
Grand Challenge (Module I)
In the first two years of the degree program, students tackle a social challenge aimed at fostering their civic engagement. Under the guidance of an academic tutor, they will develop and complete a project—either research-focused or policy-oriented—potentially linked to an internship.
Public Law
The course is designed to provide students with a foundational knowledge and understanding of the broader framework of public law and its impact on political systems, as well as to serve as a prerequisite for subsequent legal courses.
Political Philosophy
This course introduces the main paradigms of contemporary political philosophy, fostering critical thinking and the ability to analyze political issues at both the national and global levels.
Behavioral Economics and Psychology
This course explores the key concepts of behavioral economics and their practical applications. It also provides an overview of utility theory, incorporating psychological tools and theories to enhance understanding.
Statistics
The course introduces the main concepts of probability and statistics, providing the methodological foundations for data collection and analysis. Students will then be able to understand and interpret statistical models.
Humanities - one elective course between:
Humanities lab: reading classics for civic leadership
Humanities lab: Nature of Reasoning
Humanities lab: the politics of meaning. An introduction to semiotics
Year 2: 2028/2029
Lab of Data Analysis for Economics and Political Science
By the end of the workshop, students will be able to collect and process data, interpret the results, and communicate them in a way that is useful to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, while also developing critical thinking skills.
Macroeconomics
The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of economics as a system of businesses, institutions, and consumers, with a focus on the main features of economic policies and the role of the state in the economy.
International Relations
The course provides students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze the international system, examining the main interpretative paradigms, the historical development of the discipline, analytical approaches to international politics, and the main issues in contemporary global politics.
Methods of Social Research
The course introduces students to the logic of social inquiry and the practice of empirical research, teaching them how to approach the fundamental concepts and techniques used in the social sciences.
History of Political Thought
The course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the historical roots and evolution of classical and modern political thought. It also provides methodological skills, such as the ability to read historical texts.
Grand Challenge (Module II)
In this module, we tackle a social challenge to promote civic engagement. Under the guidance of an academic mentor, you will develop a project that can focus on research or policy, with the option to link it to an internship experience.
International Law
The course develops their knowledge and understanding of international law, strengthening their ability to engage with the key issues in the field that shape the evolution of contemporary international relations.
European Union Law
The course aims to provide a general understanding of the EU’s institutional architecture, its legal system, and the internal market, while also developing a critical approach to EU legal issues.
Political Science
The course provides students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze political systems, exploring key interpretative paradigms, the historical development of the discipline, analytical approaches, and central issues in contemporary politics.
Academic Writing Skills
The course provides the knowledge and skills needed to write a variety of academic texts clearly, coherently, and accurately, as well as the linguistic components and writing strategies suitable for a wide range of contexts and purposes.
Year 3: 2029/2030
Development Economics
The course introduces contemporary research on the political economy of development. Students will learn to answer key questions about the proximate and fundamental causes of growth and development, consistently linking theories to real-world examples.
Global Demography
The course covers both demographic methods and substantive analyses. It examines demographic processes to understand how to interpret trends related to mortality and health, fertility, migration, and the age structure of the population.
Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability
The course aims to introduce students to key concepts, data, philosophical principles, and fundamental dilemmas in sustainability studies, as well as issues related to environmental ethics and economic and political geography.
Additional credits
2 Electives
Academic English
Second Mandatory Language
Other activities
Internship
Final Thesis
Total ECTS
Year 1: 2027/2028
Microeconomics
The course equips students with the tools they need to understand the economic behaviors of consumers, producers, and markets. There will be a particular focus on how market mechanisms work and when they malfunction.
Contemporary History
The course aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of history from 1789 to 1989 and equip them with the tools to conduct a complex historical analysis of an event and its consequences.
Sociology
The course covers the sociological approach to understanding numerous relevant areas of social life. Upon completion, students will be able to discuss and critically address key sociological issues.
Elements of Mathematical Analysis
The course provides the foundational elements of mathematics that are useful for studying subjects like Statistics and Economics, as well as other disciplines that employ mathematical models. It also provides the main mathematical terms used in scientific language.
AI Literacy and Coding Lab
The course provides a foundation for understanding the operating principles of modern digital technologies and their implications for everyday life. Students will be introduced to computer programming to develop an alternative approach to problem-solving and understand its fundamentals.
Grand Challenge (Module I)
In the first two years of the degree program, students tackle a social challenge aimed at fostering their civic engagement. Under the guidance of an academic tutor, they will develop and complete a project—either research-focused or policy-oriented—potentially linked to an internship.
Public Law
The course is designed to provide students with a foundational knowledge and understanding of the broader framework of public law and its impact on political systems, as well as to serve as a prerequisite for subsequent legal courses.
Political Philosophy
The course aims to introduce students to the main paradigms of contemporary political philosophy, developing their critical thinking and ability to analyze political issues at both the national and global levels.
Behavioral Economics and Psychology
The course aims to equip students with knowledge of the main topics in behavioral economics and their applications, as well as an overview of the fundamentals of utility theory through psychological tools and theories.
Statistics
The course introduces the main concepts of probability and statistics, providing the methodological foundation for data collection and analysis. Students will then be able to understand and interpret statistical models.
Humanities - one elective course between:
Humanities lab: reading classics for civic leadership
Humanities lab: Nature of Reasoning
Humanities lab: the politics of meaning. An introduction to semiotics
Year 2: 2028/2029
Lab of Data Analysis for Economics and Political Science
By the end of the workshop, students will be able to collect and process data, interpret the results, and communicate them in a way that is useful to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, while also developing critical thinking skills.
Macroeconomics
The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of economics as a system of businesses, institutions, and consumers, with a focus on the main features of economic policies and the role of the state in the economy.
International Relations
The course provides students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze the international system, examining the main interpretative paradigms, the historical development of the discipline, analytical approaches to international politics, and the main issues in contemporary global politics.
Methods of Social Research
The course introduces students to the logic of social inquiry and the practice of empirical research, teaching them how to approach the fundamental concepts and techniques used in the social sciences.
History of Political Thought
The course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the historical roots and evolution of classical and modern political thought. It also provides methodological skills, such as the ability to read historical texts.
Grand Challenge (Module II)
In the first two years of the degree program, students tackle a social challenge aimed at fostering their civic engagement. Under the guidance of an academic tutor, they will develop and complete a project—either research-focused or policy-oriented—potentially linked to an internship.
International Law
The course develops students’ knowledge and understanding of international law, strengthening their ability to engage with the key issues within the field that shape the evolution of contemporary international relations.
European Union Law
The course aims to provide a general understanding of the EU’s institutional architecture, its legal system, and the internal market, while also developing a critical approach to EU legal issues.
Political Science
The course provides students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze political systems, exploring key interpretative paradigms, the historical development of the discipline, analytical approaches, and central issues in contemporary politics.
Academic Writing Skills
The course provides the knowledge and skills needed to write a variety of academic texts clearly, coherently, and accurately, as well as the linguistic components and writing strategies suitable for a wide range of contexts and purposes.
Year 3: 2029/2030
Economics of Inequality
The course explores the connections between economics and global inequalities. The goal is to equip students with analytical tools to understand the main theoretical and empirical issues related to this political and economic topic, such as the redistribution of resources and the presence of poverty in contemporary societies.
History of Political Institutions
The course aims to familiarize students with Western political systems and the characteristics of the main Western institutional structures and models, their historical development, and their theoretical foundations, thereby enabling a more in-depth understanding of contemporary politics.
Multilevel Protection of Fundamental Rights
The course offers a comparative analysis of systems for protecting fundamental rights at the national and supranational levels. It will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the judicial and democratic safeguards applied in critical contemporary contexts and scenarios.
Additional Credits
2 Electives
Academic English
Second Mandatory Language
Internship
Other activities
Final Thesis
Total ECTS
Luiss offers students enrolled in the Bachelor’s Degree in Politics: Philosophy and Economics numerous international opportunities to study abroad and enrich their academic journey.
Available programmes include:
- Double Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics with Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand;
- Double Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics with Sciences Po Bordeaux;
- Joint Program in Social Science with Sciences Po;
- International Honours Programme – Stanford Summer Session;
- Erasmus+ and international exchanges;
- Free Mover Semester Abroad;
- Summer Schools Abroad;
- ENGAGE.EU International Mobility Programmes.
Discover all the international programmes and study abroad opportunities offered by Luiss to develop language and intercultural skills and prepare for an international career path.
Starting from October 2026, the admission calls will be published, providing the requirements, application procedures and deadlines for submitting an application for admission to the Bachelor’s Degree in Politics: Philosophy and Economics.
Tuition Fee
The annual tuition fee for enrolment in the first year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Politics: Philosophy and Economics for the 2027/2028 academic year is €15,000, payable in three instalments, in addition to the regional tax.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Luiss offers scholarships and partial or full tuition fee waivers, also thanks to the support of public and private partners. Students can access concrete financial support throughout their academic journey.
The Bachelor’s Degree in Politics: Philosophy and Economics offers concrete career prospects and numerous opportunities to continue studying in Italy or abroad.
Graduates can pursue professional paths within international organisations, public institutions, administrations, think tanks, non-governmental organisations and private companies.
The interdisciplinary skills developed throughout the programme enable students to analyse complex political, economic and social issues, develop well-founded arguments and contribute to the design of strategies and policies focused on innovation, sustainability and the protection of fundamental rights.
The programme also provides a solid foundation for accessing Luiss Master’s Degree Programmes, first-level university Master’s programmes or postgraduate programmes in political science, philosophy, economics, international relations and related fields.
Luiss Alumni Network
After graduation, students can join the Luiss Alumni Network, an international community of more than 70,000 alumni.
Through 19 international chapters, the network fosters professional relationships, experience sharing and dialogue across generations. Activities include networking events, training sessions, reunions, cultural visits and initiatives dedicated to the alumni community.
