Arabic and World Philosophies

Arabic is one of the world's major classical and contemporary languages, central to understanding the history, literature, politics, and culture of the Middle East, North Africa, and the wider Islamic world. World philosophies is a field that takes seriously the full range of philosophical traditions produced across human cultures, from the classical Arabic and Islamic philosophical tradition to South Asian, East Asian, African, and Indigenous philosophies, challenging the assumption that philosophy is a primarily Western enterprise. Combining these two disciplines produces an unusually rich and intellectually ambitious degree.

At the School of Oriental and African Studies, you will develop Arabic language proficiency alongside a rigorous engagement with the philosophical traditions of the non-Western world. SOAS offers unparalleled expertise in the languages, cultures, and societies of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and your study of Arabic will be contextualised within a broad cultural and intellectual understanding of the Arab and Islamic worlds. Alongside this, you will study world philosophies, engaging with traditions of thought that are often absent from mainstream philosophy curricula.

The programme includes a foundation year and runs over four years full-time.

Graduates of Arabic and world philosophies programmes pursue careers in diplomacy, international development, journalism, academia, education, the civil service, and cultural institutions. The combination of rare language skills and philosophical training is valued in roles that require intercultural sensitivity, careful analysis, and strong communication across cultural boundaries. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in Islamic studies, philosophy, Middle Eastern studies, or international relations.