International Relations and World Philosophies

International relations and world philosophies is an unusual and intellectually rich combination that brings together the study of global politics with deep engagement with philosophical traditions from beyond the Western canon. International relations examines how states, institutions, and non-state actors interact in an anarchic global order, exploring questions of war, peace, trade, development, human rights, and the norms that govern international conduct. World philosophies extends the analytical toolkit by drawing on philosophical traditions from South Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Islamic world, and Indigenous thought, raising questions about the assumptions that underlie standard approaches to international relations.

At the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, this combination takes on particular depth and coherence. SOAS has exceptional expertise in the philosophies, cultures, and political traditions of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and this programme draws on that expertise to offer a perspective on global affairs that is genuinely global rather than implicitly Western in its framing. You will engage with international relations theory, comparative politics, and the history of international order alongside philosophical inquiry into ethics, knowledge, and the nature of justice as understood across different intellectual traditions.

The foundation year element provides an accessible entry route and builds the academic skills needed for degree-level study. The typical entry tariff is 136 UCAS points, and the degree is studied full time over three years.

Graduates go on to careers in international organisations, diplomacy, the civil service, development agencies, NGOs, journalism, academia, and think tanks. Further study options include postgraduate degrees in international relations, development studies, philosophy, and area studies.