World Philosophies

World philosophies is a degree that takes philosophy seriously as a genuinely global discipline rather than a primarily Western one. Every major human culture has grappled with the fundamental questions that philosophy addresses: what is the nature of reality, what does it mean to live well, what are the foundations of knowledge, what constitutes justice, and how should human beings confront mortality and uncertainty? The traditions that have emerged from these inquiries in South Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Islamic world, and the indigenous cultures of the Americas are as rich and rigorous as the Greek and European traditions that dominate most Western philosophy curricula, and studying them together transforms what philosophy is and can do.

At SOAS, University of London, this three-year, full-time degree is taught within an institution with unrivalled expertise in the cultures, languages, and intellectual traditions of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. You will engage with philosophical traditions in their own terms, reading texts in translation and examining the conceptual frameworks that different traditions have developed to address the same profound questions. The programme includes a foundation year for students who need to build their academic foundations before the main degree.

You will develop skills in careful argument, cross-cultural comparison, and the reading of complex texts, alongside a broad and genuinely international intellectual education.

Graduates from this programme find careers in international organisations, diplomacy, NGOs, education, journalism, publishing, and public policy, where the ability to think across cultural frameworks is genuinely valuable. The philosophical training in argument and ethical reasoning is also valued in law, the civil service, and any professional role that requires careful thinking about complex questions. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in philosophy, religious studies, area studies, or international relations.