BA World Philosophies and ...

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Philosophy has been a significant activity in most cultures for several thousand years. It seems to be a natural development of human societies to ask complex questions about the fundamental nature of reality, about what it is to be human, about what constitutes a good life, about the nature of beauty, justice, knowledge and truth, of how to confront and resolve ethical dilemmas.

A degree in philosophy from SOAS, with its focus on the philosophical traditions of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, offers you the opportunity to become conversant with the formal epistemological systems and traditions of argumentation, political and ethical systems of thought, and analysis from a wider range of societies and historical contexts than those of the traditional philosophy graduate. Not only do we have a range of unparalleled expertise in the philosophical traditions of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, many of the School’s lecturers are trained in and conversant with European philosophical traditions. The range of languages offered in the School ensures that you will encounter philosophical traditions in their vernacular contexts.

In addition to the ability to think critically and logically, acquired through the study of philosophy in general, the study of philosophies from Asia, Africa and the Middle East will enable you to take a broad, balanced, and comprehensive view, to listen attentively to and understand others’ viewpoints with empathy and deep cultural insight. With these skills in hand, you will develop the capacity to become effective mediators between and within diverse societies, in complex and demanding environments and situations. SOAS is uniquely placed to offer a philosophy programme that can equip students with the skills and training to meet this challenge.

May be combined with:

• Arabic+
• Chinese+
• Development Studies
• East Asian Studies
• History
• History of Art
• International Relations
• Japanese+
• Korean+
• Languages and Cultures
• Music
• Politics
• Social Anthropology+ 4-year degree with (compulsory) one year abroad

++ 3 or 4-year degree with the option of one year abroad

Who is this programme for?

This degree will suit high-performing students with a global outlook, an interest in diverse philosophical traditions and cultural parameters of non-Western societies, coupled with an aptitude in intellectual history and critical thought. Individuals with inter-cultural competency—the ability to exchange values and concepts, to value and communicate different modes of understanding in the marketplace of ideas—are in huge demand in the job market.

Structure

The structure of the BA World Philosophies, taken as a single-subject honours degree, ensures that students gain a rigorous grounding in core philosophical themes, concepts, problems and approaches drawn from European, Anglophone, and non-European philosophical traditions with accompanying flexibility built in to enable regional or thematic specialism or language capability.

Modules to the equivalent of 120 credits must be taken in each year. Modules to the equivalent of 60 credits are compulsory per year, with students free to select a further 60 credits from a list of options in various traditions or themes in World Philosophies or to choose a language specialism.

The structure of the BA World Philosophies and… introduces students to core philosophical themes, concepts, problems and approaches drawn from European, Anglophone, and non-European philosophical traditions with accompanying flexibility built in to enable regional or thematic specialism or language capability. Taken as a joint honours degree, it enables students to combine the study of the core and compulsory components of World Philosophies with a number of other subject areas offered in the School.

Modules to the equivalent of 30 credits must be taken in each year. In year 1 and 2, modules to the equivalent of 30 credits are compulsory, with students choosing modules for the remaining credits from a list of defined options. In year 3, both modules are compulsory.

The first year of the programme provides an essential foundation in World Philosophies, and introduces core topics in Philosophy, with additional options available that enable focus on discrete traditions, a language, or thematic components.

The second year builds on the foundations established in the first year, enabling students to grapple with questions of interpretation, hermeneutics, phenomenology, and dialogue between and within philosophical traditions. Core components of philosophical methods and concepts are also taught and students are encouraged to develop a regional or thematic specialism, choosing from a wide range of options that address philosophical themes or offer training in specific philosophical traditions. Language training is also encouraged.

The third and final year is characterised by a focus on epistemology and critique, independent research, and the consolidation of a chosen regional or thematic specialism. All students undertake a supervised Independent Study Project which is intended to consolidate and extend a student’s philosophical tradition-based understanding and knowledge applied to prominent themes or debates in the field of World Philosophies.

Year 1

Compulsory module

• World Philosophies in Context

Plus

any modules from List Below - Guided Options

• Comparative Ethics
• Debates, Methods and Themes in World Philosophies
• Reading and Writing Philosophy

Second subject

You can choose modules to the value of 60 credits from your second subject

Year 2

Compulsory module

• Philosophies of Interpretation and Understanding
• Philosophies of Language

Plus

any modules from List Below - Guided Options

• Introduction to Epistemology
• Introduction to Logic, Critical Reasoning and Argumentation
• Metaphysics in Comparative Perspective
• Philosophy, Race, and Racism

or

modules from Traditions of Philosophy List Below

Second subject

You can choose modules to the value of 60 credits from your second subject

Year 3

Compulsory modules

• 'The Margins of Philosophy': Postcolonial, Gender, and Queer Epistemologies

Second subject

You can choose modules to the value of 60 credits from your second subject

Traditions of Philosophy List

• Modern Indian Philosophy
• Ancient and Medieval Indian Philosophy
• Buddhist Philosophy
• R440 Jaina Philosophy
• Classical Chinese Thought
• R471 Taoism: the Great Tradition
• Japanese Buddhist Thought
• African Philosophy
• Philosophy and Decolonisation
• Modern Jewish Thought
• Islamic Philosophy
• R451 Jewish Identity from Ancient to Modern Times
• The Holocaust and the Problem of Evil

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.

Employment

A degree in philosophy is highly regarded by employers of many kinds. They understand the skills acquired in the study of philosophy as important for management and leadership roles.

• Philosophy teaches students how to analyse and communicate ideas in a clear, rational and comprehensive manner.
• Students of philosophy learn solid argumentation skills and critical analysis: they learn how to learn, how to develop solid reasoning and assess the strengths and weakness of arguments, and how to communicate their ideas effectively and persuasively.
• Students of philosophy develop skills of vision, creativity, and analytical power which are valuable in all contexts where precision, clarity and sophisticated abstract planning and analysis are required.

The BA World Philosophies degree will thus be of value to those students wishing to pursue careers that require the acute ability to negotiate with other cultures and communities at all levels, from international development, information technologies, management, finance and banking, the civil service, human rights and international law, diversity management and local government, journalism, as well as the diplomatic corps, and in transnational policy formation roles.

Prospective careers include:

• International diplomacy
• Education
• Legal profession
• Civil Service
• Marketing
• Journalism
• Psychotherapy
• Recruitment
• Finance and Business consultancy/analysis
• Banking
• Information Technology
• International development
• Government and politics
• Charitable/NGO sector
• Arts management