Global and Comparative Philosophy (MA)
About the programme
The programme consists of 60 EC, to be completed in one year.
Programme structure
You will take a mandatory introduction seminar entitled Intercultural Philosophical Hermeneutics followed by three elective courses (10 EC each) in the area of Global and Comparative Philosophy courses (10 EC each). In the second semester, you will be writing your master’s thesis (20 EC) supported by a mandatory thesis seminar.
The master’s thesis should be an independent academic contribution to philosophy in the field of Global and Comparative Philosophy. Before graduation you will sit for a final exam for which you will defend your thesis and possibly answer questions about a selection of other subjects.
Assessment of courses is normally based on class presentations, assignments, and a final (research) paper.
Detailed programme
For a detailed programme, see the Prospectus.
Please note that this guide applies to the current academic year, which means that the curriculum for next year may slightly differ.
Dr. Stephen Harris
Lecturer
"I teach comparative philosophy and Indian philosophy. One of the great things about this programme is that it builds on Leiden’s strong tradition in political and continental philosophy by exploring the work of Asian and Islamic thinkers. In addition to Plato, Heidegger and Rawls, students can study the teachings of the Buddha, Nagarjuna, Confucius and Avicenna. In my courses I draw upon classical and contemporary traditions from around the globe to discuss a particular set of issues. In one of my electives we investigate what it means to flourish as a human being. We study ancient Greek notions of happiness, contemporary analytic work on the concept of well-being, Buddhist critiques of pleasure, and the Daoist emphasis on creativity and spontaneous reaction in collaborative thinking."
Admission and Application
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