Global and Comparative Philosophy (MA)

Why Leiden University

A top-ranking university

Leiden University's Faculty of Humanities is consistently ranked among the top 30 Humanities faculties worldwide in the THE World University Ranking. At Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands, you will have access to the best teaching staff, the very latest research, and a wealth of resources found nowhere else in the world, including those of the famous Leiden University Library and its collections of original manuscripts and periodicals.

Accomplished teaching faculty; an individual approach

The Leiden Institute for Philosophy is a leading centre of academic research with an exceptionally broad range of research streams. Our students can pursue specialised areas of interest not available elsewhere, and our Institute is distinguished by its collegiality and emphasis on dialogue across different traditions. All classes are taught by accomplished scholars from Leiden as well as scholars from our international network of philosophy departments. Small classes give students valuable time interacting with their lecturers, who offer a high level of personal support and guidance.

Research expertise

Teaching at Leiden Institute for Philosophy is based on research, and the wide expertise of our staff allows high-quality individual supervision in all areas of continental philosophy. Researchers also inspire one another and collaborate via The Leiden Centre for Continental Philosophy (LCCP), which is one of five research clusters at the Institute for Philosophy. LCCP brings together academic staff, PhD students and international guests in research seminars, workshops and colloquia, which are also open to MA students.

Access to the Humanities Hub labs

As a Humanities master’s student you will have access to the Humanities Hub which comprises labs with digital facilities for both students and researchers. The labs include an AI Lab, Media lab, film studio and podcast studio and give you the opportunity to develop your digital and media skills within the field of the humanities. Check the Humanities Hub page for a full list of all the labs and facilities.

An excellent start to your career

A degree from Leiden University is well-regarded by organisations worldwide. Our graduates enjoy successful careers thanks to their broad and global mind-sets, their specialised and in-depth knowledge, and their strong critical thinking skills. The success of our alumni speaks for itself. Our graduates are equipped to solve the challenges facing society now and in the future.  

Diversity and inclusion

We are convinced that our educationa can only flourish if everyone within the programme feels supported, respected and empowered to do their best work. We find it important to offer a learning environment that allows for different perspectives and points of view that students bring with them, depending on their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, health, religion, age or socio-economic background. Every new generation sees the world from a new perspective – we look forward to learning from the perspectives of our students. Leiden University has been pursuing diversity policy since 2014, with the aim of creating a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment for all staff and students.