COURSE CURRICULUM

The Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives bachelor’s program at Leiden University is a three-year degree designed to provide students with a broad and comparative understanding of philosophical traditions from around the world. In the first year, students take ten compulsory courses that introduce a range of philosophical subjects and traditions, combining lectures and tutorials. Courses include Philosophy of Culture, which examines concepts such as worldview, episteme, habitus, and intercultural interaction; World Philosophies: India, covering pre-modern Indian schools of thought including Buddhism, Jainism, Yoga, Vedānta, and early Vedic texts; World Philosophies: Modern Europe, exploring the ideas of Bacon, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Hume, and Kant on morality, knowledge, freedom, and subjectivity; and Logic, which teaches formal reasoning, propositional and predicate logic, and methods to identify fallacious arguments. This foundation year equips students with critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and academic skills necessary for philosophical inquiry.In the second year, students continue their philosophical training through five compulsory courses, which include advanced topics in intercultural philosophical hermeneutics and a program of individual seminars tailored to each student’s interests. Students begin to explore comparative perspectives in more depth, analysing the intersections between different philosophical traditions and understanding how global cultural contexts shape philosophical thinking.The third year offers greater flexibility and personalisation. In the first semester, students have discretionary space to choose electives, study abroad, or follow a minor. In the final semester, students select two advanced seminars of their choice and write a bachelor’s thesis, which allows them to conduct independent research, critically analyse philosophical texts, and present arguments coherently in both written and oral form.Graduates of the program gain strong analytical, critical thinking, and intercultural skills, preparing them for careers in academia, education, policy-making, and international organisations. By combining global perspectives with rigorous philosophical training, the program equips students to contribute meaningfully to debates and challenges in philosophy, culture, and society in a globalised 21st-century context.