Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives

First Year

All first-year courses, including the Research Seminar, are compulsory.

Second Year

In the first semester students follow six mandatory courses.
The decretionary space (30 EC's) has been scheduled for the second semester.

Students who wish to move the discretionary space to their third year of study are allowed take third-year electives in philosophy in the second semester of their second year, provided that they have completed their first year and at least 10 EC's of the second year's mandatory courses.

Third Year

Structure third-year programme (on offer in 2019-2020)

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First Semester
30 EC Three elective courses in philosophy (each 10 EC, level 300-400)

Second Semester
20 EC Two elective courses in philosophy (each 10 EC, level 300-400)
10 EC BA Thesis and Thesis Seminar (level 400)

At least three of the five elective courses must below to the specialisation Global and Comparative Philosophy.
Course topics are varying from year to year.

Third-year courses on offer in 2018-2019

In 2018-2019 the third-year courses listed below are available for second-year students who wish to move the discretionary space to their third year of study. Please be informed that admissions requirements apply, and that several courses from specialisations outside Global and Comparative Philosophy are being taught in Dutch.

More info

Attainment levels Full-time and part-time Programme Regulations on the Binding Study Advice Compensation BA Thesis and graduation requirements Master's programmes after graduation

Attainment levels

Graduates of the programme have attained the following learning outcomes, listed according to the Dublin descriptors:

1. Knowledge and understanding

Graduates have knowledge and understanding in the area of philosophy that far exceeds the level of secondary education, in particular as regards:

• the historical development of Western philosophy, also in relation to the development of the various branches of learning;

• the societal and cultural significance of Western philosophy, also from a global and comparative perspective;

• the main classical elements of Western philosophy, their problems, their methods and their key concepts;

• for the specialisations Ethiek en politieke filosofie (Ethics and political philosophy), Filosofie van mens, techniek en cultuur (Philosophy of humans, technology and culture), Geschiedenis van de filosofie (History of philosophy) and Theoretische filosofie (Theoretical philosophy): metaphysics, Continental philosophy and political philosophy, and also recent developments in the area of the specialisation;

• for the specialisation Global and Comparative Perspectives: the philosophical traditions of India, China and the Middle East, and also recent developments in the area of comparative philosophy.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

Graduates are able to apply their knowledge and understanding in the area of philosophy by:

• independently collecting philosophical literature relating to a theme, using both traditional and modern methods, and evaluating this literature in terms of relevance and quality;

• independently studying and analysing philosophical texts in terms of arguments and conclusions, evaluating them in terms of their argumentative qualities, understanding their interconnections and situating them in a broader historical, societal or academic context;

• independently identifying and analysing problems in the area of the specialisation, critically evaluating proposed solutions, and mapping out lines of further research;

• independently formulating a philosophical, clearly delineated research question in the area of the specialisation, situating this question in a philosophical context, and developing an argument to answer the question.

3. Making judgements

Graduates are able to:

• concisely and constructively formulate a critique of philosophical standpoints and substantiate this critique with arguments;

• determine their own standpoint on philosophical questions and substantiate this with arguments in accordance with the norms of the chosen style of philosophy.

4. Communication

Graduates are able to:

• clearly express themselves in both oral and written form in the programme’s language(s) of instruction (Dutch and English for the specialisations Ethiek en politieke filosofie [Ethics and Political Philosophy], Filosofie van mens, techniek en cultuur [Philosophy of Mind, Culture and Technology], Geschiedenis van de filosofie [History of Philosophy] and Theoretische filosofie [Theoretical Philosophy], and English for the specialisation Global and Comparative Perspectives);

• concisely and constructively participate in and lead academic discussions;

• give a clearly structured and accessible argument in the form of an oral presentation, supported by digital presentation techniques;

• clearly explain complex issues in written form.

5. Learning skills

Graduates are able to:

• ask for feedback and process other people’s criticism;

• independently formulate and execute a research plan.

Furthermore, each humanities programme at Leiden University trains students in the general academic skills formulated by the Faculty. These skills relate to the Dublin descriptors Judgement, Communication, and Learning skills as specified in Appendix A of the general section of the BA Course and Examination Regulations (OER).

Full-time and part-time

The BA programme Philosophy: Global and Comparative Philosophy is offered as a full-time programme as well as a part-time programme.

Programme

To be announced.

Regulations on the Binding Study Advice (BSA)

For the BA programme in Philosophy (full time and part-time) the regulations on Binding Study advice (BSA) apply. These regulations contain information concerning the (binding) study advice issued to Leiden University students during their Bachelor’s programme, the requirements to be met for the issuance of positive advice, exceptions, transitional rulings and the procedures for cases of exceptional (personal) circumstances. For the Bachelor's programme in Philosophy no additional requirements have been set.

Compensation

For the BA programme Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives compensation of failed grades is possible in cases where:

a. the weighted average in the specific cluster is at least 6.0;
b. the student has no more than one failed grade for any of the study components in the specified cluster;
c. none of the grades awarded in the specified cluster is lower than 5.0;
d. at least one of the study components in the specified cluster has been graded with at least 8.0.

If a student meets these conditions, he/she is supposed to have met the requirements for the exam for which he/she prepares him/herself with this cluster of study components.

Given the above-mentioned compensation scheme, the following clusters of study components exists within the programme.

In the propaedeuse compensation between the courses is possible within the following cluster:

Cluster 1

• Comparative Philosophy I: Classical Readings

• Comparative Philosophy II: Methodology

• Epistemology

• Ethics

• Logic

• Philosophy of Culture

Compensation is not possible after the propeadeuse.

BA Thesis and graduation requirements

To be announced.

Master's programmes after graduation

MA in Philosophy

The bachelor's degree in Philosophy gives direct admisson to the one-years master's programme in Philosophy (60 EC) at Leiden University.

Teacher's programme in Philosophy

A master’s programme which prepares you for a position in education in the Netherlands, for example at a secondary school or in adult education. There are a number of criteria students of Philosophy have to meet to be eligible for this programme. See ICLON, Lerarenopleiding (in Dutch), and World Teacher's Programme