Creative Arts and World Philosophies

Creative arts and world philosophies is an unusual and genuinely ambitious combination, bringing together practice-based work in the creative arts with philosophical traditions from across the globe. Most philosophy degrees taught in the United Kingdom focus primarily on the Western canon, from ancient Greece through the Enlightenment to contemporary analytic thought. This programme at the School of Oriental and African Studies expands that frame significantly, engaging with philosophical traditions from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and beyond, and asking how different cultures have thought about knowledge, ethics, reality, art and the human condition.

You will develop your skills and thinking as a creative practitioner, working in disciplines that may include visual art, performance, film, writing or other creative forms, while simultaneously building a sophisticated understanding of philosophical frameworks from multiple traditions. The two strands of the degree are not parallel but genuinely integrated: you will bring philosophical perspectives to bear on creative practice, and use creative work to explore philosophical ideas in ways that purely textual study cannot. A foundation year is included, providing additional preparation before you enter the main degree.

Over three years of core study you will develop critical, analytical and creative abilities that are rooted in a genuinely international outlook.

Soas's location in London and its specific expertise in non-Western cultures and languages make this a distinctive environment in which to study. The programme develops intercultural literacy, the ability to move between different knowledge systems, and a critical awareness of whose voices and traditions have historically been centred or marginalised in both philosophy and the arts.

Graduates are well prepared for careers in the arts, creative industries, cultural policy, international organisations, education and non-governmental organisations. Further study in philosophy, area studies, cultural theory or art practice is a common route for those who want to pursue research or specialist expertise.