Studies & Degrees in Indian Philosophy
Choose where you would like to study Indian Philosophy:
IndiaJapanThe United StatesAre you a graduate student, perhaps with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, and looking for a unique specialty in which to focus your graduate studies? Have you considered pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Indian Philosophy, a program that can also lead to PhD studies in the same discipline? In the Master of Arts degree program in Indian Philosophy students have the unique opportunity to study some of the earliest philosophical compositions of the world, exposing them to a philosophical tradition that is as rich as it is diverse. To help you become more familiar with this program, below we have provided a brief synopsis of the Master of Arts degree program in Indian Philosophy, including some of the content and topics you are likely to encounter and the eligibility requirements for admission into the program.
Master of Arts Degree in Indian Philosophy: About the Program
The Master of Arts degree in Indian Philosophy is a two year research-training program specifically focused on India’s rich philosophical literature. Students in the program will develop the research skills necessary to continue in the area, either as a PhD student or instructor, especially by learning to read different genres of Sanskrit philosophical texts, and developing competencies in the various Indian schools of thought. Students will develop and hone their general philosophical knowledge, and study the relationship between Indian, Greek and European philosophical thinking. In many institutions, the Master of Arts program also has links with local and regional Hindu and Buddhist groups outside academia.
Master of Arts Degree in Indian Philosophy: Course Content and Topics
Students pursuing the Master of Arts degree in Indian Philosophy will study ancient texts dealing with the general and fundamental ideas and problems of existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Some of the subjects that are typically studied under this degree include:
- Western Metaphysics
- Traditional and Propositional Logic
- Indian Epistemology
- History and Philosophy of Natural Science
- Analytic Philosophy
- Indian Philosophies of Life
- Philosophical Psychology
- Early Buddhism
- Sankhya
- Schools of Vedanta Philosophy of Social Science
- Environmental Philosophy and Ethics
- Gandhian Philosophy
- Ethics and Meta-ethics
- And more…
Not only will students have the opportunity to delve fully into the rich traditions of Indian Philosophy, they will compare and contrast these schools of thought with those of Greek and European philosophers, including Plato, Descartes, Hume, Wittgenstein and Aquinas, among others.
Master of Arts Degree in Indian Philosophy: Eligibility Requirements
Students who wish to pursue the Master of Arts Degree in Indian Philosophy must possess at least a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy or a related field. Additionally, because the program will deal with ancient Indian texts, students should already have a reasonable competence in the Sanskrit language, for example through having attended a summer school or via other previous tuition.
Students who successfully complete the Master of Arts degree program are encouraged to continue into the PhD program—a three-year research program designed for students who have a particular interest in working with a member of the faculty on an area within their range of specialty.