Philosophy (MA)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Offered by the Department of Philosophy and Religion , College of Arts and Sciences .

Admission to the Program

Applicants must meet the minimum university requirements for graduate study. Admission is based on academic record, two letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and an academic writing sample. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General is required.

Tracks

History of Philosophy or Philosophy and Social Policy

Degree Requirements

33 credit hours of approved graduate work

History of Philosophy Track

Qualifying research paper focusing on a major text by a single figure in the history of Western or non-Western philosophy
Comprehensive examination requirement: submission of two qualifying papers, including one from a historical period of philosophy and one from feminist, Latin American, Asian philosophy, or critical race theory

Philosophy and Social Policy Track

Substantial research paper analyzing the ethical and social issues arising from the student’s internship experience
Comprehensive examination requirement: submission of two qualifying papers, including one in theoretical or applied ethics and one in nineteenth or twentieth century philosophy

Course Requirements

History of Philosophy Track (33 credit hours)

33 credit hours of approved graduate coursework

Philosophy and Social Policy Track (33 credit hours)

Applied Philosophy Courses

6 credit hours in applied philosophy, with departmental approval

Philosophy or Religion Courses

6 credit hours in philosophy or religion, with departmental approval

Additional Courses

6 credit hours in social science or social policy from fields such as economics, sociology, anthropology, government, public administration, and justice, with departmental approval