Philosophy (MA)

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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.

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

Complete one of the following tracks: History of Philosophy or Philosophy and Social Policy

History of Philosophy Track

Approved Coursework (33 credit hours)

33 credit hours of approved graduate coursework

Philosophy and Social Policy Track

Ethics (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

PHIL-620 Seminar on Ethical Theory (3)
PHIL-625 Seminar on Modern Moral Problems (3)
Approved course in either ethics or applied ethics

History of Philosophy (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

PHIL-602 Nineteenth Century Philosophy (3)
PHIL-603 Twentieth Century Philosophy (3)
Approved course in the history of philosophy

Internship (3 credit hours)

PHIL-691 Internship in Philosophy (1-6) (3 credit hours required)

Applied Philosophy (6 credit hours)

6 credit hours in applied philosophy, with departmental approval

Philosophy or Religion (6 credit hours)

6 credit hours in philosophy or religion, with departmental approval

Social Science/Policy (6 credit hours)

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