Philosophy Master of Arts Degree Program

Program Requirements (36 credits minimum):

1. All students do 30 credits of course work above 500 (achieving a grade of at least A or B in each course) and fulfill the M.A. distribution requirement and the M.A. logic requirements, as specified below. (A student may substitute up to 8 credits of course work in another department for 8 of the 30 credits in philosophy, provided it is warranted by the student's program and the Graduate Studies Committee approves. The M.A. distribution and logic requirements will be fulfilled automatically by Ph.D. students who satisfy the Ph.D. core-course and history-of-philosophy course requirements, the Ph.D. logic requirement, and the Ph.D. research-tool/language requirement.)
2. Each student then either (a) writes an M.A. thesis in philosophy (Phi 699) for 6 credits or (b) (i) does 14 more credits of course work in philosophy in courses numbered above 500 (achieving a grade of at least A or B in each course), for a total of 44 units of course work, and (ii) passes the three Ph.D. General Examinations with an overall grade of at least M.A.-level pass. (The usual terminal M.A. student will pursue (a), and the usual Ph.D. student who wishes to earn an M.A. will pursue (b); but it is open to any student seeking an M.A. to pursue either (a) or (b).)
3. Distribution requirement: Students must take at least one course from each of three areas: Metaphysics and Epistemology, Value Theory, and History of Philosophy.

   Metaphysics and Epistemology M.A. courses:

   Phi 512 Metaphysics
   Phi 515 Philosophy of Language
   Phi 516 Philosophy of Mind
   Phi 518 Analytic Philosophy
   Phi 520 Philosophy of Science
   Phi 522 Theory of Knowledge
   Phi 531 Logic and Philosophy
   Phi 532 Completeness and Decidability
   Phi 538 Philosophy of the Social Sciences
   Phi 610 Topics in Philosophy of Science
   Phi 612 Topic in Metaphysics
   Phi 614 Topics in Epistemology
   Phi 618 Topics in Logic
   Phi 623 Topics in Aesthetics
   Phi 638 Topics in Theories of Criticism
   Phi 652 Topics in Philosophical Psychology
   Phi 662 Topics in Cognitive Science

   Value-Theory M.A. courses:

   Phi 505 Philosophical and Ethical Issues in Public Policy
   Phi 506 Philosophical and Ethical Issues in Public Health
   Phi 523 Ancient Ethical Theory
   Phi 524 17th-19th Century Ethical Theory
   Phi 525 Contemporary Ethical Theory
   Phi 528 Theory and Function of Religion
   Phi 530 Philosophy and Public Affairs
   Phi 535 Philosophy of Race
   Phi 558 Theory of Art
   Phi 560 Philosophy and the Humanities
   Phi 568 Philosophy and Literature
   Phi 574 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy
   Phi 616 Topics in the Philosophy of Religion
   Phi 621 Topics in Ethics
   Phi 632 Topics in Applied Ethics
   Phi 634 Topics in Philosophy of Law
   Phi 674 Topics in Political Philosophy

   History-of-Philosophy M.A. courses:

   Phi 544 British Empiricism
   Phi 546 The Continental Rationalists
   Phi 550 Plato
   Phi 552 Aristotle
   Phi 553 Medieval Philosophy
   Phi 554 Kant and Continental Idealism

4. Demonstration of competence in logic through successful course work or examination.

Please note: This program offers an internship, field experience, study abroad component, or clinical experience in the course listing as an option to fulfill course requirements. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If you have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s Office of your intended academic program.