Philosophy Master of Arts Degree Program
The Philosophy MA program was updated effective Fall 2023. The new program requirements are reflected below. Students who were admitted prior to Fall 2023 can view the previous degree requirements here.
Program Requirements (30 credits minimum):
Courses as advised, including:
1. 24 credits minimum in Philosophy graduate courses, achieving a grade of at least B in each course, and fulfilling the M.A. distribution requirements as described below. Up to 8 credits of graduate course work in other departments may be substituted for Philosophy credits, provided it is warranted by the student's research interests and the Graduate Studies Committee approves.
2. Either 6 credits of Phi 699 Master's Thesis; or 4 additional credits in Philosophy graduate courses (achieving a grade of at least B in each course) and Phi 698 Master's Talk (2 credits).
Master's Talk - The student will prepare and give a talk based on a revision of a research paper done for a Philosophy graduate course. the Master's Talk will ordinarily be taken with the faculty member who supervised the research paper; alternative arrangements are subject to the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. A doctoral student who has fulfilled all other requirements of the M.A. degree may, with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, count a satisfactory performance on the Ph.D. comprehensive exam as equivalent to passing Phi 698.
Distribution requirement: Students must take at least one course from each of three areas: History of Philosophy, Metaphysics and Epistemology, and Value Theory.
History-of-Philosophy M.A. courses:
- Phi 524 17th-19th Century Ethical Theory
- 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
- Phi 556 Pragmatism
- Phi 557 Greek Philosophy After Aristotle
- Phi 572 History of Political Philosophy
- Phi 624 Topics in the 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 542 Phenomenology
- 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 652 Topics in Philosophical Psychology
Value-Theory M.A. courses:
- Phi 506 Philosophical and Ethical Issues in Public Health
- Phi 517 Bioethics
- Phi 525 Contemporary Ethical Theory
- Phi 528 Theory and Function of Religion
- Phi 530 Philosophy and Public Affairs
- Phi 558 Theory of Art
- Phi 560 Philosophy and the Humanities
- Phi 574 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy
- Phi 580 Metaethics
- 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
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.
