Program Overview

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Introduction to the Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy

The Department of Philosophy offers a Master of Arts degree in philosophy, designed to serve the interests of two kinds of students: those who wish to pursue their study of philosophy as a supplement to preparation in a wide variety of professions, and those who wish to pursue their study of philosophy as a preparation for PhD studies in philosophy at another institution.

Program Overview

The Master of Arts degree in philosophy offers a broad-based curriculum that supports the career plans of students. The program has two emphases: Professional Emphasis and PhD Emphasis.

Professional Emphasis

The Professional Emphasis is designed for students who wish to pursue their study of philosophy as a supplement to preparation in a wide variety of professions, including:

• Business
• Law
• Government
• The health professions
• The ministry
• Counseling Students in this emphasis have the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of courses that support their career plans, such as:
  • Biomedical ethics
  • Business ethics
  • Philosophy of law
  • Philosophy of religion
  • Cognate courses in other disciplines

PhD Emphasis

The PhD Emphasis is designed for students who wish to pursue their study of philosophy as a preparation for PhD studies in philosophy at another institution. Students in this emphasis have the opportunity to enhance their understanding of:

• The history of philosophy
• Logic
• Metaphysics and epistemology

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites for admission to the program are:

• 24 semester credit hours (at least 18 at the upper-division level) in philosophy
• Courses in the history of ancient philosophy (PHIL 3113 Ancient Greek Philosophy (H) or equivalent)
• Courses in the history of 17th and 18th century philosophy (PHIL 3213 Philosophy in the Age of Enlightenment (H) or equivalents)
• A course in logic (PHIL 3003 Symbolic Logic (Q) or equivalent) Students without these prerequisites, but otherwise admissible, may be granted "qualified" or "provisional" status until the prerequisites are satisfied.

Program Options

The Master of Arts degree in Philosophy may be earned through any of three options:

• Thesis option (twenty-four credit hours of course work plus six credit hours of research in which a thesis is written)
• Report option (thirty credit hours of course work plus two credit hours of research in which a report is written)
• Creative Component option (thirty-two credit hours of coursework including a creative component)

Supervision and Advisory Committee

Each student is supervised by a three-person advisory committee appointed for, and in consultation with, the student. Students will prepare a plan of study under the guidance of their graduate advisor.

Graduate Minor

A student may also, in accordance with the policies of the Graduate College, select a graduate minor in connection with the master's degree in philosophy, thus permitting a concentration of work in broad areas such as:

• Social thought
• Cognitive science Students pursuing a master's or doctor's degree in another field may elect philosophy as a graduate minor. Selected courses and seminars in philosophy can broaden and complement work in such areas as:
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English
  • History
  • Psychology
  • Sociology