Policies & Important Details
- The M.A. in Philosophy is intended to deepen a student’s background in philosophy, and to improve a student’s preparation for Ph.D. programs in philosophy. It is possible to use the M.A. as a bridge program from another discipline into philosophy.
- To maintain status as a graduate student, registration in each fall and spring semester is required. Otherwise, admission lapses and permission to re-enter must be granted.
- Time restrictions on obtaining degrees will be strictly enforced and can be waived only by the Dean of the Graduate School.
- Upon completing the course requirements and presenting and defending a satisfactory thesis, the student has completed the requirements for an M.A. in Philosophy.
- The student in consultation with his/her selected M.A. thesis committee chair will decide on the thesis committee members. The thesis committee will consist of not less than three members, two from the Department's graduate faculty, and one from outside the Department. The chair has to be a member of the graduate faculty. The duties of the thesis committee are:
a. To consult with and to advise students on their research.
b. To meet, at intervals, to review progress and expected results.
c. To read and comment upon the draft thesis.
d. To meet, when the thesis is completed, to conduct the final oral examination and to satisfy itself that the thesis is a contribution to knowledge and that it is written in lucid and correct English and submitted in approved form.
The candidate is well advised to have a final acceptable typescript of the thesis in the hands of each member of his/her committee at a time reasonably in advance of the final defense of the work.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 600 or 700 level PHI electives | 24 | |
| Research Requirement | 6 | |
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Masters Thesis 1 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Presentation and oral defense of and acceptable thesis.
- *
Students must accumulate 30 credits in philosophy with satisfactory grades, 24 credits of coursework and 6 credits of thesis research. At least 18 of these credits must be earned while in residence.
Goals
Our students will be well prepared to attend Ph.D. programs in philosophy. They will have broad knowledge of the most important areas of philosophy and its history, and mastery of philosophical methods of argumentation. They will also have detailed knowledge in a particular sub-discipline of philosophy and (where relevant) its relations to other areas of inquiry, preparing them to conduct original research in this area. They will also be prepared to become contributors to philosophical knowledge by presenting their work at workshops and conferences.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate a deep and broad knowledge of the main areas of philosophy and their history, and mastery of philosophical methods.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to contribute to philosophical knowledge by writing and presenting original philosophical research.
