Philosophy: Philosophy MA

The Master of Arts (MA) program may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.

Applicants should consult the department's web page for complete details on graduate programs, course offerings, short academic profiles of graduate faculty, and application procedures.

MA Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Philosophy's additional admission requirements stated below.

  • Admission requires an appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognized university. Applicants must have a strong background in philosophy (roughly equivalent to an undergraduate major), with an average grade of at least a mid-B in the applicant's overall program and at least an A– in the applicant's philosophy courses.

  • Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with the following minimum scores:

    • Paper-based TOEFL exam: 600 and 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE).

    • Internet-based TOEFL exam: 100/120 and 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

  • Equivalent results in some other recognized test of English-language proficiency are acceptable.

Completion Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must successfully complete 3.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) in philosophy as follows:

    • At least 1.0 FCE in the history of philosophy.

    • At least 1.0 FCE in the problems of philosophy.

    • 1.0 FCE designated courses only for MA students. One 0.5 FCE in the broad area of ethics/politics and the other 0.5 FCE in the broad area of metaphysics and epistemology. Either could be historical. The timing of the course requirement is:

      • PHL2222H MA Proseminar I, taken in the first session.

      • PHL2223H MA Proseminar II, taken in the second session.

    • PHL3000H MA Professional Development Workshop.

  • Each MA student is assigned an advisor who will recommend a suitable program of philosophy courses. The student's choice of courses must be approved by the department.

  • It is possible for a full-time student to complete all requirements for the MA degree in the Fall and Winter sessions; however, the department encourages students to take no more than 3.0 FCEs during the Fall and Winter sessions and to complete the last course during the Summer session.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: FWS); 5 years part-time (typical registration sequence: FWS)
Time Limit: 3 years full-time; 6 years part-time

 

Philosophy