Philosophy, M.A.
Explore foundational ideas about the nature of reality, knowledge, and morality, and develop communication skills that can lead to success in law, education, business, or religion.
About the Master of Arts in Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy and Religion in the College of Liberal Arts offers the M.A. in Philosophy. We accept students who have an undergraduate major in philosophy, and those whose philosophical interests developed late as undergraduates and who need to fill in gaps in their background.
The department is small enough to permit extensive student-faculty interaction while diverse enough to provide a broad, philosophical education. The Mississippi Philosophical Association, the department’s own Philosophy Forum Speakers Series, as well as several regional conferences provide additional opportunities for graduate students to engage with philosophers at a professional level.
Our M.A. degree can be used as a stepping stone to a wide variety of programs and careers. Graduates from our master’s program have been admitted to Ph.D. programs in philosophy across the nation. Moreover, because our program improves students’ ability to read, write, and communicate effectively, an M.A. can also serve as an excellent foundation for legal studies, education, business, or study at a theological school or seminary.
Accelerated Master's Degree
Undergraduate philosophy majors who have completed 90 credits as an undergraduate with a GPA of 3.0 or greater can begin earning credit toward an M.A. in philosophy, while completing their B.A. in philosophy. They can thus earn the M.A. in only one additional year of graduate work after completion of the B.A. degree.
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Program Information
Program Type
Master's Program
Area of Study
Humanities
School
Degree
M.A. in Philosophy
Program Location
Required Credit Hours
30
M.A. in Philosophy Program Details
APPLICATION DEADLINE: rolling admission; March 15
The Department of Philosophy and Religion welcomes student applications with the following materials. Additional details are found on the department website.
- Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
- Pay the application fee ($60).
- Submit official transcripts.
- International applicants whose first language is not English may be required to submit scores from an acceptable English language proficiency test.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Philosophy and Religion to the link provided by the online application.
- A sample of your recent written work that best showcases your skills as a writer and critical thinker. Writing samples should be in English and no more than 30 double-spaced pages in length. There are no specific formatting requirements. This could be a term paper, professional report, policy brief, or any other document that demonstrates language, writing, and analytic skills.
- Two letters of recommendation: provide contact information for two recommenders
Students should have an academic record that includes either successful completion of two undergraduate philosophy classes, or at least a 3.0 or equivalent grade-point average on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
Students in the M.A. in Philosophy program complete either a thesis or nonthesis option.
Thesis Option. Students complete 30 graduate-level credit hours, including a 6 credit hour thesis. Students must pass an oral examination.
(Nonthesis) Comprehensive Exam Option. Students complete 30 credit hours of graduate-level courses along with a written examination in the student’s major subfield. Students must pass an oral examination in addition to completing all other requirements for the degree.
Graduate courses in the Department of Philosophy and Religion are the following:
- Phil 590: Adv Seminar Epistemology/Metaphysics
- Phil 591: Advanced Seminar in Value Theory
- Phil 592: Advanced Seminar in History of Phil
- Phil 593: Adv Seminar Epistemology/Metaphysics II
- Phil 594: Advanced Seminar in Value Theory II
- Phil 595: Advanced Seminar in History of Phil II
- Phil 599: Professional Development in Philosophy
- Phil 601: Studies in Ancient Philosophy
- Phil 607: Major Western Philosophers
- Phil 608: Studies in Eastern Philosophy
- Phil 609: Studies in Existential Philosophy
- Phil 611: Problems of Metaphysics
- Phil 613: Problems in the Philosophy of Religion
- Phil 614: Kant
- Phil 617: Problems of Epistemology
- Phil 619: Value Theory
- Phil 620: Problems of Aesthetics
- Phil 621: Problems in Ethics
- Phil 622: Studies in Early Modern Philosophy
- Phil 624: Problems in Philosophical Analysis
- Phil 625: Major Figures of Analytic Philosophy
- Phil 628: Problems in Biomedical Ethics
- Phil 630: Studies in the History of Political Phil
- Phil 631: Problems in Political Philosophy
- Phil 632: Problems of Personal Identity
- Phil 633: Philosophy of Language
- Phil 642: Problems in the Philosophy of Mind
- Phil 644: Studies in Moral Psychology
- Phil 645: Problems in Environmental Ethics
- Phil 647: Graduate Ethical Policy Debate
- Phil 650: Problems of Philosophy of Law
- Phil 652: Problems in Care Ethics
- Phil 653: Problems in Consequentialism
- Phil 655: Advanced Symbolic Logic
- Phil 656: Problems in the Philosophy of Film
- Phil 657: Problems in Business Ethics
- Phil 660: Problems of Science and Religion
- Phil 665: Philosophy of Science
- Phil 680: Studies in Feminist Philosophy
- Phil 690: Seminar
- Phil 691: Research
- Phil 692: Special Topics in Ethics
- Phil 693: Special Topics in Metaphysics
- Phil 694: Special Topics in History of Philosophy
- Phil 697: Thesis
Undergraduate philosophy majors who have completed 90 credits as an undergraduate with a GPA of 3.0 or greater can begin earning credit toward an M.A. in philosophy, while completing their B.A. in philosophy. Therefore, they can earn the M.A. in only one additional year of graduate work after completion of the B.A. degree.
To pursue this path, undergraduate students enroll in the GradSHARK Launch "PAAD" (Program for Accelerated Advanced Degrees) program with the Graduate School by submitting a required form each semester. They can earn up to 15 credits toward the M.A. in philosophy by taking 500- or 600-level philosophy courses in their senior year and completing all coursework requirements for graduate-level credit as specified in the course syllabi.
Admission to the graduate program in philosophy is a separate process, not guaranteed by participation in the Launch PAAD program. Participants in the Launch PAAD program who gain admission to the graduate program in philosophy can apply graduate credits earned as an undergraduate through the Launch PAAD program (with a grade of B or higher) to their graduate degree in philosophy.
Admitted students are eligible for a limited number of Teaching Assistantships awarded by the Department of Philosophy and Religion on a competitive basis. Students with a graduate assistantship funded in the Department of Philosophy and Religion receive a scholarship that covers some or all of the tuition and non-residency fee, if applicable, for regular semesters and subsidized health insurance.
To maximize chances for such funding, prospective students should apply by MARCH 15th. However, students are encouraged to apply sooner, if possible, as early funding offers may be made in rare cases.
The Graduate School’s financial aid webpage lists a variety of funding possibilities, including summer support and a recruiting fellowship program that promotes academic excellence and access to graduate education to groups who are historically underrepresented.
We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about the M.A. in Philosophy, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Donovan E Wishon
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Graduate Program Coordinator
Video: Get to Know the Department of Philosophy and Religion
Learn more about the Philosophy program from our faculty and students.
Accelerated Master’s Degree in Philosophy
Undergraduate students that would like to qualify for the Accelerated Master’s Program must meet the following requirements:
- Philosophy major
- 3.0 minimum GPA overall and in philosophy courses
- 90 completed credit hours as an undergraduate
Students enrolled in the Accelerated Master's Degree Program in Philosophy can earn 12 credit hours towards their graduate degree while completing their undergraduate studies.
Courses students in the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program in Philosophy can take to earn credit towards the graduate degree:
- Phil 590: Adv Seminar Epistemology/Metaphysics
- Phil 591: Advanced Seminar in Value Theory
- Phil 592: Advanced Seminar in History of Phil
- Phil 593: Adv Seminar Epistemology/Metaphysics II
- Phil 594: Advanced Seminar in Value Theory II
- Phil 595: Advanced Seminar in History of Phil II
- Phil 599: Professional Development in Philosophy
Remember: Students who fail to reserve 500-level courses for graduate credit at the time they take the course will not receive graduate credit for the course (graduate level work must be completed to earn graduate credit).
- Reserving graduate credit with 500-level courses is required to ensure the Graduate School and instructor know the student must complete graduate credit requirements for the course.
- Students cannot later claim graduate credit for 500-level courses if they did not take the appropriate steps to notify the Graduate School prior to taking the course.
Students must be accepted into the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program and complete the requisite Accelerated Master's Degree Program Course Enrollment Form for this degree. The form must be received by the Graduate School (the form requires approval from your Undergraduate Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator).
- Students must download and complete the participating program’s specific enrollment form each term. The form must be completed prior to the start of the term.
- The form requires approval from the Undergraduate Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator (the Graduate Program Coordinator can be found next to the specific degree program listed above).
- By signing the form to approve the enrollment for the semester, the Graduate Program Coordinator is agreeing that the student has been admitted to their Accelerated Master’s Degree Program.
After the Graduate School receives the first approved program-specific enrollment form, the student will be identified as enrolled in the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program for that degree.
- Each subsequent term for which the student wishes to earn credit towards the graduate degree while still completing their undergraduate studies, they must submit a registration form prior to the start of the semester.
- Failure to submit the required form on time will mean that the student does not earn graduate credit.
To access the required form, please visit the specific page for the participating degree program of interest. The form must be submitted to the Graduate School by the Graduate Program Coordinator. Until the Graduate School receives the required form, the student is not officially registered for graduate coursework for that term.
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