Philosophy, M.A.
Degree Requirements
Students have three options:
- 15 credit hours in Philosophy, and a major thesis; or
- 18 credit hours in Philosophy, and two research papers; or
- 24 credit hours in Philosophy.
Every candidate for the Master's degree in philosophy must satisfy a competency requirement in formal logic. The requirement may be satisfied in either of two ways:
- By completing course PHIL 2200 Intermediate Logic (3), or an equivalent course, with a grade of B+ or better. The course will be classified as “auxiliary” (indicated as “X” on the student’s transcript); or
- By passing a logic competency examination, which normally will be scheduled in December, March and August.
Second Language Reading Requirement: A reading knowledge of one foreign language will be required if the thesis topic requires it.
Expected Time to Graduate: Students with undergraduate concentration in Philosophy equivalent to approximately nine full courses (54 credit hours) can complete the M.A. degree in one year. Students with a lesser degree of undergraduate concentration will need more than one year to complete the degree.
Progression Chart
Thesis Option
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| PHIL 7XXX | Courses designated PHIL 7000 or above | 6 |
| PHIL 3XXX | Courses designated PHIL 3000 or above | 9 |
| Requires completion of one (1) thesis paper approximately 80-100 pages in length | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Research Papers Option
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| PHIL 7XXX | Courses designated PHIL 7000 or above | 12 |
| PHIL 3XXX | Courses designated PHIL 3000 or above | 6 |
| Requires completion of two (2) individual research papers, each approximately 40-50 pages in length | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Coursework Option
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| PHIL 7XXX | Courses designated PHIL 7000 or above | 18 |
| PHIL 3XXX | Courses designated PHIL 3000 or above | 6 |
| No additional paper required | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
Registration Information
Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.
All students (new and returning) in the Master’s and pre-Master’s programs of the Department of Philosophy must have their courses approved by the graduate chair prior to registering. Students may only register for, and will only receive credit for, those courses approved by the graduate chair.
Regulations
Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.
Supplementary Regulations
Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations.
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.
All students must successfully complete:
- GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
- GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;
unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.
Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.
General Regulations
All students must:
- maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).