Masters in Philosophy & Religion in USA

Georgia State has one of the most highly regarded terminal M.A. programs in philosophy in the country, with strong placement into prestigious Ph.D. programs and a lauded teacher-training program.

In addition, the department has developed three areas of research strength:

• Social, legal and political philosophy
• Neurophilosophy and empirically informed philosophy of mind
• History of philosophy

Courses in SLU's philosophy graduate program examine historical as well as contemporary issues such as problems in metaphysics, epistemology, social and political ethics, and philosophy of religion, among others.

Special resources available to the program include the international philosophical journal Res Philosophica; the Vatican Film Library, one of the finest repositories of its kind in the Western hemisphere; and the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

There are regular opportunities to work with eminent visiting scholars, numerous colloquia and conferences, a wide variety of reading groups as well as opportunities to participate in exchange programs.

The Masters Degree in Philosophy with a focus on the Arts and Aesthetics at Stony Brook is an intensive, cross-disciplinary program. Founded in 2005, the program explores the intersections between philosophy and art, offering a terminal MA to theorists, practicing artists, critics, and those with an interest in the philosophical implications of art history and contemporary artistic practices. No other set of courses with a comparable emphasis exists in the New York area. Our seminars are characterized by close attention to specific texts in the history of philosophy and innovative approaches to traditional and contemporary art, drawing on arts venues and resources in New York City. The Philosophy Department at Stony Brook University is internationally recognized for its focus on contemporary European philosophy and its interdisciplinary orientation. Stony Brook Philosophy Department faculty who specialize in or have strong research interests in aesthetics, phenomenology, the history of philosophy, psychoanalysis, and technoscience teach M.A. seminars, with additional faculty support from the departments of Art, Music, and Cultural Analysis and Theory. The program also attracts renowned visiting scholars and artists to teach courses and give lectures. Our internationally recognized graduate student Philosophy and Art conference takes place yearly at the end of March (www.philosophyartconference.org).

The Master of Arts in philosophy is a program that strengthens your understanding of the core areas of contemporary analytic philosophy as it relates to humans, the world and society. You will develop critical thinking and writing skills while improving your research and leadership skills, preparing you for advanced work as a teacher, in a research field or for further study in a doctoral program.

At EIU we believe that the study of philosophy is not only deeply beneficial but also enjoyable. Because philosophy is unlike any other field, both in its methods and in the vastness of its subject matter, philosophy majors have a unique opportunity to learn to think both creatively and critically at EIU. Our faculty provides a supportive atmosphere in which students understand the commitment involved in taking a view. Philosophy majors at EIU study the tools of logic and reason, which open the door to profound discussions about every dimension of human life. As students critically engage with questions pertaining to knowledge, values, and ethics, they build lifelong learning skills for evaluating arguments, fostering healthy debate, and resolving conflict.

The Gerontology master's program gives you an interdisciplinary approach to learning social epidemiology and aging through a blend psychology, political science, social work and human ecology coursework.

You'll study the health of older adults, including risk factors of disease that affect the health of the aging population. You'll also examine the relationship between demographic factors, such as gender, race, SES, and health and illness factors within the aging community.

The program is ideal for any professional currently working in aging- and health-related areas or for recent graduates of undergraduate programs such as:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Nursing and nursing home administration
• Health professions and public health
• Human ecology
• Biology
• Social work

The department now offers an accelerated BA/MA program. The requirements for the BA and for the MA remain unchanged, but in the combined BA/MA program, two 400-level courses taken as part of the BA can also be used toward the MA. This means that the MA requires only eight additional courses, rather than the 10 required for a free-standing MA.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Time restrictions on obtaining degrees will be strictly enforced and can be waived only by the Dean of the Graduate School.
4. Upon completing the course requirements and presenting and defending a satisfactory thesis, the student has completed the requirements for an M.A. in Philosophy.
5. 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.

Examine philosophy for teaching, research or professional discourse. This program is designed for students interested in personal enrichment, pre-college teaching foundations or the ability to analyze larger problems in mixed settings. 

Temple’s Department of Philosophy has strengths in several areas of philosophical study. The department has a rich history and continuing presence in the field of aesthetics as Monroe Beardsley and John Fisher were in the department for many years. The department also has expertise in European philosophy, epistemology, feminist philosophy, philosophy of mind, philosophy of race, and philosophy of science.