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Graduate Programs

THE PH.D. PROGRAM IN PHILOSOPHY

Our department has areas of strength in numerous philosophical traditions, e.g. Africana, Analytic Metaphysics, Value Theory, Continental, and Latin American/Decolonial philosophy, thus offering an intellectually rich environment in which to pursue graduate studies.

In addition to the coursework required in Philosophy, which reflects our commitment to multiple methods of philosophical inquiry, students must also complete an MA in a supplementary field.

There are three ways this requirement can be fulfilled:

  1. Students may enter the program with a Master’s or equivalent (or higher) in hand. The GPAC will rule, at the time of admitting such students, on the acceptability of the proposed degree as a supplementary Master’s, considering both the extent to which the degree is an academic Master’s or equivalent, and the extent to which the degree is in a field other than philosophy.
  2. Students may complete a Master’s program in another discipline while at Texas A&M. Students must have their plan to pursue a particular Master’s degree approved by the GPAC. They should secure formal admission to the chosen program by the end of their second year. (Students who are interested in pursuing a Master’s at another institution should consult the DGS as soon as possible.)
  3. Students may complete one of the five approved multidisciplinary tracks described below. These pre-established tracks comprise courses in disciplines across the university that offer complementary and expansive perspectives on topics relevant to philosophical research. The tracks, along with our curriculum, reflect our commitment to diversity within and across the discipline.

Our graduate program is committed to intellectual and cultural diversity as represented in our course offerings, colloquium speaker schedule, faculty, and graduate student body.

REQUIREMENTS
PLACEMENT

MASTER OF ARTS IN PHILOSOPHY

The Texas A&M master’s program in philosophy serves three purposes:

  • First, it helps students prepare for study in a PhD program in philosophy. Our MA program has a strong record placing graduates in high-quality philosophy PhD programs around the country.
  • Second, it enables professionals and advanced students from other disciplines to complement their training with systematic study of the philosophical concepts most relevant to their specialty.
  • Finally, it enables students, including those who may have come to the study of philosophy late in their careers or who are returning to academic pursuits after pursuing other interests, to continue to enjoy the personal enrichment of pursuing philosophical questions.

General admissions for the terminal MA program are no longer being accepted. Exceptions may be considered in special cases, but no funding is available for terminal masters students (and there is no waiver for tuition or fees, which will be paid in full by the student). Exceptional cases may include students who have funding from external sources such as grants, fellowships, or the military. Any student applying as such an exception should be aware that they may be the only student in the terminal master’s program and that their application will be judged purely on its academic merits.

Two options for obtaining the MA are available: A non-thesis internship option and a thesis option. Students interested in applying their philosophical skills to other environments, such as education, medicine, law, the military or business, may arrange a professional internship in addition to taking 30 semester hours of course work (9 of which may be in other disciplines). Individuals who choose to write a master’s thesis must take at least 24 semester hours (6 of which may be in other disciplines) in addition to their thesis research. Depending on their background, applicants may be required to take particular undergraduate courses in order to enhance their program of study.

REQUIREMENTS
PLACEMENT

Director of Graduate Studies: Omar Rivera

Associate Director of Graduate StudiesAmir Jaima

Staff Liaison: Lauren McAuliffe