Graduate
Degree Programs
Philosophy
Master of Arts in Philosophy (M.A.)
The philosophy M.A. program includes courses in core areas of philosophy plus concentrations in either bioethics or international research ethics. For information concerning the curriculum and how to apply, visit www.iupui.edu/~philosop/ma.htm. Questions may be addressed to the graduate director.
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED
Students must complete a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours, of which at least eighteen (18) must be in philosophy.
GRADE REQUIREMENTS
No course with a grade lower than a B (3.0) will count toward this degree.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
Students must attend and complete the courses at IUPUI, excepting those courses accepted for transfer. At least fifteen (15) credit hours must be taken at IUPUI.
TRANSFER CREDITS
Candidates may transfer up to eight (8) hours of graduate credit for courses taken at other accredited institutions, provided the grades received were B (3.0) or higher and the courses were completed within the time limit prescribed by the Graduate School. The transfer is not automatic and must be approved in writing by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School. For time restrictions on transfer credits, see the section on time limits below. In addition to these eight (8) hours, graduate courses taken at other Indiana University campuses may be counted toward the M.A. if pre-approved in writing by the director.
TIME LIMITS FOR COMPLETION OF DEGREE
The normal course load each semester for full-time students is a minimum of eight (8) credit hours. Part-time students take only one or two courses per semester. The minimum full-time equivalency for students holding an assistantship or internship is six (6) credit hours per semester. International students must take at least eight (8) credit hours each fall and spring semester to meet visa requirements. Students who carry a full academic load can complete the program in two calendar years.
The requirements for the degree must be completed within five consecutive years. Transfer credits also fall within this five-year limit.
Any courses that have been completed more than five (5) years before the degree is completed must be revalidated if they are to count toward the M.A. Revalidation requires the administration of an oral exam.
Students in the combined/dual degrees programs (J.D./M.A., M.D./M.A., M.P.H./M.A.) must complete both degrees within six (6) consecutive years and both degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
Curriculum
Module 1 – Philosophy Core (15 cr.)
History (at least 6 cr.)
- PHIL-P 515: Medieval Philosophy (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 522: Topics in the History of Modern Philosophy (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 558: Classical American Philosophy (3 cr.)
Topics (at least 6 cr.)
- PHIL-P 514: Pragmatism (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 540: Ethical Theories (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 543: Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 553: Philosophy of Science (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 560: Metaphysics (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 562: Theory of Knowledge (3 cr.)
Module 2 – Electives (15 cr.)
- PHIL-P 503: Semiotics of C.S. Peirce (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 520: Philosophy of Language (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 525: Topics in the History of Philosophy (3 cr.) E.g., Niccolò Machiavelli, Francis Bacon, Thomas Aquinas
- PHIL-P 542: Ethics and Values of Philanthropy (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 545: Legal Philosophy (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 552: Philosophy of Logic (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 561: Philosophy of Mind (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 572: Philosophy of Religion (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 600: Topics in Philosophy (3 cr.) E.g., Philosophy of Text, Philosophy of Literature, Philosophy of Medicine, Philosophy of Biology, Feminism and Art, Persons and Personal Identity, Scientific Inference and Scientific Realism
- PHIL-P 701: Peirce Seminar (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 730: Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (3 cr.)
- PHIL-P 748: Seminar in American Philosophy (3 cr.) E.g., Josiah Royce, John Dewey, George Santayana, William James on Religious Experience
Plus any PHIL course offered in the Bioethics concentration.
Thesis option: Students may petition to write a thesis (P803, 6 cr.) under certain circumstances. They must secure permission from their graduate director and three faculty members who are willing to constitute a thesis committee. Students who receive permission to write a thesis need only take 9 cr. of coursework in Module 2.
For the curricula of the program’s two specialized concentrations, please click one of the following: Bioethics; International Research Ethics
