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The MA in Social Philosophy is designed for students from various disciplines who want to explore social, political, legal, and ethical philosophy, especially as it applies to fields like law, public policy, criminal justice, gender equality, migration, environmental justice, bioethics and AI policy. Though students in this degree may wish to pursue a career in academic philosophy, it is designed to support students with a variety of professional goals.

For information on admission requirements and how to apply, please visit our How to Apply page. Please note that all MA applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

MA in Social Philosophy Program Requirements

The MA in Social Philosophy requires 30 credit hours of coursework, an MA Examination, and a semester-long internship through PHIL 511 Social Ethics Practicum. In addition to completing the required coursework, students work with faculty advisors to choose a primary and secondary area of focus aligned with their career goals. They use these areas to select courses and choose an internship appropriate to their goals.

Prerequisites

Entering MA in Social Philosophy students must have a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution. Applicants will ideally have some coursework in philosophy or related fields from their previous institution, but a BA major or minor in Philosophy is not required. 

Required Courses

The following courses are required for the MA in Social Philosophy:

• One (1) Non-European Traditions course
• 5 courses in Ethics/Social and Political Philosophy*
  • All students must take PHIL 480 Social and Political Philosophy
  • 4 additional courses
• Elective Courses
  • Take three electives at the 400-level
• PHIL 511 Social Ethics Practicum

*NOTE: While it is not required, students are advised to choose a primary and secondary area of focus. Students will take three courses in the primary area and two courses from the secondary area. These areas include:

1. 1. Social and Political Philosophy/Philosophy of Law
   2. Critical Philosophy of Race/Feminism
   3. Human Security
   4. Climate Change and Environmental Justice
   5. Bioethics
   6. International Issues and Perspectives
   7. Technology Issues and Á¿×Ó×ÊÔ´

Research Tool Requirement

There is no research tool or language requirement for the MA in Social Philosophy.

MA Examination

An MA Examination is required for all students in Philosophy MA programs as well as for students in the PhD program who have not completed an MA thesis prior to entering the PhD program at Á¿×Ó×ÊÔ´. There are three options for completing the MA Examination depending on the program of study: (1) Oral Defense of MA Thesis; (2) Oral Defense of MA Paper, and (3) Faculty Review of MA Portfolio comprised of Two Scholarly Research Papers (article-length).

Options 1 and 2 are designed for students in Philosophy MA programs. While students may fulfill the MA Examination in any one of these three ways, it is strongly recommended that students take the exam that has been designed for their program of study. Students will determine in consultation with their advisors which MA Examination option is best for them. Students should also consult the Philosophy department Graduate Program Director if they wish to deviate from the recommended MA Examination option for their program.