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Philosophy-M.A.

COLLEGE: College of Arts and Sciences
DEPARTMENT: Department of Philosophy
320 Bowman Hall
Tel: 330-672-2315
E-mail: philo@kent.edu
Web: www.kent.edu/cas/Philosophy
 
DESCRIPTION: The Master of Arts in Philosophy consist of three concentrations: Culture/History, Ethics/Practice and Interpretations/Method.

Culture/History provides opportunities for students to pursue intensive, in-depth study within the discipline of philosophy, with particular attention given to developing an appreciation for the varieties of philosophical methods, perspectives and modes of analysis and their relation to the methodological concerns and interests of other disciplines.

Ethics/Practice provides opportunities for students to pursue intensive, in-depth study within the discipline of philosophy, with particular attention given to developing an appreciation for the varieties of philosophical methods, perspectives and modes of analysis and their relation to the methodological concerns and interests of other disciplines.

Interpretation/Method provides opportunities for students to pursue intensive, in-depth study within the discipline of philosophy, with particular attention given to developing an appreciation for the varieties of philosophical methods, perspectives and modes of analysis and their relation to the methodological concerns and interests of other disciplines.
ADMISSION
REQUIREMENTS:
 Official transcript(s), GRE, goal statement and three letters of recommendation.
GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS:
 The M.A. degree in philosophy requires 35 hours beyond the baccalaureate degree including 6 hours of research directed toward the completion of the thesis or 9 hours of research directed toward the completion of a nonthesis research project option.

Students who lack background preparation in a specific area will be required to take an undergraduate course, and earn a letter grade of “B” (3.0) or better in that course, as a prerequisite for further graduate study in that area. The student’s program advisory group, in consultation with the graduate coordinator, will determine which course prerequisites are needed.

Beyond required and elected coursework of each concentration, candidates are required to participate in PHIL 69997, Colloquium, for each semester in residence. No more than two semester hours of colloquium can be counted toward degree requirements. The graduate coordinator will consider, in consultation with the graduate faculty, various options for satisfying the colloquium requirement where circumstances demand additional consideration.

There are five elements common to each concentration: a “core” of Graduate Seminars (6 hours); concentration electives (6 hours); general electives (15 hours for the thesis option and 12 hours for the nonthesis option); culminating experience (6 hours for thesis option and 9 hours for nonthesis option); and colloquium (2 hours).

Graduate students are required to take two sections of the Graduate Seminar, PHIL 60191: Students on a normal rotation will register for the Graduate Seminar in the Spring of their first year and in the Fall of their second year.
THESIS/
CULMINATING EXPERIENCE:		 Proposals for a culminating experience can be made only after a student has met at least the following requirements: one required concentration elective, and completion of or present good standing in one section of PHIL 60191 and a second required concentration elective.
PROGRAM FEE: None