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Department of Philosophy

4+1 B.A./M.A. Program

The Department of Philosophy offers a 4+1 program in which qualified students can earn a master’s degree in philosophy with just one additional year beyond their undergraduate work.

About the Program

The 4+1 program is designed to provide students with broad training in philosophy at the graduate level. The central objective is to help students develop competencies in:

  • The central figures and texts in the history of philosophy.
  • The main fields and debates in contemporary philosophy.
  • The fundamental research, writing, and argumentative skills employed in philosophy.

After the program, many students pursue further work in philosophy, political science, economics, law, business, and medicine.

Application

Work toward the 4+1 B.A./M.A. degree must begin in the student’s senior year of undergraduate study. Applicants are expected to be on track for completing the philosophy undergraduate major by the close of their senior year; however, applications from students completing minors in philosophy (and majors in other disciplines) will also be considered. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 for admission to the program. Applicants do not need to submit GRE scores.

Students must submit applications directly to the program’s faculty coordinator. An application consists of the following:

  • A statement of purpose (max. 800 words) describing the applicant’s philosophical interests and reason for pursuing the degree.
  • Two confidential evaluation letters written by faculty in the Department of Philosophy.
  • An academic transcript.

Upon acceptance to the program, students then complete the formal admissions process.

Those admitted to the 4+1 program will meet individually with the faculty coordinator following acceptance into the program to devise a plan for completion.

Degree Requirements

The 4+1 B.A./M.A. degree requires 30 hours of graduate-level coursework in philosophy, taught by tenured or tenure-track philosophy faculty. No undergraduate courses and no courses outside of the philosophy department count toward the requirements.

Students in the program are encouraged to take at least 3 credit hours in a graduate-level philosophy course in fall of their senior year, and 6 credit hours in a graduate-level philosophy course in spring of their senior year.

Normally, no more than 6 credit hours may be taken in PHIL 8050: Independent Readings, but an additional 3 credit hours of PHIL 8050 may be taken with permission from the program coordinator. In consultation with the faculty coordinator and a philosophy faculty member, students may take a summer Independent Readings course between their senior year and their “plus one” year. In the “plus one” year, students will take at least 9 credit hours of philosophy graduate courses in each semester in order to reach the total 30 credits required by the close of the “plus one” academic year.

To retain good standing in the program, students must earn a grade of at least B+ in each of their graduate courses and must stay on track for completing the degree by the close of the “plus one” academic year. Students who do not retain good standing will be removed from the program.