The Department of Philosophy offers two graduate programs. The Doctor of Philosophy may be earned in five years by students entering with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Requirements are adjusted for students entering with other majors or with a Master of Arts in Philosophy. The master’s program is available to those with less academic preparation in the discipline or who want a terminal master’s degree. Those who earn the master’s degree can then apply for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy program. In both programs there are broad distribution requirements to provide candidates with a solid grounding in most areas within the discipline. Students may specialize in any of the three areas of concentration in which the department has developed special research and teaching strengths - health care and philosophy or social and political thought (which includes options in feminism, critical theory, African American philosophy, democratic theory, ethics and development), and environmental philosophy. Work in the traditional areas of philosophy such as metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of logic and language, philosophy of science, ethics, the history of philosophy, and continental philosophy, is possible as well.
The Department of Philosophy encourages doctoral students with interests in such areas as the biological sciences, health care, feminist studies, ancient studies, critical theory, cognitive science, and linguistics, to take a limited number of courses outside the department as part of their Doctor of Philosophy program. The department also provides opportunities for course work for graduate students in other departments.
The department’s collective practice of philosophy is producing a union of the disciplinary mainstream, practical engagement of philosophy and practice-driven theory. The Philosophy department at Michigan State is positioned at the intersection of the primary social and scientific issues of the early 21st century: health, biotechnology, environment, development, democracy, the distribution of knowledge and power, and struggles against systematic forms of oppression and exploitation.
Students who are enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs in the Department of Philosophy may elect an Interdepartmental Specialization in Cognitive Science. For additional information, refer to the statement on Interdepartmental Graduate Specializations in Cognitive Science in the College of Social Science section of this catalog. For additional information, contact the Department of Philosophy.
Philosophy - Master of Arts
In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below.
Admission
To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts degree program in philosophy, an applicant must submit a paper that is representative of the applicant's philosophical abilities.
To be admitted to the program on regular status, an applicant must have:
- A bachelor's degree in any field.
- A grade–point average of at least 3.00 in at least 15 semester credits of philosophy courses.
In addition, an international applicant is required to have fulfilled the University's English language proficiency requirement as described in the Graduate Education section of the catalog in one of the following three ways:
- Have a total score of 580 (paper version) or 237 (computer version) or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language with no subscore below 55 (paper version) or 21 (computer version) and have the approval of the English Language Center.
- Have an average score of 85 or higher on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery with no subscore below 83 and have the approval of the English Language Center.
- Have an average score of 85 or higher on the English Language Center Test with no subscore below 83 and have the approval of the English Language Center.
Students are usually admitted to the program for fall semester. Persons wishing to be considered for financial aid should submit all of their application materials by no later than December 31.
Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy
The program is available under both Plan A (with thesis) and Plan B (without thesis). A total of 30 credits is required for the degree under either Plan A or Plan B. The student's program of study must be approved by the Associate Chairperson. The student must meet the requirements specified below:
Requirements for Both Plan A and Plan B
- Complete 30 credits in courses at the 400 level or higher. At least 21 of the 30 credits must be in Philosophy courses, with not more than 8 credits in Philosophy 890. The 30 credits must be distributed as follows:
- Three credits of Philosophy 800.
- At least 3 credits in each of the following four areas of philosophy: history of philosophy, value theory, metaphysics and epistemology, and logic and philosophy of science. The credits and courses that are used to satisfy requirement 1. c. may also be used to satisfy requirement 1. b.
- At least 9 credits from the following courses: Philosophy 810, 820, 830, 840, 850, 860, 870, and 880.
- At least 9 credits in an area within philosophy related to the master’s thesis or paper.
- Pass an examination in logic or complete designated course work in logic as specified by the department.
Additional Requirements for Plan A
- Complete at least 4, but not more than 8, credits of PHL 899 Master's Thesis Research.
- Complete a bibliography and thesis acceptable to a committee of faculty.
- Pass a public oral examination in defense of the thesis that is administered by a committee of faculty.
Additional Requirements for Plan B
- Complete a bibliography and philosophical paper acceptable to a committee of faculty.
- Pass an oral final examination that involves a public presentation and defense of the paper. The presentation must be acceptable to a committee of faculty.
The faculty member who directs the student's thesis (Plan A) or philosophical paper (Plan B) shall be a member of the committee. At least two members of the committee shall be faculty members in the Department of Philosophy. Faculty members from other departments may serve on the committee with the approval of the Associate Chairperson.
Academic Standards
Only those courses for which the student received a grade of 3.0 or higher may be used to satisfy the requirements for the degree.
A student may accumulate no more than 6 credits with a grade below 3.0 in philosophy courses or courses taken for the purpose of satisfying degree requirements.
Philosophy - Doctor of Philosophy
In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below.
Admission
To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in philosophy, an applicant must submit to the department a sample of the applicant's philosophical writing.
To be admitted to the program on regular status, an applicant must have a bachelor's degree in philosophy or its equivalent. Applicants with other undergraduate academic qualifications may be admitted provisionally. Applicants with master's degrees in fields other than philosophy may be admitted provisionally to the Doctor of Philosophy program.
In addition, an international applicant is required to have fulfilled the University's English language proficiency requirement as described in the Graduate Education section of the catalog in one of the following three ways:
- Have a total score of 580 (paper version) or 237 (computer version) or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language with no subscore below 55 (paper version) or 21 (computer version) and have the approval of the English Language Center.
- Have an average score of 85 or higher on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery with no subscore below 83 and have the approval of the English Language Center.
- Have an average score of 85 or higher on the English Language Center Test with no subscore below 83 and have the approval of the English Language Center.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Philosophy
The student must:
- Complete at least 45 credits in courses at the 400 level or higher in addition to the credits earned in Philosophy 999. Students entering the program with a master’s degree in philosophy may have up to 21 credits toward the Ph.D. waived, and may have up to 3 credits in each area of requirement 1. b. waived, as warranted by their academic preparation in the discipline of philosophy. Those entering with master’s degrees in fields other than philosophy may have credits toward the areas of requirement 1. b. waived, as warranted by their academic preparation in the discipline of philosophy. The 45 credits must be distributed as follows:
- Three credits of Philosophy 801.
- At least 6 credits in courses in each of the following four areas of philosophy: history of philosophy, value theory, metaphysics and epistomology, and logic and philosophy of science. The credits and courses that are used to satisfy requirement 1. c. may also be used to satisfy requirement 1. b.
- At least 33 credits from the following courses: Philosophy 800, 810, 820, 840, 850, 860, 870, and 880. The 33 credits must include:
- at least 2 credits in the area of the dissertation.
- at least 2 credits in the minor field, different from the 2 credits in the area of the dissertation.
- at least 2 credits in each of two areas outside the dissertation and outside the minor field.
Students who have a master's degree in philosophy are only required to complete 24 credits.
- At least 9 credits in a disciplinary or interdisciplinary minor field outside the area of the dissertation.
- Demonstrate a reading knowledge of one language other than English for which there is a substantial literature that is related to the student’s program of study.
- Complete a bibliography and prospectus for the dissertation.
- Set a timetable for the completion of the dissertation acceptable to the student’s guidance committee.
Academic Standards
Only those courses for which the student received a grade of 3.0 or higher may be counted toward the requirements for the degree.
A student may accumulate no more than 6 credits with a grade below 3.0 in philosophy courses or courses taken for the purpose of satisfying degree requirements.