Our department offers graduate
courses leading to a master's degree in philosophy. We not only serve
students who have an undergraduate major in philosophy, but also those
whose philosophical interests developed late and who need to fill
in gaps in their background.
Aristotle
consults his graduate advisor Plato |
The
department is small enough to permit extensive student-faculty
interaction while diverse enough to provide a broad, philosophical
education. The interests of the faculty include (but are not
limited to) the history of philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology,
ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of law, and philosophy
of religion. The Philosophy Forum, guest lecturers in philosophy,
as well as several regional conferences provide additional opportunities
for philosophical interaction.
We offer both a non-thesis and thesis degree. The non-thesis
degree is designed for students who want advanced training in
philosophy but who will go on to law school or some other professional
career. The thesis option is recommended for students who plan
to pursue a Ph.D. in philosophy or some other academic discipline.
|
Students
may apply for graduate assistantships and fellowships. Other sources
of support include university employment, such as serving as residence
hall counselors or supervisors.
>Read
what one student said about our program<.
What
Are the Admissions Requirements?
Normally,
a philosophy major or at least 18 hours of undergraduate philosophy
courses are a prerequisite to doing graduate work in our department.
However, we can work out a special program for students whose interest
in philosophy developed late and who do not have the minimum number
of hours.
The
graduate advisor will work with the student to determine what courses
are necessary to provide an adequate background for doing graduate work.
In addition to the minimum number of hours, the Graduate School requires
the following documents:
1.
A completed and signed form of application.
2.
An official GRE score (verbal and quantitative). TOEFL is required
of all applicants whose native language is not English.
3.
Official transcripts from the institution conferring the baccalaureate
degree and from all colleges and universities subsequently attended.
What
Are the Degree Requirements?
The
thesis option requires 24 semester
hours of course work and 6 semester hours of thesis work, culminating
in a defense of the thesis before the faculty.
The
non-thesis option requires 36 semester hours of course work.
During the third or fourth semester of graduate work, the non-thesis
candidate will submit a paper to the graduate faculty which will be
the basis of an oral presentation and discussion.
The
master's degree will normally take three or four regular semesters to
complete. Only a minimal amount of work may be completed in the summers.
What
Can I Do with a Master's Degree in Philosophy?
Our
M.A. degree can be used as a stepping stone to a wide variety of programs
and careers. Our students have been admitted to Ph.D. programs in philosophy
at Oxford University, Columbia, Washington University, University of
Massachusetts, Indiana, Tulane, Marquette, Colorado, Connecticut, Arkansas,
Georgia, Syracuse, Purdue, Florida State, Rice, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska,
University of California-San Diego, University of Paris-Sorbonne, Utah,
Kentucky, Iowa, Baylor University, and Bowling Green State University.
Students
who have entered law school report that the M.A. degree provided them
with an excellent foundation for legal studies. Some graduates have
gone on to either study theology or prepare for the ministry at denominational
seminaries or schools such as the Harvard Divinity School. Finally,
students have done graduate work in philosophy to strengthen their intellectual
skills before entering into business or professional careers.
How
Do I Apply to Your Graduate Program?
You
may obtain an application by clicking on the following link: Graduate
School Admissions
If
you have further inquiries about the graduate program in philosophy
you may contact:
Dr.
Robert Westmoreland, Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Philosophy and Religion
University of Mississippi
University, MS 38677-1848
Phone:
(662) 915-7020
Fax: (662) 915-5654
E-mail: prrbw@olemiss.edu
- Deadlines
for applications for admission:
- Summer
and Fall enrollment--April 1
Spring enrollment--October 1
- Late
applications will be considered, but admission and/or financial
assistance cannot be guaranteed.
