Graduate FAQ
General Program Questions
We have two distinct programs. The MA program usually takes two years; the PhD usually
takes three years, though one must already have an MA in philosophy to qualify for
the PhD program.
Having two distinct programs allows us to offer one kind of service to students with
BAs and a very different service to students with MAs. The MA program is good for
those who intend to complete a Master's degree and go on to another PhD program. It
also benefits students who want an MA and are not yet sure they want a PhD. Our PhD
program offers students who already have an MA an opportunity to complete the PhD
in three years, rather than the five years it would take at most other PhD programs.
The main form of aid is a teaching assistantship, which provides a modest stipend
as well as a tuition waiver. The department also has a very limited number of research
assistantships (same stipend and waiver). In addition to this and external scholarships,
the Graduate School offers a number of fellowships and employment opportunities.
Each year a limited number of graduate teaching assistantships are offered, usually
for the expected duration of the student's program of study (i.e., two years for MA
students, three for PhD students). The assistantships are awarded on a competitive
basis to those applicants who show the most promise of excellence in teaching philosophy.
No, but students who have completed the Master's and done well in the program are frequently accepted into the PhD program with departmental funding.
Yes, but see the previous answer. Also, a reduced admission application fee of $25.00 will need to be paid.
The Graduate School requires that MA degrees be finished in six years, PhDs in seven.
The department can sometimes extend funding beyond the periods cited above, but such
decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis.
Students with little previous exposure to academic philosophy sometimes expect a course
of study that is really more appropriate to some other field, like psychology, religious
studies, or English literature. Our course descriptions should give the potential applicant some idea of what our department takes philosophy
to be.
Admissions Questions
You need a Bachelor's, but not necessarily in philosophy, though it certainly helps.
Students with a more extensive background in philosophy and/or related fields will
have better chances of admission. The successful applicant usually has at least 18
undergraduate hours in philosophy, though sometimes students with fewer hours are
admitted. Promising students with poor backgrounds are sometimes admitted "with deficiencies":
admitted to the program but required to take more than the usual number of courses
for the degree. Students with very little or no prior coursework in philosophy are
encouraged to take several undergraduate courses before applying.
Yes. We do not offer a combined MA/PhD program. Students who are in the process of
finishing a Master's at the time of application may be conditionally admitted.
Yes. Because it is a three year program, our PhD program is only open to students
with a Master's in philosophy.
No. However, some students pursuing Master's degrees in closely related fields end
up taking a fair amount of graduate level work in philosophy. Up to six hours of this
may transfer.
Admission to the Graduate School and admission to a department's graduate program are distinct.
Yes.
You should submit a philosophy paper as a writing sample if at all possible. Nonphilosophy
majors should indicate in their statement of purpose what kind of philosophical background
they have.
Application Questions
Send a writing sample, statement of purpose, and assistantship application (if desired)
directly to the department; send admission application, fee, transcripts, letters
of recommendation, and GRE scores to the U of A Graduate School. Links can be found here.
We have rolling admissions, so there is no real deadline for application into one
of our graduate programs. Applications for assistantships, however, need to be complete
by January 15 prior to the fall for which the assistantship is sought.
No.
You should briefly summarize the high points of your dossier and describe your philosophical
interests. If you have a particular project you would like to pursue, you should discuss
it. If your background is in some field other than philosophy, you might tell us about
what formal training in philosophy you have had. If there is anything else in your
file that requires clarification/explanation, this is the place to offer that. Autobiographies
and discussions of self-taught material tend not to strengthen an application.
It depends on the kind of aid sought. Assistantship applications require a form to be sent to the Philosophy Department. Other sources of aid (e.g., U of A Graduate
School, external scholarships) will need to be contacted directly.