Master of Arts in Philosophy
Program Website: Philosophy
Field(s) of Specialization
- Contemporary Continental Philosophy
- Eastern Philosophy
- Comparative Philosophy
Faculty and Administration
For a listing of program faculty and administrative contacts, please visit the program directory.
Program Description
The Master’s program focuses on three areas: recent and contemporary Continental and Asian thought, as well as Comparative philosophy. The program also accommodates the rise in importance of post-structuralist continental thinkers. Such inclusions indicate the type of dynamic rapport the Department wishes to keep with the wider philosophical community. Consequently, the majority of courses offered in any one year will be selected from the following specializations:
Contemporary Continental Philosophy (Existentialism, Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, Post-Structuralism): Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty, Levinas, Gadamer, Foucault, Deleuze, Guattari, Kristeva, Irigaray, Habermas or some contemporary European movement, such as Structuralism, the Frankfurt School, etc.
Eastern Philosophy: Indian and Upanishadic Philosophy: texts from the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy, especially Vedanta, Early Indian Buddhist traditions, especially the Madhyamika school and Yogacara Buddhism; Bhakti traditions, and Gandhi.
Comparative Philosophy: Comparison of Eastern and Western traditions with respect to problems of being, knowledge, person, values, and philosophical method.
Half-courses and tutorials may be offered on topics that fall outside the principal focus of the graduate program but are represented by individual members of the Department. For example, issues in recent Anglo-American (Analytic) Philosophy, Studies in Classical Philosophy (Pre-Socratics, Plato and/or Aristotle), etc.
Admission Requirements
Successful completion of four-year Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in Philosophy with an average not less than 75%. Applicants must supply a statement of interest. Knowledge of languages other than English may be required as appropriate.
The Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and recommend admission for a limited number of suitable candidates.
Individuals interested in part-time study should consult with the Graduate Program Director.
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