Graduate Program
About Our M.A. Program
Students in our M.A. program focus their work in one of two divisions, Methodology and Social Justice. These divisions reflect two distinctive strengths of our faculty: its pluralistic composition and its focus on systemic forms of injustice. Faculty members work in analytic, continental, and Chinese philosophical traditions, and this pluralistic composition allows us to train students in a wide range of methodological practices, presuppositions, skills, styles, and theories. A second strength of the philosophy faculty at Eastern is our attention to systemic forms of injustice. Faculty members' research programs include the examination of challenging moral problems related to gender, immigration policy, food production and consumption, the global environment.
Our graduate program seeks to do all it can to make philosophy an inclusive discipline. We understand the value that diversity brings to philosophical inquiry, and that the health of our profession depends on greater inclusion of under-represented groups in the ranks of philosophers. As a training program, we play an important role in cultivating a diverse philosophical community. Our goal is to recruit and sustain a diverse graduate student body. In order to realize this goal, we will
- encourage a full range of applicants with diverse backgrounds
- provide financial support, academic assistance, and advisement that reflects the diverse needs of a diverse population
- strive for a curriculum that illustrates that a diverse group of people have contributed in the past, and should contribute in the future to the richness of philosophy
- continuously strive toward an environment of greater inclusion and respect through critical self-examination, paying due attention not only to overt forms of prejudice or exclusion but also to its subtler manifestations.
Please email Graduate Coordinator Dr. Kate Mehuron with any questions about our program.
Placement
Students from our M.A. program have a strong record of admission to selective Ph.D. programs in Philosophy, including:
- Arizona State University
- Duquesne University
- Loyola University Chicago
- Memorial University of Newfoundland
- Michigan State University
- University at Albany
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Kansas
- University of Minnesota
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Villanova University
Admissions
Our program has rolling admissions, so you may apply at any time. However, application deadlines are in place for prospective students interested in being considered for a Graduate Assistantship.
Application Requirements
- Application to the Graduate School
- The Graduate School has a minimum requirement of (a) 2.7 GPA overall OR (b) 3.0 GPA in the last half of undergraduate course work.
- The Graduate School has several additional requirements for International students. Please be sure to meet all general application requirements.
- Personal Statement of Philosophic Interests
- Applicants should provide a statement (maximum 1000 words) describing their: (a) interests in philosophy, including the area(s) of philosophy they believe will be the focus of their graduate work, potential thesis or project ideas, (b) desire to pursue philosophy at the graduate level, and (c) self assessment of their level of preparation for graduate work in philosophy.
- Two letters of recommendation, including at least one from a college professor, which speak to the applicant's ability to pursue graduate level work.
- In most cases, the application software will query your listed recommenders for their letters. That said, letter writers may submit letters by email to Graduate Admissions ([email protected]). Your letter writer should include either your EID# or your date of birth so that admissions can properly associate your letters with your application.
- A minimum of six credit hours (or the equivalent) in philosophy from an accredited institution.
Once you have applied, please email our Graduate Coordinator Dr. Kate Mehuron so that she can track your application.
The admissions committee will consider applications as they arrive. The committee will consider conditional admission for students who do not meet all admission requirements. Those admitted conditionally will be required to overcome specified deficiencies existing at the time of admission. The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
Graduate Courses
Social Justice Division
- PHIL 513 - Global Justice
- PHIL 520 - Ethical Theory
- PHIL 523 - Philosophical Perspectives on Disability
- PHIL 524 - Food Justice
- PHIL 525 - Theories of Justice
- PHIL 526 - Topics in Feminist Philosophy or WGST 526 - Topics in Feminist Philosophy
- PHIL 527 - Social Epistemology
- PHIL 528 - Comparative Ethics
- PHIL 529 - Topics in Environmental Philosophy
- PHIL 543 - Philosophical Approaches to Moral Psychology
- PHIL 548 - Environmental Values, Justice, and Policy
Methods Division
- PHIL 542 - Philosophy of Mind
- PHIL 560 - Philosophy of Language
- PHIL 570 - Contemporary European Philosophy
- PHIL 572 - Philosophy and Narrative
- PHIL 575 - Contemporary Philosophical Practices
- PHIL 576 - Topics in Metaphysics
- PHIL 580 - Philosophy of Science
- PHIL 581 - Philosophy of Life Sciences
- PHIL 593 - Comparative Philosophy
- PHIL 594 - Chinese Philosophy
- PHIL 595 - Phenomenology