THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN PHILOSOPHY
The Master of Arts program in philosophy invites students with a background in philosophical thought to engage actively the perennial human questions by means of a vital rediscovery of the classical tradition in an open and critical dialogue with contemporary problems. Through a course of study that seeks to integrate critical thought, careful yet imaginative research, and familiarity with the riches of a foreign language, students in the program learn to broaden and deepen their philosophical perspective and to communicate their insights effectively through the spoken and written word.Degree Requirements The Master of Arts degree in philosophy represents the completion of 24 units of course work in philosophy, the fulfillment of a foreign language requirement, and the writing and oral defense of a thesis, for which an additional six units will be given. Course work may be completed in three semesters, and thesis work done during the fourth semester. Maximum time permitted for the completion of the program is four years, computed from the date of initial registration in the program.
Course Work After admission to the program, students choose courses in consultation with their advisors. Students are encouraged to make use of philosophy courses at the University of California, Berkeley and at other GTU schools as well. The advisors supervise the students' selection of courses, assuring that they have an adequate understanding of the various branches of philosophy at a graduate level. The advisors may require students in particular instances to take special courses in philosophy where lacunae have been noted in their B.A. program, or where their own specialization may indicate that this is appropriate. Up to four courses from the school's upper division undergraduate philosophy offerings (excluding logic) may be counted toward the M.A. degree, provided that they have not already been counted for the B.A. degree. In such cases, the requirements for each course should be augmented in consultation with the professor and the student's academic advisor. Students in the program must maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
Language Requirement Students must possess a reading knowledge of a modern or classical foreign language. Language proficiency must normally be certified by the beginning of the third semester in the program. DSPT's policy for certifying language proficiency is based upon the GTU policy for the common M.A. Foreign students whose native language is not English may fulfill the language requirement by passing the ETS/TOEFL examination.
Thesis Promotion to the degree of Master of Arts requires a written thesis on a subject selected by the student and approved by the DSPT Philosophy Department. This thesis must show that the student is capable of investigating some philosophical problem, of doing scholarly research with the use of appropriate source material and current discussions, and of presenting findings in a clear, forceful manner. The student must present a proposal for the thesis in the prescribed format to the Philosophy Department for approval by the end of the third semester in the program. The student nominates a director and two readers for the thesis; the department, which may, at its discretion, make substitutions in light of the nature of the thesis, must approve these. It is the responsibility of the director to assist the student in the writing of the thesis in whatever way is deemed appropriate. The thesis is to be about 80 pages in length and written according to the standards prescribed in A Manual for the Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, 6th edition, by Kate Turabian, (University of Chicago Press, 1996). A comprehensive bibliography of the appropriate sources and modern treatments of the subject matter of the thesis should be included in the final copy.
Oral Defense The oral defense of the thesis will be conducted by the director and the assigned readers. The defense shall not exceed one and one-half hours in length; theses deemed outstanding by all three examiners will be passed "with honors."
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