Master of Arts
The Virginia Tech Masters Program
Virginia Tech's M.A. program is listed in the Philosophical Gourmet Report, along with four other similar programs, as one of the top terminal M.A. philosophy programs in the United States (after Tufts, the top ranked program). Most of our students enter the program with the intention of going on to a doctoral program. In many cases, their undergraduate backgrounds are insufficient for them to be admitted to a high quality doctoral program immediately and the Virginia Tech M.A. program serves as a stepping stone for them. We have been highly successful in placing our students in doctoral programs, as our placement record demonstrates. Other students do not intend to continue in academia, but wish to use an advanced training in philosophy in other professions.
The M.A. degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate level work. Students may complete the requirements for the M.A. degree through either the thesis or non-thesis tracks. Students pursuing the thesis track write a thesis and take at least 24 hours of regular coursework. Students pursuing the non-thesis track take at least 27 hours of regular coursework and complete a comprehensive exam at the conclusion of the two year program. For more details on the requirements of the M.A. degree, please consult the graduate student handbook.
Admissions
Application Deadline: 1 February
Our M.A. Program normally admits full-time students only in the fall semester. Exceptions are possible in special circumstances. We do encourage part-time students and Commonwealth Campus students to join us at whatever time is convenient for them.
Admission to our program does not require that a student have completed an undergraduate philosophy major. A number of our students have come to philosophy too late in their undergraduate years to complete a major, and many are returning to school some years after completing their undergraduate degrees.
A complete application comprises:
1. The online Graduate School application, including the supplementary material requested in the instructions on the application (e.g. official GRE scores, transcripts, etc.). Please pay careful attention to the destination address(es) for each. For information about the Graduate School application, please click here. The application itself is completed online, or you can print the application here.
2. Three letters of reference mailed directly to the philosophy department. If submitting an online application, applicant has the option to indicate that references are being submitted online (instructions on application). If references are not being submitted online, the reference letters should be mailed directly to the philosophy department. All reference letters must be accompanied by a completed reference form. The reference letter may be typed on letterhead or directly on the reference form.
3. An official transcript mailed directly to the philosophy department (in addition to the transcript mailed directly to the Graduate School).
4. A writing sample mailed directly to the philosophy department. Ideally, a writing sample should be an undergraduate paper of about 15 pages, preferably from a philosophy course. However, if such materials are not available, we will also consider professional reports or other appropriate documents of which the applicant was sole author. For students who have completed Masters Degrees in other fields, a chapter of a thesis may also be appropriate as a writing sample.
Assistantships
Assistantships are available only to full-time students. New students are considered for assistantships only for entry into the program in the fall semester. Initial offers of assistantships will be made sometime between March 15-April 1. We will continue to offer assistantships later, as needed, until we have utilized all available assistantships.
Commonwealth Campus Program
Prospective students who wish to take a few classes prior to applying to our M.A. Program are welcome to apply for the Commonwealth Campus Program, which allows people who have completed their undergraduate degrees to take up to 12 credit hours (4 courses) without first being admitted into a departmental program, assuming the department has space for them in its classes and agrees to it.
If you need to place an inquiry concerning information not covered on our websites, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. William FitzPatrick by email.
Forms for Registered M.A. Students
Chair of Advisory Commitee Request
Selection of Advisory Committee Members
Program of Study
Request for Independent Study
Graduate School Forms
Links
Graduate School
Graduate Student Handbook
M.A. Placement Record
Philosophical Gourmet Report