Philosophy (MA)

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Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Philosophy

Faculty

Faculty of Arts & Science

Program type

Thesis

Primary campus

Sir George Williams (SGW)

Duration

2 years

Credits

45 credits

Start term

Fall, Winter

Program overview

An MA in Philosophy will help you wrestle with some of humanity's most significant concerns such as: the basis of knowledge, logic, ethical action, human rights, global justice, and understanding our relationship with the environment. The central focus of philosophy is developing conceptual frameworks and tools to address fundamental questions about reality, life, and knowledge. At Concordia, we examine these questions through analytic philosophy, history of philosophy, continental philosophy, and comparative philosophy. Our students are studying topics such as global justice, Kant’s metaphysics, the natures of science and humility, Merleau-Ponty and Levinas’ ethics, and multi-valued logics. Students in the program are well-placed to continue in doctoral studies, with many now teaching at universities around the world. Whatever your path in life, our philosophy MA offers invaluable assets: skills in clear thinking and careful reasoning, coupled with a knowledge of the history of ideas.

Program structure

Degree Requirements

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 45 credits.

Please see the Philosophy Courses page for course descriptions.

Philosophy MA (45 credits)

credits of coursework, with a minimum of:

3 credits chosen from History of Philosophy Courses

3 credits chosen from Aesthetics, Moral Philosophy, or Social and Political Philosophy Courses

3 credits chosen from Metaphysics, Epistemology or Philosophy of Science Courses

credits chosen from:

Option A : Philosophy MA Research Thesis

Option B : Philosophy MA Monograph Thesis

Option A : Philosophy MA Research Thesis

• PHIL 693 Research Thesis (27.00)

Option B : Philosophy MA Monograph Thesis

• PHIL 696 Monograph Thesis (27.00)

History of Philosophy Courses

• PHIL 607 Kant (3.00)

• PHIL 609 Selected Topics in the History of Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 612 Ancient Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 613 Medieval Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 614 Modern Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 615 19th-Century Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 616 Selected Topics in the History and Philosophy of Science (3.00)

• PHIL 617 Origins of Analytic Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 618 Origins of Continental Philosophy (3.00)

Aesthetics, Moral Philosophy, or Social and Political Philosophy Courses

• PHIL 621 Value Theory (3.00)

• PHIL 623 Issues in Ethical Theory (3.00)

• PHIL 624 Moral Problems (3.00)

• PHIL 625 Aesthetics (3.00)

• PHIL 626 Political Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 627 Marx (3.00)

• PHIL 628 Philosophy of Law (3.00)

• PHIL 629 Values and Biotechnology (3.00)

• PHIL 631 Theories of Justice (3.00)

• PHIL 632 Environmental Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 633 Selected Topics in Value Theory (3.00)

Metaphysics, Epistemology, or Philosophy of Science Courses

• PHIL 634 Selected Topics in Epistemology (3.00)

• PHIL 641 Philosophical Foundations of Biology (3.00)

• PHIL 643 Selected Topics in Metaphysics (3.00)

• PHIL 644 Philosophy of Science (3.00)

• PHIL 645 Philosophy of Mathematics (3.00)

• PHIL 646 Philosophy of Language (3.00)

• PHIL 647 Philosophy of Mind (3.00)

• PHIL 648 Philosophy of Social Science (3.00)

• PHIL 649 Phenomenology (3.00)

• PHIL 652 Selected Topics in Logic (3.00)

• PHIL 656 Selected Topics in Analytic Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 658 Selected Topics in Continental Philosophy (3.00)

• PHIL 659 Selected Topics in Metaphysics, Epistemology, or Philosophy of Science (3.00)

To be classified each year by the graduate program director

• PHIL 672 Tutorial (3.00)

• PHIL 678 Topics in Current Research (3.00)

• PHIL 698 The Teaching of Philosophy (3.00)

Consult the Graduate Calendar for the complete list of courses

Admission requirements

Admission Requirements

Honours degree in philosophy, or its equivalent.
Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.

Application process

Review these four steps before applying

Make sure to check for program specific requirements

Application deadlines

FALL

February 1

WINTER

December 1

SUMMER

n/a

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec, we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Use the tuition & fee estimator

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

Learn more about entrance awards

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

Consult the list of awards available

Philosophy (MA)

Program overview