The Master of Arts in Philosophy
The Philosophy Department at SFU offers a two-year course-based program designed for students aiming to pursue a PhD in philosophy.
This program helps build a strong philosophical foundation in a supportive North American setting, welcoming students who may have limited philosophy coursework, come from different educational backgrounds, or have varied academic records.
We aim to put our students in the best position for them to apply to a PhD program that fits their interests and needs. We also support students who are not yet completely sure that academic philosophy is for them, and want to explore it is a more focused setting.
We carefully prepare each student for graduate applications by:
- Tailoring course requirements to each individual鈥檚 background, thereby ensuring that every student graduates with a broad basis for the PhD.
- Offering the option of a Professional Paper (in addition to the more common thesis option), designed to be used as the writing sample for PhD applications.
- Providing individual attention to MA students through a Professional Seminar for all incoming students, small graduate level seminars each term, and an individual study course that develops the student鈥檚 Professional Paper.
Curriculum
Professional Paper
Students complete a minimum of 7 courses, revising a paper of up to 30 pages for submission to a professional journal.
Classic Thesis
Students complete a minimum of 6 courses, at least one in each major area of philosophy. Students submit and defend a thesis of up to 100 pages.
Specialized Thesis
Courses required for completion depend on proposed program of study. Students submit and defend a thesis of up to 100 pages.
Why choose SFU Philosophy?
- Full immersion in Philosophy over two years/six terms - apply to PhD programs with 4-6 graduate courses on your transcript
- Professional paper suitable for reworking into PhD applications
- Fully funded as TAs (Teaching Assistants) with the department
- RA (Research Assistantship) opportunities
- Travel funding for each student to present work at conferences or workshops
Graduate Contacts
Apply now
To take the next step toward your graduate degree in philosophy, apply now.