School of Philosophy

The Master of Arts or Licentiate in Philosophy

Candidates must have received a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution. A minimum of eight undergraduate courses in select philosophical disciplines, including one course in symbolic logic, is required before regular standing as an M.A. candidate is achieved. Where a deficiency exists, certain graduate courses may be taken as the candidate completes the undergraduate requirement.

1. Candidates must complete in residence two semesters of full-time study (or the equivalent). A minimum of eight three-credit courses is required. Students may not repeat a graduate philosophy course in order to raise their grade.
2. Candidates must present a thesis to be approved by the faculty (form). This thesis must be presented not later than April 20 of the year in which the degree is to be conferred. Detailed instructions about the preparation of the final copy and other procedures may be obtained from the dean's office. Six credits are awarded for the thesis upon the completion of all other requirements for the degree.
3. Candidates must pass the following examinations:
   
   
   1. All regular examinations in each course.
   2. In addition to fulfilling the university's language requirement, a written examination administered by the School of Philosophy in which the candidate demonstrates an ability to read either French or German or Greek or Latin.
   3. An oral examination, of one hour, before four members of the faculty. Candidates for the M.A. degree must take their oral examination before the end of the second semester after the semester in which they complete their required course work.

  4. M.A. degree candidates must complete all degree requirements within three years (or six summer  
      sessions) after admission to the program.

       1.  Students are permitted to do doctoral course work before completing the requirements for the M.A.,     
            but this does not imply that the school will admit the student to the Ph.D. program. 

Language Requirements

The language examinations for all candidates for advanced degrees in the School of Philosophy are given according to procedures determined by the Academic Senate of the university. The Graduate School Foreign Language Test is administered by the university Counseling Center.

For the master's degree or the licentiate, a reading knowledge of French or German or Latin or Greek is required. For the doctoral degree, a reading knowledge of both French and German is required. All language requirements must be fulfilled one year prior to the time of the presentation of the candidate's degree.

These language requirements are in addition to those administered by the School of Philosophy.

Language Examinations Administered by the School

The language examinations administered by the school, one in French, one in German, one in Latin, and one in Greek, are given once in the fall and once in the spring. They are administered in two parts; in the case of French and German, one part is based on a passage from a primary source, and one part on a passage from a secondary source. The examination is administered in two three-hour sessions in which the student is required to translate the passages presented. The student may use only one dictionary throughout the examination.

Candidates for the M.A. or the Ph.L. degree must pass one part of one such examination either in French, German, Latin, or Greek. Candidates for the Ph.D. must pass both parts of the examinations in both French and German. All candidates must take both parts of the examination. No language will be recognized as a substitute for French and German.

Students intending to fulfill the School language requirement in French or German must first fulfill the University language requirement.

A foreign language examination committee, appointed by the dean, will be responsible for the preparation and the grading of the examination. For further particulars see the Foreign Language Examination Guidelines.

Copies of past Language Examinations will be available in advance of the examination dates and can be obtained in Aquinas Hall, room 200.

Continuous Enrollment of Graduate Students

Every graduate student is required to maintain continuous enrollment from the date of first registration until a degree program is completed, unless granted a leave of absence. The following is a summary of the enrollment regulations that apply to graduate students.

Enrollment Options

  1.  Course requirements not completed: Student must register for at least three credits of graduate course
       work (or approved undergraduate remedial work), unless granted a leave of absence.
  2.  Course requirements completed but two parts of the Graduate Reading Program Examination not passed:
       Student must register for additional course work, unless granted a leave of absence.
  3.  Two parts of the Graduate Reading Program Examination passed but the Ph.D. dissertation not
       completed: Student must register for Dissertation Guidance (three semester hours) each semester until 
       the Ph.D. dissertation defense has taken place, unless a leave of absence status has been granted.

Eligibility Criteria for Leave of Absence

Approval for leave of absence requires documentation of sustained ill health, required military service, or other circumstances resulting in involuntary interruption of graduate studies. The cumulative total period may not normally exceed one year.

Continuous Enrollment

A student who fails to maintain continuous enrollment under one of the options available is presumed to have withdrawn from the university and must therefore petition for readmission.

Deadlines

An approved leave of absence period is not counted in determining deadlines.