~  Program Curriculum  ~
M.A. in Philosophy at IUPUI

Total Hours Required

Students must complete a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours, of which at least twenty (20) must be in philosophy.

          6 cr. hrs.   General required courses

          18 cr. hrs. Concentration specific courses

          6 cr. hrs.   Master’s thesis or a research project

Non-thesis option: In place of a thesis or research project students, in consultation with the graduate director or their faculty advisor, may elect to take six (6) additional credit hours in philosophy.

Grade Requirements

No course with a grade lower than a B (3.0) will count toward this degree.

Residency Requirement

Students must attend and complete the courses at IUPUI, excepting those courses accepted for transfer. At least fifteen (15) credit hours must be taken at IUPUI.

Transfer Credits

Candidates may transfer up to eight (8) hours of graduate credit for courses taken at other accredited institutions, providing the grades received were B (3.0) or higher and the courses were completed within the time limit prescribed by the Graduate School. The transfer is not automatic and must be approved in writing by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School. For time restrictions on transfer credits, see the section on time limits below. In addition to these eight (8) hours, graduate courses taken at other Indiana University campuses may be counted toward the M.A. if pre-approved in writing by the director.

Time Limits For Completion of Degree

The normal course load each semester for full-time students is a minimum of eight (8) credit hours. Part-time students take only one or two courses per semester. The minimum full-time equivalency for students holding an assistantship or internship is six (6) credit hours per semester. International students must take at least eight (8) credit hours each fall and spring semester to meet visa requirements. Students who carry a full academic load can complete the program in two calendar years.

The requirements for the degree must be completed within five consecutive years. Transfer credits also fall within this five-year limit. Any courses that have been completed more than five (5) years before the degree is completed must be revalidated if they are to count toward the M.A. Students in the combined-degrees programs (J.D./M.A. or M.D./M.A.) must complete both degrees within six (6) consecutive years and both degrees must be awarded simultaneously.

Program Structure: Thesis

Students are required to take a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours, including a six (6) credit-hour thesis written under the guidance of an appropriate faculty committee. Students who elect the bioethics concentration may substitute for the thesis a six (6) credit-hour research project, completed under the guidance of an appropriate faculty committee. Examples of admissible research projects: research that leads to a paper of sufficient length and quality to be considered for publication in a peer-reviewed journal; a comprehensive briefing paper for a legislative hearing; an analysis of a hospital, institutional, or research policy.

The program is divided into three modules. Students must complete six (6) credit hours in core areas of philosophy (module 1), eighteen (18) credit hours in concentration specific courses (module 2), and six (6) credit hours toward a thesis or research project (module 3). 

Program Structure: Non-Thesis

Students are required to take a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours divided into three modules. Students must complete six (6) credit hours in core areas of philosophy (module 1), eighteen (18) credit hours in concentration specific courses (module 2), and six (6) credit hours in additional philosophy electives (module 3). In module 3, students in the bioethics concentration may take any graduate philosophy courses of their choosing; students in the American philosophy concentration must choose from the list of concentration specific electives.