A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in major course work is required. Each graduate department may have additional "special admission requirements" which are noted on this page.

• Completed on-line application and signature page or
• Download the paper application (HTML) | (Acrobat)
• The non-refundable $45 application fee (Waivers accepted for FAMU Feeder Program and McNair Scholars)
• Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar’s Office from ALL colleges and universities attended
• GRE Scores (Only official score reports are accepted within 5 years of the test date) www.gre.org
• Statement of Academic and Research Interest
• Autobiographical Sketch (Personal biography)
• Resume
• Three letters of recommendation Word

For International Applicants

In addition to the requirements listed above you must meet the following:

• Official transcripts, certificates and/or mark/grade sheets must be sent directly from the college or university to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, and must show proof of degree(s) earned, courses taken and marks/grades received. Also, ALL transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (www.wes.org) or AACRAO (www.aacrao.org) and be forwarded to Graduate Recruitment and Admissions.
• TOEFL Scores (Minimum computer-based score of 213 is required and only official score reports are accepted within 2 years of the test date) www.toelf.org

Candidates must complete a total of 33 credit hours of graduate course work, of which 27 must be in philosophy courses and 6 in thesis work.

All students must demonstrate a reading competence in a foreign language, other than English, provided that the language is judged to have substantial philosophical literature in the student's area of research interest. This requirement may be met either by passing a reading examination in the language or by taking a four-semester language course designed for degree candidates, and obtaining a grade of B or better every semester.

The schedule of requirements embraces nine courses (27 credit hours) and a thesis (6 credit hours). The thesis must show competence in the treatment of a philosophical topic approved by the student's adviser. In addition to courses specifically designated graduate courses and seminars, undergraduate courses bearing numbers 150 or higher are also available for graduate credit. Graduate students in philosophy may also earn credit for courses offered by graduate departments in the Washington Consortium of Universities.

In order to be admitted to candidacy for the master's degree, candidates must, in addition to other requirements, pass a qualifying examination administered by the department. This examination will normally be taken at the end of the student's first year in graduate school, and in any case, before the student begins the M.A. thesis. The examination will test the student's competency in the following broad areas: history of philosophy; epistemology, metaphysics and philosophy of language, comparative and cultural philosophy; ethics and logic.

Each student will be assigned an adviser during his/her first semester in accordance with his/her expressed interests. The student must consult with the adviser when registering for courses each semester and for guidance regarding the requirements.

The Department offers two major areas of specialization: African Philosophy, and Ethics and Public Policy, in addition to broad-based courses in the traditional areas of philosophy. The course requirements from these areas of specialization are the following:

I. Specialization in African Philosophy

Core Courses (18 credits)

224-251 Metaphysic 

224-301 Seminar in Ancient Egyptian Philosophy

224-311 Contemporary African Philosophy

224-317 Seminar in African-American Philosophy

230-291 Language, Thought and Reality

220-610 Seminar in Interdisciplinary Research 

Electives (9 credits)

241-615 Intercultural/Interracial Communication

224-253 Philosophy of Culture

30-238 Development & Underdevelopment

224-250 Epistemology

220-260 Sociology of African Americans 

224-274 Philosophy of Science 

II. Specialization in Ethics and Public Policy 

Core Courses (18 credits)

224-310 Classical Ethics

224-312 Political Philosophy

224-250 Epistemology

224-290 Contemporary Philosophy

224-335 Ethics and Public Policy 

224-231 Evaluation of Public Policy

Students are to take at least six credits from any of the groups A to C, depending on their research interest:

Group A

Business Ethics (9 credits)

224-259 Philosophy of Economics

224-258 Business Ethics

206-220 Theory of Economic Development

211-218 Public Policy Formulation

Group B

Medical Ethics (9 credits)

224-339 Seminar in Bioethics

206-233 Economics of Health Service

202-248 Medical Anthropology

211-218 Public Policy Formulation

Group C

Environmental Ethics (9 credits)

224-248 Environmental Ethics

220-231 Intro. to Human Ecology

211-218 Public Policy Formulation

220-441 Seminar: Urban Policy Formation