Philosophy - 2022-23 Graduate Catalog

Chair: Michael Weber
Graduate Coordinator: Sara Worley
Address: 305 Shatzel Hall
Phone: 419-372-2117
E-mail: timsand@bgsu.edu
Program Web Page: https://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/philosophy/graduate-program.html

Degrees Offered
Ph.D
MA

Program(s) Offered
Ph.D. in Applied Philosophy
MA in Philosophy

Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the doctoral program, students in the Philosophy program are expected to be able to:

• Comprehend difficult historical and contemporary philosophical texts.
• Demonstrate mastery of important philosophical concepts and methods in both oral and written contexts.
• Critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
• Formulate appropriate research questions.
• Investigate and synthesize the literature relevant to selected research questions.
• Develop, construct, and defend original research (to professional standards).

Prerequisites to Graduate Work
BA from an accredited institution, with typically a major or minor in philosophy.   

Admission Procedure
Applicants seeking admission to the graduate programs in Philosophy should follow the instructions outlined in the Graduate Admission webpage.  All application materials should be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office.

· In addition, applicants should review the admissions requirements specific to the program to which they seek admission.  

· Criteria for MA program includes: GRE scores, 3 letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and statement of purpose.

· Criteria for Ph.D. program includes:  GRE scores, 3 letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and statement of purpose.

Degree Requirements Bowling Green's graduate programs in Philosophy combine areas of applied philosophy, such as philosophy of medicine, law, business, and the environment, with training in the appropriate historical, methodological, and theoretical approaches to traditional areas of philosophy, such as moral and political philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, and logic. The programs are flexible both with respect to areas of specialization and career interests.

The department offers two distinct programs. The Ph.D. program is an integrated five-year program designed for students working toward the doctorate. The M.A. is granted as part of the total program. The separate terminal M.A. program is intended for students who want to do advanced work in applied philosophy as preparation for either a Ph.D. program or a nonacademic career in law, government, business, health care, or social service.

The terminal MA program consists of a minimum of 30 hours of coursework.  The 30 hours includes 12 hours of required coursework,   9 hours of distribution requirements, and 9 hours of electives.    The terminal MA also requires that students complete an MA project, which consists of an essay suitable for a conference or journal on a topic of the student’s choosing. The essay is presented and defended to the department. The MA project satisfies the requirements for an MA under Plan II.  

In order to be awarded the MA as part of the integrated MA/PhD, students must complete a minimum of 30 hours of coursework, and take and pass the MA Exam. The coursework includes a minimum of 18 hours of required courses, 9 hours of distribution requirements, and 6 hours of electives. The MA Exam is given at the beginning of the student’s fifth semester of residence.

In order to be awarded the PhD, the student must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours and write and submit a satisfactory dissertation. The 90 hours includes a minimum of 33 hours of coursework, including 18 hours of required courses,   15 hours of distribution requirements, and one additional philosophy course.  Most of the coursework required for the PhD is completed as part of the MA portion of the degree.   Students must also complete a minimum of 16 hours (and a maximum of 30 hours) in dissertation research hours.  Students must also pass three exams:  the MA Exam/PhD Qualifying Exam, a Preliminary Examination on the topic of the dissertation, and a final oral defense of the dissertation.  

As an integral part of their studies in either the terminal MA or integrated MA/PhD program, students may undertake internships involving work of up to 15 weeks in nonacademic settings such as federal or state agencies, hospitals, corporations, charitable institutions, research centers, and foundations, or take a cognate courses in other disciplines.

For a list of the approved philosophy program courses, please see:  http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/philosophy/graduate-program.html

Graduate Courses
Please access graduate courses online by clicking the “Browsing Course Catalog” button at http://www.bgsu.edu/registration-records/courses-and-classes/class-course-information.html. Graduate courses offered by the Department of philosophy use the prefix: PHIL.