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Philosophy

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Breadth of knowledge.
Faculty in UToledo's M.A. program in philosophy teach multiple philosophical traditions. Students gain a critical skill as they engage with historical and contemporary philosophical problems. 

Breadth of knowledge.
Faculty in UToledo's M.A. program in philosophy teach multiple philosophical traditions. Students gain a critical skill as they engage with historical and contemporary philosophical problems. 

Philosophy Master's Degree Overview

The University of Toledo's master's program in philosophy focuses on preparing students for acceptance into competitive Ph.D. programs in philosophy. 

Our M.A. students come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds. While most of our students have extensive experience in philosophy, it is not a requirement for acceptance. We look for strong students with advanced critical and analytical skills who have an interest in addressing philosophical problems from multiple perspectives. 

UToledo's Department of Philosophy is historically oriented and pluralistic. Faculty represents continental and analytic philosophical traditions. We are the perfect program for students who want to develop broad familiarity with diverse areas of philosophical research, including: 

  • American philosophy 
  • Bioethics 
  • Environmental ethics and issues surrounding sustainability 
  • History of western philosophy 
  • Philosophy of religion  
  • Philosophy of mind and cognitive science 
  • Philosophy of science, especially philosophy of biology and of mathematics 
  • Social and political philosophy 

During their second years, M.A. students continue course work and develop professional qualifications in an area of specialization. There are two options for completing the degree: 

  • Thesis option — leads to the defense of a written master’s thesis 
  • Exam option — leads to a written qualifying exam in contemporary philosophy 

Philosophy Master's Degree Highlights

Full tuition support. Most full-time students in UToledo's master's philosophy program receive a teaching assistantship (a full tuition waiver and stipend). 

Professional development. First-year students work as teaching assistants for department faculty. Most second-year graduate students teach an introductory-level philosophy course of their own. This opportunity isn't available in many M.A. programs in philosophy. It can be of enormous value when applying to Ph.D. programs. 

The department also offers limited support for graduate students traveling to professional conferences.  

Outstanding placement record. Students from UToledo's master's program have gone on to superior PhD programs and top-tier law schools. 

Continental philosophy is one of our program's strengths, setting our program apart from other M.A. programs in philosophy. We have faculty members with significant professional training, experience and connections in the continental tradition. Many of our graduate students choose to pursue research in that tradition.  


Career Opportunities

UToledo philosophy master's students are sought-after by employers and graduate schools for their: 

  • Professional experience (teaching) 
  • Research experience 
  • Breadth of knowledge 
  • Highly developed skills in writing, critical thinking and analysis 

Most UToledo master's graduates are accepted into competitive doctoral programs or law schools, including:  

  • Graduate Center at City University?of New York 
  • Emory University 
  • Purdue University 
  • University of Cincinnati 
  • University of Notre Dame 
  • University of Kent (UK) 
  • St. Andrews (UK) 
  • University of Toledo Law  
  • Ohio State University Law 
  • Johns Hopkins (international development) 
  • Georgetown University (foreign service) 

Graduates of philosophy master's programs also find employment at universities and colleges; non-profits; foreign-service agencies; international development organizations and more. 


Our Alumni

“I am teaching myself programming in order to become a web and mobile developer. I am not sure it would even be possible without my graduate background. The ability to learn, to think analytically, critically and creatively — which I learned at UToledo — is applicable to learning code. I am able to find resources, pick the most useful ones, understand and internalize that knowledge and then apply it creatively to various projects. Philosophy at the graduate level is unequaled in preparing one for lifelong, continual learning and development.” 

Jacob Carpenter
M.A. ’14

“In addition to the obvious academic benefits of being in a department with philosophical diversity and serious academic pedigrees, I think the highlight of my M.A. experience at UToledo was personal. I have colleagues — fellow students and professors/advisors — who will be lifelong friends. I worked with exceptionally dedicated faculty and with peers who challenged me, people who found the time to care deeply not just about my academic work but my well-being and aspirations.” 

Nicholas Rogerson
M.A. ’13


Philosophy Master's Degree Plan of Study

Philosophy Master's Program Sample Classes

  • Philosophy of Science 
  • American Philosophy: William James 
  • Philosophy of Mind: Neuroethics 
  • Ancient Philosophy: Aristotelian Ethics 
  • Recent European Philosophy 
  • Political Philosophy: Democracy 
 

View Plan of Study

Research Opportunities

UToledo's philosophy department boasts an outstanding faculty that is truly pluralistic. Each member is an accomplished researcher and teacher with expertise in most traditions and approaches in western philosophy. 

  • Dr. James Campbell — one of?the world's?leading scholars of American pragmatism. 
  • Dr. Nina Atanasova — Her research in neuroethics and?philosophy?of neuroscience is at the cutting edge of a new and crucial area of philosophical research. 
  • Dr. Ammon Allred — His research on the relationship between Heidegger and Derrida is part of an effort by a group of young scholars that will change the understanding of those figures and their places in 20th-century European philosophy. 

Examples of recent M.A. thesis projects include: 

  • Environmental Ethics and Animal Suffering 
  • The Science of Altruism 
  • Feminist Ethics in Literature 
  • The Concept of Sovereignty in Hobbes and Stalin 
  • Platonic Conceptions of Love in Early Christian Thought 
  • Metaphysics in Contemporary French Philosophy 
  • The Role of Emotions in Cognition 
  • Dewey’s Ethics 

Want More Information?


Philosophy Master's Degree

2 years

Program Availability

 On Campus

Program Quick Links

View Admission Requirements
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
College of Arts and Letters
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Last Updated: 3/21/2023