A student need not have an undergraduate major in philosophy to be admitted to the MA Program. As long as an applicant’s philosophical background is adequate preparation for graduate-level work in philosophy (e.g., a philosophy minor, or at least several courses in philosophy), not having a philosophy major is no bar to admission.

Applicant Requirements

A complete application for the philosophy master’s program includes these elements:

Statement of purpose: In no more than 800 words, please tell us (1) what your philosophical interests are and what intellectual questions you wish to understand better, (2) which experiences, skills, and philosophical and non-philosophical background will enable you successfully to carry out graduate work on your philosophical interests and (3) what, in light of these interests and experiences, your reasons are for applying to the University of Alabama specifically. You may also include (4) any information that will help to contextualize the materials submitted with your application.

Writing sample: The writing sample is your opportunity to demonstrate that you can do strong philosophical work. A writing sample should be clearly written and well-organized but should not be merely expository. Instead, it should be a persuasive or argumentative piece of writing that: (1) advances a clear, easily identifiable thesis or point of view; (2) develops an argument for its thesis that identifies and responds to objections; and (3) engages successfully with the relevant scholarly literature on its topic. The writing sample should be a maximum of 6,000 words (not including the bibliography).  

Resume or CV

Two letters of recommendation

Transcripts: One from each institution at which you earned at least 15 semester hours of coursework, consistent with Graduate School policies.

International Students and English Language Proficiency: International students must comply with Graduate School policies.  

Application deadline: April 1