Program Requirements

General Requirements

Following are the requirements for the MA non-thesis and thesis plans.

Non-Thesis General Requirements		Hours
Required Courses
PHL 500	Proseminar	3
PHL 590	Capstone	3
Concentration Required Courses		6
Concentration Specific Electives		3
Select 3 credit hours from Concentration Specific Electives list.
Common Elective Courses		15
Select 15 credit hours from Common Elective Course list.
Total Hours		30

Thesis General Requirements		Hours
Required Courses
PHL 500	Proseminar	3
PHL 590	Capstone	3
Concentration Required Courses		6
Concentration Specific Electives		3
Select 3 credit hours from Concentration Specific Electives list.
Common Elective Courses		9
Select 9 credit hours from Common Elective Course list.
Thesis Course		6
PHL 599	Thesis
Total Hours		30

Intended duration for full-time students is four semesters.
UA undergraduate students enrolled in the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) may take up to 12 hours of graduate courses (during the senior year) that count simultaneously toward the undergraduate and graduate degree, allowing students to complete the Master’s degree in one additional year. The Philosophy AMP program is expected to begin Fall 2026.

Concentration Requirements and Electives

Law, Ethics, and Society Concentration

Law, Ethics, and Society Courses (Number and Title)		Hours
Concentration Required Courses		6
PHL 550	Nature and Elements of Law	3
PHL 544	Constitutionalism and Democracy	3
Concentration Specific Electives (Select One)		3
PHL 541	Law and Morality	3
PHL 542	Ticking Time Bombs: Phil. Nat. Sec.	3
PHL 543	Phil. Issues in International Law	3
PHL 546	Leg. and Phil. Prob. in Policing	3
Total Hours		9

Philosophy, Medicine and Ethics Concentration

Philosophy, Medicine and Ethics Courses (Number and Title)		Hours
Concentration Required Courses		6
PHL 589	Philosophy of Medicine	3
PHL 523	Advanced Seminar in Medical Ethics	3
Concentration Specific Electives (Select One)		3
PHL 586	Philosophy of Science	3
PHL 522	Neuroethics	3
PHL 587	Philosophy and Evolution	3
PHL 588	Philosophy of Mental Health	3
Total Hours		9

Mind and Brain Concentration

Mind and Brain Courses (Number and Title)		Hours
Concentration Required Courses		6
PHL 562	Neural Basis of Consciousness	3
PHL 564	Mind, Language and Reality	3
Concentration Specific Electives (Select One)		3
PHL 522	Neuroethics	3
PHL 560	Philosophy of Mind	3
PHL 566	Metaphysics	3
PHL 586	Philosophy of Science	3
Total Hours		9

Common Electives

Common Elective Courses (Number and Title)		Hours
PHL 522	Neuroethics	3
PHL 523	Advanced Seminar in Medical Ethics	3
PHL 526	The Science of Ethics	3
PHL 530	Philosophy of Oppression	3
PHL 540	Seminar on Law	3
PHL 541	Law and Morality	3
PHL 542	T. Time Bombs: Phil. Nat. Sec.	3
PHL 543	Phil Issues in International Law	3
PHL 544	Constitut. and Democracy	3
PHL 550	Nature and Elements of Law	3
PHL 546	Leg. and Phil. Prob. in Polic.	3
PHL 560	Philosophy of Mind	3
PHL 562	Neural Basis of Consciousness	3
PHL 566	Metaphysics	3
PHL 586	Philosophy of Science	3
PHL 587	Philosophy and Evolution	3
PHL 588	Philosophy of Mental Health	3
PHL 592	Independent Research	3