The One-year MA at Guelph | College of Arts

The One-year MA at Guelph

The one-year MA option offers you the opportunity to hone your philosophical skills through graduate coursework, culiminating in an 8000-word research paper. Whether you want to continue in non-academic pursuits or go on to a PhD, this degree provides intensive philosophical training that will serve you in whatever you choose to do next.

Does the one-year MA make me competitive in applications to PhD programs?

Yes, absolutely. Many Philosophy programs in North America offer one-year MA degrees. Whether you do a one-year or two-year MA is purely a matter of choice (the two-year allows you to write a longer thesis with a formal oral defence), and has no impact on your suitability or on your competitiveness for PhD programs.

What does the one-year MA look like?

The one-year MA is typically done over three semesters (Fall, Winter, and Summer).

Take the (two-semester) MA Seminar
Take at least 5 additional Philosophy graduate courses
Take the Major Research Project in Philosophy course, producing a graded paper of about 8,000 words 

Will there be opportunities for teaching?

Yes. Our biggest courses all have tutorial components--as a teaching assistants for those classes, you get the opportunity to run your own weekly tutorial classes with undergrads. The department will provide you with lots of resources to help you out with any questions you might have about preparing and teaching your tutorial classes in the form of workshops, faculty mentoring, and MA seminar discussions. 

Does the department offer funding for the full year?

Yes. The department can typically guarantee at least $20,000 for 3 semesters.

Does the department offer interdisciplinary options?

Yes. We have options for our graduate students to explore interdisciplinary avenues of research. Graduate students are free to take courses outside of philosophy and a number of our students have availed themselves of opportunity. We also offer a collaborative program at the MA and PhD levels with International Development Studies (please see below for information about this program).

How to Apply:

Doing the program:

Who can I talk to if I have questions about the program?

You are welcome to contact our Graduate Coordinator, Don Dedrick or our Department Graduate Secretary, Priyanka Jhanjee.

Interdisciplinary Degree in Collaborative International Development Studies (IDS)

The Philosophy MA or PhD can be combined with an IDS collaborative specialization. This offers an interdisciplinary framework for the study of international development that combines training in a selected academic discipline with exposure to a broad range of social science perspectives. In addition to Philosophy program course requirements, students take: 

  • "IDS Seminar" (IDEV 6100) and one course from each core area: Sociology/Anthropology, Geography, Economics and Political Science

Please visit the IDS website for more information