BA/MA Accelerated Program, Philosophy

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The accelerated BA/MA program in Philosophy will encourage outstanding students in the Philosophy B.A. program at the University of Nevada, Reno to earn an M.A. degree in Philosophy at UNR over a shorter period of time. Students enrolled in the accelerated program can potentially obtain either a Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Professional Paper) Philosophy M.A. degree by the end of their fifth year of study. The accelerated program allows qualified undergraduate students in Philosophy to take up to 12 credits of graduate level courses and apply those to their undergraduate degree. They may also apply the same graduate credits to a graduate degree in Philosophy at UNR, if they apply and are admitted to the program.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

state a thesis about a philosophical problem or text, explain the thesis, and provide evidence and argument (including replies to counter-arguments) in its defense. (C)
explain and interpret the ideas associated with major figures and movements in philosophy, and analyze issues and problems in the different main branches of philosophical inquiry. (CT)
identify better and worse reasoning, and recognize relevant logical relationships and patterns of inference. (QR)
show what is at stake in an abstract debate, historical or contemporary, and indicate how a philosophical view might have concrete implications or make a difference in theory or practice. (CT)

Admission Requirements

Applications to the accelerated BA/MA program require Letters of Recommendation from 2 full-time department faculty members.
A Statement of Purpose must accompany the application.

Applicant Criteria

At least 75 units toward the BA degree in Philosophy (General track or Ethics, Law, and Politics) must be completed.
General education and additional college requirements must be completed.
All required lower-division (100 and 200 level) Philosophy major courses must be completed.
Applicant must have completed at least 18 undergraduate units in Philosophy with at least 6 units in upper-division (300 or 400 level).
Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA.
At least 12 units of Philosophy must have been earned at UNR by the time of application.

Program Guidelines

These guidelines comply with the Graduate School rules and regulations and established practices for accelerated BA/MA programs at the university.

Up to twelve units of graduate work may apply to both the BA and MA degrees.
Students must be admitted to the accelerated program before graduate courses can be taken.
Students may begin graduate coursework in the first semester of their senior year.
A grade of B or better is required for each graduate course that students take while an undergraduate student. Any course where a student does not receive a grade of B or above will not be transferred to the student’s graduate degree, if they pursue one.
Students will be ineligible for departmental consideration for graduate (GTA) funding on normal funding lines.
Students must consult with their Financial Aid advisor each semester to determine their eligibility for financial aid.

Philosophy M.A. Degree Requirements

https://catalog.unr.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=50&poid=149901&returnto=73646