Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy offers two advanced degrees: the
Doctor of Philosophy and the Master of Arts. Traditional strengths in the department
are aesthetics, philosophy of mind, American pragmatism and 19th century German
philosophy. Other areas of interest are philosophy and literature, interdisciplinary
work using results from the cognitive sciences, and feminism. Students studying in
the Ph.D. program are equipped to teach philosophy in universities and liberal arts
colleges. Those completing the M.A. degree are equipped to teach philosophy at
community colleges.
The Ph.D. degree requires at least 48 hours of graduate
credit and typically takes 4-5 years to complete. A doctoral student may request up
to 30 credit-hours of advanced standing for graduate work completed at Temple or at
another recognized university. The M.A. degree requires at least 30 hours of
graduate credit and typically takes 2 years to finish. Degree work for both degrees
is offered on the main campus (with courses occasionally being scheduled in the evening at
TUCC). The degrees may be taken on a part-time basis, but nearly all students are
full-time.
