1. Overview
The combination Bachelor’s/Master’s degree option will allow exceptional students to pursue an accelerated program leading to the Master of Arts in Philosophy. The plan is designed to take five years from starting as a first-year undergraduate to completing the MA, one year less than the traditional four years for a BA and another two for an MA. The combination BA/MA program will be attractive to:
- Students who would like to pursue more advanced studies in philosophy in a way that requires a smaller commitment in terms of time and money.
- Students who hope to gain an advanced academic degree prior to pursuing professional degrees in such fields as law and medicine.
- Students who are considering pursuing a PhD in philosophy or related fields (e.g., linguistics, classical studies, religious studies, psychology, political science) and understand that the background of an MA in philosophy may prove useful in those areas.
Interested students are encouraged to talk with the Undergraduate and/or Graduate Coordinator about the Combination BA/MA Program.
2. Basic requirements
The undergraduate Philosophy major requires 33 hours of philosophy coursework completed as part of the 120 hours required for the BA. The Philosophy MA requires 36 hours of graduate philosophy coursework. The combination BA/MA program likewise requires 36 hours of graduate coursework but allows 12 of these hours also to count towards elective requirements for the undergraduate Philosophy major. The 12 hours of graduate coursework allowed to count towards the BA requirements may not substitute for any of the courses that satisfy the BA’s area distribution requirements.
3. Admission to the program
By the time of admission to the combination degree program, a student must:
- Have completed PHI 3130 and at least two other courses satisfying area distribution requirements for the BA (PHH 3100, PHH 3400, PHI 3300 or PHI 3500, PHI 3650).
- Have completed at least 15 credits in philosophy.
- Have at least a 3.2 UF GPA and at least a 3.5 GPA in all philosophy courses.
Students may apply for admission prior to satisfying these requirements, but no sooner than during the semester in which they expect to complete them. Thus application to the Combination BA/MA program will typically be made at the end of the junior year or, in exceptional cases, at the end of the sophomore year.
To apply, a student must:
- Complete the graduate school’s standard application for combination BA/MA programs.
- Submit the standard materials required for admission to the Philosophy MA program, including at least two letters of recommendation from regular faculty in the UF Philosophy Department.
A note on the GRE: Whereas the department in previous years required GRE scores as part of an application, the GRE requirement has now been waived indefinitely, including for admissions for Fall 2022.
Students admitted to the program must begin the program in the Fall semester. Decisions about admissions are made at the end of each Spring semester.
4. Sample program
The following timetable gives an outline of progress students should minimally expect to be making in years three through five of the Combination BA/MA Program.
Schematic Timetable
| Year | To complete by end of that year | Philosophy credits earned this year | Accumulated credits | BA rqts met | MA rqts met |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | • PHI3130, and at least two other area distribution courses for the undergraduate Philosophy major
• At least 2 additional Philosophy courses • Apply before the end of the Spring semester for admission to the BA/MA program |
Undergrd: 15 Grad: 0 |
Undergrd: 15 Grad: 0 |
Total credits: At least 15 for BA Area distribution: 3 of 5 |
|
| 4 | • Complete any remaining area distribution courses for BA (assume 6 undergrad credits)
• Proseminar and graduate logic (6 grad credits) • 2 more graduate courses meeting MA requirements (6 grad credits) |
Undergrd: 6 Grad: 12 |
Undergrd: 21 Grad: 12 |
Total credits: 21 + 12 of grad to count for BA = 33 Area distribution: complete. 4K level reqt: met by grad courses BA Complete. |
12 credits towards MA distribution requirements (Proseminar, Graduate Logic, 2 more courses) |
| 5 | • 24 credits of graduate work
• At least 18 of these satisfy MA distribution requirements |
Undergrd: 0 Grad: 24 |
Undergrd: 21 Grad: 36 |
18 Y5 plus 12 Y4: 30 distribution credits, thus meeting the distribution requirement. 30 + 6 more at 5K level or above meets all MA requirements. MA complete. |
5. References
Full information on our individual BA and MA programs as well as general information on Combination Degree Programs at UF can be found here: