Course details

Summary

Think about the big questions in life

With Massey’s Master of Arts (Philosophy) you can tackle the questions that have always gripped humanity.

WHAT IS IT LIKE?

With the Master of Arts (Philosophy) you’ll tackle the big questions of what kind of beings we are, and how we interact with the world in which we live.

You can develop your interests and skills with a research report or a thesis.

Benefit at work and at home

Philosophy isn’t just about abstract thinking. Studying philosophy develops your critical thinking skills: your ability to assess whether arguments are rationally compelling, and to make your arguments compelling to others. This skill is important in the workplace, and is consistently ranked by employers among the most desirable attributes in an employee.

It helps you in your day-to-day life too, such as when watching the news or reading stories on the internet. Through your study of philosophy you’ll learn how to understand and evaluate what you read rather than just remembering it, and to become more aware of the reasons why you hold the views you do.

Complete your MA in three semesters

Massey’s Master of Arts is 180 credits. This means you can complete an MA in three semesters of full-time study.

Careers

A Massey MA (Philosophy) gives you experience in handling unusual and difficult ideas, communicating your thinking with clarity, and being aware of the reasons for your views while being flexible and adaptive. You’ll cope with new challenges as the needs of your work change. That adaptability and the ability to think on your feet will be a big advantage in careers in advertising, journalism, management, policy analysis, research and many more.

These skills are highly prized by employers and this means you can explore a wide range of career options. Recent graduates in philosophy have gone into jobs as diverse as:

• Advertising
• Business
• Computing
• Journalism
• Management
• Policy analysis
• Publishing
• Research
• Teaching
• Treasury

Master of Arts (Philosophy) structure

Courses to the value of 180 credits consisting of 120 credits of taught courses and a Research Report (Coursework pathway) or a combination of taught courses and a 90-120 credit thesis (Research pathway) as outlined below.

At least a B grade average is required in the first 60 credits of courses completed in Part One for progression to Part Two - Coursework Pathway.

At least a B+ grade average is required in the first 60 credits of courses completed in Part One for progression to Part Two - Research Pathway.

Students who successfully complete Part One but do not meet the minimum grade average for progression will exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts.

Entry criteria

Admission to this programme is open to student who have:

Students must achieve at least a B average in their 200 and 300-level Philosophy courses
Students who have completed the following postgraduate qualifications may be eligible for direct entry to part two of the Master of Arts:

• A completed BA degree with a major in Philosophy or
• A completed Bachelor’s degree with a minor in Philosophy followed by a Graduate Certificate in Arts endorsed in Philosophy; or
• A completed Bachelor’s degree followed by a Graduate Diploma in Arts in Philosophy;

Students must achieve at least a B average in their 200 and 300-level Philosophy courses

Students who have completed the following postgraduate qualifications may be eligible for direct entry to part two of the Master of Arts:

• A completed Bachelor of Arts(Honours) or a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts endorsed in Philosophy. At least a B+ grade average is required for entry to the Research Pathway. A B grade average across the 700 level courses is required for entry to the Coursework Pathway.

English language requirements:

• IELTS score of 6.5 (no band less than 6.0)
• TOEFL iBT score of 90 overall (min 20 in Writing)
• PTE Academic score of 58 Overall (min 50 in communicative skills)
• Cambridge English score of 180