We shall be focusing on masters in Philosophy online, what it entails and the top online schools that offer it. While many people see a Master’s degree in Philosophy as still something of a luxury, this is not the case. In most areas, a master’s degree in philosophy is considered an essential part of getting ahead.
A major part of the value that you get for your education with a Master’s degree in Philosophy comes from its breadth and scope. While there are some narrow definitions of the field that do not include things like psychology or sociology, those are incredibly popular fields today; having an education in philosophy will give you the opportunity to explore these fields and understand them at a much deeper level.
The other major benefit of a Master’s degree in Philosophy comes from its applicability to any industry or career path. Because this is such a broad field, it can be applied to almost any area that you are interested in pursuing; whether it be art history or finance, science or engineering, having a solid educational background in philosophy will help you get ahead and succeed at whatever it is that you choose to do.
Read also: Online Masters In Public Policy: All You Need To Know
Getting a masters in Philosophy online means your study time never stops.
With online courses, you can study whenever it’s convenient for you. If you have a busy life, this is especially valuable, as it means you don’t have to make time for your education around the rest of your schedule. You can set up a study routine that works well for you without having to worry about conflicts with other people’s schedules or wasting time traveling back and forth from campus.
Taking classes online is also a great way to improve your communication skills, even if they’re already pretty good when you start out. When all of your interaction with professors and classmates happens via technology, it forces you to be more precise and clear in what you write and say. This is true no matter what kind of educational program or career path you choose after graduation, so it’s a very beneficial skill for any student to pick up during their Master’s studies.
There are lots of free philosophy courses you can take to fill out your education or just feed your curiosity.
There are plenty of free courses you can take to fill out your education or just feed your curiosity.
Here are a few:
- Introduction to Philosophy
- Critical Thinking: Argument Analysis and Evaluation
- Thinking about Knowledge
- Introduction to Logic
- Introduction to Ethics
If you’re interested in Philosophy but not ready for an advanced degree, you can still get involved in the field at several levels.
If you’re interested in Philosophy but not ready for an advanced degree, you can still get involved in the field at several levels.
- Take philosophy courses at the undergraduate level. While it isn’t required that you earn a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, it may be helpful to take some philosophy courses as part of your undergraduate studies as a way to see if the field is for you.
- Look for local community college courses in philosophy. If there’s a community college nearby, check their course offerings online or walk-in and ask about any classes they offer in philosophy and critical thinking skills. Often times these types of classes are offered at less expensive rates and don’t require admissions applications or any other bureaucracy to deal with prior to registration; just show up and sign up!
- Look for online courses. Online learning platforms such as EdX, Coursera, and Udemy offer a wide range of free or low-cost classes on philosophical topics like ethics and bioethics. You can learn from professors at Harvard or Stanford without having to apply there! However, these are not accredited programs so if this is of interest then see what options exist locally first before pursuing an online course so that you know what credits may transfer over should you decide later down the road that pursuing an advanced degree is right for you too.’
A philosophy course is not just about history. You will develop critical thinking skills that are useful for every aspect of life.
A philosophy course is not just about history. You will develop critical thinking skills that are useful for every aspect of life.
In a philosophy class, you’ll learn to reason and think critically. You will learn to think independently of others’ opinions, and you’ll be able to analyze arguments and assess evidence. By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to think logically and write clearly and concisely.
Another advantage of taking philosophy courses is that they often involve other subjects like psychology, logic, anthropology, ethics, linguistics, religion or theology.
A masters in Philosophy can help open doors to a variety of interesting jobs, and there are several online options available to make it easier to pursue.
A master’s degree in philosophy is useful for a wide range of jobs. More than ever, employers are looking for employees with specialized and advanced degrees who can think critically. The skills learned in a rigorous philosophy program can help graduates land careers in business, law, healthcare, politics, journalism, education and beyond.
Graduates will be able to analyze problems from different angles and consider the practical applications of their solutions. If you’re interested in pursuing an online graduate program in philosophy, keep reading to learn more about these programs and how they might benefit your career path.
Top Schools That Offer Masters In Philosophy Online
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is one of the largest evangelical Christian universities in the world and offers over 250 academic programs, including a master of arts in philosophy.
The program’s curriculum includes courses on ethics, religion and metaphysics. The degree requires 36 credit hours and students can complete the degree online within two years if they are enrolled full time. Students can transfer up to 50% of the required credits from accredited institutions with an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher to apply toward the MA in Philosophy degree.
Certified students must submit their official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities as well as three letters of recommendation and a personal statement before admission into the program is official.
George Washington University
- George Washington University is a private research university in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1821 and offers an online MA in Philosophy.
Northeastern University
Northeastern University offers a master of arts in philosophy delivered entirely online. This program is flexible and convenient, but still rigorous and engaging. Students learn from world-class instructors who are leading researchers in their fields.
Earning this philosophy degree will equip you with skills to interpret, analyze, and evaluate complex philosophical issues. You’ll also be challenged to develop your own ideas about these issues—and able to express them clearly through written arguments. The program covers historical and contemporary topics in ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of mind and language, logic, the philosophy of science, aesthetics/philosophy of art, social/political philosophy, philosophical history and research methods.
The program requires 30 credits for completion; that’s ten courses of three credits each. Tuition is $1120 per credit hour (subject to change), and there are fees involved as well ($175 per credit). A portfolio is required for graduation; it consists of a personal statement reflecting on your learning experience and one course paper or project.
You must apply by June 1st for the fall semester or November 15th for the spring semester. Application requirements include GRE scores (not mandatory if you have an undergraduate GPA over 3.0) and a letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well enough professionally or academically to comment on your aptitude for graduate studies in this field (two letters preferred). You’ll also need transcripts from every college or university attended; if international students native tongue isn’t English they must provide proof of English proficiency (TOEFL score). Northeastern University admissions staff considers other factors as well: relevant work experience or accomplishments outside academia such as professional success in business or technical fields; any published works; even military service—anything that shows you can thrive as a graduate student at NEU!
Colorado State University – Global Campus
CSU Global Campus (also known as Colorado State University – Global Campus) currently offers an online Master of Arts in Applied Philosophy and Ethics.
Cost: $27,600 for 13 courses over 3 years
Application process: Online application, $60 application fee, unofficial transcripts from all previously attended universities. No GRE or GMAT required.
Classes are taught online and the regular schedule is one course per 10 weeks with two start dates per year
Faculty: All instructors are full-time professors at CSU’s brick and mortar campus
How to find online universities that offer a masters in philosophy
Go to Google and search for “online degrees in philosophy.”
Once you get the results, filter down to degree levels.
Then filter again by online or distance learning.
The next step is to consider cost and location. You can use the filter feature on Google to narrow your search by these factors if they’re important to you.
