Oct 30, 2025  
Spring 2026 Graduate Catalog 
    
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Spring 2026 Graduate Catalog

Philosophy, MA

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Department of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Awarded: Master of Arts in Philosophy
 
Chairperson: Anthony Steinbock, Harriman Hall 213 (631) 632-7585
Assistant to the Chair: Alissa Betz, Harriman Hall 211-A (631) 632-7590
MA Program Director: Megan Craig, Harriman Hall 244
Graduate Program Coordinator: Lisa-Beth Platania, Harriman Hall 213 (631) 632-7580
Recruitment and Admissions Advisor: Nicole Mester (631) 632-7662
 

The Department of Philosophy, in the College of Arts and Sciences, offers programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy and the Master of Arts in Philosophy. 

MA Degree in Philosophy

The MA in Philosophy at Stony Brook explores the intersections between philosophy and art, offering a terminal MA to theorists, practicing artists, critics, and those with an interest in the philosophical implications of art history and contemporary artistic practices. No other set of courses with a comparable emphasis exists in the New York area. Our seminars are characterized by close attention to specific texts in the history of philosophy and innovative approaches to traditional and contemporary art, drawing on arts venues and resources in New York City. Stony Brook philosophy department faculty who specialize in or have strong research interests in aesthetics, phenomenology, the history of philosophy, psychoanalysis, and technoscience teach M.A. seminars, with additional faculty support from relevant departments. The program also attracts renowned visiting scholars and artists to teach courses and give lectures

Administration: The administration of the MA Program is carried out by the MA Director in consultation with the Chair of the Philosophy Department, the Graduate Program Committee, the Graduate Coordinator and the core faculty of the Philosophy and Arts program.

Admission Requirements

Application Website

For admission to the doctoral and master’s programs in philosophy, the following are normally required:

  1. A bachelor’s degree with a major in philosophy.
  2. Some knowledge of the history of philosophy and of contemporary modes of thought is highly desirable. Deficiencies in these areas may require the student to undertake special work.
  3. Official transcripts  from the institution(s) where undergraduate and any graduate degrees were conferred; unofficial transcripts from other institutions where classes were taken but no degree was conferred
  4. Letters of recommendation from three previous or current instructors.
  5. Submission of a philosophical essay (which may be a paper written for a previous course).
  6. Statement of Purpose (no more than 2 pages single-spaced).
  7. Acceptance by both the Department of Philosophy and the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the master’s degree entails 30 course credits, the equivalent of 10 courses. You will find specific course descriptions for each semester on our website under the “current courses” tab. Of the 30 credits, 6 may be taken as Independent Study. Additionally, with the permission of the M.A. program director, 6 credits (2 courses) may be taken in the Philosophy Department’s PhD program or in other departments at Stony Brook. One M.A. course per year is delivered at the Stony Brook Campus. An M.A. thesis option is available but not required for graduation.

Three Contemporary Philosophy Seminars

Three Contemporary Philosophy Seminars (9 credits) selected from the courses below:

 

Philosophical Groundings Concentration

This concentration is not currently accepting applications.

Philosophy and the Arts Concentration (with Advanced Study Project)

Philosophy and the Arts Concentration (with Thesis)

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