The BA/MA in Philosophy program allows students to earn both bachelor's and master’s degrees in philosophy in five years. This accelerated degree program is a cost-effective option for undergraduate majors wishing to pursue graduate education in philosophy. It prepares students to apply for doctoral programs and gives them a chance to work with faculty they already know at the graduate level. A student enrolled in this program is an undergraduate for four years and a graduate student for one year. Philosophy majors must apply to the BA/MA program in their junior year. They will then have a modified program of study in their senior year, taking courses at both the graduate and undergraduate level that count toward their BA and MA, before completing a fifth year of graduate study.

Program Highlights

• Cost-effective option for undergraduate majors interested in pursuing graduate education in philosophy.
• Takes half the time to complete than a traditional MA at a new institution
• Provides excellent preparation for applying to PhD programs and pursuing specialized research at the doctoral level
• Offers continuity of education, allowing students to continue working with faculty they already know

CURRICULUM

In years 1-4 students complete the BA in Philosophy, taking four graduate courses that “double dip” towards both the BA and MA. In year 5 students take six graduate courses to complete the MA in Philosophy and defend the MA thesis or paper. The six graduate courses – plus the four graduate "double dipped" courses taken towards the MA as an undergraduate  – complete the 10 courses required for the MA.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
BA in Philosophy 1
Ethics 2
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 181	Ethics
PHIL 182	Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 283	Business Ethics
PHIL 284	Health Care Ethics
PHIL 285	Contemporary Ethical Issues
PHIL 286	Ethics and Education
PHIL 287	Environmental Ethics
PHIL 288	Culture and Civilization
PHIL 289	Philosophy and Gender
300-level equivalent course
Epistemology 2
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 130	Philosophy & Persons
PHIL 271	Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 272	Metaphysics
PHIL 273	Philosophy of Science
PHIL 275	Theory of Knowledge
PHIL 276	Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 279	Judgment and Decision-Making
300-level equivalent course
Logic
PHIL 274	Logic	3
or PHIL 301	Symbolic Logic
Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 304	History of Ancient Philosophy	3
Modern Philosophy
PHIL 309	Classical Modern Philosophy	3
Philosophy Electives 3
Elective Course (100-, 200-, or 300-level)		3
300-level Elective Course		3
400-level Elective Course (double counts for the MA)		3
400-level Elective Course (double counts for the MA)		3
400-level Elective Course (double counts for the MA)		3
400-level Elective Course (double counts for the MA)		3
MA in Philosophy 4
Ancient Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 401	Plato
PHIL 402	Aristotle
PHIL 403	Ancient Philosophy
Medieval Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 405	Augustine
PHIL 406	Aquinas
PHIL 407	Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 408	Late Medieval Philosophy
Modern Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 410	Descartes
PHIL 411	Classical Rationalism
PHIL 412	Classical Empiricism
PHIL 415	Kant
PHIL 416	17th-18th Century Philosophy
Continental Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 422	Nietzsche
PHIL 430	Husserl
PHIL 432	Heidegger
PHIL 433	Phenomenology/Existentialism
PHIL 434	Hermeneutics & Critical Theory
PHIL 436	Contemporary French Philosophy
PHIL 437	Contemporary German Philosophy
PHIL 438	Topics in Continental Philosophy
Analytic Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 442	Anglo-American Philosophy
PHIL 443	Anglo-American Epistemology
PHIL 444	Studies in Logic
PHIL 447	Issues in Cognitive Science
Five 400-level Philosophy Elective Courses 5		15
Total Hours		63

¹

Three (3) of the eleven (11) courses required for the major must be at the 300-level (four if 301 is taken) and four (4) must be taken at the 400-level.

²

BA/MA students can use relevant 400-level courses to satisfy the ethics and epistemology requirements toward the BA. Whether the course counts as relevant is determined in consultation with the Graduate Program Director, Undergraduate Program Director, and course instructor.

³

BA/MA students are not required to take the capstone seminar (PHIL 395, PHIL 396, PHIL 397, PHIL 398, or PHIL 399). If students replace their BA capstone seminar with a graduate seminar, they take an additional 3 400-level electives, “double dipping” these (for a total of four double-dipped courses) towards their BA and MA. If students take the BA capstone seminar, then they take four “double-dipped” 400-level courses as electives.

⁴

Other Philosophy courses may be used for the MA requirements. Students should consult with the Graduate Program Director if a course of interest is not shown in the curriculum grid. For a full list of Philosophy graduate-level courses, click here. Specific courses may not be offered every semester and course offerings are subject to change.

⁵

Comprised of one 400-level elective course and the four graduate "double-dipped" courses taken towards the MA as an undergraduate i.e. students must take one additional 400-level course.

For students who began the BA/MA before Fall 2023

In years 1-4 students complete the BA in Philosophy, taking four graduate courses towards the MA in Philosophy (two of which "double dip" towards both the BA and MA). In year 5 students take six graduate courses to complete the MA in Philosophy and defend the MA thesis or paper. The six graduate courses – plus the four graduate courses taken towards the MA as an undergraduate  – complete the 10 courses required for the MA.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
BA in Philosophy 1
Ethics
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 181	Ethics
PHIL 182	Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 283	Business Ethics
PHIL 284	Health Care Ethics
PHIL 285	Contemporary Ethical Issues
PHIL 286	Ethics and Education
PHIL 287	Environmental Ethics
PHIL 288	Culture and Civilization
PHIL 289	Philosophy and Gender
PHIL 300-level equivalent course
Epistemology
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 130	Philosophy & Persons
PHIL 271	Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 272	Metaphysics
PHIL 273	Philosophy of Science
PHIL 275	Theory of Knowledge
PHIL 276	Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 279	Judgment and Decision-Making
PHIL 300-level equivalent course
Logic
PHIL 274	Logic	3
or PHIL 301	Symbolic Logic
Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 304	History of Ancient Philosophy	3
Modern Philosophy
PHIL 309	Classical Modern Philosophy	3
Capstone Seminar (double counts for the MA)
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 395	Seminar in Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 396	Seminar in Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 397	Capstone Seminar in Classical Modern Philosophy
PHIL 398	Capstone Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy
PHIL 399	Capstone Seminar on a Topic in Philosophy
Philosophy Electives
PHIL Elective Course (100-, 200-, or 300-level)		3
PHIL 300-level Elective Course (double counts for the MA)		3
PHIL 300-level Elective Course		3
PHIL 300-level Elective Course		3
PHIL 300-level Elective Course		3
Take two additional Philosophy courses towards the MA		6
PHIL 300- or 400-level Elective Course
400-level Philosophy Elective Course
MA in Philosophy 2
Ancient Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 401	Plato
PHIL 402	Aristotle
PHIL 403	Ancient Philosophy
Medieval Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 405	Augustine
PHIL 406	Aquinas
PHIL 407	Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 408	Late Medieval Philosophy
Modern Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 410	Descartes
PHIL 411	Classical Rationalism
PHIL 412	Classical Empiricism
PHIL 415	Kant
PHIL 416	17th-18th Century Philosophy
Continental Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 422	Nietzsche
PHIL 430	Husserl
PHIL 432	Heidegger
PHIL 433	Phenomenology/Existentialism
PHIL 434	Hermeneutics & Critical Theory
PHIL 436	Contemporary French Philosophy
PHIL 437	Contemporary German Philosophy
PHIL 438	Topics in Continental Philosophy
Analytic Philosophy
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 442	Anglo-American Philosophy
PHIL 443	Anglo-American Epistemology
PHIL 444	Studies in Logic
PHIL 447	Issues in Cognitive Science
Five 400-level Philosophy Elective Courses 3		15
Total Hours		69

¹

Seven (7) of eleven (11) courses must be at the 300-level (eight if PHIL 301 Symbolic Logic is taken).

²

Other Philosophy courses may be used for the MA requirements. Students should consult with the Graduate Program Director if a course of interest is not shown in the curriculum grid. For a full list of Philosophy graduate-level courses, click here. Specific courses may not be offered every semester and course offerings are subject to change.

³

Comprised of one 400-level Philosophy elective course and the four graduate courses taken towards the MA as an undergraduate i.e. students must take one additional 400-level Philosophy course.

The MA Thesis or Paper

Toward the end of year five, students pursuing the BA/MA in Philosophy must pass an oral examination before a committee of at least three faculty members on a research paper he or she has written. The focus of the examination is on the argument and analysis of the paper, as well as on the background thought that the argument and analysis presuppose.

Guidelines for Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs

Terms

• Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs: In this type of program, students share limited credits between their undergraduate and graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees.  
• Shared credits: Graduate level credit hours taken during the undergraduate program and then applied towards graduate program requirements will be referred to as shared credits.

Admission Requirements

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s undergraduates. Admission to these programs must be competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the program’s admissions committee. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a bachelor’s degree. That is, programs may choose to have more stringent admissions requirements in addition to those minimal requirements below.

Requirements:

• Declared appropriate undergraduate major,
• By the time students begin taking graduate courses as an undergraduate, the student has completed approximately 90 credit hours, or the credit hours required in a program that is accredited by a specialty organization,¹
• A minimum cumulative GPA for coursework at Loyola that is at or above the program-specific requirements, a minimum major GPA that is at or above the program-specific requirements, and/or appropriate designated coursework for evaluation of student readiness in their discipline.²

Students not eligible for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program (e.g., students who have not declared the appropriate undergraduate major) may apply to the master’s program through the regular admissions process. Students enrolled in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program who choose not to continue to the master’s degree program upon completion of the bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.³

Ideally, a student will apply for admission (or confirm interest in proceeding towards the graduate degree in opt-out programs) as they approach 90 credit hours. Programs are encouraged to begin advising students early in their major so that they are aware of the program and, if interested, can complete their bachelor’s degree requirements in a way that facilitates completion of the program. Once admitted as an undergraduate, Program Directors should ensure that students are enrolled using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program will ensure that students may be easily identified as they move through the program. Students will not officially matriculate into the master’s degree program and be labeled as a graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.

¹

Programs that have specialized accreditation will adhere to the admissions criteria provided by, or approved by, their specialized accreditors.

²

The program will identify appropriate indicators of student readiness for graduate coursework (e.g., high-level performance in 300 level courses). Recognizing differences between how majors are designed, we do not specify a blanket requirement.

³

If students choose not to enroll in the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, they still must complete all of the standard requirements associated with the undergraduate degree (e.g., a capstone).

For more information on Admissions requirements, visit here.

Curriculum

Level and progression of courses. The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to be competitive and attractive to our most capable students. Students admitted to Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs should be capable of meeting graduate level learning outcomes. Following guidance from the Higher Learning Commission, only courses taken at the 400 level or higher (including 300/400 level courses taken at the 400 level) will count toward the graduate program.^1,2  Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may come from 300/400 level courses where the student is enrolled in the 400 level of the course. Further, at least 50% of the credit hours for the graduate program must come from courses that are designed for and restricted to graduate students who have been admitted to a graduate program at Loyola (e.g., enrolled in plan code that indicates the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, typically ending with the letter “D”).³

In general, graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Director, students may take one of their graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s program if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.⁴ Undergraduate degree requirements outside of the major are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program.⁵

Shared credits. Undergraduate courses (i.e., courses offered at the 300 level or below) cannot be counted as shared credits nor count towards the master’s degree. Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may be counted in meeting both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Of those shared credits, students in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program should begin their graduate program with the standard introductory course(s) for the program whenever possible. So that students may progress through the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program in a timely manner, undergraduate programs are encouraged to design their curriculum such that a student can complete some required graduate credit hours while completing the undergraduate degree. For instance, some of the graduate curriculum should also satisfy electives for the undergraduate major.

The program’s Graduate Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and master’s degree conferral review process. Shared credit hours will not be marked on the undergraduate record as having a special status in the undergraduate program. They will be included in the student’s undergraduate earned hours and GPA. Graduate credit hours taken during the undergraduate program will not be included in the graduate GPA calculation.

¹

If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate director will review the relevant syllabus(es) to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400 level course or higher.

²

Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer graduate curriculum to undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.

³

In rare cases, the Graduate Director may authorize enrollment in a 400-level course for a highly qualified and highly motivated undergraduate, ensuring that the undergraduate's exceptional participation in the graduate class will not diminish in any way the experience of the graduate students regularly enrolled.

⁴

For example, if a particular course is only offered once every 2-3 years, and a student has demonstrated the necessary ability to be successful, the Graduate Director may allow a student to take a graduate level course to be shared prior to the student being formally admitted to the graduate program. See, also, footnote 3.

⁵

Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a graduate program.

Graduation

Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once in the graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from undergraduate to graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their graduate studies after earning the undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional master’s degree program. Any application of graduate credit earned while in the undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the graduate degree granting school.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the BA/MA in Philosophy program students will be able to/will have:

• Analyze major texts in the history of philosophy. [BA]
• Articulate major philosophical problems and their solutions, such as questions concerning truth and knowledge, reality, moral values, and justice. [BA]
• Distinguish and explain different philosophical methodologies or approaches. [BA]
• Explain and apply ethical frameworks. [BA]
• Evaluate or construct arguments. [BA]
• Acquired advanced knowledge and be able to: Demonstrate knowledge of the history of philosophy; Demonstrate knowledge of perennial and contemporary issues in philosophy; and Demonstrate expertise in a particular area of philosophy [MA]
• Engaged in discursive and critical thinking and be able to: Identify hidden presuppositions of everyday beliefs; Articulate and evaluate philosophical arguments; Consider alternative kinds of philosophical argumentation; and Apply philosophical categories, methods and insights to other areas of human interest, experience, or cognitive inquiry [MA]
• Produced and disseminated scholarship and be able to frame, research, complete and defend the MA paper [MA]
• Developed the skills to appreciate and participate in citizenship in the academic community, in the larger community, and in the world and be able to: Work with others for the sake of common purposes; Foster Jesuit ideals, including truth and justice; and Enhance the pleasures of work in common [MA]