MA in Applied Philosophy and Ethics

Full information on the application process for the MAAPE as well as instructions on submitting your application may be found on the Texas State Graduate College MAAPE program description here.

Although applications for the MAAPE are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year, we strongly encourage students to apply for admission during the Fall semester so as to be eligible for more funding opportunities and to be able to begin the program with a cohort of their peers. The application deadlines are as follows:

Deadlines                          U.S. Citizen                                  International

Fall - Priority                     February 1                                     February 1

Fall - Standard                  June 15 (*Flexible)                      June 1

Spring                                October 15 (*Flexible)                October 1

Summer I                          April 15 (*Flexible)                       March 15

Summer II                         June 1 (*Flexible)                         No Admission

Please note that applications for the Fall semester must be submitted by the February 1 priority deadline to be eligible for most funding opportunities.

The minimum requirements for application to the MAAPE are the following:

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
• A copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
• A 3.0 overall GPA or a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
• Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages)
• Writing Sample 
• Two letters of recommendation

The GRE is not required. 

Additionally, applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our exempt countries list.

• official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
• official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
• official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0
• official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
• official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall

There is a nonrefundable application fee of $55 ($90 international applicants). Information about fees (including graduate college policy concerning fee waivers) is available here.

The M.A. in Applied Philosophy & Ethics has a 30-hour thesis track and a 33-hour coursework-only track. (These links will direct you to the Catalog, which includes detailed information about both options.) 

A full graduate course load is generally 9 credit hours per semester. While the program can be completed in 14 months — over two summers and the academic year in between — most full-time students complete the program over the course of two full academic years.

Whichever track you take, students in the MAAPE are expected to complete the following two-semester proseminar sequence as early as possible in their graduate enrollment:

• PHIL 5301 – Applied Philosophy –Offered in the fall semester, this content-based proseminar introduces students to a variety of approaches and topics in applied philosophy.
• PHIL 5302 – Dialogue – Offered in the spring semester, this course offers a methodology and professionalization-based proseminar. Students will work on basic skills in philosophical reading, writing, and presentation. Much of what students work on in 5302 might involve refining or expanding on work done in 5301, e.g. refining or workshopping papers or a final paper from the earlier course. The course also offers integration with the Philosophy Department’s Dialogue series.

In addition, students in the MAAPE must complete the following course requirements:

• One course in the History of Ethics (PHIL 5320), or on a Major Work or Theme in Ethics (PHIL 5328)
• PHIL 5332 - Social & Political Philosophy
• One course in non-normative philosophy. Options include the Philosophy of Language (PHIL 5304), Philosophical Logic (PHIL 5340), Philosophy of Science (PHIL 5355), Philosophy of Knowledge (PHIL 5356), and Analytic Philosophy (PHIL 5362A).

In addition to the required courses, thesis students take three electives and two courses that are devoted to thesis work (Thesis A and Thesis B). Coursework-only students take six electives. Popular electives include Environmental Ethics (PHIL 5323); Philosophy of Emotion (PHIL 5361C); Feminist Theory (PHIL 5333), and Philosophy of Technology (PHIL 5303). The full list is available here.

Students on the thesis track must complete and defend a thesis with the members of their thesis committee—generally, before the middle of the term in which they intend to graduate. Students on the non-thesis track must also complete a capstone writing project prior to graduation. The capstone project is a single, polished piece of philosophical writing produced by the student that (ideally) is of sufficient quality to be used as a writing sample for further graduate applications or submitted for publication by the student. To graduate, non-thesis students must submit and discuss this project with two faculty members.

Questions? Contact Us

There are several ways to lower the graduate cost of attendance in the MAAPE: 

1. Graduate Instructional Assistantships

There are a limited number of Graduate Instructional Assistant (GIA) positions for full-time students. Typically, we are able to make offers of a GIA position to the majority of students enrolled in the MAAPE.

GIAs assist the instructors of record in large sections of our introductory undergraduate classes. These positions are paid monthly at the university pay rate for Graduate Instructional Assistants (1/2 time, exempt) and include a number of other benefits, including eligibility for resident tuition. Given satisfactory performance, GIA positions are usually renewed for the duration of a student’s enrollment in the MAAPE program. 

Those who apply to the MAAPE by the priority deadline of February 1^st are automatically considered for GIA positions; for more information about GIA positions, or to apply as a continuing student (or a student from Sustainability Studies or International Studies) please click here.
 

2. Graduate College Scholarships and Fellowships

The Graduate College offers a variety of scholarships and fellowships for new and continuing graduate students at Texas State University. Students admitted to the MAAPE are automatically considered for the Texas State Graduate Merit Fellowship, which provides a 16-50% reduction in tuition (not fees) for the first year of study. This fellowship is only available to students applying for fall entry.

Students receiving at least $1000 in competitive or merit scholarships are eligible for resident tuition.
 

3. Departmental Scholarships

The Department offers two scholarships for which graduate students are eligible: the Victor Holk Scholarship ($1000) and the Treanor Scholarship ($1000). Students receiving either of these scholarships are eligible for resident tuition.
 

4. External Funding

External funding refers to financial assistance for your graduate studies from sources outside Texas State University. These awards can be dispersed as fellowships, scholarships, internships, grants, and prizes. There are thousands of funding opportunities available. The Graduate College maintains a database of funding opportunities specific to Texas State graduate students.
 

5. Financial Aid

Graduates of the MAAPE program are qualified for teaching positions in community college settings and may choose to pursue advanced studies in philosophy or related fields. In addition, graduates have taken positions in academic advisement, legal services, international educational outreach, child protective services and a variety of community organizations.

Placement Record

Currently under construction; we hope to have an up-to-date placement record completed by Fall 2025.