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The School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies offers an MA degree program in traditional and contemporary philosophy. General areas of research include ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of law, philosophy of science, feminist philosophy, philosophy of language, experimental philosophy and the history of philosophy.

Members of the faculty are involved in interdisciplinary work in a variety of fields and enjoy close ties with the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and a number of other graduate programs at ASU. The philosophy program sponsors an active colloquium series and regular philosophical conferences on diverse topics. The Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics also sponsors a wide range of activities, including large-scale conferences, distinguished visitors and support for graduate study.

The program seeks to maintain a balance between course offerings in the traditional areas of philosophy and opportunities for study of current philosophical developments.

Career Opportunities

Both the Master of Arts and PhD programs in philosophy help students to develop and hone skills that are both highly marketable and easily transferable. As routine jobs are increasingly being lost to advances in automation and artificial intelligence, philosophy teaches its students to think critically, creatively and imaginatively. These skills are irreplaceable by technology, highly sought-after by employers, and transferrable from one occupation to another. They include the following skills and abilities: to read closely and with a critical eye, to analyze complex problems, to identify all the possible solutions to that problem, including some creative solutions, to assess the merits of each possible solution, and to articulate and argue for or against various possible solutions in clear, precise and unambiguous language.

As philosophy focuses on honing certain skills rather than acquiring a particular body of knowledge, philosophy prepares its students for a wide variety of careers rather than for just one particular occupation. Indeed, philosophy prepares its students for any career requiring problem-solving; clear, critical and creative thinking; and excellent reading, writing and communication skills.

The master's degree program in philosophy is designed to prepare students to enter doctoral programs, teach philosophy at the community college level, or work in any area that requires critical, analytical thinking, such as medicine, law, government or publishing.