MASTER’S PROGRAM IN PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY AND APPLIED ETHICS
GRADUATE STUDENT GUIDEBOOK
1. GENERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
24 credits of coursework (8 courses) and 9 credits of capstone (thesis or internship) work = 33 credit
hours
or
30 credits of coursework (10 courses) and 3 credits of portfolio preparation work = 33 credit hours
There are three required courses:
• Proseminar I: Themes and Methods in Practical Philosophy
• Proseminar II: Themes and Methods in Applied Ethics
• Ethics
There are two distribution requirements for the remaining (5) elective courses:
• 1 course in applied ethics (e.g., Business Ethics, Bioethics, Ethics of Sex and Gender, etc.)
• 1 course in practical philosophy (e.g., Philosophy of Law, Social Philosophy, Existentialism,
Confucianism, etc.)
Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and receive a ‘B’ or higher in all courses (for courses to count toward the degree).
2. RECOMMENDED TIMELINE
The following is the standard timeline for completion of the MA degree in two years with a thesis or
internship:
Fall semester
Spring semester
1st year
PHI 6937: Proseminar I
PHI 5605: Ethics
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
PHI 6938: Proseminar II
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
2nd year
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
PHI 6971: Thesis/PHI 6942: Internship
(3 credits)
PHI 6971: Thesis/PHI 6942: Internship (6
credits)
Optional elective
The following is a timeline for completion of the MA degree in two years with a portfolio:
Fall semester
Spring semester
1st year
PHI 6937: Proseminar I
PHI 6938: Proseminar II
PHI 5605: Ethics
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
2nd year
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective PHI 6951: Portfolio Preparation (3 credits)
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective Optional elective
PHI/PHH/PHM 5xxx/6xxx: Elective
3. CAPSTONE OPTIONS AND PROCEDURES
Students may select a thesis, an internship, or a portfolio as their capstone for the program:
• A master’s thesis is an independent research project conducted under the supervision of an
advisor of the student’s choosing; the thesis should be an analytic essay with a clear, well-developed thesis in the range of 45-100 pages in length.
• An internship involves designing and completing an internship experience with a local organization, and researching and writing an internship report under the supervision of an advisor of the student’s choosing; the internship report should include both assessment of the student’s internship experience and theoretical analysis of the philosophical issues raised by the
internship in the range of 30-70 pages in length.
• A portfolio project involves taking two additional courses and then constructing a portfolio
of the student’s work in the program with the consultation of an advisor of the student’s
choosing. The portfolio consists of revisions/expansions of two to three papers written for
courses and an analytic essay linking, expanding upon, and synthesizing this previous work;
the papers should be in the 12-20 page range and the analytic essay approximately 15-25
pages in length.
Committee: All three capstone options are conducted with a primary advisor and a committee (composed of the advisor and two other faculty members) selected by the student. The student is responsible for requesting and securing the faculty members’ involvement.
Proposal: Before undertaking thesis or internship projects (i.e., registering for thesis or internship
credits), students must submit a proposal and have it approved by their committee, the graduate coordinator, and the department chair. Students should develop their proposal in consultation with the
primary advisor. Since students can register for capstone credits only after the proposal has been approved, proposals must be submitted at least two weeks before the start of the semester in which
the research and writing are to occur. Upon approval, students are cleared to register for their capstone credits.
See Appendices B and C for proposal forms; proposal forms are also available here:
https://www.unf.edu/uploadedFiles/aa/coas/philosophy/MA_thesis_form.pdf
https://www.unf.edu/uploadedFiles/aa/coas/philosophy/MA%20_internship_form.pdf
Defense: Theses and internship reports culminate in an oral defense in front of the committee, which
is also open to the public. A final version of the thesis or internship report is due to the commit-
tee at least two weeks before the defense. The defense consists of an oral presentation of the thesis/internship project and an examination by the committee members, followed by a period open to
questions from other attendees.
Writing and Formatting: Students must follow the formatting requirements of the UNF Graduate
School and Library. See the following sites for specific requirements: http://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/student_resources/thesis_step_two.aspx and http://www.unf.edu/uploadedFiles/aa/graduateschool/student_resources/Lib%20Guide%20Revision%209.pdf
Theses submitted to the committee for defense must be final copies with proper formatting,
proper and complete citation, and no typographical or grammatical errors.
Timeline Suggestions:
• If students intend to complete the MA program in two years, it is recommended that they
begin their internship or thesis work in the fall of the 2nd year. Thus, the proposal must be
approved before the fall term begins.
• Committees must receive a final copy of the thesis, internship report, or portfolio at least two
weeks before the scheduled defense or a grade is due.
Thesis timeline • Theses must be defended at least four weeks before graduation. Since the committee normally will request revisions before approving a thesis, it is recommended that more leeway be
scheduled between the defense and the deadline for final submission.
• Approval of the thesis is indicated by the signatures of the following parties, in this order, on
the “signature page” or “Certificate of Approval”: 1) the committee, 2) the graduate coordinator and the department chair, 3) the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and 4) the Dean
of the Graduate School.
• A full list of deadlines and procedures for theses can be found at the Graduate School website:
http://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/student_resources/Thesis_and_Dissertation_Procedures.aspx
Required University Forms:
• All students must fill out an application to graduate (available electronically on MyWings and
on paper from the philosophy program advisor in COAS advising, Building 51, 2nd floor)
• Thesis students must complete a “Thesis Committee Membership” form
• Thesis students must submit a “Certificate of Approval” (prepared by the graduate coordinator) with their completed thesis
4. EXPECTATIONS FOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
I.
Writing
Graduate students are expected to write with clarity, concision, and in an organized and well
thought-out manner. Students whose writing does not meet these standards should take advantage of
the resources offered by UNF Writing Center prior to submitting written work to ensure it meets
the standards for graduate level work. Such standards include the following:
•
•
the absence of typographical and grammatical errors
appropriate style, tone, and diction for philosophical writing
•
•
•
II.
proper and complete citation: i.e., use of the proper format for in-text citations, footnotes, and
bibliographies according to a standard citation system (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
effective overall organization (at the inter-paragraph level), including effective introductions
and conclusions
intra-paragraph coherence, including effective use of transitional phrasing and topic sentences
Oral Communication
Graduate students are expected to participate regularly and beneficially in both graduate seminars
and cross-level (3000/5000, 4000/6000) courses, to attend and ask questions at department sponsored talks and events, and to prepare to defend capstone projects orally in an organized, clear, and
rhetorically effective manner.
III.
Knowledge of the field
Graduate students are expected to develop a broad knowledge of ethics, applied and theoretical, and
core areas of practical philosophy. In particular, they should understand, be able to explicate, and utilize in their writing the following:
• central texts in ethical theory (e.g., Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, J.S. Mill’s Utilitarianism, etc.)
• central texts in some of the various subfields of applied ethics
• central texts in some of the various subfields of practical philosophy
• central themes, developments, and methods in ethical theory (e.g., virtue, the development of
contemporary deontology, and the consequentialist method for determining right action)
• central themes, developments, and methods in some of the various subfields of applied ethics
• central themes, developments, and methods in some of the various subfields of practical philosophy
IV.
Argumentation
Graduate students are expected to possess an understanding of and a facility with employing techniques of philosophical argumentation and critical thinking broadly construed. In particular, they
should engage in the following types of critical thinking and analysis in their writing:
1. Application of conceptual tools to concrete applied ethical and practical problems
2. Normative analysis of said problems, identifying normative problems (e.g., explicating why
particular practices might be said to be wrong, unjust, etc.) and posing potential normative
solutions (e.g., explicating how particular responses to said problems could ameliorate them
and would constitute right or just solutions)
3. Employing argumentative methods effectively (presenting ideas and views as a logical argument; identifying premises and conclusion; identifying flaws in logical reasoning; posing and
taking into account objections, replies, and alternatives to a given view)
V.
Research
Graduate students are expected to engage in independent research by doing the following:
1. Identifying research topics,
2. Undertaking research (e.g., conducting literature searches and reviews, comparative analyses
of the existing views on a topic, etc.),
3. Formulating and developing their own distinct position on a topic (and doing so in conversation with relevant literature and views on that topic)
Research should culminate in the production of a research project (final essays, theses, etc.) that
demonstrates extensive breadth and depth of knowledge, incorporates relevant primary and secondary literature, effectively employs argumentative methods to make a case for a clearly articulated thesis, and does so in a professional and polished manner.
APPENDIX A. IMPORTANT WEBSITES
Philosophy Graduate Program:
https://www.unf.edu/coas/philosophy/Graduate_Programs.aspx
Course Listings and Catalog:
https://www.unf.edu/coas/philosophy/Current_Course_Information.aspx
http://www.unf.edu/catalog/courses/gr/dept/6105/
Graduate School Policies: http://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/about/Policies_and_Regulations.aspx
Thesis Procedures and Policies:
http://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/student_resources/Thesis_and_Dissertation_Procedures.aspx
Graduation Requirements:
http://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/student_resources/Graduate_Student_Handbooks/Graduate_School_Student_Handbook/2-Academics.aspx#Graduation
APPENDIX B. THESIS PROPOSAL FORM
THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE TERM IN WHICH
THE THESIS WORK IS TO BE UNDERTAKEN
PHI 6971 GRADUATE MASTERS THESIS IN PHILOSOPHY
The student should prepare one copy of this form in consultation with an instructor who has agreed to
supervise the thesis. The student should sign a copy and deliver it to the instructor, who signs and
delivers to the Graduate Coordinator, who in turn signs and delivers to the Philosophy Department
Chairperson for approval. The completed form must be accompanied by a thesis proposal. The department will submit a copy of the approved proposal to the Graduate School.
Completion of this course includes successful defense of the thesis before a thesis committee, to be
selected by the student and supervisor and approved by the chair. It is the responsibility of the student
to arrange for an appropriate defense date. For information on department and university timelines
for thesis submission and graduation requirements, the student should consult the Department’s Timetable for Thesis Preparation & Submission, available from the Graduate Coordinator and the Office staff.
One copy of this proposal is returned to the instructor and one to the Department office. The student
is encouraged to make a copy for his/her own records.
******************************************************************************
Student’s Name: _____________________________________ ID______________________
Semester: _____________ Year: _____________
PROPOSED THESIS TITLE: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY ADVISOR: __________________________________________________________
MEMBERS OF THE THESIS COMMITTEE (members of the Graduate Faculty)
Advisor: _________________________________________________ (initials:
)
First Reader: _____________________________________________ (initials:
)
Second Reader: ____________________________________________ (initials
)
TO BE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT: MA THESIS PROPOSAL STATEMENT
Attach a 4-8 page proposal detailing the MA thesis project. The proposal should describe the aim of
the project, its significance, methodology, as well as the student’s preparation to undertake the project. A preliminary list of relevant literature should be attached. Content and methodology should be
in accordance with the basic orientation of the MA in Practical Philosophy & Applied Ethics, and
should be developed in close cooperation with the MA thesis advisor.
TO BE COMPLETED BY MA THESIS ADVISOR:
How do you assess the value of this project and its possibilities for success?
_________________________________________________________________________ ____
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
How will you supervise the student’s progress? How often and for how long will you meet?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
What is the anticipated timeline for preparation and defense of the thesis?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Submitted by: __________________________________________________________________
Student's Signature
Date
Approved by: __________________________________________________________________
Advisor´s Signature
Date
Approved by: __________________________________________________________________
Graduate Coordinator´s Signature
Date
Approved by:_________________________________________________________________
Chairperson’s Signature
Date
CREDIT HOURS:______________________________________________________________
To be assigned by Department
Date
APPENDIX C. INTERNSHIP PROPOSAL FORM
MA in Practical Philosophy & Applied Ethics
Department of Philosophy
University of North Florida
PHI 6942 GRADUATE MASTERS INTERNSHIP IN PHILOSOPHY
THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE TERM IN WHICH
THE INTERNSHIP WORK IS TO BE UNDERTAKEN
1. The Masters of Arts (MA) in Practical Philosophy & Applied Ethics
The MA in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics seeks to foster application of ethical and philosophical
knowledge to concerns in social, political, economic, and cultural life. Its primary objective is to offer practically
oriented but philosophically grounded expertise in ethics and normative theory generally. The program provides
training in the ethical decision-making, cultural understanding, and analytic reasoning needed to address the
dilemmas that increasingly confront present and future professionals and policy makers as well as citizens generally. The program is designed to ensure that its graduates possess command of the basic subfields of philosophy as well as a specialized knowledge of their applications in medicine, business, education, law or other areas
of public life
2. Idea and Goal of the Internship
The internship represents one of three ways in which students may complete the requirements of the MA in
Practical Philosophy & Applied Ethics (a thesis and portfolio are the other two). The internship is designed to
be of benefit to the MA program and the community partner alike. On the one hand, it provides a UNF graduate
student in applied ethics with a unique opportunity to relate ethical ideas and philosophical knowledge to issues
as they emerge in real world settings. On the other hand, it furnishes the community partner with a dedicated,
knowledgeable and well trained individual committed to addressing moral issues in a concrete setting and eager
to advance the organization’s goals and objectives.
The internship is a continuous one-semester experience pursued by the student under the supervision of a faculty
member with expertise in the student’s chosen area of applied ethics. To qualify for the internship, the student
must:
•
complete required courses including advanced work in the appropriate field of practical philosophy or
applied ethics, and
•
submit an internship proposal, to be approved by the faculty supervisor, the graduate coordinator, department chair, and a representative of the host organization.
Responsibilities of the intern include site-specific participation in activities of the organization and regular meetings with the faculty supervisor. At the conclusion of the internship, the student will prepare, and defend before
a Philosophy Department committee, a formal report addressing the ethical and wider philosophical issues encountered and occasioned by the internship. Responsibilities of the host institution include assigning and supervising tasks and activities consistent with the goals specified in the student’s approved proposal.
3. Internship Proposal
The student should prepare one copy of this form in consultation with an instructor who has agreed to
supervise the internship and the representative of the host institution. The student should sign a copy,
obtain the signature of the host representative, and then deliver it to the internship instructor/advisor. The
instructor then signs and delivers to the Graduate Coordinator, who in turn signs and delivers to the Philosophy
Department Chairperson for approval. The completed form must be accompanied by an internship proposal.
Completion of this course includes successful defense of the internship before an internship committee, to be
selected by the student and supervisor and approved by the chair. It is the responsibility of the student to
arrange for an appropriate defense date. For information on department and university timelines for internship
submission and graduation requirements, students should consult the Department’s Timetable for Internship Preparation & Submission, available from the Graduate Coordinator and the office staff.
Prior to preparing and submitting this proposal, the student should secure the agreement of the partner institution that will sponsor the internship. The signature of an individual representing the internship partner is
required below. Students should be aware the internship partner may have its own paperwork requirements.
One copy of this proposal is returned to the instructor and one to the Department office. The student should
make a copy for his/her own records.
******************************************************************************
Student’s Name: _____________________________________ ID______________________
Semester: _____________ Year: _____________
PROPOSED INTERNSHIP TITLE: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
PARTNER INSTITUTION:_______________________________________________________
FACULTY ADVISOR: __________________________________________________________
MEMBERS OF THE INTERNSHIP COMMITTEE
Advisor: _________________________________________________ (initials:
)
Reader: _____________________________________________ ____(initials:
)
Reader: _____________________________________________ ____(initials:
)
TO BE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT: MA INTERNSHIP PROPOSAL STATEMENT
Attach a 4-6 page proposal detailing the MA internship project. The proposal should describe the aim of the
project, its significance, methodology, the particular on-site issue(s) to be investigated, the student’s preparation to undertake the project, and the specific arrangements made with the partner institution that will host
the internship. A preliminary list of relevant literature should be attached. Content and methodology should
be in accordance with the basic orientation of the MA in Practical Philosophy & Applied Ethics, and should be
developed in close cooperation with the MA thesis advisor.
TO BE COMPLETED BY MA INTERNSHIP ADVISOR:
What is the value of this project and its possibilities for success?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_______
_______
What are the student’s duties and specific on-site activities with the sponsoring institution?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How will the student’s progress be supervised? How often and for how long will you meet?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What is the anticipated timeline for research and defense of the internship?
Submitted by: _________________________________________________________________________
Student's Signature
Date
Approved by: _________________________________________________________________________
Host Institution’s Signature
Date
Approved by: _________________________________________________________________________
Advisor’s Signature
Date
Approved by: _________________________________________________________________________
Graduate Coordinator’s Signature
Date
Approved by: _________________________________________________________________________
Chairperson’s Signature
Date
CREDIT HOURS: _____________________________________________________________________
To be assigned by Department
Date
APPENDIX D. REVIEW FORM
MA IN PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY AND APPLIED ETHICS
END OF FIRST YEAR REVIEW
The review process is intended to assist graduate students in improving their work and assessing
their progress in the program. Students are evaluated on each of the five major areas in which the
demonstration and development of their skills is expected. Students are evaluated by all faculty members with whom they have taken classes. The evaluation is both numerical and narrative. The numerical scores are as follows: 1=deficient, 2=marginal, 3=developing, 4=competent, 5=adept.
Numerical Evaluation:
Category
Score
Writing
Oral Communication
Knowledge
Argumentation
Research
Narrative Evaluation:
Writing –
Oral Communication –
Knowledge of the Field –
Argumentation –
Research –