MA Philosophy or Master of Arts in Philosophy is a 2-year postgraduate course that offers studies related to Schools of Classical as well as Modern philosophy. This program is the study of reality, existence, and the fundamental nature of knowledge.
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The course includes a comprehensive and thorough study of Philosophy as a discipline at an advanced level. It involves the study of a critical and systematic approach and its reliance on a reasoned argument to address general problems. The problems usually concern matters such as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, law, justice, validity, mind, and language.
The study of MA Philosophy includes topics such as Moral Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge and Reality, Logic and Language, Ethics, Religion, Philosophy of Mind, Western Metaphysics, Indian Epistemology, Traditional and Propositional Logic, History & Philosophy of Natural Science, Analytic Philosophy, Plato, Descartes, Early Buddhism, Schools of Vedanta Philosophy of Social Science, etc.
The minimum eligibility required to pursue this course is a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institute with philosophy or any related subject as the major subject. The admissions are usually based on the entrance exams conducted by the institute pr through previous academic scores.The average course fee for MA Philosophy ranges between INR 7K and INR 1 lakh. Post completion of this course, students get opportunities in different sectors such as Publishing Houses, Divinity, Teaching, Insurance Industries, and Diplomacy. The average starting salary ranges from INR 2 - 6 Lakhs.
Graduates can work as Archivist, Administrator, Researcher, Interviewer, Student Affairs Manager, Insurance Underwriter, Lecture, Social Worker, Content Writer, etc. They can also go for higher studies and do a PhD in Philosophy or M. Phil in Applied Philosophy.
Tabulation below is the details of the MA Philosophy program followed by the duration, course fee, admission process, job profiles, areas of employment, etc.
| Course Level | Post-graduation |
| Full-Form | Master of Arts (Philosophy) |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Examination Type | Semester-based |
| Eligibility | Graduation in any stream from a recognized institute |
| Admission process | Merit-based/ Entrance Examination |
| Average Course Fee | INR 7K – 1 lakh |
| Average Salary | INR 2 – 6 lakh |
| Top Recruiters | Eureka Forbes, AJ Solutions, NIAS, Subex, HP, Dell, Siemens, Mphasis, etc. |
| Job Profiles | Archivist, Administrator, Researcher, Interviewer, Student Affairs Manager, Insurance Underwriter, Lecture, Social Worker, Content Writer, etc. |
| Areas of Employment | Diplomacy, Publishing Houses, Community & Social Service, Businesses, Finance Departments, Divinity, Health & Social Work, Hotels & Restaurants, Insurance Industry, Public Service, Research, etc. |
- Philosophy is a thorough study of the philosophies of various philosophers from different countries. It situates the historical philosophies in the current state of affairs and provides an acute critical insight on them.
- This is a huge course that includes various philosophical principles like that of Marxism, imagination, feminism, symbolization, etc.
- Philosophy includes a study of philosophical methods which include questioning, and systematic presentation. This course is closely related to religion, mathematics, natural science, education, and politics.
Philosophy is traditionally divided into three major branches:
- The Moral Philosophy: It is the study of right and wrong, goodness, beauty, justice, and virtue.
- Natural Philosophy: It is the study of the physical world.
- The Metaphysical Philosophy: It is the study of God, logic, forms, existence, causation, and other abstract objects.
Why study MA Philosophy?
MA Philosophy aims at providing students with knowledge of the fundamental issues in ethics, politics, economics, human rights, culture, etc. Thus, helping them to identify and analyze the basic reasons that motivate the above dimensions of human life.
- Candidates of this philosophy degree program explore a number of topics, including the moral implications of human actions on society, the status of being, and the examination of words, dialogues, and idioms.
- MA Philosophy degree holders can go for further higher studies and can achieve a career in various areas such as Epistemology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language, Cognitive Science, etc. This program benefits a lot for those who study this subject as a passion as it comes along with basic ethics and moral values.
- A degree in Philosophy satisfies a student’s desire who has a keen interest in the study of philosophy, the history of philosophy and also situating philosophy in different historical and geographical contexts.
- All higher study aspirants can go for M. Phil in Applied Philosophy, Ph.D. in Philosophy, and Research in Philosophy.
- There are various high profile MA Philosophy job opportunities on completion of a master's degree in Philosophy both in India and abroad.
- They can select their career path in areas such as Public service, Law, Teaching, Diplomacy, Ministry, Research, Publishing, Journalism, Insurance, and Student Affairs, etc.
MA Philosophy Admission Process
The admissions into the MA Philosophy in India are conducted through both entrance tests and also on merit basis. The application forms are available both offline and online. Candidates who ought to appear for the entrance exam and those who qualify the written test will be called for a personal interview followed by a group discussion.
- Merit-Based Admission: Such admissions are based on the marks scored in the bachelor's degree program. The institutes evaluate the students on the basis of previous academic scores and release a merit list of shortlisted students. The shortlisted candidates will then be invited for an interview.
- Entrance exam: Some of the institutes conduct their own entrance exam like DU, JNU, etc and they release a merit list on the basis of marks scored in the entrance test. Candidates clearing the cut-off will be selected and invited for an interview.
MA Philosophy Eligibility
The candidates who want to pursue this course should fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria, that usually includes:
- The candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized University.
- However, many of the reputed universities prefer a graduation degree with Honors in Philosophy or Philosophy as one of the subjects studied in graduation from any of the recognized universities/ colleges of the country.
- They should have a minimum of 45-50% marks in graduation.
- Some relaxation is offered to the reserved categories.
MA Philosophy Entrance Exams
No particular national-level or state-level exams are conducted for admission into MA Philosophy. Universities like JNU, BHU, DU, and Aligarh Muslim University conduct their own entrance tests for the selection of students. The details regarding their intake and entrance examination will be released through their respective sites at the time of admission.
Listed below are some of the popular MA Philosophy entrance exams.
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BHU PET: BHU PET is the entrance examination of Banaras Hindu University. The exam is conducted for admission into multiple postgraduate programs, including MA in Philosophy.
Read more: BHU PET exam pattern and syllabus
- JNU Entrance Exam: Jawaharlal Nehru University conducts its entrance exam for admission into various courses including the MA Philosophy program. The exam is usually conducted by NTA on behalf of JNU.
- Aligarh Muslim University Entrance Exam: Aligarh Muslim University also conducts entrance exams to provide admissions to the deserving candidate into their MA Philosophy program.
- DUET: DUET is the entrance exam conducted by the University of Delhi for admission into various UG and PG courses offered by the institute.
| Exam name | Registration date | Exam date |
|---|---|---|
| PUBDET | To be Announced | To be Announced |
| APU UG NET | December 24, 2022 | - |
| TS EAMCET | - | 2nd week of July 2023 (Tentative) |
How to Prepare for a MA Philosophy Entrance Exams?
The syllabus for MA Philosophy entrance exams will vary from college to college. However, most exams concentrate on areas of the history of philosophy, themes, and issues in metaphysics, epistemology, logic, ethics, aesthetics and, social, and political philosophy.
Some points that are useful while preparing for MA Philosophy entrance exams are:
- Students should know the entire syllabus of the entrance exam which they are going to sit for. Some of these exams are purely based on Philosophy Knowledge, whereas some exams may be general and have few sections of Indian Philosophy or academic social sciences related questions.
- Students should consider buying study material or previous year question papers and practice them for MA Philosophy entrance exams.
- BA Philosophy course books also constitute good study material for these exams.
How to get admission in a good MA Philosophy college?
To get admission in top MA Philosophy colleges, the following points must be kept in mind:
- The candidate should fulfill the eligibility criteria to apply for the course or to sit for the entrance exam.
- They should try their best in the entrance exam to clear the cut-off of the institute.
- The candidate should start working on a personal interview round, in which the panel will judge the interests and skills. The candidate should be confident and have strong interpersonal skills to clear the interview round.
- Be ready with all the important application and registration dates to avoid last-minute chaos and delay.
MA Philosophy Syllabus
MA Philosophy Syllabus is almost the same in most of the colleges. The table below shows common subjects that are included in the structured MA Philosophy syllabus:
| 1st Semester | 2nd Semester |
|---|---|
| Classical Indian Philosophy | History of Western Philosophy |
| Greek Philosophy | Aristotle’s Metaphysics |
| Formal Logic | The Feminist Thought |
| Ethics | Gandhi and Libertarian Socialism |
| Meaning of Life | |
| Exploring Philosophy through Films | |
| 3rd Semester | 4th Semester |
| Analytic Philosophy | Philosophy of Language |
| Continental Philosophy | Knowledge and Scepticism |
| Environmental Ethics | From Language to Mind |
| Ethics in Buddhism | Theories of Consciousness |
| Philosophy of Human Rights | Theory of Signs and the Semiotic Method |
| Imagination and Symbolization | Theories of Truth |
| Indian Aesthetics | Theories of Self |
| Understanding Multiculturalism | Philosophy of History |
MA Philosophy Books
Tabulated below are some of the MA Philosophy subject books that can help students to have a broader and better understanding of the course. The books mentioned below will also help the students in cracking various MA Philosophy exams.
| Name of the Book | Author |
|---|---|
| The Ethics of Hindus | S.K. Maitra |
| Ethical Philosophies of India | I.C. Sharma |
| The Theories of Ethics | Phillippa Foot |
| Philosophy of Mind | J. Shofer |
| Quest after Perfection | M. Hiriyanna |
MA Philosophy Top Colleges
The tabulation below shows the best MA Philosophy colleges and universities that offer the course. The list of the top colleges has been listed below based on the NIRF 2020 ranking.
| Name of College | Location | Average Annual Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Miranda House | New Delhi | INR 14,530 |
| Lady Shri Ram College for Women | New Delhi | INR 17,976 |
| Hindu College | New Delhi | INR 16,590 |
| Loyola College | Chennai | INR 7,200 |
| Indraprastha College for Women | New Delhi | INR 10,500 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | New Delhi | INR 9,600 |
| University of Hyderabad | Hyderabad | INR 7,220 |
| Mysore University | Mysore | INR 17,600 |
Click Here: Top MA Philosophy Colleges in India
MA Philosophy College Comparison
The tabulation below shows the comparison made among the three top MA Philosophy colleges in India. The comparison has been made on the basis of ranking, course fees, average salary, and top recruiters.
| Parameter | University of Hyderabad | University of Delhi | Loyola College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | It is a public university, established in 1974 provides several disciplines, MA Philosophy is one of the programs offered by this university. | The University of Delhi is a central/ public university from New Delhi. One of the largest and most popular institutes, MA Philosophy is one of the degrees that attracts many candidates each year. | Loyola College was established in 1925, it has students from around the country. Its MA Philosophy program is highly ranked among other bachelors of education programs. |
| NIRF Ranking | 6 (among top universities) | 11 (among top Universities) | 6 (among top colleges) |
| Average Fees | INR 7,220 | INR 13,200 | INR 7,200 |
| Average Placement Offered | INR 3.25 Lakh | INR 4.3 Lakh | INR 5 Lakh |
| Top Companies Visited | Teradata, TCS Digital, TCS R&D, ThinCI, Zoom Tech, GE, Vedanta, Datawise, etc. | ABP News, Amazon, British Telecom, IndiGo Airlines, Infosys, etc. | Amazon, TCS. Wipro, Syntel, Stratagem, etc. |
MA Philosophy Course Comparison
MA Philosophy Arts vs MA Theology
MA Philosophy is a degree based on schools of classical as well as Modern philosophy and MA Theology degree deals with in-depth research and writing knowledge of theology subjects such as interpreting the holy books. Both these postgraduate degrees has the following differences between them:
Check out the top Masters in Theology Colleges in India.
| Parameters | MA Philosophy | MA Theology |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Form | Master of Arts (Philosophy) | Master of Arts (Theology) |
| Overview | This program is the study of reality, existence, and the fundamental nature of knowledge. | It is the study of religion and interpretation of holy books like the Bible, Quran, and others. |
| Subjects included | Moral Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge and Reality, Logic and Language, Ethics, Religion, Philosophy of Mind, etc | Biblical Hebrew, Religions, Exegesis, etc |
| Duration | 2 years | 2 years |
| Eligibility | Graduation in any stream with a minimum of 50% from a recognized institute | Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum score of 50%. |
| Admission Process | Merit-based / Entrance Exam | Merit-based / Entrance Exam |
| Exam Type | Semester | Semester |
| Average Fees | INR 7K- 1 lakh | INR 10K – 40K |
| Average Salary | INR 2 – 6 lakh | INR 3 – 5 lakh |
| Top Recruiters | Eureka Forbes, AJ Solutions, NIAS, Subex, HP, Dell, Siemens, Mphasis, etc. | Candida Xavier, Global Technologies, Northern Trust Careers, etc. |
| Job Profiles | Archivist, Administrator, Researcher, Interviewer, Student Affairs Manager, Insurance Underwriter, Lecture, Social Worker, Content Writer, etc. | Bible Translator, University/ College based Religion Teacher, Minister of Church, Pastor, etc. |
| Areas of Employment | Diplomacy, Publishing Houses, Community & Social Service, Businesses, Finance Departments, Divinity, Health & Social Work, Hotels & Restaurants, Insurance Industry, Public Service, Research, etc. | Social workers, Ethicists, Teachers, Non-profit workers, Counselors, Journalists, Writers, Historians, etc. |
MA Philosophy Job Prospects and Career Options
- MA Philosophy degree holders can opt for a career in various specializations of philosophy like in Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Aesthetics, etc.
- On successful completion of this degree, a student can apply for the UGC-NET or JRF exam; the success in these exams makes them eligible for teaching or research.
- Candidates having this degree/ program can be hired in diverse fields such as Ethics Advisor, School Teacher, Social Worker, Charities Administrator, Information Science, Survey Interviewer, etc.
The following table shows some of the major areas where you can find employment after pursuing the MA Philosophy degree:
| Job profile | Job Description | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Student Counselor | The student counselor deals with the problems of the students and talks to them to help them out with their issues. | INR 2,37,972 |
| Archivist | Archivist evaluates records for preservation and retention. And their other job responsibilities are the retrieval of records and Arranging acquisition. | INR 4,48,582 |
| Researcher | A research scholar studies various philosophers and provides his/her critical views on the same developing more research papers which are helpful for students in the academic field. | INR 6,76,159 |
| Insurance Underwriter | Insurance Underwriter reads insurance proposals and ensures that premiums are competitive. | INR 3,31,827 |
| Interviewer | An interviewer conducts interviews and tests the abilities of the candidates at an organization. | INR 1,55,745 |
MA Fine Arts Salary Trend Graph
MA Philosophy Future Scope
The post-graduation in Philosophy will provide students to understand society and lives. After completion of the course of MA Philosophy, candidates get a lot of understanding of the world and human behavior.
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Candidates can choose Ph.D. Philosophy / M.Phil. Philosophy as their higher studies, if they want to study further.
Read more: PhD Philosophy Colleges and M.Phil Philosophy Colleges
- MA Philosophy degree holders can appear for the competitive exams like UPSC and MPSC and join IPS, IFS, IAS, etc. or take JRF/NET/SET exams for the academic pursuit of philosophy.
- This imparted knowledge will help them to enter into professional areas pertaining to research, teaching, content development, or program instructor in various educational and corporate organizations.
- One can go for teaching positions in leading schools and universities as a Junior Faculty or as a Research Associate.
- Thus, there are a lot of opportunities open for students after they complete this course. Some of the major profiles are Student affairs, Administrator, Insurance Underwriter, Interviewer, Archivist, etc.
- Some of the popular employment areas for MA in philosophy postgraduates are Public Service, Health & Social Work, Public Administration, Community, Social & Personal Service, Research Centers, and Schools.
FAQs
Ques. Is MA Philosophy a tough course?
Ans. MA Philosophy can be tough for those who are studying this course just for the sake of a degree. But those who are really interested in this subject and are creative and philosophical can find this less tough. Since it is a module in logic and so it requires some serious brainpower. And being original and creative in philosophy is not possible for everyone.
Ques. Is MA Philosophy a good degree?
Ans. The course can be beneficial for those who want to make their career in teaching and research. And since the course is based on reasons and arguments, it also provides excellent preparation for making careers in law, religion, business, international diplomacy, social work, medical management, or writing.
Ques. What are the skills that I can improve or learn through MA Philosophy?
Ans. MA Philosophy can help to develop or enhance skills to solve problems, communication skills, persuasive powers, writing skills, etc.
Ques. Is there any entrance exam for MA Philosophy?
Ans. Admission and Selection in the MA Philosophy course occur through either Merit or Entrance Exams. There are colleges that conduct entrance tests, followed by a Personal Interview like Du, JNU, Aligarh Muslim University, etc.
Ques. How much is the salary after the MA Philosophy course?
Ans. The average starting salary ranges from INR 2 - 6 LPA.
Ques. What are the top colleges for MA Philosophy?
Ans. The top institutes and colleges for MF Philosophy are Loyola College Chennai, Hindu College New Delhi, Miranda House, DU, and Lady Shri Ram College for Women, among others.
Ques. Which job profiles are available for the MA Philosophy graduates?
Ans. Students of MA Philosophy can work as Archivist, Administrator, Researcher, Interviewer, Student Affairs Manager, Insurance Underwriter, Lecture, Social Worker, Content Writer, etc.
Ques. What is the annual average fee charged for the MA Philosophy program?
Ans. The annual average fee at the top MA Philosophy colleges is between INR 7K to INR 1 Lakhs for 2 years.
Ques. What is the scope after the MA Philosophy degree?
Ans. Students can choose for higher education like they can pursue higher education like M.Phil. Or there are a lot of opportunities open for students after they complete this course. Some of the major profiles are Student affairs, Administrator, Insurance Underwriter, Interviewer, Archivist, etc.
Ques. What are the areas of employment after the MA Philosophy degree?
Ans. After this degree, there are diverse fields where students can get into Diplomacy, Publishing Houses, Community & Social Service, Businesses, Finance Departments, Divinity, Health & Social Work, Hotels & Restaurants, Insurance Industry, Public Service, Research, etc.
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