Help searching for fully funded MA programs

[hassanJD]

Hello Everyone! 

I’m currently a senior at a liberal arts college planning on applying to PhD programs for Fall 2021. However, given the financial impacts of covid-19 forcing many programs to suspend admissions and take in smaller cohorts, I thought it’d be a smart idea to consider some funded MAs too since those would be easier to get into. I don’t really know much about MA programs though, so I was wondering if anyone on this forum would help throw some names at me to get me started? My interests lie broadly in continental philosophy, and more specifically in deleuze/heidegger/bergson/derrida. I’ve heard NIU, UW-Milwaukee, Georgia State are considered highly rated funded MAs, if anyone has any feedback on those programs or more programs to add that would be great! 

[somethingwitty]

4 minutes ago, hassanJD said:

Hello Everyone! 

I’m currently a senior at a liberal arts college planning on applying to PhD programs for Fall 2021. However, given the financial impacts of covid-19 forcing many programs to suspend admissions and take in smaller cohorts, I thought it’d be a smart idea to consider some funded MAs too since those would be easier to get into. I don’t really know much about MA programs though, so I was wondering if anyone on this forum would help throw some names at me to get me started? My interests lie broadly in continental philosophy, and more specifically in deleuze/heidegger/bergson/derrida. I’ve heard NIU, UW-Milwaukee, Georgia State are considered highly rated funded MAs, if anyone has any feedback on those programs or more programs to add that would be great! 

Hi there, 

I have no feedback to give regarding programs, but I can give you some resources that I've found helpful. I referred you to this spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yb_yciijFGEp5roVKYJ40U4eiREo3ZQTeSQkEjGMSsg/edit#gid=1857768419), and it has info about MA programs' funding (scroll over the notes next to the 'Funding' column). In addition, https://fundedphilma.weebly.com/ is a good resource, though I'm unsure of how recently it was updated. Also, http://dailynous.com/2015/11/18/ma-programs-in-philosophy-fund-students/, but again, the article is from 2015, so things may have changed since then, esp. with the pandemic. If you are interested in continental philosophy, check SPEP (http://www.spep.org/resources/graduate-programs/ )--though their link is currently not working for me--and the Pluralist's Guide (https://sites.google.com/view/pluralist-guide-to-philosophy/program-recommendations/continental-philosophy?authuser=0). As far as continental philosophy goes, in the US, your best bet would probably be Miami University (OH), as they seem to place really well into continental PhD programs (e.g., Emory, DePaul, Vanderbilt, etc., and even some top-50 PGR schools like Notre Dame and CUNY), though it seems like Georgia State, given the nature of their program, might equip you better for both continental and more analytic programs, which does increase your options (and you might just find new interests!). All this said, I may not be the best source, as I'm not in grad school yet. I'm sure a lot of people will refer you to the PGR, which is a good starting place, but given your interests, I think it's probably important to have other resources, too. Good luck!

[PhilCoffee]

Does anyone know about Brandeis? I think it has some fully-funded positions, but perhaps not for all in the cohort. And the information I found about its tuition suggests that it is really expensive (https://www.brandeis.edu/gsas/financing/cost.html).

[jrmgoodin]

Hey PhilCoffee,

I emailed the department and Brandeis. They said that everybody gets a little bit of help, but that most students take out loans. I'm unsure if they have any fully-funded positions, I think they do not. 

[PhilCoffee]

7 hours ago, jrmgoodin said:

Hey PhilCoffee,

I emailed the department and Brandeis. They said that everybody gets a little bit of help, but that most students take out loans. I'm unsure if they have any fully-funded positions, I think they do not. 

Hi jrmgoodin, thanks! I've also emailed them, and they said roughly the same thing. Each student is assigned at least one assistantship for one semester, which is $3,200. And each gets some remission of tuition. But given that the tuition is $51,940, Brandeis is quite expensive.

[UndergradDad]

I would encourage the OP to look at the placement pages of the Masters programs. If the interest is definitely Continental some of the programs mentioned would not be a great fit, especially noting an interest in Deleuze, Derrida etc. Look at the placements but also the the grad student areas of focus. UW Milwaukee for instance is an analytical program as is Brandeis. Miami of Ohio is a good continental feeder program. There are fewer continental-focused funded MAs so it takes some research. I would also suggest looking at Continental Phd programs and seeing where their students in the Phd programs got their MAs and then cross- reference with the funded MA links.