Help....

[john-smith536]

I thought that I had to get a Masters before I got a Phd, so when University of Chicago offered a Phd in philosophy and a masters in humanities with a concentration in philosophy, I applied for the latter.

Can I get my Phd after this? Is it equivalent to getting a masters in Philosophy from UofC?

I would have applied for the Phd program if I knew I could.

They do have a masters in philosophy, but what you get while you are going after your Phd.

What is this masters in humanities that I applied for?

[Doorkeeper]

Chicago groups its Masters according to the area of study. Instead of having Masters in specific departments, they have a Masters of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science. I doubt that you will have any problem going from Chicago's Masters in Humanities to a PhD. When you apply to a PhD, you submit your transcripts and they will see the classes you took.

[john-smith536]

Thanks for the info. I was looking on the site and they do offer a Masters in Philosophy. It's just something that you need to be a PhD student to apply to it.

[SocraticProf]

You can go straight from your bachelors to your doctorate in philosophy (I didn't know either). So, yes you could have applied directly to the PhD program (and like most of us, have been rejected from the PhD only to be admitted to the MAPH).

Most departments will allow their students to enroll in the PhD program and just get their masters degree along the way (but it is optional - what do you call someone with a PhD but no MA -- doctor), which is why Chicago only awards MAs in philosophy to their PhD students.

Other schools have terminal MA programs where they only enroll students trying to earn an MA. This option is usually for students with weak applications, did not major in philosophy, or simply want to study more without pursuing a PhD.