Philosophy MA for Non-Philosophy Major?

[copyprinciple]

I've decided that I really want to pursue philosophy. My problem is that I'm not a philosophy major (I was a Russian/Spanish double, 3.89gpa). Because of this I think I should apply for a (terminal?) MA program in the US. I need to expand my philosophical knowledge and learn the ropes of academia before moving on to anything more ambitious.

I'm worried about my credentials when applying to programs. While I'm not a philosophy major, I do have 12 credits of philosophy from Arizona. I read philosophy in my spare time and like to think I'm fairly well-informed. I feel confident in my intellectual capacity to engage with difficult philosophical texts as well as confident in my motivation. My interests are 19th century Continental (especially Schopenhauer), English empiricism, and ancient ethics, among others. I understand philosophy is a very competitive field but I am not shooting for the stars at the moment, I just want to build a philosophical foundation.

My questions are: am I a potential candidate for MA programs and do I have a chance at being accepted? Is there anything I can do to improve my chances? Any comments or advice are appreciated. Thanks!

[UnbearableNausea]

As unhelpful as this sounds, it is the truth: no one on these boards is capable of assessing any person's chances of being accepted into any program, let alone whether that person is a good candidate for graduate programs in general. The best anyone can do is compare your stats with those of accepted and enrolled students at various programs and guess, although this does nothing to account for exceptional writing samples, or glowing letters from respected faculty (Arizona is a highly ranked PhD program, though I am unsure of how the graduate department is structured.)

All such unknowns aside, most M.A. programs in philosophy accept applicants who come from very small departments, or who did not major in philosophy as an undergraduate. However, someone in your position would likely need to demonstrate reasons for pursuing philosophy and perhaps even address why you only took a few courses. Indirectly, discussing some of your work in philosophy in more detail than usual might reinforce that you are a strong candidate despite a limited background.

I believe the advice for your situation is just a repetition of the advice for PhD applicants, perhaps with more emphasis on letters and writing sample:

(1) Have a tight, pithy writing sample of philosophy

(2) Cultivate relationships with your philosophy professors so they feel confident recommending you as a candidate for graduate school

(3) Study well for the GRE and get the best scores you can

(4) Work closely with your professors to determine which programs best suit your interests and whether they will translate into placement at a PhD program that also fits your interests

(5) Also work with your professors on your personal statements