The Philosophy Department's Master of Arts in Philosophy is consistently the highest-ranked of its kind in the United States. It has an established record of placing its students in strong PhD programs in philosophy. The program is designed for students who seek to deepen their understanding of philosophy and prepare for doctoral study. It is ideal for students whose undergraduate preparation might not qualify them for a competitive doctoral program, although some prior background in philosophy is needed. This is a vibrant department, in which many different philosophical traditions and approaches are represented and come into conversation with one another. The MA students form a strong intellectual community, engaged in philosophical inquiry inside and outside of the classroom, mentored by world-renowned faculty.
The research interests of faculty members in the Philosophy Department are wide-ranging and include the history of Western philosophy (ancient through the recent past, including analytic philosophy as well as phenomenology), metaphysics (including social ontology), epistemology, philosophy of science (including philosophy of cognitive science, biology, and physics), philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, moral psychology, metaethics, normative ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of race, feminist philosophy, and aesthetics (including philosophy and film). Survey courses, special topics courses, and seminars are offered in all these areas. View recent records of courses offered.
Recent graduates have enrolled in excellent PhD programs in philosophy, including those at Chicago, CUNY, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, MIT, Oxford, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Stanford, UCLA, and UNC, Chapel Hill. Others have gone on to attend competitive law and JD/PhD programs, including those at Columbia, Cornell, and Georgetown. Read the full list of graduate placements here.
GSAS bills tuition using a per-credit billing model, meaning you are billed for the number of credits you take each semester. This billing model is used to provide students better flexibility so they may "pay-as-they-go".
| Tuition* | $1,699 per credit |
| Total Credits Required | 36 |
| Enrollment Status | Part-Time: 3-6 credits (typically 1-2 courses) Full-Time: 9+ credits (typically 3 or more courses) |
This example pathway outlines estimated tuition costs per semester using a typical full-time course load. This is one possible pathway to completion; actual credits, costs, enrollment status, and degree completion time may vary based on a student’s course load.
| Full-Time Pathway | Fall | Spring | Total |
| Year 1 | 9 credits | 9 credits | 18 credits |
| $15,291 | $15,291 | $30,582 | |
| Year 2 | 9 credits | 9 credits | 18 credits |
| $15,291 | $15,291 | $30,582 | |
| Estimated Total Tuition Before Aid* | $61,164* | ||
Note: this example does not account for any scholarships that may be awarded at the time of admission. GSAS offers generous merit- and need-based tuition scholarships for qualified applicants. A list of funding opportunities is provided below.
*Estimated based on 2025-2026 tuition rates. Rates are subject to change each academic year. For further information about the full cost of attendance, including health insurance, fees, and estimated indirect costs (housing, transportation, etc.), visit Student Financial Services.
At Tufts University, we believe that every qualified applicant should have the opportunity to pursue graduate study, regardless of financial circumstances. We are committed to helping you navigate the financial aspects of your education and strive to make graduate school accessible through a variety of support options.
Visit our Graduate Financial Aid page for information on loans and financing options.
Research/Areas of Interest: Moral philosophy, practical rationality, moral psychology, action theory
Research/Areas of Interest: Philosophy of Language, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Mind
Research/Areas of Interest: Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Logic, Philosophy of Mathematics, Philosophy of Science
Research/Areas of Interest: Ethics, Aesthetics, Epistemology, Kant, Wittgenstein, Ordinary Language Philosophy
Research/Areas of Interest: Feminism, Existentialism and Phenomenology, Philosophical Method, Philosophy and Film
Research/Areas of Interest: Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language, Ethics
Research/Areas of Interest: Metaphysics, Philosophy of Social Science, Philosophy of Language
Research/Areas of Interest: Philosophy of Biology, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Probability
Research/Areas of Interest: Moral Philosophy, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Law
Research/Areas of Interest: Ethics, Chinese philosophy
Research/Areas of Interest: Ethics, Political and Social philosophy
Research/Areas of Interest: Ancient Philosophy, Early Modern Philosophy, Ethics
Research/Areas of Interest: Philosophy of Language, Logic, Philosophy of Logic, History of Logic, Critical Thinking Pedagogy
Research/Areas of Interest: Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology, Meta-ethics, Aesthetics