Because the M.A. in PPE Program is a small, highly selective program, these requirements are flexible and can be tailored to an individual student’s needs by the program director.

The program of study is divided into two stages: undergraduate requirements to be completed before the end of the fourth year, and graduate requirements to be completed by the end of the fifth year. Part of the graduate requirements involves the submission of a comprehensive exam or MA thesis.

Undergraduate requirements:

1. Completion of a B.A. in one of the associated departments (Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, or International Studies)
2. Six additional courses total – including at least two upper division courses – in the two areas that are not the student’s major.  The areas are Philosophy/Logic and Philosophy of Science, Economics, and Political Science/International Studies
   1. A Philosophy major would need to take three courses in Economics (including one upper div) and three courses in Political Science/IS (including one upper div)
   2. An Economics major would need to take three courses in Philosophy/LPS (including one upper div) and three courses in Political Science/IS (including one upper div)
   3. A Political Science or GIS major would need to take three courses in Philosophy/LPS (including one upper div) and three courses in Economics (including one upper div)
3. In addition, we strongly suggest students take some courses that will prepare them to deal with technical material, such as math and logic

 

Graduate requirements:

1. Proseminar in PPE I, II, III
2. Six graduate courses approved by the director of the PPE program, two of each area
3. A final, oral defense in which the student and at least two PPE faculty members, including the PPE director, will discuss their work.  In preparation, the student will either submit
   1. an MA thesis to be completed over the course of the graduate year under faculty supervision, or,
   2. a final, term length paper/project as a comprehensive exam

 

Comprehensive Exam/MA Thesis

Each student will submit either a final, term length paper to meet the UCI comprehensive exam requirement, or an MA thesis. 

Comprehensive exam – Students taking this option will submit a final paper of ~15 pages. The topic may be anything encompassed within PPE.  Typically students will develop this paper in a graduate seminar, and continue working on it for a final product.  Papers may be argumentative, report research contributions, or overview a relevant literature.   Students will submit this exam in late Spring of their graduate year.  They will schedule a defense with the PPE director and at least one other PPE faculty member.

MA Thesis – Students taking this option will develop a more in-depth research project of ~30-45 pages.  Students who wish to pursue the thesis option must find a thesis advisor willing to supervise them by Winter quarter of their graduate year.  Theses should report original research on any topic encompassed by PPE.  Students will submit their thesis in late Spring of their graduate year and schedule a defense including the PPE director, their thesis advisor, and at least one other PPE faculty member.  For an example of a successful thesis, click here.

Program Learning Outcomes

Core Knowledge

• Mathematical and philosophical logic
• Historical and contemporary issues in the philosophy of science and mathematics
• History of philosophical thought since the early Modern period
• Topics in value theory
• Topics in metaphysics and epistemology

Research Methods and Analysis
Pedagogy
Scholarly Communication
Professionalism
Independent Research