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Explore life’s biggest questions through rigorous philosophical inquiry while earning an affordable, flexible master’s degree online.
Accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Master of Arts in Philosophy is Newlane University’s first graduate degree, marking an exciting milestone in our mission to make high-quality higher education more accessible and affordable.
Designed for students who want to engage deeply with philosophy’s most enduring questions, this program explores the nature of knowledge, reality, ethics, science, politics, beauty, and the human experience. Students study major philosophical domains and traditions while developing the research, analytical, and communication skills expected of graduate-level scholars.
Through close reading of primary philosophical texts, sustained research, and thoughtful discussion, students learn to evaluate competing ideas, construct well-reasoned arguments, and engage meaningfully with current philosophical conversations.
Graduates leave with:
• Advanced philosophical knowledge and analytical reasoning skills
• Graduate-level research and academic writing experience
• The ability to construct and defend original philosophical arguments
• A deeper understanding of philosophy’s role across disciplines and cultures
Complete a simple application to begin the admissions process.
Review your academic background and create your graduate degree plan.
Complete coursework online at your own pace with no semesters or rigid deadlines.
The Master of Arts in Philosophy is designed for lifelong learners, educators, professionals, and anyone seeking advanced philosophical study without the constraints of a traditional graduate program.
✓Graduate-level coursework
✓Fully online degree
✓Self-paced learning
✓Competency-based assessments
Whether you’re preparing for doctoral study, teaching, professional advancement, or personal intellectual growth, Newlane’s flexible model allows you to pursue graduate education on your own schedule.
The Master of Arts in Philosophy provides advanced study across philosophy’s central disciplines while emphasizing research, critical analysis, and original scholarship.
Students complete graduate coursework including:
The Master of Arts in Philosophy is a 30-credit graduate program combining core philosophy courses with advanced study across philosophy's major disciplines.
| Category | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses — 15 Credits | ||
| Core | Foundations of Philosophy | 3 |
| Core | Graduate Critical Reading & Writing | 3 |
| Core | Epistemology | 3 |
| Core | Metaphysics | 3 |
| Core | Ethics | 3 |
| Advanced Philosophy Courses — 15 Credits | ||
| Advanced | Aesthetics | 3 |
| Advanced | Political Philosophy | 3 |
| Advanced | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| Advanced | Eastern Philosophy | 3 |
| Advanced | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
Throughout the program, students engage extensively with primary philosophical texts while examining influential thinkers and competing philosophical traditions.
Philosophy asks some of humanity’s most profound questions:
What can we know?
What is ultimately real?
How should we live?
What makes a society just?
How should scientific discoveries shape our understanding of the world?
Graduate study moves beyond learning the history of ideas. Students engage directly with original philosophical texts, evaluate competing perspectives, and develop original contributions of their own. The result is a deeper understanding of both the ideas, methods, frameworks, and central texts of the discipline of philosophy, and broader questions that shape academic inquiry, professional life, and the ways we understand ourselves and the world.
Students in the Master of Arts in Philosophy learn to:
A master’s degree in philosophy develops advanced reasoning and communication skills that are valued across many professions.
Build a strong academic foundation for doctoral study, college teaching, or scholarly research.
Develop the analytical reasoning and ethical decision-making skills valued in legal, government, and policy careers.
Apply advanced critical thinking and ethical leadership in organizational, consulting, and executive roles.
Prepare for careers involving research, publishing, public scholarship, or professional writing.
For many students, philosophy is not simply career preparation — it is a lifelong pursuit of wisdom, intellectual growth, and deeper understanding.
The Master of Arts in Philosophy represents Newlane University’s first graduate degree and the beginning of a new chapter in our mission to expand access to affordable, high-quality higher education.
Built on the same principles that have guided Newlane from the beginning — flexibility, affordability, academic rigor, and competency-based learning — this program provides students with an opportunity to pursue graduate-level study in philosophy without the limitations of a traditional university model.
Fully Online • Self-Paced • Graduate-Level Study
Join the first cohort of students pursuing Newlane University’s inaugural master’s degree.
Accredited by DEAC • Recognized by CHEA & U.S. Department of Education