S.95-32
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC
?
MEMORANDUM
Pt
To:
From:
Subject:
Date:
Senate
J .
M. Munro, Chair
Senate Committee on Academic Planning
Department of Philosophy
April 10, 1995
Action undertaken by the Senate Graduate Studies Committee and the Senate Committee
on Academic Planning, gives rise to the following motion:
Motion:
"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of Governors
as set forth in S.95 -
32,
the proposed
i)
changes to the requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. programs
ii)
change in credit hours from 3 to 5 for PHIL 805, 815, 825, 845, 855."
^ &Mj^,a
0
CHANGES IN REQUIREMENTS FOR Ph.D. PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
FROM:
?
Current Calendar Entry
Degree Requirements
Courses
Students in the PhD program are normally required to complete twelve graduate courses,
six in the first year of registration in the program, and six in the second. Students admitted
after one year in the MA program are normally required to complete at least eight graduate
courses beyond those completed in the MA program.
Students entering the PhD program after completing the requirements of an MA degree may
have the course requirements reduced, but in no case by more than four courses. Each
student's committee will recommend, according to the student's background and the
requirements appropriate to the field of research, the kind and number of courses to be
taken by the students.
Students entering directly from the Bachelors degree must, during the first year of graduate
study, complete six courses with a CGPA of at least 3.33.
Examinations
Students are required to pass a comprehensive examination, normally by the end of the first
semester of the third year of registration in the program. Upon successful completion of
the comprehensive examination and an approved thesis proposal, a student is admitted to
candidacy for the PhD degree.
Language Requirements
Students are required to demonstrate such competence in foreign languages as the Graduate
Studies Committee deems essential to the successful completion of their proposedresearch.
Formal Logic Requirement
Students are required to either have, or acquire, competence in formal logic, at a minimum
at the level of PHIL 210, higher when relevant to their research.
Thesis Proposal and Seminar
Before the end of the first semester of the third year in the program, a candidate for the PhD
degree is required to submit a thesis proposal for approval of an examining committee
consisting of the student's supervisory committee and one further member of the combined
graduate department. The proposal must give evidence that the student is acquainted with
the literature in the area of the proposed research and must represent a well defined program
of investigation.
• Before the end of the second semester of the third year of the program, the candidate is
required to make a presentation to a colloquium of faculty and graduate students of the
combined department on the subject of the proposed research.
1.
Thesis
Students
?
in the PhD program are required to write and defend a thesis embodying original
I
philosophical research.
TO:
Degree Requirements
Courses
Students in the PhD program are normally required to take 12 courses, six in the first year
of registration in the program, and six in the second. Two of the courses may, with
permission of the Graduate Studies Committee, be 300 or 400 level undergraduate courses,
the rest must be graduate ones. Students admitted after one year in the MA program are
normally required to complete at least eight graduate courses beyond those completed in the
MA program.
Students entering the PhD program after completing the requirements of an MA degree may
have the course requirements reduced, but in no case by more than four courses. Each
student's committee will recommend, according to the student's background and the
requirements appropriate to the field of research, the kind and number of courses to be
taken by the students.
Students entering directly from the Bachelors degree must, during the first year of graduate
study, complete six courses with a CGPA of at least 3.33.
Examinations ?
0
Students are required to pass a comprehensive examination, normally by the end of the first
semester of the third year of registration in the program. Upon successful completion of
the comprehensive examination and an approved thesis proposal, a student is admitted to
candidacy for the PhD degree.
Language Requirements
Students are required to demonstrate such competence in foreign languages as the Graduate
Studies Committee deems essential to the successful completion of their proposed research.
Formal Logic Requirement
In addition to other course requirements, students are required to either have or acquire
competence in formal logic at the level of PHIL 214, or higher when considered relevant to
their research.
Thesis Proposal and Seminar
Before the end of the first semester of the third year in the program, a candidate for the PhD
degree is required to submit a thesis proposal for approval of an examining committee
consisting of the student's supervisory committee and one further member of the combined
graduate department. The proposal must give evidence that the student is acquainted with
the literature in the area of the proposed research and must represent a well defined program
of investigation.
Before the end of the second semester of the third year of the program, the candidate is
required to make a presentation to a colloquium of faculty and graduate students of the
combined department on the subject of the proposed research.
07.
. ?
Thesis
Students in the PhD program are required to write and defend a thesis embodying original
philosophical research.
RATIONALE:
Changes to the PhD Programme
1.
Raise the formal logic requirement
Competence at PHIL 214 instead of PHIL 210 will be required.
Rationale:
PHIL 210 is an elementary formal logic course required of all of our undergraduate majors.
It does not represent a mastery of formal techniques expected of a student with a graduate
degree. PHIL 214 will give our graduates the basic competence expected in the field.
2.
Allow two undergraduate courses towards satisfying requirements
Two of the required courses can be 300 or 400 level undergraduate courses, with
permission of the Graduate Studies Committee.
Rationale:
A major function of the course requirements in graduate programs is to round out the
student's general education in the field. All students have some gaps in their education and
could profit from advanced undergraduate courses in areas outside their specialization.
Increasing the course requirements and allowing students to take two undergraduate
courses will make it possible for us to turn out more well-rounded graduates. This feature
also harmonizes with the UBC Philosophy PhD course requirements. (We have a formal
relationship of cooperation with the UBC programme.)
0
.
CHANGES IN REQUIREMENTS FOR
M.A.
PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
FROM: ?
Current Calendar Envy
A candidate for the MA degree in Philosophy must
- complete four courses at the graduate level, gaining at least a second class standing
(COPA 3.0)
- submit and successfully defend a thesis giving evidence of independent critical ability
- show competence in such foreign languages as the Graduate Studies Committee
determines to be required for the proposed research.
The department reserves the right to require any student to take undergraduate courses in
addition to the required number of graduate courses.
TO: ?
Proposed Calendar Entry
A candidate for the MA degree in Philosophy must
- complete six courses, one of which may, with permission of the Graduate Studies
Committee, be a 300 or 400 level undergraduate course, the rest graduate courses.
- show competence in such foreign languages as the Graduate Studies Committee
determines to be required for the proposed research.
- have or acquire competence in formal logic at the level of PHIL 214, or higher when
relevant to his or her research.
Plus either
a)
submit and successfully defend a thesis, normally no more than 100 pages in length,
giving evidence of independent critical ability.
or
b)
complete two additional courses, one of which is an individual directed studies course
with the senior supervisor in which the student will review and revise a paper from a
previously completed graduate course to a standard suitable in form and content for
submission to a professional journal. The resulting paper
normally
shall
not, exceed 30 pages.
-normally attain a cumulative GPA of
3.5
-pass a final examination in which:
i)
Supervisory
the paper produced
Committee
in
as
the
conforming
individual
to
studies
the standard
course
set
is
out
evaluated
above.
and approved by the
?
is
ii) the student will present the paper in a public forum directed by the supervisory
committee and at least one other faculty member in the field. After the public presentation
and discussion, the expanded committee will arrive at an evaluation of the paper and the
student's performance at the examination.
The department reserves the right to require any student to take undergraduate courses in
addition to the required number of graduate courses
RATIONALE:
We are proposing five changes:
1.
Introduce a no-thesis MA option
The option, conforming to option (c) in the Calendar, will require students to take two
additional courses and pass a final examination.
Rationale:
A Masters degree in philosophy is not required for admission to most PhD programs, and a
MA is no longer generally sufficient for getting a job teaching at community
colleges. With the introduction of the PhD program, our department is making our
graduate instruction more professional and the proposed introduction of a no-thesis option
to the MA program reflects this.
The program is designed specifically to help its graduates gain admission into top PhD
programs. Additional preparation in the form of course work, and a good writing sample,
which will be produced in one of the courses, are more valuable for this purpose than a
thesis. The program will appeal especially to undergraduates who want to pursue a PhD
degree but do not yet have the confidence or training to apply directly to the PhD programs
of the best schools. We note that a CGPA of 3.5 is normal minimum for eligibility for
SF0 graduate fellowships.
2.
Increase the number of courses required
The number of courses required on the thesis option will increase from 4 to 6; the no-thesis
option requires 8.
Rationale:
Our current requirements are among the lowest in Canada (see attached survey), with only
Windsor, Guelph and York matching them. There is compelling evidence that the MA
requirement be 6 courses plus a thesis if conformity to Canadian standards is the aim. In
order to provide our students with the sort of education expected at this level, more courses
are needed and the departments with the best graduate programs in philosophy in Canada
require 6 courses for their thesis MAs.
• Somewhat surprisingly, adding course requirements (and, for that matter, increasing the
number of students) will actually make the graduate program easier to staff. The reason is
that, with the current low number of students who take courses, much of our instruction is
done in individual directed studies courses. The sooner we are able to schedule more
I.
regular graduate courses the better, and that will happen only when more students are
taking them.
?
0
3.
Set a maximum length for the MA thesis
A Masters Thesis should not normally exceed 100 pages.
Rationale:
We have found that the students sometimes spend too much time and effort producing a
very long thesis. 100 pages is more than enough space for satisfying the requirements for
an MA degree.
4. Allow one upper levels undergraduate course with approval of the
Graduate Studies Committee to count towards satisfying requirements.
A major function of the course requirements in graduate programs is to round out the
student's general education in the field. All students have some gaps in their education and
could profit from an advanced undergraduate course in an area outside their specialization.
Increasing the course requirements and allowing students to take an undergraduate course
will make it possible for us to turn out more well-rounded graduates.
5.
Introduce competence in formal logic at the level of PHIL 214 as a
requirement. ?
0
Again, this brings our program in line with other programs. Competence in formal logic is
expected for admission to most PhD programs.
.
c.
.
?
Appendix A
MA Requirements Across Canada
A survey of all the English language programs that disclose such information in the
?
Canadian Graduate Programs in Philosophy Handbook
Thesis Options:
Most common configuration: 6 semester courses plus a thesis:
Alberta
British Columbia
Calgary
Dalhousie
Ottawa
McMaster
Other options with
a
thesis:
• ?
Queens: 6 courses plus a 60 page thesis or 4 courses plus a 100 page thesis
Waterloo:
5
courses plus thesis
Windsor: 4 courses plus thesis
Guelph: 4 courses plus a thesis
York: 4 courses plus a thesis
Difficult
to assess:
(But unless more than
5
credit hours are assigned per course, they exceed 4 courses
plus a thesis)
McGill:
45
credit hours of which 24 is for a thesis
Manitoba: 24 credit hours plus a thesis.
No thesis options:
(All but the University of Toronto also have thesis options)
Ottawa: 10 courses plus a 30 page paper
Toronto: 8 courses (the only MA available)
Western: 6 courses plus comprehensive exam
Windsor: 6 courses plus major paper or 8 courses
Guelph: 6 courses plus a guided research project
York: 8 courses, three-paper portfolio, plus exam
0
Fri
COURSE ALTERATION AND RATIONALE
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
1-1
FROM:
1.
PHIL 805-3 Directed Studies I
2.
PHIL 8 15-3 Directed Studies II
3.
PHIL 825-3 Directed Studies Ill
4.
PHIL
845-3
Directed Studies IV
5.
PHIL
855-3
Directed Studies V
TO:
1.
PHIL
805-5
Directed Studies I
2.
PHIL 8
15-5
Directed Studies II
3. PHIL
825-5
Directed Studies Ill
4. PHIL
845-5
Directed Studies IV
5.
PHIL
855-5
Directed Studies V
RATIONALE:
As originally conceived, directed studies courses were to be reading courses requiring less
work from the student than other graduate courses. In practice, however, there is no
discernable difference between them and other courses. Given the SF0 standard of
granting
5
credit per graduate course, there is no rationale for granting only three for the
Directed Studies Courses.
.
0
I'
