Thinking about going for an MA in philosophy. I’d like to go somewhere warm year round, like LA or other place that’s 60 degrees in January. Ask me some questions and give me some recommendations if you’d be so kind, I want the straight dope. GPA: about 3.25 in Philosophy (also math minor).
If I were trying to convince someone to make a decision that they’d have a good chance of regretting for the rest of their lives, I would consider getting them to go for an MA in philosophy to be a pretty big victory. But having them choose a program based on the climate? That’s so far beyond my wildest dreams I can’t even really imagine what it would be like.
Perhaps you could expound a bit on why you want the MA, and where your interests lie. The more specific you can be, the better.
A master’s is typically only one year out of your life, right? How harmful could that be? If it were a Phd, that’s more of a commitment, but if you can afford it, I don’t see any particular harm in spending a year on an academic dream. And why not do it someplace nice?
One year and probably about $40,000 in tuition.
Sure, but then he’ll be able to get jobs as a philosopher.
I’d like to get a job coding. The idea is that I could get gov loans to stay alive (have about $2k in the bank), write some philosophy papers, and pick up some more coding experience here and there in order to land the big job later. Have you a better plan? What state offers the highest welfare package for individuals?
An MA in philosophy is just as useful down here in sunny Florida as it is anywhere else. Consider southwest Florida. The winters are warm and dry by most folks standards. We consider them cool and dry.
Coding, as in software development? You want to get a job in software development so you are getting a degree in philosophy?
Yeah, this sounds like a good plan if you’re independently wealthy and want to lie in the sun and philosophize.
If MA’s in philosophy exist, I imagine someone must be earning them, and maybe even “using” them for something, but I’d be interested in learning who.
Here are a couple of articles on why one might pursue a Philosophy MA, and where the best such programs might be.
I hope you are aware that federally guaranteed student loans don’t go away even with bankruptcy and that private lenders can harass your family about your debt even if you die.
You’d be better off living off credit cards than living off student loans for a degree that you know you’ll never actually use. I don’t know where people got the idea that a costly degree in a field that nobody is hiring in is a good investment.
If you’re going to try to ride out the recession in school, at least try to identify a degree that has a likelihood of improving your employability. Philosophy is one of those notoriously useless degrees. If you enjoy mathematics, I think a degree in accounting or something like that would make more sense.
Well, that would be me!
I took a BA in Philosophy and Modern Languages, and then an MPhil in European Literature (which in reality was “european philosophy”, as the eighteenth-century often didn’t distinguish between the two).
I now work as a project manager for a Fortune 15 software company, and I consider my MPhil one the best investments I’ve made.
Two points to note though:
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I’m based in the UK, so it cost me a lot less than $40k (more in the region of $10k plus living expenses).
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I studied at a v. good university (UK equivalent of Ivy League) so the name alone on my CV/Resume has opened a lot of doors, almost regardless of the course I took.

Here are a couple of articles on why one might pursue a Philosophy MA, and where the best such programs might be.
So the main reason is just so you can go on to get a PhD in philosophy? And then what? Try to get a job as a philosophy professor? My understanding is that the job market for academics in the liberal arts is not that great either.
If you have a lot of money and just want to go to school for kicks that’s one thing, but most people need decent-paying jobs to survive. Investing in a degree that doesn’t help you do that is a poor decision.

Thinking about going for an MA in philosophy. I’d like to go somewhere warm year round, like LA or other place that’s 60 degrees in January. Ask me some questions and give me some recommendations if you’d be so kind, I want the straight dope. GPA: about 3.25 in Philosophy (also math minor).
You might look into University of Hawai’i, if your interests lean towards comparative and/or Eastern philosophy.
You certainly can’t do better than that in the climate category.

Here are a couple of articles on why one might pursue a Philosophy MA, and where the best such programs might be.
Of course, that doesn’t address why the hell you’d study philosophy in the first place.

Of course, that doesn’t address why the hell you’d study philosophy in the first place.
Well, sure. But the OP is already majoring in philosophy and minoring in math, so I’m assuming he’s already asked himself “WTF am I doing?” and found an answer that suits him.
If not, then maybe “WTF am I doing?” could be the title of his master’s thesis.

If you enjoy mathematics, I think a degree in accounting or something like that would make more sense.
Knowing nothing about accounting, I ask naively and sincerely: What’s the connection between enjoying mathematics and getting a degree in accounting?
Wow. Nothing like a board dedicated to eradicating ignorance ranking on somebody for wanting to further their education.
Remember kids: Education is only worthwhile if it helps you make money!
For one thing there are many more jobs in accounting than there are in math.

Wow. Nothing like a board dedicated to eradicating ignorance ranking on somebody for wanting to further their education.
Remember kids: Education is only worthwhile if it helps you make money!
I assume you’re prepared to explain why financial considerations are irrelevant for the grad school decision. This should be good.