Overview

The Ethics, Social & Political Philosophy Major (ESP) from the University of Massachusetts Boston is designed for students whose primary philosophical interests are in value questions as they relate to the individual, society and the state, who wish to pursue these questions systematically and in depth, and who may seek careers in the law, government, social service, or other fields where moral issues and value questions frequently arise.

In this program, you will:

Develop your analytical skills and ability to critically evaluate complex ethical and political issues
Gain a strong grounding in both historical and contemporary perspectives on ethical and political issues, enabling you to engage with these issues in a broader context
Fine-tune your oral and written communication skills, and acquire the tools you need to express your ideas and arguments clearly and persuasively

Student Activities

The student-run Philosophy Club sponsors weekly meetings, talks and papers, and faculty-student ‘Symposia’ are held twice each semester. For updates about current and upcoming events follow the club on Facebook and Twitter.

Philosophy Outreach Program (POP): Senior undergraduates have been involved in bringing philosophy to local high-school students for the last several years. The program is part of the Harbor Point Outreach Partnership and run biweekly by UMass Boston Philosophy students. See updates and photos from meetings as well as the yearly "Teen philosophers" event at the Boston Common on Facebook and read the recent write-up about the program in the New Haven Independent.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Moral and Social Problems
Major Social and Political Thinkers
Ancient Philosophy
The History of Ethics
Major Social and Political Thinkers
Nineteenth Century Philosophy

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-15 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Boston, United States

Disciplines

Philosophy Social Policy Ethics View 133 other Bachelors in Social Policy in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

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IELTS

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98 accuracy using real exam data
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Other requirements

General requirements

Completed UMass Boston online admission application
Application fee of $100
An official high school record, leaving certificate and/or graduation examination results or their notarized copies. All documents in foreign languages must be translated by a certified professional. Records must be sent directly from the institution to be considered official.
Academic recommendation letter (from a school-based counselor and/or teacher)
500-word essay
Test scores

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

38620 USD / year

≈ 38620 USD / year
Out-of-State

38620 USD / year

≈ 38620 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

15813 USD / year

≈ 15813 USD / year

Additional Details

New England Regional Regional: $26,733 /year

Living costs

Boston

United States

1560 - 3239 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Ethics, Social & Political Philosophy.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Student Activities

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

Boston

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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