Florida State University is pleased to announce the creation of a new Master of Arts degree program in the history and philosophy of science. This program began in the Fall semester 2004, and we are now entering our third year. The focus of the program is on the biological sciences, although we welcome applications from potential students interested in other areas of science. We take very seriously the importance of working on topics of relevance to the society in which we live, and we are strongly committed to an interdisciplinary approach, with involved faculty drawn broadly from across the university, especially the humanities and the natural sciences.

As a major university, we are able to offer opportunities for study and research in topics of particular pertinence to our region, such as racial issues, conservation and problems of pollution, and clashes between science and religion. We also have major strengths in other areas: logic and formal methods, social philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, history of the South, African American history, ancient science and mathematics, and evolution and ecology.

FSU has attractive competitive scholarships and there are opportunities for research and teaching assistantships that include remission of tuition. Strong library facilities exist and we are building further on these. We are committed to helping our students when they complete their degree, either to further graduate work or to entering the work force. This masters degree with its multidisciplinary breadth is appropriate for those interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in philosophy, history, religion or biology. It is also suitable for those undergraduates who would like to combine it with one of the traditional disciplines in our combined bachelors-masters program. In all cases we will aim to tailor individual course programs to suit students’ needs.

The Program hosts an annual conference or workshop, supported by the Werkmeister Fund. The topic of this year's workshop was Future Directions. This workshop offered participants a chance to present their works-in-progress. We had many presenters covering an array of topics related to history, philosophy, science, and religion.

Those interested in learning more about the degree, or in enrolling, should consult our web site and contact the Director, Michael Ruse or his administrative assistant, Sarah Fisk.