Gonzaga University Reviews

"The Gonzaga graduate philosophy program is meant for one type of person. Those with a bachelors degree in philosophy who want to do a full-time masters program and go on to a PhD so they can become a professor of philosophy. If you have any aspirations other than that, dont waste your time. If youre not a full-time student, few of the professors will care about your success or even care who you are. If you didnt get an undergraduate degree in philosophy, youll struggle without support or even clarity on what is needed to pass the comprehensive exams (those with undergraduate degrees in philosophy struggle too to be fair). If you dont want to get a PhD and become a professor, the program has no idea what to do with you. They dont know any alternatives to that route and seem to look down on you for not picking that career path. Unlike many other terminal masters programs, Gonzaga requires comprehensive exams, a logic exam, a thesis, and a thesis presentation to graduate. Most places will let you do either the exams or the thesis. This seem excessive by comparison but makes sense if your goal is a PhD. Thats really all they are prepared for. And even for that, you dont get much feedback on your writing which puts Gonzaga grads at a huge disadvantage in PhD programs. Not to mention theres a huge lack of diversity. I didnt have a female professor during my entire time in the program.Read Less"

"I was disappointed with my time at Gonzaga. The financial aid package was $3,000 less dollars than anticipated. I had to sit in on undergraduate classes, one of which consisted entirely of undergraduate presentations. The director of the grad program is vindictive, and you do not want to be on her bad side, but it is quite easy to unknowingly do so. The comprehensive exam favors white Christian males, and the program itself has no diversity. Most students are white males. I will say, however, that there were two or three faculty that made a concerted effort to support me in the process. The faculty at Gonzaga is incredibly knowledgeable, but the MA program itself is a nightmare. I would not recommend it to prospective students.Read Less"

"Mine is a smaller program, with less diversity within the graduate student community than would be ideal. The size does not itself pose a direct problem, as it allows us to develop close bonds of friendship; however, the lack of minority representation remains a sore spot. Still, this may be due in part to the overall size of the program, and the number of applicants. If you contrast the rather homogenous graduate student population to the undergraduates and faculty, then the Philosophy program at Gonzaga is diverse and pluralistic in approach of philosophical outlook. Similarly, while the graduate students are ethnically homogenous, we are nonetheless philosophically diverse. Shedding light on this requires merely looking to my entering class: two feminists (married, one is a pragmatist and the other an anarchist), a Marxist, a Calvinist, and a quasi-Thomistic/Aristotelian personalist (my philosophical outlook). Returning students also include feminists, pragmatists, and Thomists, with a smattering of others, including a comparative philosopher (primarily Buddhism). Philosophically curious and engaged, our small community is lively, endowing students (as well as faculty and staff) with numerous outlets for philosophical and professional development. In fact, the graduate students host an exclusively graduate student Conference every spring. While moving from the East Coast has had its up and downs, I do not regret choosing to attend Gonzaga University.Read Less"

"While I am only one year into the program, looking to finish coursework and comprehensive exams in the Fall with my eye on a thesis by the Spring, I cannot begin to express the drastic difference between the MA program at Gonzaga vis-à-vis my last graduate degree program (which I finished). Aside from the closer social group among most of the graduate students, there is a greater amount of collegiality and understanding, shared by faculty and students alike. Further, there is so much to do on- and off-campus: the surrounding Spokane area has so much to offer in dining and entertainment, as well as myriad activities either indoor or out, the latter being a particular strength for the area. I would rate my decision to move across the country in order to attend the graduate program as one of the best, if not the best, in my life-thus-far.Read Less"

"I think the program teaches a lot of interesting information but I'm constantly looking for how I can actually apply it to a future career. I wish that were more evident."