The Graduate Program in Philosophy
Graduate Degree
Stanford's graduate program in Philosophy is by any measure among the world's best. We attract excellent students , we provide them ample access to leading scholars for instruction and advice, and we turn out accomplished philosophers ready to compete for the best jobs in a very tight job market. We offer both MA and PhD degrees.
Doctoral Program
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Our graduate students are part of a vigorous philosophical community.
Our tradition is to treat and regard our graduate students as much like colleagues as like students. Faculty and graduate students participate in workshops, in reading groups, in colloquium discussions and in nearly all department life on an equal basis. The Department covers the cost of graduate student participation in lunches and dinners with visiting speakers. Our graduate students participate in the running of the department. Two graduate students serve as representatives at department meetings, a graduate student serves on the Graduate Studies Committee, and graduate students also serve on faculty hiring committees. Graduate students are essential to our efforts to recruit new graduate students each year.
Graduate students have a lively society of their own, the Hume Society that is responsible for a range of both intellectual and social events.
Graduate students take a mixture of courses and seminars both in our department in other departments. They also regularly take directed reading courses or independent study courses when special needs are not met by scheduled courses or when students are working directly on their dissertations.
Our calendar is packed with a range of philosophical events. We have a regular Colloquia series with visiting speakers on Friday afternoons. Our Colloquia are followed by receptions for the speakers hosted by the graduate students followed by dinner with the speaker. In addition to the regular colloquia series, every year we host the Immanuel Kant Lectures . Our graduate students, along with other local graduate students, organize the Berkeley/Stanford/Davis Conference where every year graduate students have the opportunity to present papers to an even larger philosophical community.
Many more informal reading and research groups, including the Social Ethics and Normative Theory Workshop, the Global Justice and Political Theory Workshop, and the Logical Methods in the Humanities Workshop , existing within the department and the university and are able to invite speakers from all across the world.
The affiliated Center for Ethics in Society hosts many different events including the annual lectures such as Tanner Lectures in Human Values , the Wesson Lectures on democratic theory and practice , and the Arrow Lecture Series on Ethics and Leadership , in addition to a vast range of other conferences, lectures and workshops on ethics and political philosophy.
The Center for the Explanation of Consciousness (CEC) is a research initiative at Center for Study of Language and Information which is devoted to studying materialistic explanations of consciousness. The CEC hosts talks and symposia from a variety of viewpoints exploring the nature of conscious experience. They also sponsor reading groups during the term, led by faculty and graduate students.
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APA Guide to Graduate Programs in Philosophy |
today. The Guide to Graduate Programs in Philosophy, published biennially until the early 2000s, was relaunched in 2012 as an annual online resource. It is now a continuously updated website. The guide compiles data on both doctoral and master’s degree programs in philosophy at institutions throughout the US and Canada, offering prospective students, job candidates, and other members of the profession a rich resource on post-graduate education and employment in philosophy. This year’s guide has been expanded to include more demographic data on each program as well as information on faculty, degree requirements, entry requirements, financial aid, placements, and more. All data in the guide are self-reported by representatives of the institutions. The Grad Guide is a useful starting point for prospective graduate students and job candidates, but the APA recommends additional consultation with advisers and people directly involved with programs of interest. Further, as all information in the guide is self-reported by representatives of the institutions, readers should examine the data closely to ensure that any comparisons are made in a fair and reasonable manner. Please note that the APA does not rank philosophy programs or institutions. In the survey that underlies the 2013 edition, we requested information on race and LGBT status of students and faculty. We thank the APA Committee on the Status of Women for providing the demographic data survey instrument that was incorporated into the Grad Guide survey. There is no widely accepted standard for collecting such data, however, and the availability and thoroughness of data varies greatly. Some schools do not (or cannot) track this information. For these reasons, we provide the data we received with the understanding that this data should not be used for quantitative evaluation of the diversity of programs or institutions. Though the demographic information is inconsistent, it is included in the Grad Guide because collecting and providing these data supports ongoing efforts to increase the diversity of the profession by making existing information more widely available and raising awareness about the need for additional data on diversity. We continue to collect as much demographic data as possible at the . If your institution is not included in the guide and would like to be, if you would like to report errors or inconsistencies in the data, or if you have suggestions for future editions of the Guide to Graduate Programs in Philosophy, please submit a . If you have trouble downloading the Grad Guide by clicking on the download link above, you may need to save the file before you open it. To do this, right-click the link and select the option to save the file ("Save link as..., Save target as..., etc.). |
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The Guide to Graduate Programs in Philosophy , published biennially until the early 2000s, was relaunched in 2012 as an annual online resource. The guide compiles data on both doctoral and master’s degree programs in philosophy at institutions throughout the US and Canada, offering prospective students, job candidates, and other members of the profession a rich resource on post-graduate education and employment in philosophy.
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As a PhD student in the Harvard philosophy program, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your ideas, knowledge, and abilities. You'll work with other doctoral students, our faculty, and visiting scholars, all in a stimulating and supportive environment. The program has strengths across a broad range of topics and areas, so you'll be able to pursue your interests wherever they may lead, especially in moral and political philosophy, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of logic, philosophy of language, the history of analytic philosophy, ancient philosophy, Immanuel Kant, and 19th and 20th century European philosophy.
Incoming cohorts consist of five to eight students per year. You will have substantial access to our renowned faculty and all the resources that Harvard makes available. This relatively small size also gives students a sense of intellectual community.
The curriculum is structured to help you make your way towards a dissertation: graduate-level coursework, a second-year research paper, a prospectus to help you identify a dissertation topic, and then the dissertation itself. Recent dissertations in the department have addressed a broad range of topics: Aristotle, Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau; contemporary moral and political philosophy; metaphysics; epistemology; and logic.
In addition to your research, you will also have the opportunity to develop your teaching skills in many different settings across the University.
You can find graduates of the PhD program in many universities. Recent graduates have gone on to tenure track positions at Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, Northwestern University, Boston University, University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Washington University, and the University of Rochester. Other graduates have gone on to diverse careers in, among others, the arts, law, secondary education, and technology.
In addition to the standard PhD in philosophy, the department offers a PhD in classical philosophy in collaboration with the Department of the Classics and a coordinated JD/PhD program in conjunction with Harvard Law School. The department also offers a track in Indian Philosophy (administered jointly by Philosophy and South East Asian Studies.
Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Philosophy and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .
Areas of Study
Philosophy | Classical Philosophy | Indian Philosophy
For information please consult the Department webpage on the graduate program overview .
Admissions Requirements
Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Philosophy .
Academic Background
Applicants to the program in Philosophy are required to have a strong undergraduate background in philosophy (or its equivalent), indicating that they have a good grounding in the history of philosophy, as well as familiarity with contemporary work in ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, and logic.
Personal Statement
Standardized tests.
GRE General: Optional GRE Subject: Optional
Writing Sample
A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be between 12 to 30 pages long. The sample must address a substantial philosophical problem, whether it is an evaluation or presentation of an argument, or a serious attempt to interpret a difficult text. The upload of the writing sample should be formatted for 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper, 1-inch margins, with double-spaced text in a common 12-point font, such as Times New Roman.
Applicants seeking admission to the coordinated JD/PhD program must apply to and be separately admitted to Harvard Law School and the Department of Philosophy.
Theses and Dissertations
Theses & Dissertations for Philosophy
See list of Philosophy faculty
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Questions about the program.
Department of Linguistics and Philosophy
Ph.d. program.
The program of studies leading to the doctorate in philosophy provides subjects and seminars in such traditional areas as logic, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, aesthetics, social and political philosophy, and history of philosophy. Interest in philosophical problems arising from other disciplines, such as linguistics, psychology, mathematics and physics, is also encouraged.
Before beginning dissertation research, students are required to take two years of coursework, including a proseminar in contemporary philosophy that all students must complete in their first year of graduate study. Students are also required to pass general examinations and demonstrate competence in the following areas: value theory, logic and the history of philosophy.
Interdisciplinary study is encouraged, and candidates for the doctorate may take a minor in a field other than philosophy. There is no general language requirement for the doctorate, except in those cases in which competence in one or more foreign language is needed to carry on research for the dissertation.
Below is a detailed description of the philosophy Ph.D. program. For information about applying, see our admissions page ; we have also compiled data on placement , retention, and average completion times .
1. Your Advisor
When you join the Department you will be assigned a faculty advisor who will supervise your course of study. Your advisor must approve your program at the beginning of each term, and you should keep them abreast of your progress and problems. When forming a Fifth Term Paper committee the chair of your committee becomes your advisor. Similarly, when you form a dissertation committee.
Your teachers will write comments on your performance in subjects which you complete. These comments will be placed in your file in the Department office (your file is open to you), and they will be discussed at a meeting of the faculty at the end of each term. You should see your advisor at the end of each term to review your progress.
You may change your advisor at any time. Similarly you may change the composition of your fifth year paper and dissertation committees, as well as adjust the topics of those projects. To make a change first ask the relevant faculty if they are willing, then notify the Chair of the Committee on Graduate Students (COGS).
The current composition of COGS is: Brad Skow (Chief Cog), Kieran Setiya , and Roger White .
2. Requirements
2.1 overall course requirements.
Students must pass (with a grade of C or higher) at least 10 graduate subjects in philosophy (unless you earn a minor, in which case see section 4 below ). At least 7 must be subjects at MIT.
Students may petition COGS to use undergraduate subjects at MIT to satisfy the overall course requirement (except: in the case of an undergraduate logic subject more advanced than 24.241, no petition is needed).
Students must take at least 2 subjects in philosophy at MIT during each term of their first year, and at least 1 subject in philosophy at MIT during each term of their second year. Normally, students take 4 subjects during their second year.
2.2 Teaching Requirement
All graduate students must acquire some teaching experience. This requirement is normally satisfied by serving as a Teaching Assistant in an undergraduate subject in philosophy at MIT.
2.3 Logic Requirement
The logic requirement may be satisfied by doing one of the following:
(a) Pass the half-term subject Logic for Philosophers with a grade of B or better. (b) Audit Logic I and complete the work (Logic I may not be taken for graduate credit). (c) Pass Logic II, Modal Logic, or Theory of Models. Other advanced logic classes may also be used, with COGS approval. (d) Submit to COGS a syllabus from a logic class completed elsewhere, with a grade of B+ or better, showing it equivalent to Logic I.
Students should complete the logic requirement by the end of their fourth semester.
2.4 Distribution Requirement
2.4.1 proseminar.
All first-year students are required to complete the two-semester sequence 24.400-24.401, Proseminar in Philosophy. The first semester is an intensive seminar on the foundations of analytic philosophy from Frege to roughly 1960. The second semester is an intensive seminar on highlights of analytic philosophy from roughly 1960 to the present. The two-semester sequence counts as two subjects.
2.4.2 History of Philosophy
Students must complete two graduate subjects in the history of philosophy. For the purposes of this requirement, the history of philosophy means philosophers or philosophical schools that flourished before 1879.
A subject that spends a substantial part of, but not all of, its time on history counts toward this requirement provided the student’s term paper focuses on the history part. If there is doubt about whether a subject qualifies, consult COGS.
History subjects designed for a mixture of graduate and undergraduate students, like 100-level courses at Harvard, also count.
COGS permission is required in order to satisfy this requirement by taking two subjects on the same philosopher. (COGS will likely reject using two subjects on Descartes’ Meditations to fulfill the history requirement; COGS will likely approve using two subjects on Kant, one focused on ethics, the other on metaphysics and epistemology.)
Students wishing to fulfill this requirement by some other means should contact COGS.
2.4.3 Value Theory
Students must complete one graduate subject in ethics or political philosophy or aesthetics.
2.4.4 Dissertation Seminar
Students must complete the year-long dissertation seminar. Normally this is done in the third year. Students wishing to delay it until their fourth year may do so with permission of the instructor.
2.5 Fifth Term Paper Requirement
By the end of a student’s third term (usually fall of the second year) the student should select a paper topic for their Fifth Term Paper and form a committee to advise them on their work. The committee will consist of two faculty members (a supervisor and a second reader). The proposed topic and names of committee members should be submitted to COGS before the end-of-term meeting.
During the student’s fourth term, the student, in consultation with the committee, should assemble a reading list on the chosen topic. As a guideline, the reading list might consist of roughly twenty papers or the equivalent; the faculty recognizes that lengths of lists will vary. The final list must be approved by the committee and submitted to COGS by the end-of-term meeting.
During the fifth term, the student will write a polished paper on the chosen topic, roughly 25 pages long, in consultation with their committee. After submitting a final version of the paper that the committee deems satisfactory, the student will sit for an oral examination with the committee on both the paper and, more generally, the paper’s topic, as defined by the reading list.
The fifth term paper project is graded pass-fail. Students must pass the oral exam by the end-of-term meeting of their fifth term. After a student passes the exam their committee will write a report on the project to be given to the student and placed in the student’s file. Successfully completing this project constitutes passing the written and oral general examination requirements imposed by MIT’s Graduate School.
2.6 Petitions
A student may petition COGS to waive a requirement in light of their special circumstances.
3. Independent Studies
While in the normal case a student’s 10 graduate subjects will be seminars, students may also take an independent study with a faculty member. Students wishing to register for 24.891 or 24.892 must obtain permission from the Chief COG. After talking with the faculty member they wish to supervise their independent study, the student should write a proposal describing how often they will meet, how long the meetings will last, a tentative list of readings, and the amount of writing they will do. The Chief COG will approve an independent study only if the amount of work proposed equals or exceeds the usual amount of work in a seminar.
Students can minor in a field outside philosophy of their choosing (for example, linguistics, psychology, science technology and society, physics, feminist theory…). To earn a minor in field X a student must (i) pass 3 graduate subjects in field X, (ii) pass one graduate philosophy subject on a topic related to field X, and (iii) obtain COGS approval. (It is best to seek approval before all 4 subjects have been taken.) A student may receive no more than two minors; in the case of two minors, a single philosophy subject may (in rare cases) be used to satisfy clause (ii) for both minors.
Students who earn a minor need only pass 8, rather than 10, graduate philosophy subjects (7 must be taken at MIT). The subject used to satisfy (ii) counts as one of these 8.
Our faculty uses pluses and minuses, but the grades on your official transcript will be straight letter grades. Here are the meanings that MIT assigns to the grades:
A Exceptionally good performance, demonstrating a superior understanding of the subject matter, a foundation of extensive knowledge, and a skillful use of concepts and/or materials.
B Good performance, demonstrating capacity to use the appropriate concepts, a good understanding of the subject matter, and an ability to handle the problems and material encountered in the subject.
C Adequate performance, demonstrating an adequate understandingof the subject matter, an ability to handle relatively simpleproblems, and adequate preparation for moving on to more advanced work in the field.
D Minimally acceptable performance.
When the faculty determines the status of a student in the program, it does so on the basis of a review of the student’s total performance, which includes weighing the strengths and weaknesses of the student’s whole record. Thus it is in principle possible to redeem a weakness in one area by excellence in others.
An Incomplete (a grade of I) indicates that a minor part of the subject requirements has not been fulfilled and that a passing grade is to be expected when the work is completed. The grade I for the term remains permanently on the student’s record even when the subject is completed. In subjects in which the major work is a term paper, students may earn an I for the subject only if they submit a draft to the instructor(s) by midnight on the day before the end of term meeting. If a student does not hand in a draft by midnight on the day before the end of term meeting, the instructor is required to give the student an F. (The end of term meeting is shortly after the beginning of exam week.)
Any uncompleted incompletes on registration day of the following term will be converted to an F.
6. Ph.D. Thesis
A student is normally not allowed to begin work on a Ph.D. thesis until they have completed all of the requirements listed above. Students must complete all of those requirements by the end of their fifth term; exceptions will be made only after petition to COGS.
Once a student has completed the requirements listed above, there is the option of taking a terminal Master’s Degree instead of the Ph.D. This requires completing a Master’s thesis — students should consult COGS for more details.
The Ph.D. thesis is a substantial piece of original and independent research that displays mastery of an area of philosophy. A student may plan to write a sustained piece of work on one topic; they may instead plan to write three or more papers on connected topics. By the second month of the student’s sixth term they will submit to COGS a short (three to five pages) description of the projected thesis.
When the plan is approved, COGS will appoint a thesis committee consisting of a thesis supervisor and two additional readers, who shall be members of the philosophy faculty chosen by the student and willing to undertake the responsibility. The student will then meet with the members of the thesis committee for discussion of the material to be dealt with in the thesis. COGS approval is required if the student wants to include a non-MIT professor, or an MIT professor who is not on the philosophy faculty, on the committee. COGS approval is also required for a committee whose members include fewer than two MIT philosophy faculty (and this will be approved only in exceptional circumstances).
The student will meet regularly with their thesis supervisor throughout the writing of the thesis, and will provide all members of the thesis committee with written work by the end of each term. This requirement holds for nonresident as well as resident students.
The following rules govern completion of the thesis.
6.1 Final Term
The student will meet with their thesis committee during the first week of the term to assess the feasibility of completing the thesis during that term. The student and the committee will agree on a table of contents for the thesis, and on a schedule of dates for meeting the following requirements; a copy of the contents and the schedule should be given to COGS.
6.1.1 MIT Deadline
MIT requires that the completed thesis be delivered to the Department office by a date set by the Registrar for all Departments. (Early in January for February degrees, early in May for June degrees.) The Department regards this requirement as met by delivery to the thesis committee by that date of what the student regards as the final draft of their thesis.
6.1.2 Thesis Defense
The student will meet privately with their thesis committee to defend the thesis and to discuss any needed revisions. This meeting constitutes the official oral examination of the thesis.
The private defense must be scheduled for a date which will leave time for the student to make revisions before the MIT deadline. Once a student has completed the oral examination, and made any requested revisions, the decision whether to recommend award of the PhD is made by unanimous vote of the thesis committee.
6.1.3 Public Defense
The public defense is open to all members of the Department and their guests; it is chaired by the thesis supervisor, and normally runs for an hour, starting with a twenty-minute presentation by the student of the main results of the thesis. The public defense is the one occasion on which the entire Department has an opportunity to learn about and participate in the student’s work, and is a central part of the Ph.D. program.
The public defense is to be held after the student’s committee has voted to recommend awarding the PhD. One week before the public defense, the student should email the revised version to the chief COG, to be made available to members of the Department. A copy of the abstract should be emailed to the Academic Administrator for distribution when announcing the public defense to the Department.
6.1.4 Final Library Copy
The final library copy must be given to the Departmental representative to MIT’s Committee on Graduate School Policy (CGSP) by the day before that committee’s end-of-term meeting at which it approves the final degree list.
6.2 September Degrees
Students who will be unable to complete their theses during the spring term may wish to petition COGS for consideration for award of the degree in September. Such petitions will be granted on condition that an appropriate thesis committee can be constituted to work with the student during the summer. A schedule analogous to that described under 6.1 — including the scheduling of private and public defenses — must be given to COGS by the end of the spring term. The final library copy of the thesis must be given to the Departmental representative to CGSP by the day before that committee’s September meeting at which it approves the September degree list.
7. Policies on Satisfactory Progress and Good Standing
A student is in good standing so long as they have not fallen behind on any deadline mentioned in this document. The most salient of these is the deadline for the 5th term paper.
If a student is not in good standing, they will be unable to use their travel funds. If a student is not in good standing or has received a grade of B or lower in two classes in the previous semester, they are at risk of failing to make satisfactory academic progress.
If a student is at risk of failing to make satisfactory academic progress, the faculty will discuss the matter at the next end of term of meeting. (If any of the student’s advisors are not present at the meeting, they will be consulted before any action is taken.) The faculty will consider the work the student has produced, or failed to produce, so far, and the progress it represents. If there are serious doubts about the student’s prospects of completing the PhD, which includes writing a thesis that meets the conditions in section 6 , the student’s academic progress will be deemed unsatisfactory, and they will be issued a written notice from the Chief COG. The notice will explain how the student’s progress is unsatisfactory, what the student should accomplish in the following semester in order to avoid an official warning from the Vice Chancellor, and what steps the faculty will take to help the student accomplish these things. If a student fails to meet the conditions of the notice by the end of the following semester, as determined by the faculty, the student will receive an official warning from the Vice Chancellor. This warning will explain why the student’s progress continues to be unsatisfactory, what the student should accomplish in the following semester in order to continue in the program, and what steps the faculty will take to help the student accomplish these things. If the student is in a position to receive a terminal Master’s Degree, the conditions for doing so will be detailed. If the student fails to meet the conditions of the warning by the end of the semester, as determined by the faculty, the student will be denied permission to continue in the program.
William H. Miller III Department of Philosophy
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While an undergraduate major in philosophy is good preparation for graduate study in the department, applications are welcomed from students with other majors whose interests are now turning toward philosophy.
To apply, please read the information below and on the Graduate Admissions website , and complete the application online.
If applying to more than one department, please send complete application materials for each department. All application documents must be provided in English (either the original or translations of the original documents). If you are unable to secure translations to English, we recommend that you contact World Education Services .
All application materials and supporting documents should be uploaded through the online application; these include:
- Online application
- Application fee
- Statement of Purpose (briefly state your area of interest at the beginning of your Statement of Purpose; upload through the online application)
- Letters of recommendation (at least three): Letters of recommendation should be submitted and uploaded electronically following the instructions in the online application.
- Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts must be uploaded through the online application. Applications will be ready for review with unofficial transcripts, but official transcripts will be required if an offer of admission is made
- GRE (optional)
- TOEFL or IELTS score (for international applicants)
- Sample of work (the sample should reflect the applicant’s area of interest, and generally does not have to be more than 20 pages in length).
Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is 15 December. Some finalists will be contacted for short Zoom meetings prior to a decision being made. Decisions on admitted and wait-listed students will be made by the first week of February.
For questions or inquiries about the online application and supporting documents, contact the Graduate Admissions office. You may also contact Michelle Brock, the academic program coordinator for the philosophy department, at [email protected] or 410-516-7524.
Doctor of Philosophy
The PhD programs advance scientific discovery by training and supporting students doing in-depth research that solves the world’s biggest public health challenges. At the forefront of efforts to benefit the health of people worldwide, the School offers students the opportunity to join in shaping new ideas in public health and implementing them effectively. PhD students benefit from collaborations across public health disciplines and a broad range of academic fields through connections with other Harvard faculties.
All PhD students conduct research through a dissertation, in addition to other avenues of discovery. All PhD programs at Harvard University are administered by the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), and applications are processed through the GSAS online application system . Choose from one of four PhD programs offered collaboratively between Harvard Chan School and GSAS.
- Abbreviation : PhD
- Degree format : On campus
- Time commitment : Full-time
- Average program length : Varies between 4 to 7 years based on program
When applying to the PhD, applicants must choose one of the following specialized fields of study. Eligibility requirements vary by program and field of study.
- Biological Sciences in Public Health
- Biostatistics
- Health Policy
- Environmental health
- Epidemiology
- Global health and population
- Social and behavioral sciences
Career outcomes vary based on field of study and research, but in general, PhD graduates will be prepared for a career in academia, health policy, government agencies, consulting, the pharmaceutical or biomedical industry, and generally improving lives through qualitative and quantitative research.
Admission information
Like all PhD (doctor of philosophy) programs at the School—and the University—the PhD in health policy is offered under the aegis of the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). Applications are processed through the GSAS online application system located at gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply .
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Graduate Program
Wiley blackwell publishes new rankings: , uc san diego philosophy department ranks in top 20 philosophy programs in the u.s..
The Department of Philosophy at UC San Diego boasts a highly distinguished faculty and an excellent PhD program, with roughly 42 full-time students in residence , in
- Science Studies (along with History, Communications, and Sociology), and
- Cognitive Science (along with Cognitive Science).
The faculty engage in research throughout a broad range of traditional and interdisciplinary topics, with special strengths in
- moral and political philosophy (metaethics, political philosophy, philosophy of law)
- history of philosophy (ancient, early modern, Kant)
- philosophy of mind and language (perception, cognitive science) and
- philosophy of science (physics, biology, ecology).
We take seriously our obligation to help produce the next generation of researchers and teachers in philosophy. Prospective students are encouraged to look over the information on faculty research and publications included under Areas of Study .
The Setting
UC San Diego is a nationally acclaimed research university spread out over 1,200 of the most scenic acres in America, much of it on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. UC San Diego ranks as among the top 20 best universities in the world ( U.S. News & World Report , 2016 Academic Ranking of Wold Universities released by the Center for World-Class Universities at Shanghai Jiao Tong, and The Center for the World University Rankings). Graduate programs at UC San Diego continue to rank highly as noted in the 2016 “America’s Best Graduate Schools” guidebook. UC San Diego boasts an extraordinary array of Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and national academy members.
Diversity Statement
Our department seeks to do all it can to make philosophy an inclusive discipline. We understand the value that diversity brings to philosophical inquiry, and that the health of our profession depends on greater inclusion of under-represented groups. As a leading Ph.D. program, we play an important role in training and cultivating a diverse philosophical community. One of our most important goals is thus to recruit and sustain a diverse graduate student body .
To realize this goal, we
- encourage a full range of applicants with diverse backgrounds, for instance from two-year community colleges (especially in California), from colleges with traditionally underrepresented minorities, and from “non-elite” undergraduate institutions;
- provide financial support, academic assistance, and mentoring that reflects the diverse needs of a diverse population;
- strive for a curriculum that illustrates that a diverse group of philosophers have contributed in the past, and should contribute in the future to the richness of philosophy;
- continuously strive toward an environment of greater inclusion and respect through critical self-examination, paying due attention both to overt forms of prejudice or exclusion and to its subtler manifestations.
Graduate Class Size
In any given year, there are usually between 35 to 45 philosophy graduate students in residence, almost all of whom are full-time students.
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Caroline Wells Graduate Program Coordinator Hours: Contact via email Email: [email protected]
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Kerry McKenzie Director of Graduate Studies Phone: (858) 534-2566 Email: [email protected]
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The Department of Philosophy typically receives over 400 applications each year. We ordinarily matriculate an entering class of five to six doctoral students. Although the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of offers the department can make, we invite all who would like to study Philosophy at Harvard to apply.
Note regarding GRE scores: The Philosophy Department does not require applicants to submit GRE scores. Submission of scores is permitted, and, when submitted, GRE scores are taken into account in the admissions process. But those who do not submit such scores will not be penalized.
Note regarding application fee waivers : Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been completed, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility. Please consult the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences admissions pages for further information or email them at [email protected] .
Note regarding JD/PhD program: Students seeking admission to the joint JD/PhD program must apply to and be separately admitted to both the Law School and the Department of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.
Note regarding non-discrimination: Harvard does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.
Student Qualifications
Background in Philosophy: The Department requires that applicants have the equivalent of a solid undergraduate background in philosophy, so that they have a good grounding in the history of philosophy, as well as familiarity with contemporary work in ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, and logic.
Scholarly Potential: The Admissions Committee looks for evidence of outstanding potential in the field of philosophy as shown in the applicant's academic record, letters of recommendation, and Statement of Purpose on the application form.
Questions? Please contact the Director of Graduate Admissions .
For more information on deadlines and application procedures, please click here:
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PhD—Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science
A Holistic View of Nursing Science
The UW School of Nursing Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) program faculty are global leaders in nursing science. Students from all over the world create a community of scholars and learn from expert researchers. Our expert nursing scientists provide mentorship tailored to student needs using technology-driven instruction.
The UW PhD program is ideal for students with diverse backgrounds who want to become premier leaders in nursing research.
We maintain a holistic view of nursing science and our faculty’s scholarship represents a broad array of research projects and innovative methodologies. Some examples include:
- Symptom science
- Laboratory sciences
- Health promotion and disease management across the lifespan
- Policy analysis and advancement of cost-effective health care systems
- Health equity
- Innovative methodologies
Hear from #HuskyNurse Sarah McKiddy and her experience with the PhD program.
A Community of Scholars
We welcome applicants with a baccalaureate degree in any field. We encourage post-baccalaureate students, as well as most master’s and DNP students who are ready to begin intensive study of nursing science, to apply.
UW PhD students have a wide range of academic backgrounds, including:
- Public health
- Complementary and alternative medicine
- Healthcare systems and policy
- Music therapy
Our PhD program is highly individualized to create independent thinkers with demonstrated ability to articulate, investigate, and report on original research that substantially contributes to health care knowledge.
The flexible program reflects the enormous scope and impact of the latest nursing research and policymaking. Although the PhD curriculum can be completed in three years of full-time study, individual student program lengths are expected to vary.
Once offered admission as a PhD student, you are matched with a faculty adviser. Your adviser provides guidance and helps answer questions until you select a supervisory committee chair (between years one and three). Your chair then serves in an advisory capacity and as the supervisor for your dissertation.
View the PhD Sample Curriculum Grid PhD Required and Elective Courses
- Optional: Statistics Concentration
The first year of the full-time PhD program and the first two years of part-time focus on required core courses emphasizing nursing philosophy, conceptual frameworks, theory, and research methodologies.
In addition, students complete their statistics sequence and may take selected electives or engage in research or teaching practicum. Students complete the preliminary exam at the end of the first year of full-time study and the end of two years of part-time study.
Students who enter the PhD program with a BSN can earn an MS in Nursing Science during the program following successful completion of the first year of the PhD program and the preliminary examination.
After the first year of full-time study and the first two years of part-time study, courses and other scholarly activities are determined by you and your supervisory committee to comprise your individual program of study. The supervisory chair is a School of Nursing graduate faculty member whose research approach, interest, or research methods align with your proposed dissertation project.
You and your chair complete the supervisory committee by selecting faculty members from the School of Nursing, the UW at large, and other appropriate experts outside the University. This committee approves your program of study and guides you through the general examinations, dissertation research, and final defense.
The Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration requires a minimum of 14 credits of advanced statistical methods coursework above and beyond the 10 credits of statistics required for the PhD degree. Of these, two credits are fulfilled by the CSSS Seminar, and a minimum of 12 credits are fulfilled by at least four advanced statistics courses, three of which must come from the list of CSSS courses approved for the concentration.
All courses taken as part of the statistics concentration must be graded.
However, a 500-level course that is graded credit/no credit may be considered for inclusion in your Area of Concentration proposal if:
- In the course, you submit an individual project (i.e., not a group project); and
- Major course assignments are submitted to your Supervisory Committee for review
CSSS seminar: minimum two credits
A minimum of two quarters in CS&SS is required. The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .
Course | Credits |
---|---|
CS&SS 590: CSSS Seminar | 1 |
Approved CSSS advanced statistics course options
The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .
Course | Credits |
---|---|
CS&SS 510: Maximum Likelihood Methods for the Social Sciences | 5 |
CS&SS 526: Structural Equation Models for the Social Sciences | 3 |
CS&SS 527: Survey Research Methods | 4 |
CS&SS 529: Sample Survey Techniques | 3 |
CS&SS 536: Analysis of Categorical and Count Data | 3 |
CS&SS 544: Event History Analysis for the Social Sciences | 5 |
CS&SS 560: Hierarchical Modeling for the Social Sciences | 4 |
CS&SS 564: Bayesian Statistics for the Social Sciences | 4 |
CS&SS 565: Inequality: Current Trends and Explanations | 3 |
CS&SS 566: Causal Modeling | 4 |
CS&SS 567: Statistical Analysis of Social Networks | 4 |
CS&SS 568: Game Theory for Social Scientists | 5 |
CS&SS 589: Multivariate Data Analysis for the Social Sciences | 3 (max. 6) |
CS&SS/POLS 591: Panel Data Analysis | TBD |
CS&SS/SOC WL 594: Longitudinal Data Analysis | 1-5 |
Variation in area of concentration coursework
One advanced methodological course in nursing, political science, psychology, public health, sociology, statistics, economics, educational psychology, social welfare, and other related fields may be considered as part of the Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration four course requirements if it contributes to the overall coherence of the student’s program of study and is consistent with the student’s research goals.
This course would be in addition to the ten credits of statistics courses required for the PhD in nursing.
Admissions Requirements
- An in-process or earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in any discipline
- A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 semester/90 quarter graded college/university credits
- Meet the Essential Behaviors for PhD Students
- International applicants who plan on taking clinical nursing courses must have an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license at the time of application
- If your native language is not English, proof of proficiency in English (reading, writing, and comprehension)
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The Philosophical Gourmet Report (PGR), a ranking of philosophy PhD programs in the "English-speaking world," has been updated.The 2021-22 rankings are the based on a survey of philosophy faculty that asks each of them to evaluate the members of 94 philosophy departments from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Our Ph.D. program trains students in traditional core areas of philosophy and provides them with opportunities to explore many subfields such as the philosophy of literature, and nineteenth-century German philosophy. Among other areas, we are exceptionally strong in Kant studies, the philosophy of action, ancient philosophy, logic, and the ...
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - Georgetown University. Nw Washington, DC ·. Georgetown University ·. Graduate School. ·. 2 reviews. Master's Student: The program is highly practical. The professors explain concepts in class and give us home works to submit on each topic discussed on a weekly basis. This enables us to grasp the concepts ...
Stanford's graduate program in Philosophy is by any measure among the world's best. We attract excellent students, we provide them ample access to leading scholars for instruction and advice, and we turn out accomplished philosophers ready to compete for the best jobs in a very tight job market. We offer both MA and PhD degrees. Doctoral Program.
The Guide to Graduate Programs in Philosophy, published biennially until the early 2000s, was relaunched in 2012 as an annual online resource. It is now a continuously updated website. The guide compiles data on both doctoral and master's degree programs in philosophy at institutions throughout the US and Canada, offering prospective students ...
10 Top Schools for a Doctorate in Philosophy. 1. University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA. 2 Annual Graduates. University of Pennsylvania is a great option for students pursuing a doctor's degree in philosophy. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
187. The Guide to Graduate Programs in Philosophy, published biennially until the early 2000s, was relaunched in 2012 as an annual online resource. The guide compiles data on both doctoral and master's degree programs in philosophy at institutions throughout the US and Canada, offering prospective students, job candidates, and other members ...
As a PhD student in the Harvard philosophy program, you'll have the opportunity to develop your ideas, knowledge, and abilities. You'll work with other doctoral students, our faculty, and visiting scholars, all in a stimulating and supportive environment. The program has strengths across a broad range of topics and areas, so you'll be able to ...
Ph.D. Program The program of studies leading to the doctorate in philosophy provides subjects and seminars in such traditional areas as logic, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, aesthetics, social and political philosophy, and history of philosophy. Interest in philosophical problems arising from other disciplines, such as ...
The Department of Philosophy offers programs covering a wide range of fields in philosophy. The department's graduate program is primarily a PhD program. In addition to the standard PhD in Philosophy, the department offers a PhD in Classical Philosophy in collaboration with the Department of the Classics, a PhD in Indian Philosophy in ...
The Best Colleges for Philosophy ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews using data from the U.S. Department of Education. The ranking compares the top philosophy programs in the U.S. This year's rankings have introduced an Economic Mobility Index, which measures the economic status change for low-income students.
While an undergraduate major in philosophy is good preparation for graduate study in the department, applications are welcomed from students with other majors whose interests are now turning toward philosophy. ... You may also contact Michelle Brock, the academic program coordinator for the philosophy department, at [email protected] or 410-516 ...
The PhD programs advance scientific discovery by training and supporting students doing in-depth research that solves the world's biggest public health challenges. At the forefront of efforts to benefit the health of people worldwide, the School offers students the opportunity to join in shaping new ideas in public health and implementing ...
Philosophy. Ph.D. / Full-time / On Campus. 8,538 EUR / year. Duration unknown. University of Memphis Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Ranked top 6%. Top 6% of Universities worldwide according to the Studyportals Meta Ranking.
Discover which universities around the world are the best for philosophy with the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. New York University (NYU) is ranked as the best university in the world for studying philosophy for another year, thanks to a perfect score for academic reputation. The best university for employer reputation this year ...
Analytic, Ancient, Contemporary, Early Modern, Epistemology, Ethics, Historical, History and Philosophy of Science, Metaphysics, Mind, Political. Average program ratings by graduates 2011 and later or current students: 4.7 overall rating (definitely would recommend) 4.3 teaching preparation (satisfied)
Studying Philosophy in United States is a great choice, as there are 61 universities that offer PhD degrees on our portal. Over 957,000 international students choose United States for their studies, which suggests you'll enjoy a vibrant and culturally diverse learning experience and make friends from all over the world.
UC San Diego Philosophy Department ranks in top 20 philosophy programs in the U.S. The Department of Philosophy at UC San Diego boasts a highly distinguished faculty and an excellent PhD program, with roughly 42 full-time students in residence, in. Philosophy. Science Studies (along with History, Communications, and Sociology), and.
Admissions. The Department of Philosophy typically receives over 400 applications each year. We ordinarily matriculate an entering class of five to six doctoral students. Although the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of offers the department can make, we invite all who would like to study Philosophy at Harvard to apply.
106 Somerset St. 5th Floor. New Brunswick, NJ 08901. P 848-932-9861. F 732-246-1049. Contact Us. Webmaster. Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any.
See a list of colleges with Philosophy here to evaluate admissions data, tuition, rankings and more. ... Compare Graduate Schools; Search for Graduate Schools ... Though the Massachusetts ...
A Holistic View of Nursing Science The UW School of Nursing Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) program faculty are global leaders in nursing science. Students from all over the world create a community of scholars and learn from expert researchers. Our expert nursing scientists provide mentorship tailored to student needs using technology-driven instruction. The UW PhD program is ...
Philosophy. Ph.D. / Full-time / On Campus. 8,551 EUR / year. Duration unknown. University of Memphis Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Ranked top 6%. Top 6% of Universities worldwide according to the Studyportals Meta Ranking.
A master's in philosophy is a graduate degree that offers advanced training in the humanities, building skills in critical analysis, argumentation, and written communication.Most programs take about two years to complete, though online or part-time programs may take longer.. Tuition rates for master's in philosophy programs vary widely among schools.