Philosophy, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy
The normal program of graduate study in philosophy is directed toward the Ph.D. The M.A. degree is awarded after completing Stage One. Only under exceptional circumstances and without any commitment of financial aid, students may be allowed to seek only the Master of Arts degree. This happens only rarely. Students seeking solely an M.A. degree are encouraged to apply elsewhere.
Admission
The Graduate College admission requirements apply. Applicants should have had a course in symbolic logic and general courses in the history of ancient and early modern philosophy. Students deficient in these areas may be admitted, but they are required to remedy their deficiencies by taking such courses in their first year. Applicants should also have done some coursework in such central areas of philosophical inquiry as ethics and the theory of knowledge. All applications for admission must be supported by three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on the applicant's aptitude for graduate study in philosophy. They are further required to submit a sample of their written work in philosophy (10-20 pages). International applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit their scores; a score of at least 600 on the paper-based test (115 on the computer-based test) is required for regular admission. In addition, these students must demonstrate competence in oral English before they will be allowed to assist as preceptors for the department, as described in the information for teaching assistants.
The deadline for applications is January 1 for admission in the following fall semester. Students are not normally permitted to start the program in the spring semester. For additional information see the department's information for prospective graduate students.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program.
Financial Aid
Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are offered financial aid, in the form of fellowships or assistantships, which cover living expenses and include a waiver of tuition and service fees. This aid will usually be continued for up to five years provided the student is making normal progress. Further details and qualifications are given in the department's graduate regulations.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy
For additional details and requirements refer to the department's Graduate Program Regulations and the Graduate College Handbook.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A course distribution requirement: Two graduate-level courses must be taken in each of the department's main areas of concentration: value theory, history of philosophy, and metaphysics-epistemology-philosophy of mind. (Some hours may be completed during Stage I) | 0-24 | |
| Students must demonstrate competence in symbolic logic, either by passing an approved course in the subject or by passing a proficiency examination administered by the department. | 0-4 | |
| Regular Seminars (Some hours may be completed during Stage I) | 12-24 | |
| Graduate-level study outside of Philosophy: Max hours allowed 8 (see department page for details) | 0-8 | |
| Language Requirement: Students must demonstrate competence in one of the four basic philisophical languages: German, French, Greek, or Latin. See the department for details. | 0 | |
| PHIL 599 | Thesis Research (16 min applied toward degree) | 16 |
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: | 88 |
| The max. limit of PHIL 583 (Independent Study) hours that can be used to satisfy Ph.D. requirements: | 12 |
| Participation in a dissertation seminar is required each term in the Third Stage, as is participation in one regular seminar per year. | |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | No, but Masters level requirements must be met (32 hours) |
| Qualifying Exam Required | No |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.25 |
The Ph.D. program has three stages. The first stage is completed when a student has earned 32 hours of graduate credit. The second stage is completed when the student has earned 32 additional hours (or, having received a master's degree previously, has earned and has been allowed transfer credit for a total of 64 hours) and has satisfied the preliminary examination requirement, a course distribution requirement, a foreign language requirement, and a logic requirement (see department website for details). Of the 64 hours required for the Ph.D. (beyond the MA level requirements), only 12 can be in Independent Study courses (PHIL 583), and at least 20 must be earned in regular seminars. The third stage is completed when the student has earned another 32 hours of graduate credit (usually in seminars and thesis research) and has satisfied the thesis and doctoral oral examination requirements (see below). Also required in the Third Stage is participation in a dissertation-writing seminar each term and participation in one regular seminar per year. Third-stage regular seminar participation is typically for 2 hours credit, thus totaling 4 hours beyond the 20 hours (min) of seminars required for Stage 2. A minimum grade point average of 3.25 (A = 4.0) is required for the Ph.D. degree. Candidates must also satisfy the Graduate College residence requirement.
Candidates need not take work in a minor field outside the department. In cases in which advanced study in philosophy would be enhanced by study in a related discipline, students may use such related coursework to satisfy the credit requirements for the degree, limited to 8 hours. If a student wishes the work to count as an extra-departmental minor, the minimum number of hours accepted is 8 and the maximum is 16. Courses applied toward the completion of a minor may not be applied toward the completion of the Course Distributions Requirement for the Philosophy Ph.D.
After satisfying these requirements, a candidate for the Ph.D. must submit an acceptable dissertation and pass a final, oral examination on the thesis. The acceptability of the thesis is judged and the final examination administered by the candidate's doctoral committee.
Ph.D. candidates who wish simultaneously to pursue advanced degrees in other disciplines (e.g., medicine or law) are permitted to do so.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy
The Philosophy Department aims to produce five main learning outcomes.
- Philosophical Knowledge: Students will have expert-level familiarity with major figures and movements in the history of western philosophy; with central topics, theories, and debates in epistemology and metaphysics, in ethics and value theory, and in logic; and with current developments in professional philosophy.
- Philosophical Reading: Students will have expert-level ability to analyze persuasive and argumentative prose: identifying the main claims asserted, the reasons alleged to support those claims, and the logical relations between the claims and the reasons, including identifying any gaps in the arguments.
- Philosophical Inquiry: Students will expert-level ability to formulate abstract principles in epistemology and metaphysics, in ethics and value theory, in logic, and in related special topic areas in philosophy; they will have expert-level ability to identify consequences of the principles they formulate, and they will have expert-level ability to construct arguments for those principles and compare them to competing principles.
- Philosophical Writing: Students will have expert-level ability to write clearly and with logical precision on a wide range of important issues, including (but not limited to): civic and social challenges at local, national, and global levels; social and cultural issues related to race, indigeneity, gender, class, sexuality, language, and disability; and the ways that complex, interdependent global systems—natural, environmental, social, cultural, economic, and political—affect and are affected by the local identities and ethical choices of individuals and institutions.
- Professional Development: Students are familiar with conference norms, journal publication standards, and venues, and the requirements for teaching college-level courses in philosophy.
Graduate Degree Programs in Philosophy
- Majors
- Philosophy, MA
- optional concentrations
- Philosophy, PhD
- optional concentrations
- Philosophy, MA
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy
Department of Philosophy
Department Chair: Robin Kar
Director of Graduate Studies: Shelley Weinberg
Philosophy Department website
200 Gregory Hall, 810 South Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-2889
Philosophy Department email
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements