phd in social philosophy

Joint/Dual Doctoral Programs
Programs of Study
Doctoral Programs
Masters Programs
Joint/Dual Masters Programs
MA and PhD Certificates
Joint BA/MA Degrees
Undergraduate Programs

The University of Chicago is renowned for its interdisciplinary culture, and doctoral students can pursue a variety of joint or dual degree programs. Opportunities to create a specific combination can be discussed with one’s Director of Graduate Study.

Existing programs include:

Joint PhD in Anthropology and Linguistics

In addition to linguistic anthropology as a sub-field within the Department of Anthropology , a joint Ph.D. program is available to students who are admitted to both the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Linguistics . Administratively, the student is admitted to, and remains registered in, the primary, or “home” department, and subsequently seeks admission to the second department in joint residence status. Students approved to pursue the joint degree program must complete the requirements of both departments, including the distinct introductory and advanced courses stipulated by each, the departmental qualifying examination in appropriate special fields, and the language requirements, including additional foreign languages for the Linguistics Ph.D. Students should declare interest in the Joint Degree Program on the initial graduate application to the Department, and should discuss this interest personally with linguistic anthropology faculty soon after arrival on campus.

Joint PhD in Psychology and Linguistics

Students in the Department of Linguistics in the Division of the Humanities who wish to work toward a joint PhD in Psychology's Cognition Program and in Linguistics must be admitted to the Department of Psychology .

Joint PhD in Financial Economics

Established in 2006, the Joint PhD Program in Financial Economics is offered jointly by the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics and the Finance dissertation area at Chicago Booth . The aim of this program is to leverage the strengths of both sponsors in training PhD students interested in financial economics. Students must satisfy program requirements for the PhD in both departments.

Joint PhD in Psychology and Business

Established in 2009, the Joint Program in Psychology and Business is overseen jointly by the Department of Psychology and the Behavioral Science dissertation area at Chicago Booth. The aim of this program is to connect the large number of social, cognitive, and organizational psychologists at Chicago Booth and within the Department of Psychology. To qualify for the joint program, a student must be admitted into either the Psychology or the Business graduate program.

JD/PhD Programs

Doctoral students in Social Sciences who are also admitted to the University of Chicago Law School may pursue a concurrent PhD/JD program , where there is an explicit and authorized close association between legal education and doctoral training. Students in the concurrent degree program alternate registration sites between the two units. Students complete all requirements for both degrees. Applicants must apply to both programs separately. The University of Chicago Law School has established a fellowship program to support students pursuing a concurrent JD/PhD at the University of Chicago, which may grant fellowship aid during the Law School years.

MD/PhD in Medicine, the Social Sciences, and Humanities

The program in Medicine, the Social Sciences and Humanities (MeSH) at the University of Chicago trains medical students to become innovative physician-scholars at the critical interface of medicine and society. The MeSH program is an opportunity for students interested in obtaining an MD and a PhD in a field outside of the traditional biological and physical sciences. Students interested in MeSH may pursue a doctoral degree among any of the graduate programs relevant to the social sciences and humanities at the University of Chicago.

Joint PhD in Social Thought & Classics

The Joint Ph.D. Program in Social Thought and Classics is intended for students whose study of a particular issue or text from the ancient Greek and Roman world requires a broadly inter-disciplinary approach alongside a professional mastery of philological skills. Those interested in pursuing this joint degree program must first be admitted in EITHER the Committee on Social Thought OR the Department of Classics and complete at minimum the two quarter language survey (Greek or Latin), offered by the Department of Classics, with an average grade of B or higher. Application shall then be made to the second department and, provided that the standards of admission to that department are met, students will be admitted to joint degree status.

Joint PhD Social Thought & Philosophy

The Joint Ph.D. Program in Social Thought and Philosophy is designed to provide students with equal in-depth training, simultaneously provided by the Committee on Social Thought and the Department of Philosophy . Those interested in pursuing this joint degree program must first be admitted in EITHER the Committee on Social Thought OR the Department of Philosophy. After commencing the program of study, application shall then be made to the second department and, provided that the standards of admission to that department are met, students will be admitted to joint degree status.

Other Joint and Ad Hoc Degree Possibilities

Students admitted to any doctoral program in Social Sciences may subsequently petition the University to create a joint program with another department. Such individually-created joint degree programs begin in the second year of graduate studies or later. In all cases, students complete the separate program requirements for each degree, with no additional residence requirement, and write one Ph.D. dissertation that separately meets the dissertation requirements of each department.

This Website Uses Cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

Doctoral Program

Stanford's Ph.D. program is among the world's best. Our graduate students receive their training in a lively community of philosophers engaged in a wide range of philosophical projects. 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 philosophy of science. We attract some of the best students from around the world and we turn them into accomplished philosophers ready to compete for the best jobs in a very tight job market.

The most up-to-date requirements are listed in t he Bulletin .

CHECK PHD REQUIREMENTS

From the 2020-2021 edition of Explore Degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy

Prospective graduate students should see the Office of Graduate Admissions web site for information and application materials.

The University's basic requirements for the Ph.D. degree including candidacy, residence, dissertation, and examination are discussed in the " Graduate Degrees " section of this bulletin. Graduate students are expected to meet standards of professional behavior, including: being present on campus to meet the academic and research expectations of the degree program; communicating in a timely, respectful and professional manner; complying with institutional policies and procedures; and participating appropriately in the program’s community. Graduate students are expected to familiarize themselves with applicable university policy and degree program requirements.’ ( https://gap.stanford.edu/handbooks/gap-handbook/chapter-5/subchapter-6/… )

University candidacy requirements, published in the " Candidacy " section of this bulletin, apply to all Ph.D. students. Admission to a doctoral degree program is preliminary to, and distinct from, admission to candidacy. Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty in the department or school of the student's potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy at the beginning of the seventh academic quarter, normally the Autumn Quarter of the student's third year.

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is granted by the major department following a student's successful completion of qualifying procedures as determined by the department. Departmental policy determines procedures for subsequent attempts to become advanced to candidacy in the event that the student does not successfully complete the procedures. Failure to advance to candidacy results in the dismissal of the student from the doctoral program; see the " Guidelines for Dismissal of Graduate Students for Academic Reasons " section of this bulletin.

The requirements detailed here are department requirements. These requirements are meant to balance structure and flexibility in allowing students, in consultation with their advisors , to take a path through the program that gives them a rigorous and broad philosophical education, with room to focus on areas of particular interest, and with an eye to completing the degree with an excellent dissertation and a solid preparation for a career in academic philosophy.

Normally, all courses used to satisfy the distribution requirements for the Philosophy Ph.D. are Stanford courses taken as part of a student's graduate program. In special circumstances, a student may petition to use a very small number of graduate-level courses taken at other institutions to satisfy a distribution requirement. To be approved for this purpose, the student’s work in such a graduate-level course would need to involve an appropriate subject matter and would need to be judged by the department to be at the level of an 'A' in a corresponding graduate-level course at Stanford.

Courses used to satisfy any course requirement in Philosophy (except Teaching Methods and the summer Dissertation Development Seminar) must be passed with a letter grade of 'B-' or better (no satisfactory/no credit), except in the case of a course/seminar used to satisfy the third-year course/seminar requirement and taken for only 2 units. Such a reduced-unit third-year course/seminar must be taken credit/no credit.

In the spring quarter of each year, the department reviews the progress of each first-year student to determine whether the student is making satisfactory progress. In the fall and the spring quarter of each year, the department reviews the progress of each student who is past the first year to determine whether the student is making satisfactory progress, and on that basis to make decisions about probationary status and termination from the program where appropriate.

Any student in one of the Ph.D. programs may apply for the M.A. when all University and department requirements have been met.

Proficiency Requirements

First-year Ph.D. Proseminar : a one quarter, topically focused seminar offered in Autumn Quarter, and required of all first-year students.
two courses in value theory including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law. At least one of the courses satisfying this distribution requirement must be in ethics or political philosophy.
Two courses in language, mind, and action. One course satisfying this requirement must be drawn from the language related courses, and one from mind and action related courses.
two courses in metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science). At least one of the courses satisfying this requirement must be drawn from either metaphysics or epistemology.
Instructors indicate which courses may satisfy particular requirements. If a course potentially satisfies more than one requirement the student may use it for only one of those area requirements; no units may be double-counted. Students must develop broad competencies in all these areas. Those without strong backgrounds in these areas would normally satisfy these distribution requirements by taking more basic courses rather than highly specialized and focused courses. Students should consult with their advisor in making these course decisions, and be prepared to explain these decisions when reviewed for candidacy; see requirement 6 below.
Logic requirement: PHIL 150 Mathematical Logic or equivalent.
History/logic requirement. One approved course each in ancient and modern philosophy, plus either another approved history of philosophy course or PHIL 151 Metalogic.
Students should normally take at least 64 graduate level units at Stanford during their first six quarters (in many cases students would take more units than that) and of those total units, at least 49 units of course work are to be in the Philosophy department. These courses must be numbered above 110, but not including Teaching Methods ( PHIL 239 Teaching Methods in Philosophy) or affiliated courses. Units of Individual Directed Reading are normally not to be counted toward this 49-unit requirement unless there is special permission from the student's advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
Prior to candidacy, at least 3 units of work must be taken with each of four Stanford faculty members.

Writing Requirement: Second Year Paper

The second year paper should demonstrate good scholarship and argumentative rigor, and be a polished piece of writing approximately 8000 words in length. The second year paper need not bear any specific relationship to the dissertation. It may be a version of a prospective dissertation chapter, but this is not required. The final version must be turned in on the last class of the Second Year Paper Development Seminar in Summer Quarter of the second year. Extensions of this deadline require the consent of the instructor of the Second Year Paper Development Seminar and the Director of Graduate Studies and are only granted in exceptional cases (e.g., documented illness, family crisis). The final paper is read by a committee of two faculty members and it is an important consideration in the department’s decision on the student’s candidacy.

Teaching Assistancy

A minimum of five quarters of teaching assistancy are required for the Ph.D. Normally one of these quarters is as a teaching assistant for the Philosophy Department's Writing in the Major course, PHIL 80 Mind, Matter, and Meaning. It is expected that students not teach in their first year and that they teach no more than two quarters in their second year. Students are required to take PHIL 239 Teaching Methods in Philosophy during Spring Quarter of their first year and during Autumn Quarter of their second year. Teaching is an important part of students’ preparation to be professional philosophers.

Review at the End of the Second Year for Advancement to Candidacy

The faculty's review of each student includes a review of the student's record, an assessment of the second year paper, and an assessment of the student's preparation for work in her/his intended area of specialization, as well as recommendations of additional preparation, if necessary.

To continue in the Ph.D. program, each student must apply for candidacy at the beginning of the sixth academic quarter, normally the Spring Quarter of the student's second year. Students may be approved for or denied candidacy by the end of that quarter by the department. In some cases, where there are only one or two outstanding deficiencies, the department may defer the candidacy decision and require the student to re-apply for candidacy in a subsequent quarter. In such cases, definite conditions for the candidacy re-application must be specified, and the student must work with the advisor and the DGS to meet those conditions in a timely fashion. A failure to maintain timely progress in satisfying the specified conditions constitutes grounds for withholding travel and discretionary funds and for a denial of advancement to candidacy.

Writing Seminar : In the Summer Quarter after the second year, students are required to attend the Second Year Paper Development Seminar. The seminar is intended to help students complete their second year papers.
Upon completion of the summer writing seminar, students must sign up for independent study credit, PHIL 240 Individual Work for Graduate Students, with their respective advisors each quarter. A plan at the beginning, and a report at the end, of each quarter must be signed by both student and advisor and submitted to the graduate administrator for inclusion in the student's file. This is the process every quarter until the completion of the departmental oral.
In Autumn and Winter quarters of the third year, students register in and satisfactorily complete PHIL 301 Dissertation Development Proseminar. Students meet to present their work in progress and discuss their thesis project. Participation in these seminars is required.
During the third and fourth years in the program, a student should complete at least three graduate-level courses/seminars, at least two of them in philosophy (a course outside philosophy can be approved by the advisor), and at least two of them in the third year. The three seminars can be taken credit/no-credit for reduced (2) units. Courses required for candidacy are not counted toward satisfaction of this requirement. This light load of courses allows students to deepen their philosophical training while keeping time free for thesis research.

Dissertation Work and Defense

The third and following years are devoted to dissertation work. The few requirements in this segment of the program are milestones to encourage students and advisors to ensure that the project is on track.

Dissertation Proposal— By the end of Winter Quarter of the third year, students should have selected a dissertation topic and committee. A proposal sketching the topic, status, and plan for the thesis project, as well as an annotated bibliography or literature review indicating familiarity with the relevant literature, must be received by the committee one week before the meeting on graduate student progress late in Spring Quarter. The dissertation proposal and the reading committee's report on it will constitute a substantial portion of the third-year review.
Departmental Oral— During Autumn Quarter of the fourth year, students take an oral examination based on at least 30 pages of written work, in addition to the proposal. The aim of the exam is to help the student arrive at an acceptable plan for the dissertation and to make sure that student, thesis topic, and advisors make a reasonable fit. It is an important chance for the student to clarify their goals and intentions with the entire committee present.
Fourth-Year Colloquium— No later than Spring Quarter of the fourth year, students present a research paper in a 60-minute seminar open to the entire department. This paper should be on an aspect of the student's dissertation research. This is an opportunity for the student to make their work known to the wider department, and to explain their ideas to a general philosophical audience.
University Oral Exam— Ph.D. students must submit a completed draft of the dissertation to the reading committee at least one month before the student expects to defend the thesis in the University oral exam. If the student is given consent to go forward, the University oral can take place approximately two weeks later. A portion of the exam consists of a student presentation based on the dissertation and is open to the public. A closed question period follows. If the draft is ready by Autumn Quarter of the fourth year, the student may request that the University oral count as the department oral.

Below are yearly lists of courses which the faculty have approved to fulfill distribution requirements in these areas: value theory (including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law); language; mind and action; metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science); logic; ancient philosophy; modern philosophy.

The most up-to-date requirements are listed in t he Bulletin .

Ph.D. Minor in Philosophy

To obtain a Ph.D. minor in Philosophy, students must follow these procedures:

Consult with the Director of Graduate Study to establish eligibility, and select a suitable advisor .
30 units of courses in the Department of Philosophy with a letter grade of 'B-' or better in each course. No more than 3 units of directed reading may be counted in the 30-unit requirement.
Philosophy of science
Ethics, value theory, and moral and political philosophy
Metaphysics and epistemology
Language, mind and action
History of philosophy
Two additional courses numbered over 199 to be taken in one of those (b) six areas.
A faculty member from the Department of Philosophy (usually the student's advisor) serves on the student's doctoral oral examination committee and may request that up to one third of this examination be devoted to the minor subject.
Paperwork for the minor must be submitted to the department office before beginning the program.

Interdisciplinary Study

The department supports interdisciplinary study. Courses in Stanford's other departments and programs may be counted towards the degree, and course requirements in Philosophy are designed to allow students considerable freedom in taking such courses. Dissertation committees may include members from other departments. Where special needs arise, the department is committed to making it possible for students to obtain a philosophical education and to meet their interdisciplinary goals. Students are advised to consult their advisors and the department's student services office for assistance.

Graduate Program in Cognitive Science

Philosophy participates with the departments of Computer Science, Linguistics, and Psychology in an interdisciplinary program in Cognitive Science. It is intended to provide an interdisciplinary education, as well as a deeper concentration in philosophy, and is open to doctoral students. Students who complete the requirements within Philosophy and the Cognitive Science requirements receive a special designation in Cognitive Science along with the Ph.D. in Philosophy. To receive this field designation, students must complete 30 units of approved courses, 18 of which must be taken in two disciplines outside of philosophy. The list of approved courses can be obtained from the Cognitive Science program located in the Department of Psychology.

Special Track in Philosophy and Symbolic Systems

Students interested in interdisciplinary work relating philosophy to artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science, linguistics, or logic may pursue a degree in this program.

Prerequisites—Admitted students should have covered the equivalent of the core of the undergraduate Symbolic Systems Program requirements as described in the " Symbolic Systems " section of the Stanford Bulletin, including courses in artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive science, linguistics, logic, and philosophy. The graduate program is designed with this background in mind. Students missing part of this background may need additional course work. In addition to the required course work listed in the bulletin, the Ph.D. requirements are the same as for the regular program, with the exception that one course in value theory and one course in history may be omitted.

Joint Program in Ancient Philosophy

This program is jointly administered by the Departments of Classics and Philosophy and is overseen by a joint committee composed of members of both departments:

Christopher Bobonich , Philosophy (Ancient Greek Philosophy, Ethics)
Alan Code , Philosophy, Philosophy (Ancient Greek Philosophy, Metaphysics)
Reviel Netz , Classics (History of Greek and Pre-Modern Mathematics)
Andrea Nightingale , Classics, (Greek and Roman Philosophy and Literature)
Josh Ober , Classics and Political Science (Greek Political Thought, Democratic Theory)

It provides students with the training, specialist skills, and knowledge needed for research and teaching in ancient philosophy while producing scholars who are fully trained as either philosophers with a strong specialization in ancient languages and philology, or classicists with a concentration in philosophy.

Students are admitted to the program by either department. Graduate students admitted by the Philosophy department receive their Ph.D. from the Philosophy department; those admitted by the Classics department receive their Ph.D. from the Classics department. For Philosophy graduate students, this program provides training in classical languages, literature, culture, and history. For Classics graduate students, this program provides training in the history of philosophy and in contemporary philosophy.

Each student in the program is advised by a committee consisting of one professor in each department.

Requirements for Philosophy Graduate Students: These are the same as the proficiency requirements for the Ph.D. in Philosophy.

One year of Greek is a requirement for admission to the program. If students have had a year of Latin, they are required to take 3 courses in second- or third-year Greek or Latin, at least one of which must be in Latin. If they have not had a year of Latin, they are then required to complete a year of Latin, and take two courses in second- or third-year Greek or Latin.

Students are also required to take at least three courses in ancient philosophy at the 200 level or above, one of which must be in the Classics department and two of which must be in the Philosophy department.

Ph.D. Subplan in History and Philosophy of Science

Graduate students in the Philosophy Ph.D. program may pursue a Ph.D. subplan in History and Philosophy of Science. The subplan is declared in Axess and subplan designations appear on the official transcript, but are not printed on the diploma.

1. Attendance at the HPS colloquium series. 2. Philosophy of Science courses. Select one of the following:

PHIL 263 Significant Figures in Philosophy of Science: Einstein
PHIL 264: Central Topics in the Philosophy of Science: Theory and Evidence
PHIL 264A: Central Topics in Philosophy of Science: Causation
PHIL 265: Philosophy of Physics: Space and Time
PHIL 265C: Philosophy of Physics: Probability and Relativity
PHIL 266: Probability: Ten Great Ideas About Chance
PHIL 267A: Philosophy of Biology
PHIL 267B: Philosophy, Biology, and Behavior

3. One elective seminar in the history of science. 4. One elective seminar (in addition to the course satisfying requirement 2) in philosophy of science.

The PhD program provide 5 years of financial support . We also try to provide support for our sixth year students and beyond though we cannot guarantee such support. In addition to covering tuition, providing a stipend, and covering Stanford's health insurance, we provide additional funds for books, computer equipment, and conference travel expenses. Some of the financial support is provided through requiring you to teach; however, our teaching requirement is quite low and we believe that this is a significant advantage of our program.

Stanford Support Programs

Additional support, such as advances, medical and emergency grants for Grad Students are available through the Financial Aid Office. The University has created the following programs specifically for graduate students dealing with challenging financial situations.

Graduate Financial Aid homepage :

https://financialaid.stanford.edu/grad/funding/

Cash Advance: https://sfs.stanford.edu/gradcashadvance

Emergency grant-in-aid : https://financialaid.stanford.edu/pdf/emergencygrant-in-aid.pdf, family grants: https://financialaid.stanford.edu/pdf/gradfamilygrant2021.pdf, housing loans: https://financialaid.stanford.edu/loans/other/gradhousing.html, program characteristics.

Our program is well known for its small size, streamlined teaching requirements, and low average time to degree.

The program regulations are designed to efficiently provide students with a broad base in their first two years. In the third year students transition to working on their dissertations. During the summer prior to the third year, students are required to attend a dissertation development seminar. This seminar introduces students to what is involved in writing a dissertation. During the third year the course load drops to just under one course per quarter.

The rest of the time is spent working closely with a faculty member, or a couple of faculty members, on the student's area of research interest. The goal of the third year is that this process of intensive research and one-on-one interaction will generate a topic and proposal for the dissertation. During the fourth and fifth year the student is not required to take any courses and he or she focusses exclusively on research and writing on the dissertation.

Stanford University

Being a part of Stanford University means that students have access to one of the premier education institutions in the world. Stanford is replete with top departments in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In addition, our professional schools, such as the Stanford Law School , are among the best. The range of research in a variety of areas, many of which touch on or relate to philosophical issues, is simply astounding. Students have the freedom to take courses across the university. Graduate students also regularly earn joint degrees with other programs.

Philosophy - Social, Political, Ethical and Legal (PhD, MA)

Program overview.

The Department of Philosophy’s graduate program in social, political, ethical and legal philosophy (SPEL) supports inquiry into the broad array of value theory. Our faculty draw upon a variety of traditions and approaches to address historical, practical and abstract philosophical questions prompted by our evaluative lives. We regard this particular combination of focus and breadth as a considerable strength. On the one hand, there is a common orientation of interest that fosters intellectual community and exchange. On the other, our pluralism enables us to guide advanced work on the diversity of topics in value theory. Moreover, it discourages parochialism and facilitates an appreciation of the way in which apparently distinct issues intersect and address each other. We regard these as fruitful conditions for improving the state of philosophical understanding.

We encourage prospective students to look into our faculty’s research , but also to review the work and interests of current and former graduate students .

Degrees Offered

PhD in Philosophy
MA in Philosophy

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

The department is host to a vibrant community. The SPEL colloquium standardly meets four times per semester to engage a visiting speaker about their recent scholarship. The SPEL Graduate Student Organization organizes an annual graduate student philosophy conference . Other conferences or workshops are often on the calendar (we were the host to the Nietzsche in the Northeast conference.) SPEL also normally collaborates with the Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Law when they bring scholars of interest to campus. This is all in addition to faculty/graduate student reading group meetings, weekend mock conference sessions, and other informal activities. And, of course, each student receives individualized attention from the faculty regarding their teaching and scholarship.

After You Graduate

In addition to supporting our students’ scholarly endeavors, SPEL takes active measures to prepare students for the profession. This includes regular professional and teaching workshops, support (in conjunction with the Binghamton University Graduate Student Organization) for appropriate conference travel, and opportunities to engage directly with guest speakers about the profession. Moreover, many of our graduates leave for the job market with a publication or more in hand. Our recent placements include tenured or tenure-track positions at Smith College, California State University at Stanislaus, Antioch College, Southern Illinois University, and Nepal Open University, and term positions at West Point, Michigan State and Penn State, among others.

Admission Requirements

General graduate admission requirements
Program-specific admission requirements

Funding/Scholarships

There are many funding and scholarship opportunities at Binghamton. We encourage prospective students to review available program-specific scholarships and awards , and visit the program's website for additional information. PhD students who are registered and/or certified full-time will receive a scholarship that covers the cost of broad-based fees (this does not include international student fees). Note: Master's students are generally self-funded, although funding opportunities occasionally arise.

Accelerated/4+1 Degrees

You may also be interested in our accelerated/4+1 degree programs which allow students to complete their bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just 5 years!

Request More Info!

Learn how Binghamton's Philosophy - Social, Political, Ethical and Legal program can help you meet your education and career goals.

Anja Karnein

Associate professor, graduate director of philosophy.

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
Share by Email

Philosophy, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

Location: Tempe campus
Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Philosophy

General areas of research include ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of law, philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion and the history of philosophy. The program features a focus on practical and applied philosophy and an interdisciplinary coursework component related to the student's research topic.

Practical philosophy includes the fields of ethics, philosophy of law, social and political philosophy, feminist ethics and political philosophy.

Applied philosophy includes the application of theories developed within any of the subdisciplines of philosophy to everyday problems or phenomena, such as the application of the philosophy of language in relation to hate speech, or the philosophy of mind in relation to computing and artificial intelligence. Applied philosophy also includes the application of research produced by methods used in other disciplines in order for the student to understand and address philosophical questions, like the application of data-gathering instruments used in psychology to answer questions in experimental philosophy.

Students may design dissertation projects in any of the major subfields of philosophy. For their interdisciplinary coursework supporting the dissertation project, students might, for example, pursue a certificate in social transformation, gender studies, responsible innovation in sciences, or engineering and society.

Members of the faculty are involved in interdisciplinary work in a variety of fields and enjoy close ties with the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the College of Law and a number of other graduate programs at the university. The ASU philosophy faculty group sponsors an active colloquium series and regular philosophical conferences on diverse topics. The Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics also sponsors a wide range of activities, including large-scale conferences, distinguished visitors and support for graduate study.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core Areas (15 credit hours) applied philosophy (3) epistemology (3) formal methods (3) metaphysics (3) value theory (3)

Electives (39 credit hours)

Research (18 credit hours) PHI 792 Research (12)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) PHI 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Students should see the academic unit for the list of courses approved for each required core area.

In completing the electives requirements, at least nine credit hours and no more than 18 credit hours must be from other disciplines supporting the student's proposed dissertation area; 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree may apply toward this requirement with approval by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College.

To ensure breadth in the traditional areas of philosophy, students must pass with a grade of "B" or better (3.00 on a 4.00 scale).

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

graduate admission application and application fee
official transcripts
statement of purpose
curriculum vitae
writing sample
three letters of recommendation
proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency , a copy of an article or research paper in their native or principal research language, as well as the English writing sample required of all students regardless of their current residency. The philosophy program requires a TOEFL iBT score of at least 100, or a score of 7.0 on the IELTS.

The statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue and the proposed research specialization (no more than 600 words in length).

The writing sample must be a piece of philosophical writing, preferably a seminar paper or published article of no more than 20 pages.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

Achieve competence with philosophical literature and writing
Achieve professional-level skills in mastering literature and philosophical writing
Able to identify and articulate a philosophical problem or question in one of the core areas in philosophy --- that is, metaphysics, epistemology and value theory

Career Opportunities

Both the MA and doctoral programs in philosophy help students develop and hone skills that are highly marketable and easily transferable.

Philosophy teaches its students to think critically, creatively and imaginatively. Though routine jobs are increasingly being lost to advances in automation and artificial intelligence, the skills taught by philosophy are irreplaceable by technology, highly sought-after by employers and transferrable from one occupation to another. Graduates have the ability to read closely and with a critical eye; to analyze complex problems and identify all the possible solutions, including some creative solutions; to assess the merits of each possible solution; and to articulate and argue for or against various possible solutions in clear, precise and unambiguous language.

As philosophy focuses on honing certain skills rather than acquiring a particular body of knowledge, philosophy prepares its students for a wide variety of careers rather than for just one particular occupation. Indeed, philosophy prepares its students for any career requiring problem-solving; clear, critical and creative thinking; and excellent reading, writing and communication skills.

The program is designed to prepare students for careers as philosophers, as teachers of philosophy and in areas in which they may benefit from advanced training in philosophy, such as law, civil service and publishing.

Career examples include:

businessperson
computer programmer
public policy analyst

Global Experience

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

[email protected]
480/965-5778

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 .

Teaching of Social Studies PhD

Doctor of philosophy in the teaching of social studies.

Prepare to be a leader in social studies educational research. Our graduates take up research careers often in universities or other educational institutions.

Students in the Doctor of Philosophy program take coursework that offer them a depth of knowing the field of social studies education and prepare them as experts in their area of focus and their research. The program supports the development of students’ scholarly identities. Throughout the program, students consider where and how they situate themselves in the field as a researcher of/in contemporary social studies issues. They also do the things that scholars do – engage in research with faculty, present at conferences, publish papers, mentor students, explore college teaching, and find their intellectual community. Students select courses at Teachers College, Columbia University, and in the Doctoral Consortium in NYC to develop a focus area of study – historical understanding, memory studies, activism and civics, peace studies, global education. Students take introductory and advanced coursework in specific research paradigms so they are prepared for the independent work of the dissertation. This coursework is determined with an advisor and the entire program faculty.

Our location in New York City makes us unique, whether students conduct their research here or elsewhere. The city is a wonderful educational laboratory for an array of student interests. Here, so many different kinds of educational institutions exist within the NYCDOE and in the multitude of non-profit entities that educate. We are also a significant place in the global flow of intellectual, cultural, and civic discourse and possibility.

Two students in conversation outside of Teachers College

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

Points/Credits: 75
Entry Terms: Fall

Application Deadlines

Entry Term Available	Priority Deadlines	Final Deadlines	Extended Deadlines
Spring	N/A	N/A	N/A
Summer	N/A	N/A	N/A
Fall	December 1, 2024	December 1, 2024	N/A

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

	Requirement
	, including Statement of Purpose and Resume

	Results from an accepted (if applicable)
	$75 Application Fee
	Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
	Academic Writing Sample
	Interview (phone, video, or in-person) required

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Studies requires 75 points of graduate study and a dissertation. The Ph.D. degree program in Social Studies leads to a strongly research-oriented degree designed for individuals preparing for a career in teaching, conducting research, and working in teacher education in a university setting, or a private or public policy organization.

Courses in the major field (15 points minimum):

A&HW 5011 Contemporary Literature in Social Studies Research and Education I

A&HW 5021 Contemporary Literature in Social Studies Research and Education II

A&HW 6011 The Citizen and Society

A&HW 6521 History of Inequality and Social Justice.

A course from Philosophy and Education

Content courses in the major field (21 points minimum):

Soon after beginning the program, students must select an area of specialization. Students should select courses with an advisor, taking care to include courses relevant to the area of dissertation research. These courses may be taken at either Teachers College or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University.

Research Courses (23 points minimum):

Required Courses:

A&HW 5503 Research paper in social studies (done in conjunction with the fourth round of doctoral seminar)

A&HW 6503 Doctoral seminar in social studies (taken four times consecutively during the first two years of the program)

A&HW 7503 Dissertation seminar in social studies (taken at the time of presentation of the doctoral proposal)

A&HW 8903 Dissertation advisement in the teaching of social studies

Other offerings:

A&HW 6030 Research in social studies education

A&HW 6203 Advanced fieldwork in social studies

A&HW 6903 Research and independent study in social studies

A&HW 6935 Studies in history and in the teaching of history and social studies

Broad and basic areas of professional scholarship (15 points minimum):

All students must pursue work in broad and basic areas of professional scholarship outside of the Program in Social Studies in order to help inform and contextualize their more specialized work in social studies. The selection of non-major courses will depend on the student’s research interests and plans, as well as previous academic work in various areas of the education field. In consultation with advisors, students will select courses that contribute to their professional development by filling gaps in some areas and by securing greater depth in others (this may require additional study beyond the minimum point requirement).

Further requirements:

In addition to the dissertation, students must satisfy the foreign language requirements equivalent to those of the department of the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with which their work is most closely identified. For Ph.D. students in Social Studies, the usual cognate department in the Graduate School is History or Political Science, though courses should be selected that support the student’s scholarly interest and in close consultation with an academic advisor. Students should read the Requirements for Doctor of Philosophy obtainable from the Office of Doctoral Studies at Teachers College.

View Other Degrees

Program Director : Sandra Schmidt

Phone: (212) 678-4083 Fax: (212) 678-4118

Email: socialstudies@tc.edu

PHD IN SOCIAL WELFARE

Bring your intellect, curiosity, and creativity to tackling complex social challenges.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD) Program will transform you into a scholar well-equipped to identify and solve social problems – both close to home and around the world. Grounded in innovation and academic rigor, the SP2 PhD allows you to explore diverse perspectives and approaches to social work, social welfare research, social policy, social theory, and social justice.

Request Info

Learn more about the PhD program and the SP2 experience.

Ready to experience SP2? Learn more about the application process.

Join us for an upcoming in-person or virtual event.

An Invitation from the Co-Directors

“Social welfare” is a complex term. Its basic definition is deceptively simple—the collective welfare or wellbeing of a given society. But what constitutes that wellbeing and how it can and should be achieved, who belongs in that society and can and should form and formulate the “social,” are abiding questions that have been posed, debated, and contested for as long as collective human settlements have been in existence. World-shaping works of art, science, and philosophy have been crafted to answer these questions. Disagreements on those answers are at the heart of the social, cultural, and political tumult in which the U.S. is embroiled. Social welfare is, in other words, a weighty, vital, and pressing field of study.

The social welfare field draws from all social science disciplines and the discourses of multiple professions including social work. Whatever the domain of interest—health, poverty, education, incarceration, climate change, racism, migration, philanthropy, homelessness, history, and whether it is framed as a theoretical, methodological, issue-focused, or population-based inquiry—what we seek is students interested in not only finding the answers but in critically interrogating the questions themselves. Given the school’s commitment to advancing social justice in all of its programs, the courses of study students engage in should, no matter the specific domain, actively attend to issues of power, inequality, and disparity.

We believe that the vitality of the social welfare field is maintained by the passion for social justice brought by those who enter it. SP2’s rigorous yet flexible curriculum aims to provide the training necessary to forge the students’ passion into disciplined scholarship. To encourage each student to develop unique work and an individual scholarly voice, the program is intentionally interdisciplinary, designed to expose students to an array of approaches to social welfare offered by the world-class faculty of the school and the university.

The PhD in Social Welfare prepares students for careers as outstanding researchers and scholars committed to critically and rigorously analyzing social problems to propose effective, research-based solutions, to offer new theories and methods for approaching research and scholarship, and to formulate new paradigms for social welfare. We welcome your questions about the program and the school. We invite you to join us in this endeavor.

Yoosun Park, MSW, PhD Co-Director, PhD in Social Welfare Program

Tamara J. Cadet, PhD, LICSW, MPH Co-Director, PhD in Social Welfare Program

“ Whatever the domain of interest—health, poverty, education, incarceration, climate change, racism, migration, philanthropy, homelessness, history, and whether it is framed as a theoretical, methodological, issue-focused, or population-based inquiry—what we seek is students interested in not only finding the answers but in critically interrogating the questions themselves.”

The SP2 Difference

A highly selective program for students with a proven record of academic excellence and strong potential to contribute to their field

Instruction and mentoring from world-class faculty researchers and practitioners in multiple disciplines

Four years of support in the form of tuition, fees, individual health insurance, and stipend

INVISIBLE – leave blank

Access to Penn’s vast institutional resources

A diverse global alumni network in academia and industry, government, nonprofits, think tanks, and research institutes

Female standing in front of chalkboard holding a piece of paper up and talking

World-Class Faculty

The PhD program faculty are here to help you shape your specific area of expertise, drawing on their own decades of scholarship, teaching, and experience in areas including mental health , queer studies , sex work, homelessness , incarceration, gerontology , foster youth , and more .

Coursework provides students with core knowledge and skills as well as the opportunity to develop a specific expertise area. Papers and projects in core courses, combined with strategically selected electives, ensure a broad understanding of the field as well as deep study in the theoretical and empirical aspects of a specific area.

Students work with their academic advisors to develop an individualized plan for five electives. Graduate-level electives can be taken in any Penn department. At least one of these electives must be an advanced methods course, such as advanced statistical methods or qualitative research methodology.

Courses may be offered in varying order and year of program. Students are notified of such arrangements well in advance.

*Subject to change.

Fall Semester

SOCW 8110: Social Theory
SOCW 8520: Social Welfare Research Methods
SOCW 9010: Proseminar
SOCW 6300: Quantitative Reasoning/Social Statistics

Spring Semester

SOCW 8030: Advanced History and Philosophy of Social Welfare
SOCW 8550: Advanced Social Welfare Research Methods
SOCW 8970: Applied Linear Modeling

Second Year

SOCW 8610: Advanced Policy Analysis Research Methods or elective
Theory Course or Elective
Advanced Methods Course or Elective
Theory course or elective
Advanced methods course or elective

Third & Fourth Years

Fall & Spring Semesters

Dissertation research & writing
Teaching practicum

Your Experience

You’ll devote 15 hours per week to a research fellowship during your first year and 20 hours per week during your second through fourth years. You typically begin by working with your first-year advisor to identify research experiences that align with your skills and interests. To develop a broad range of methodological skills, we encourage students to work on multiple faculty projects as well as their own research.

Each student is assigned a doctoral advisor upon entering the program. At the end of their first year, students are encouraged to assess the arrangement and decide whether to continue with that faculty member or to choose another advisor from among the Graduate Group faculty. The advisor helps the student prepare an individual educational plan, choose courses, form a dissertation committee, and become familiar with SP2 and Penn’s wide array of educational resources. Students are responsible for initiating meetings with their advisors at regular intervals.

Please see University guidelines for best practices around academic advising and building strong mentor relationships.

After completing all required coursework, typically at the end of the second year, students must take the Preliminary Exam.

After completing the required coursework and passing the Preliminary Exam, students defend their dissertation proposal. Upon a successful defense, students become PhD candidates.

A dissertation defense serves as the program’s final examination. Passing this defense completes all degree requirements.

Recent Awards & Honors

Federal research awards.

Shana Merrill

American Board of Genetic Counseling, up to $50,000

Alexandra Schepens

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31), National Institutes of Health, 9/1/2014 – 8/31/2017, $105,409
Yoga Intervention for Substance Use and ART Adherence in Community Reentry.

National Research Honors

Michael L. Shier, PhD’15

Received the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS) for the Doctoral Dissertation Award for 2015-2016. Each year NAGS recognizes an outstanding dissertation that has been produced by a PhD candidate at one of its member institutions. The $1,000 award is presented at the annual meeting.

Staci Perlman, MSW’01, PhD’10

Selected by the American Psychological Association Section on Child Maltreatment to receive the Early Career Award in the Field of Child Maltreatment. This award recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the field within eight years of receiving a terminal degree and who have demonstrated the potential to continue such contributions. One award is made each year to a practitioner or researcher whose work has demonstrated an influence on the field of child maltreatment.

Sara Wiesel-Cullen, PhD ‘11

Awarded honorable mention for the best dissertation from the Society for Social Work Research. Her dissertation chair was Professor Phyllis Solomon. Washington, DC: January 2012.

Joanna Bisgaier, PhD ’11

Received the 2012 Student Research Award for Social Work Research from GADE (Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education). Shown are Jill Duerr Berrick, awards committee chair; Joanna Bisgaier; Karin Rhodes, Joanna’s dissertation chair; and Kia Bentley, Chair Elect of GADE. Washington, DC: January 2012.

The Hal Levin Award

Presented to a meritorious doctoral student who is continuing the process of completing coursework. All students enrolled in classes at the time of award nominations and who have passed their preliminary exams are eligible to be nominated. The recipient is chosen by nomination and voting of the SP2 faculty. Dr. Herman (Hal) Levin was a professor in the School of Social Work.

Recent Recipients

2023-2024: Husel Husile
2022-2023: Samaita Jana and Codi Smith
2021-2022: John Gyourko
2020-2021: Jessica Cho Kim
2019-2020: Michelle Mullen
2018-2019: Viviana Chiu-Sik Wu
2017-2018: Allison Russell

Penn Healthcare Innovation Challenge

Meagan Cusack, 2020

Frank R. Bruel Memorial Prize

Social Service Review recently announced that the 2022 Frank R. Bruel Memorial Prize has been awarded to Aaron Gottlieb and SP2 graduate Kalen Flynn MSW ’09, PhD ’18. The prize honors their article, “The Legacy of Slavery and Mass Incarceration: Evidence from Felony Case Outcomes.”

Presidential PhD Fellows

Sandhya Jha
Sharon Zanti
Jessica Kim
Rebecca Pepe
Mira Phillips
Christopher Wodicka

Career Success

Our PhD graduates go on to hold prestigious positions in academia, government, nonprofit organizations, think tanks, research firms, and more. Here are just some of the places where our recent graduates have found full-time employment:

American Federation of Teachers
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Inspector General
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorney
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center to End Homelessness
Columbia University, School of Nursing
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Social Work
Hong Kong University, Department of Social Work
McGill University, School of Social Work
National Institute on Poverty
New York University, School of Social Work
Rutgers University, School of Social Work
Temple University, Graduate School of Social Work
University of Massachusetts, School of Public Policy
University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
University of Toronto, School of Social Work
Yonsei University

FEATURED ALUMNI

Amy blank wilson, phd ’06.

“I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to pursue my PhD studies at SP2. The invaluable education and training I received at SP2 created opportunities for me to help develop policies and practices for people with mental illness that I could only dream about when I was a practicing social worker in the community mental health system. Through my educational experiences at SP2, I also built relationships with faculty and fellow students that continue to support and fuel my work to this day.”

Ready to join the PhD community?

What is the Admissions Review Process?

Applications are considered by an admissions committee that reviews the entire application package and considers the overall balance of each applicant’s qualifications and the fit between the applicant’s career goals and the academic program. Successful candidates should possess strong analytic, theoretical and methodological skills, as well as relevant social and behavioral science and public health experience. A prior master’s degree is not a criterion for admissions to the doctoral program. However, successful applicants generally have a prior master's degree in a related social and behavioral sciences field or equivalent public health experience.

What Types of Certificate Programs are Available to Students?

Our Department sponsors several certificate programs . HBS students may also pursue any of the certificate programs offered in the Bloomberg School for which they qualify.

For more information about certificate programs, please visit the School’s certificates program page.

Can I Complete the Doctoral Program on a Part-Time Basis or Online?

The PhD program offered in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society is a traditional, full-time degree program.

What is Available By Way of Financial Aid or Departmental Scholarship?

For more information, please visit the tuition and funding section of the PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences program page.

Can I Transfer in Credits From a Previous Master's or Doctoral Degree?

The Bloomberg School does not offer credit for courses taken at other institutions. However, if you have completed coursework at another institution that is of similar content as a course required for the degree program, you would be able to request a waiver of the required course, with substitution of elective or more advanced coursework as appropriate. Students should begin the waiver process by discussing the issue with their academic advisor.

Can I Schedule a Visit?

The Admissions Office schedules open houses each fall for prospective students, and HBS faculty and students are available to speak to visitors at that time. To view and register for HBS’s open house events, please visit the School’s information sessions and open house page.

Campus tours can also be arranged through the Admissions Office. If you are unable to attend the open house and would like to arrange a visit to the Department of Health, Behavior and Society before or after a campus tour, please contact the department's Academic Program Administrator .

Department of Philosophy, The University of Chicago

PhD Program Overview

Academic mission.

The PhD Program in Philosophy offers an intensive course of study in preparation for a career as a scholar and teacher of philosophy. The program in particular consists of four major components. (1) Completing coursework in the three main areas of contemporary philosophy and in the history of philosophy. (2) Participating in a paper revision workshop, in which students significantly revise an essay originally written for a seminar in consultation with faculty and other students. (3) Defining an intellectual project and writing the PhD dissertation under the direction of a faculty committee. (4) Teaching as assistants in faculty-taught lecture courses and then as lecturers in stand-alone tutorials and small courses. In addition to these major components, students and faculty also participate in a variety of workshops and reading groups in which students present their own work for criticism by their peers and faculty. Throughout the PhD program, students and faculty join together in a continuous, rich philosophical dialogue. And faculty also support that dialogue and students’ intellectual work through advising, mentoring, ongoing academic evaluations, and canny career advice.

Note: The PhD Program in Philosophy is the only graduate program to which the Department of Philosophy admits students; those students interested in a masters degree can apply directly to the Masters of Arts Program in the Humanities ( MAPH ). This is a standalone program in the Division of Humanities within which students can take a number of graduate courses in philosophy. Elsewhere on this site we have a more thorough explanation of how our faculty interests serve our MAPH students.

PhD Program Handbook for 2024-25

Culture of the PhD Program

The PhD Program in Philosophy is intellectually inclusive, capacious in its research and teaching interests, and unusual in the extent and depth of the collective engagement with both the analytic and continental traditions. All programs now promote their interdisciplinarity, but we’ve been enjoying our wide range of philosophical interests for decades here at Chicago—thanks in part to the thorough integration of the interdisciplinary Council of Advanced Studies workshops into the PhD program and also to departmental colloquia, in which departmental and visiting faculty speak (and are challenged) on various philosophical issues. The department hums with free-flowing philosophical discussions among students and faculty occurring in seminars, workshops, colloquia, the hallways of Stuart Hall, and the Friday afternoon coffee hours in our Anscombe Library.

Socially, the department also tries to make sure that every student’s voice is heard in the running and shaping of the department and its PhD program. There are always two elected graduate student representatives who help keep channels of communication open and flowing in both directions between the departmental faculty and graduate student body, and faculty meet with students regularly about issues of concern. The department also has a faculty diversity liaison; a Diversity, Inclusivity, Climate, and Equity (DICE) Committee composed of departmental faculty and graduate students; and a graduate student outreach coordinator. We all work to ensure that the PhD program, courses, and the departmental culture feel welcome to students from all backgrounds. Here is more information on DICE .

The Women in Philosophy (WIP) group organizes bi-quarterly social gatherings for graduate women in the department. Gatherings typically consist of dinners or brunches hosted at the home of one of our members. While the primary purpose of these gatherings has typically been that of socializing, they are also a space in which people should feel free to raise and discuss any issues pertaining to life in the department. These social events build solidarity and community for the women in our department, and in general there is a high level of cooperation and collaboration between graduate women in the department. Here is more information on WIP .

The University of Chicago is situated in the heart of the South Side of Chicago, one of the country’s most culturally and intellectually rich cities . Life in Chicago is itself also inclusive: it’s a diverse, vibrant city with many social possibilities and livable—and strikingly affordable!—neighborhoods for students.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House (on the University of Chicago campus)

University Home
Parsons School of Design
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts
College of Performing Arts
The New School for Social Research
Schools of Public Engagement
Parsons Paris
Continuing and Professional Education

Take the Next Step

How to Apply
Request Information
Admission Events
Check Application Status

General Admission Contact The New School for Social Research Office of Admission 72 Fifth Avenue, 1st floor New York, NY 10011 212.229.5600 or 800.523.5411 [email protected]

Admission Liaison Mariam Matar

Department of Philosophy 6 East 16th Street, room 1015A New York, NY 10003 212.229.5707 x3078

Mailing Address 79 Fifth Ave, room 1015A New York, NY 10003

Chair Chiara Bottici

Senior Secretary Despina Dontas

Student Advisors MA: Bryan Doniger PhD: Niklas Goldenthal

Philosophy Student Handbook

Tuition and Fees
Financial Aid
Scholarships
View Courses
Read and Download Viewbook
Download Catalog

The Philosophy department of The New School for Social Research has inherited a legacy of critical thinking and public social and political engagement from thinkers such as Hannah Arendt, Hans Jonas, and Agnes Heller and is rooted in the belief that philosophy reaches beyond academia. Our faculty and alumni are as likely to be found writing in the pages of the New York Times or protesting in the streets as they are publishing in academic journals or lecturing at Oxford and Frankfurt.

Our graduate degree programs in Philosophy are designed to be more creative and flexible than traditional programs. Founded on a fierce commitment to intellectual freedom, our vibrant intellectual community is a place where divisions between Continental and Analytic and philosophy and politics, anthropology, literature, and classics become obsolete. The graduate curriculum centers on a mix of problems-based and historically oriented courses. Areas of particular strength for our faculty include ancient philosophy, critical theory, existentialism, German idealism, feminist thought, French structuralism, phenomenology, post-Analytic philosophy, pragmatism, psychoanalysis, social and political philosophy, and philosophies of art, language, mind, and nature. Within the Philosophy department, MA and PhD students can study ancient Greek, Marxist critiques of capitalism, emerging scientific discoveries in artificial intelligence, and animal ethics and politics or spend a semester or year focusing deeply on a single classic philosophical text such as Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason or Spinoza’s Ethics . Students and faculty also develop independent studies on topics ranging from philosophical anthropology, philosophy of trust, and narrative to Leibniz, Hume, and Aristotle.

Philosophy Degrees

The department offers intellectually rigorous programs of study, each with its own requirements.

MA in Philosophy (optional specialization in Psychoanalysis)

Phd in philosophy.

Inquisitive, admired, and analytical-meet some of our faculty:

Featured Courses

The courses in Philosophy combine deep intellectual analyses of important philosophers with a robust and comprehensive survey of important ideas. Pairing an understanding of both thinker and thought creates a context in which to understand underlying concepts and examine bigger intellectual implications.

Scholars and Work

Look closer at our historically-informed, and intellectually-curious philosophical work:

On the groundbreaking group People in Support of Women in Philosophy

Eric Godoy (Philosophy PhD, 2015) asks who bears responsibility

Take The Next Step

Request Info

Submit your application

Undergraduates.

To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

Undergraduate Adult Learners

To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

1-800-933-6188 ☎
Apply Now ☑

Earn an Advanced Degree to Lead Social Change Through Research

Academic Catalog
Course and Instructor Evaluations
Institutional Services Assessment
Virtual Financial Aid Office
Voter Registration
NC-SARA Student Complaints
Privacy Policy
Library Services and Resources
Library Databases
Online Library Catalog
Library Tutorials

Doctor of Philosophy in Social Research (Integration of Religion and Society)

Explore our unique doctoral degree program focused on helping professionals change the world through social research.

Gain the knowledge and confidence to lead, publish, and change the world at Omega Graduate School (OGS). The OGS Doctor of Philosophy in the Integration of Religion and Society program is designed to integrate faith and profession meaningfully. OGS’s doctoral program enables students to enhance their work skills through academic research and interdisciplinary study.

Our Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program Is

Interdisciplinary
Faith-Integrated

Omega Graduate School’s Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program is not just about earning a degree, it’s an experience that empowers leaders to change the world through social research. Apply Now

Social Research and the Integration of Religion & Society

The major of our PhD/DPhil degree is Social Research.
The minors are in Leadership, Philosophy, and Communications.
Dissertation research is focused in an area of professional interest.
Flexibility to drive studies toward personal and professional goals.

Earn a Doctor of Philosophy and Change the World

The doctoral program is designed with the goal of integration of religion and society. The program consists of courses in five structured, short-term residency-based cores and a dissertation phase.

Because the degree is interdisciplinary, students can focus research on a social problem in an area of professional interest.

Social Research Provides Legitimacy and Authority to Lead Social Change in Communities, Organizations, Churches, and Families Worldwide.

Our Doctor of Philosophy is Not Just a Degree Program,

It’s a life-changing experience..

More than a Degree: An Empowering Experience

As a result of academic study, students develop and exhibit the following skills and outcomes:

Evidence of understanding research methodology
Proficiency in research statistics
Ability to gather evidence and synthesize findings
Mastery of literature related to dissertation area
Competency in critical inquiry of unsolved or unresolved social problems
Clarity of English in both speech and written communication

PhD/DPhil Program Requirements

72 semester hours
Five core sessions including multiple interfaces with professors
European reading and research trip – an annual tradition since 1981 (hosted bi-annually)
Library of Congress reading and research trip
Doctoral dissertation
Completion time: 4-6 years

The PhD/DPhil degree program is designed to be productive and rewarding and fit working adults’ unique needs. The faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting students in balancing their work, family, and academic commitments. The Doctor of Philosophy in the Integration of Religion and Society is designed to help graduates make a positive Christian impact worldwide.

What does “DPhil” mean?

Our doctoral program uses PhD or DPhil interchangeably . Our doctoral program is a “Doctor of Philosophy”. As part of our tradition, we use the traditional British nomenclature, “DPhil”, to affirm our European tutorial model and our commitment to research. This nomenclature is a matter of preference. A Doctor of Philosophy is a Doctor of Philosophy, regardless of the abbreviation.

Contact Admissions

PhD/DPhil Degree Requirements

The PhD/DPhil program consists of 72 credit hours of the following courses offered in five week-long intensive residencies called “Core” sessions with online tutorial-style instruction with four consistent assignments per course per term.

Doctor of Philosophy Program Outline

Orientation Workshop (Core 1)
Short Term Residences (Cores 2-5)
Developing Proposal
Defending Proposal
Conducting the Research
Writing the dissertation
Degree validation
Graduate Colloquy

Four Levels of the PhD/DPhil Degree Process

There are four levels in the PhD/DPhil degree process: (a) Admission to graduate studies, (b) matriculation for a degree program, (c) candidacy for a degree, and (d) degree validation. The Academic Affairs Council supervises the process from admission to candidacy; the Graduate Research Council supervises the process from candidacy to graduation.

A student is matriculated to the Doctor of Philosophy program after foundational studies are assessed, and any deficiencies are removed. Students must matriculate for the PhD/DPhil to participate in Cores 3, 4, 5 and 6. The following requirements must be fulfilled for matriculation to doctoral studies: (a) A total of 32 graduate semester hours at the master’s level including 30 cohesive hours in support of the OGS course of study. (b) Attendance at the Program Orientation Workshop which is Core 1. (c) Completion of assignments related to Program Orientation Workshop and Core 2. (d) Possession of basic computer skills, unless exempted by the American Disabilities Act. (e) Control of an E-mail address or regular access to a fax machine.

Once matriculation is attained in the PhD/DPhil program, a student remains at the matriculation level until the completion of all course requirements. When all requirements are completed, the Academic Affairs Council advances the student to candidacy.

Candidates for the PhD/DPhil must achieve degree validation to participate in Core 7. Core sessions are offered during three academic terms. Normally, students will divide their participation into one core session per term until all sessions are completed in sequence. Students must complete all course work connected with the previous core before attending a successive core. Core 7 participation is part of the Graduate Colloquy.

The PhD/DPhil program is divided into two parts: the course of study and the dissertation process. The course of study has three stages: first third (Cores 1, 2); middle third (Cores 3, 4); and upper third (Cores 5, 6). The dissertation process (Core 7) has four stages: proposal development under the Graduate Research Council, the proposal defense, the writing and defense of the dissertation under the Graduate Research Council, and the degree validation stage that verifies the error-free copy of the dissertation and authorizes the candidate’s degree. The dissertation stage is divided into 20 steps with advisors, readers, and faculty supervision at each step.

An extensive course syllabus with bibliography is provided for each course. Tutorial guidance generally includes an overview of the subject and an introduction to the sources of knowledge in the field and is presented by lecture with informed participation by the students. Tutorial guidance is followed by specific developmental and research assignments under the guidance of the faculty. Faculty directed research in prescribed sources and available resources constitutes an essential part of the course of study. The educational goal is to excite and direct the self-activity of learners who are engaged in personal research and study.

First Third Course of Study (Cores 1 and 2)

The first third begins with the Program Orientation Workshop (Core 1) and introduces the program, explains the curriculum, orients the applicant to the academic performance expectation, assesses strengths and weaknesses, and generally assists the applicant in determining suitability of the program for meeting his or her educational needs. An applicant becomes admitted after the Program Orientation Workshop (POW) when all admissions assessments are made and the student signs a financial contract.

Transformative Learning and Adult Education Transforming Self-Concept for Leader Development Research for 21st Century Scholarship

SH
PHI 800-12	2
LDR 807-12	2
COM 803-12	Hermeneutics and Communication	2
SR 953-12	2


PHI 815-22	History of Integration of Religion & Society	2
PHI 805-22	Faith Learning Integration and Interdisciplinary Studies	2
COM 822-22	Persuasive Communication	2
SR 968-22	Sociological Methodology: Interpreting Changing Cultures	2

Semester Credits Pre-Matriculation 16

The curriculum requires advanced preparation for each stage in the course of study so the student can be an informed participant in class. Each stage has advance assignments required for participation in residency core sessions and post-class assignments to be completed after core sessions.

Middle Third Course of Study (Cores 3 and 4)

The middle third of the program requires assessment for matriculation. Matriculation denotes eligibility to continue toward a degree. Core 3 is considered a matriculation workshop. Once attained, a student remains at the matriculation level until completion of the course of study requirements, and qualifying interviews.


COM 968-32	Statistics for Social Research	2
SR 958-32	Research Design and Methodology	2
PHI 923-32	Contextualization for Social Change	2
PHI 943-32	Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis	2


COM 968-42	Statistics for Social Research	2
SR 958-42	Research Design and Methodology	2
LDR 810-42	Cross Cultural Dynamics	2
LDR 813-42	Organizational Dynamics	2

Semester Credits Middle Third 16

The following requirements are fulfilled before a student is matriculated:

Adequate completion of the Program Orientation Workshop and the academic assignments related to Cores 1 and 2.
Completion of a master’s degree with (30) cohesive graduate hours in support of the OGS Program of Study.
Demonstration of certain basic professional academic skills unless exempted by the American Disabilities Act and so documented. Basic skills include the word processing, editing, and printing functions of a standard computer program.
A personal e-mail address or access to a Fax machine.

The Reading and Research Seminars offered in UK are part of the required seminars for the PhD/DPhil. A student whose health or handicap prevents travel to England may complete alternate sessions on campus in Tennessee.

The PhD/DPhil program requires a trip to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. The Library of Congress experience and the Bodleian trip serve as opportunities to develop research skills for lifelong scholarship.

Upper Third Course of Study (Cores 5 and 7)

COM 968-62

Morality, Law, and Ethics in Global Society 2

Art, Culture, and Society 4 SR 823-64


Statistics for Social Research
SR 958-62	Research Design and Methodology
SR 852-62	Prospectus
PHI 812-63

Pre-Candidacy Requirements
SR 848-64	Library of Congress Reading and Research
COM 946-64
PHI 834-64	Teaching Practicum
Research in an Alternative Field


SR 812-76	Research Proposal


SR 912-78	Dissertation Writing Publication	8


SR 966-74	Dissertation Faculty Defense; Error-free Dissertation

Candidacy means that a student has completed all course work. A student must:

Demonstrate ability to use the English language with clarity in both speech and writing.
Evidence specialized competence in general research methodology.
Manifest proficiency in statistics for completion of a dissertation.
Complete all core requirements.
Complete a qualifying interview.
Demonstrate competency to gather data and synthesize findings that lead to new knowledge about a significant problem or issues in a field of knowledge.
Demonstrate subject matter mastery of literature related to a dissertation area.
Demonstrate competency in critical inquiry of unsolved or unresolved problems.

During candidacy the student is supervised by the Graduate Research Council for a major research project and dissertation. The Graduate Research Council guides a candidate in developing a research proposal. When the proposal is satisfactorily defended, the student is authorized to proceed with gathering and analyzing data and writing a dissertation.

“OGS graduates work in a variety of fields where research is a strong component, from political consulting to market research and medical research, to careers in social service, business, ministry, and education.”

CEU PU - Deutsch
Közép-európai Egyetem

Doctoral programs at CEU are fully funded study programs with a standard duration of 4 years that award a US and an Austrian degree.

The PhD program does not have separate sociology and anthropology tracks—both disciplines are integrated. Students are encouraged to conduct empirical research using a wide variety of methodologies, however theoretically informed approaches which embrace a broad intellectual agenda are prioritized. Of special interest are projects that promote: the integration of sociological and anthropological perspectives as well as methodologies; comparative approaches to urban processes; economic formations and transformations; research on social networks; generation of inequalities; meanings and practices of gender; transnational migration and dynamics of place-making; and social movements.

During the first year of the doctoral program, students undertake a rigorous, yet flexible program of coursework. Alongside mandatory courses developing epistemological and methodological approaches to sociology and social anthropology, elective courses provide in-depth studies of different subject areas. Students also have the option to undertake a semester-long Independent Study Module where a maximum of two students, under the supervision of one faculty member, devise a reading list related to their project.

Sample Courses for the Doctoral Program Transnational Migration; Comparative Thinking; Theory and Research in Contemporary Macro-sociology; Social Network Analysis; State, Power and Resistance; Economic Sociology; Independent Study Module

Entry Requirements for the Doctoral Program

Applicants should have an MA or equivalent in a social science discipline. Background in sociology and/or anthropology is a definite advantage. In addition to meeting the General CEU Admissions Requirements (see: http://www.ceu.edu/admissions/who-can-apply ) applicants must submit:

three letters of recommendation from professors who are familiar with their work
a three page research proposal (1.5 spaced) that should address the main research questions, sources and methodology and place the topic in the context of previous research in the field.
a short bibliography (one page) on the topic
writing sample in English
statement of purpose (maximum 500 words)

Applicants do not need to establish contact with potential supervisors. Once admitted, PhD students choose supervisors during their first year of study.

CEU application details

Who Can Apply
Funding and Fees
How To Apply

Enroll & Pay
Prospective Students
Current Students
Community Partners
Faculty & Staff (internal)

Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)

PhD students at the KU School of Social Welfare graduate with the critical knowledge and skills they need to become innovative stewards of the discipline. They generate and disseminate knowledge as researchers, scholars and educators.

Get Started

Phd application timeline.

PhD Degree Requirements

Through a rigorous curriculum, real-world research experience, and individualized mentoring by world-renowned scholars, KUSSW Doctoral Program graduates develop the knowledge and skills to drive discovery and advance the field of social work.

PhD Student Funding

Full-time doctoral students are guaranteed four years of tuition support, as long as the student remains in good standing in the program.

85 years running

KU School of Social Welfare is the longest running accredited social work program in Kansas. KU is the only program in the state to offer degree preparation from undergraduate through doctoral degrees in social work.

Student Success

Study Social Work at KU

Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in the Humanities

Social Philosophy

This year's topic: Social Ontology and Epistemology

In this reading group, we will study recent work on social ontology and epistemology. During the fall semester, we’ll cover social ontology, i.e., the field of metaphysics which concerns the ontological status of social kinds. Do social kinds, such as races, ethnicities, and genders, exist? Are they socially constructed? If so, what does it mean for them to be socially constructed? Are these social kinds intrinsically related to our perceived identities? To explore these questions, we’ll focus on the special case of race and ethnicity. Once we are clearer on what social kinds are, in the spring we will explore social epistemology, that is, the subfield of epistemology which deals with our knowledge in the social realm. In this reading group, we’ll focus on situated knowledge: how does the knowledge of members of different social groups compare? Are there facts which are only knowable to certain social groups? Should we strive for “epistemic democracy,” i.e., the idea that everyone, regardless of social identity, can acquire the same epistemic goods? Or is there some value to our differences as knowing agents?

The following is our schedule for the fall. We'll be meeting at 4:45pm - 6:15pm. Location: Room 121, 1879 Hall.

Readings: Du Bois (1897), Appiah (1985); Bamshad & Olsen (2003)
Readings: Mills (1998), Mallon (2004)
Readings: West (1993), Haslanger (2012), Obasogie (2013)
Readings: Piper (1991), LeEspiritu (1994), Alcoff (2000)

Spring 2019:

The following is our schedule for the spring. We'll be meeting at 12:00pm-1:30pm. Location: 1879 Hall, Room 301. (This is the mezzanine above the tower room).

Extraordinary session : Feb. 26 : reception and informal discussion with Charles Mills. Location: Tower Room in 1879 Hall. Time: 4:30 - 5:45pm.
Readings: Alcoff, "Epistemologies of Ignorance: Three Types" (2007), Abramson, "Turning up the Lights on Gaslighting" (2014)
Readings: Dotson, "Conceptualizing Epistemic Oppression" (2014), Berenstain, "Epistemic Exploitation" (2016)
Reading: Toole, Manuscript on standpoint epistemology and epistemic peers
Reading: Spivak, "Can the Subaltern Speak?" (1988)

For access to the texts, please reach out to me to be added to the email list.

Contact: Alejandro Naranjo Sandoval

Central European University

University of Texas at Dallas - History of Ideas

Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology

George Washington University

Carnegie Mellon University

University of Iowa

Memorial University

University of California, Irvine - Department of Philosophy

McMaster University

Louisiana State University

You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student

You're a domestic student if you are:

a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
an Australian permanent resident, or
a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

You're an international student if you are:

intending to study on a student visa,
not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
not an Australian permanent resident, or
a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia.

We have the answers to your research questions.

07 3346 0503

+61 7 3346 0503

Send an enquiry

Email us, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

[email protected]

Doctor of Philosophy

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an internationally recognised graduate research program that will enable you to become an independent researcher.

With the guidance of an advisory team, you'll undertake a research project, produce an 80,000-word thesis and complete an oral examination.

A PhD takes 3 to 4 years full-time. Under guidance, you'll develop advanced research skills and knowledge in your chosen field.

The thesis is a substantial document that makes an original contribution to your field of research. Your thesis may involve an alternate format .

You'll need a strong academic background and you may need to submit a research proposal and other documents to support your application. About 1,000 PhD candidates join UQ each year researching a wide range of topics.

Research at UQ

UQ is one of Australia’s top research-intensive universities. Our research makes an impact on the world's cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

Learn more about UQ's research

Program highlights

Be inspired and challenged to explore new ideas and develop greater understanding of complex questions with leading researchers.
Access premier resources including one of Australia’s largest libraries, with more than 2 million physical resources and 116,800+ journal subscriptions.
Foster and improve your skills through the Career Development Framework, created with industry.
Learn from researchers whose work addresses national and global cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

41 in the world

CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024

51 in the world

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

Supervision

You have to find and contact a thesis supervisor before you apply

This supervisor will support, guide and mentor you through your research, and can introduce you to professional networks that will start your career.

Find a supervisor

3-Minute Thesis

The showcase event for research candidates is the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT).

3MT is held each spring.

Learn more about the 3MT

A UQ HDR student presents her research on stage during the Three-Minute Thesis competition.

Career development

UQ offers a range of development opportunities via the Career Development Framework (CDF) to help you develop portable skills for any career or industry.

Learn more about the CDF

An HDR student sitting in an engineering laboratory.

Studying at UQ gave me the flexibility to expand my knowledge across different areas of science outside of my chosen specialty. Keeping my scientific and translational skills broad has allowed me to adapt to different environments and opportunities throughout my career.

Reducing microplastics and fertiliser pollution

Bioplastics vs microplastics: making better fertilisers to protect our environment

8-minute read

UQ Regional and Town Planning student Sophia Dow

The Gen Z housing crisis: what needs to change?

6-minute read

3D-printed tablets: the future of pharmacy is tailored and... tasty?

Male student leaning on a cloister taking a photo with his phone

Từ Hồ Chí Minh đến Brisbane: Hành trình UQ của tôi

Entry requirements, gpa equivalent.

Select where you studied and your qualification to see the GPA you need to be considered for this program.

Meeting the GPA requirement doesn’t guarantee admission.

Academic entry requirements

You have to prove you are prepared for PhD study. You do this by showing you:

have completed some research experience
have completed an approved university degree and
can meet the English language requirements.

Approved degrees

An approved degree needs to be:

in an area relevant to your proposed PhD project and
completed no more than 10 years ago.

You need one of the following approved degrees to apply for a PhD:

Master of Philosophy (or another research master’s degree); or
Bachelor’s degree from an approved university with at least honours class IIA or equivalent; or
Coursework master’s degree with an overall grade point average of 5.65 on the 7-point UQ scale which includes relevant research experience, approved by the dean; or
Postgraduate degree (at least one year full-time or equivalent) with an overall grade point average of 5 on the 7-point UQ scale, together with demonstrated research experience equivalent to honours class IIA will be considered on a case-by-case basis; or
Bachelor’s degree plus at least 2 years of relevant research experience , including research publications.

Research experience

You'll meet the requirements for admission into a PhD in terms of 'research preparedness' if you can provide evidence that you've planned and executed project work and/or a body of research with some independence.

To demonstrate this, we'll ask you to provide one of the following:

with completed courses that aim to develop research skills (minimum value of #1 unit e.g. 50 per cent of a #2 unit course), and/or
the completion of a supervised research project that includes an individually graded written report with a combined minimum course volume equal to #4 units at UQ.
Scholarly papers involving a substantial contribution as an author, appearing in recognised academic journals or in volumes published by recognised academic publishers.
Research or technical reports prepared for industry, government or business, which adhere to the broad conventions of academic publishing (i.e. contain an up-to-date review of relevant literature, a description of relevant research methods and an evaluation of results, etc.) and which identify you as a significant contributor.
A portfolio of published creative work together with published critical discussion of some or all of that work, or of a comparable body of work by others, and which demonstrates your development of a scholarly approach to creative work as research investigation.
Demonstrable industry or work experience where you can demonstrate that you have planned and executed a project, working with a high level of independence.

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Doctor of Philosophy are eligible to apply for an Australian Student visa (subclass 500).

This program has two CRICOS codes:

0100213 – Architecture, creative arts, education, health, information technology, management and commerce, mathematical sciences, social and cultural studies
0100214 – Agriculture and environmental studies, dentistry, engineering, human movement, medical studies, natural and physical sciences, pharmacy, psychology, veterinary science

Discuss your proposed project with us to determine which CRICOS code is most relevant for your visa application.

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Additional entry requirements

Many departments will have additional entry requirements and may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

Additional application information

Minimum English language proficiency requirements apply, please refer to the English proficiency policy .

English language requirements

There are a few ways you can meet our English language requirements. If you sit a test, the following scores are needed for PhD admission:

Test	Minimum overall score	Minimum additional scores
IELTS (clinical projects)	7.0	7.0 in every sub-band
IELTS (all other disciplines)	6.5	6.0 in every sub-band
TOEFL (paper-based)	570	5.0 in TWE (written), and 54 in reading & listening

Read our English language requirements

Scholarships

There are several types of PhD scholarship:

tuition fee scholarship : this covers the fees charged by UQ for PhD study
living stipend scholarship: this is a fortnightly payment (or stipend) to support your daily expenses
top-up scholarship: may be provided by external organisations, supervisors, or philanthropic donations. When awarded, they provide an additional payment on top of a living stipend scholarship. They cannot be held without a living stipend scholarship.

Each year, we award more than 600 scholarships to attract and support the highest quality higher degree by research applicants.

View all postgraduate research scholarships

University scholarships

UQ scholarships include:

Graduate School Scholarships
Graduate School Tuition Fees Scholarship
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarships
Earmarked Scholarships
The Graduate School Scholarship

Other scholarships

Throughout the year we advertise a range of other research scholarships, including top-up scholarships, travel grants and external scholarships, including:

Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship

How to apply for a scholarship

You can apply for many scholarships using the same form as your PhD application. External scholarships might have different ways to apply.

Our Scholarships website explains how to apply for each scholarship. If you are applying for a non-UQ scholarship, outcome dates may vary.

Fees and costs

Tuition fees.

Your fees will vary according to your academic field, study load and whether you study internally or remotely.

Learn more about postgraduate research fees

Research costs

The department you enrol with will meet all necessary costs for your project, including:

resource and facility costs: at UQ, which may include other organisations in Australia or overseas
travel costs: to complete fieldwork, collect data, or to visit libraries or other repositories
coursework costs: for courses studied outside the department
relevant training: in particular methodologies or techniques.

How to apply

Before you apply, 1. check your eligibility.

Check your eligibility by reviewing the entry requirements for UQ's Higher Degrees by Research. If applying for a scholarship, check the scholarship's eligibility and important dates.

2. Approach a potential supervisor or find a project

You'll either need to find:

a supervisor in your field who will support your proposed project. Identify a researcher .
a project you can join that suits your interests. See available projects .

If you're choosing a researcher, you'll need to find one with relevant expertise and get agreement to support your PhD and project.

Many departments will require additional information to make a decision around your motivation, understanding, commitment, and financial support required.

They may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

3. Gather your documents

You will need to compile the necessary documents. We will accept scanned copies of original documents, but you will have to keep all original documents for the duration of your studies.

Upload all documents as PDFs and name your files like this: LASTNAME_firstname_document-name.pdf

If any of your documents is in a language other than English, you will need to send both the original document and an official translation.

Send the following documents with your application:

An academic CV assists us to determine your readiness to commence a higher degree by research. For the purposes of this application, your academic CV should be current (i.e. no more than 6 months old) and include information under the following headings:

Personal details

your full name
your contact details (phone number, email address, city and country of residence)
nationality
languages spoken and proficiency level for each
your ORCID ID or other research output identifier (such as Google Scholar) if you have one (see the ORCID ID and research identifiers information provided by UQ Library).

As the purpose of this academic CV is to determine your academic suitability for a higher degree by research program at UQ and your competitiveness against other applicants, we only require information that is of direct relevance to our decision-making processes. With this in mind, please do not include the following in your academic CV:

photographs/head shot
marital status
driver’s license
date of birth/age
hobbies and interests.

Educational qualifications and academic awards

List each of your formal educational qualifications in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent formal educational qualification listed first). For each qualification, include:

the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the qualification
the full title of the qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Arts instead of B.A.)
the institution attended and the enrolling school/administrative unit
the city and country where the institution is located
your Grade Point Average (GPA) for the overall qualification
any academic achievement awards (e.g. Dean’s awards, subject prizes, University medals, thesis prizes etc.) received for the qualification
if a research thesis was part of the qualification, include the title and word length of your dissertation.

As part of your application, please submit academic transcripts and degree certificates for each educational qualification you list.

Please do not include:

high school qualifications
the individual subjects/courses undertaken throughout your qualifications or the grades awarded for these
training courses/professional development activities not resulting in a formal qualification.

Professional affiliations and memberships

List any professional/disciplinary associations or committees that you a member of and include:

the commencing and end date (in years) for the affiliation/membership
the name of the professional association or committee
your membership type (e.g. student member, affiliate member, full member etc.) or role (e.g. committee member, secretary, president etc.).

Employment history

List each of your previous employment roles in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent/current employment listed first) and include:

the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the employment
the title of each position
the name of the employing organisation, the city, and country where you were based
your main duties or accountabilities in that role, providing detailed information on any research-related activities
any achievements during that role that are relevant to your proposed field of research .

Other research experience

List any voluntary, unpaid, or extra-curricular research-related projects or experiences you have undertaken (e.g. summer research projects, internships etc.) and include:

the commencing and end dates (month and year) of the experience
the name of the organisation, the city, and country where you were based

Research outputs

In reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent output first) list your research outputs, including for example research published or accepted for publication, research reports, and research by creative practice.

If needed, use sub-headings to separate refereed journal articles, published conference proceedings, edited book chapters, books, creative works, industry reports, invited papers, patents, media commentary, conference presentations and posters, invited talks etc. If applicable, use additional sub-headings to indicate if outputs are published , accepted for publication (but not yet in print), or (submitted but) under review .

Do not include any outputs/publications that are ‘in preparation’ .

For all research outputs, include:

the output/publication reference using an official bibliographical style (such as Turabian/Chicago, APA, Harvard), including listing all authors in the order that they appear in the work with your name in bold
the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), PubMed Identifier (PMID), International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or URL where applicable
the standing of the journal or conference and the impact of the work (e.g. impact factors, citations and other metrics indicators)
relevant indicators of national or international significance
rejection rates for the outlet etc.
how much of the original research you were responsible for (i.e. what was your role in the conception and design of the project and how involved were you in the analysis and interpretation of the research data on which the publication is based?)
the extent to which you authored the paper.

Research grants and relevant awards

Include only those research grants and relevant awards that you have received at the time of making your application (i.e. do not list grants or awards that you applied for and did not receive or are awaiting a decision on). For each research grant/award, include:

the name of the granting/awarding body and the country in which they are based
the name of the grant/award
the year(s) in which the grant was active or the year in which the award was made
the amount of the research grant/award
if relevant (e.g. for research grants), the title of your application.

Applicants from creative and professional-based disciplines may also include non-research grants and awards related to their creative or professional practice.

Research achievements relative to opportunity (optional)

In recognition of the diverse personal and professional pathways that applicants have experienced, you are invited to provide information ( maximum 200 words ) to contextualise your research outputs and achievements, relative to the opportunities that you have had to participate in research-related activities.

This section of the CV is optional and should only be included if you believe there are factors relevant to your research achievements that you would like the selection panels to know. Examples of factors include (but are not limited to):

study/career disruptions due to illness, caregiving, natural disasters etc.
non-linear academic or career progression, or a change in career direction
reduced ability to take up research-related opportunities (e.g. attend conferences) due to caregiving responsibilities.

Academic referees

Please provide us with two referees who can comment on your academic work. For each referee, include their:

honorific and name
employing organisation and the city and country where they are located
contact details, including office address, telephone, fax and email (preferably an institutional, rather than private, email address)
an indication of the capacity in which you know this person (e.g. were they a lecturer or thesis supervisor, an employer, how long you’ve known them etc.).

If possible, please include at least one:

senior person (preferably your supervisor or the head of your organisational unit) closely associated with your current work, and
person who is not a member of your proposed advisory panel/supervisory team.

Formatting and document specifications

We recommend that you use the below formatting settings to improve the readability of your CV:

margins of at least 1.5 centimetres
single line spacing
no smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font (or equivalent)
left justify text (not full justify)
include your name and page number on each page
be consistent in your formatting and spelling throughout
limit the use of bold, underline, italics, and multiple font types.

Please proofread your CV carefully before uploading it to your application.

Save as a PDF and name your file: LASTNAME_firstname_CV.pdf

There is no page limit to your academic CV – it can be as long as required to include the information requested here.

Please include in your CV all the headings listed above – if you do not have any content to add for a particular heading please list ‘None to date’ under that heading .

An academic CV for employment purposes within Australia would not include the information requested here outlining your three most significant publications or your research achievements relative to opportunity. It would, however, include information about professional and service activities undertaken and may include a summary of your relevant research/teaching interest areas and skill sets – this information is not required in the CV you submit here for application to an HDR program.

This should show all study you have undertaken since secondary school, whether complete or incomplete, including the institution grading scale. The grading scale is often found on the final page or the reverse page; be sure to include all pages.

An academic transcript can also be called an:

academic record
diploma supplement
statement of learning
record of achievement.

A degree certificate is a legal document, imprinted with a university seal. It should state the name of your qualification and areas of study.

Include all degree certificates (testamurs) for post-secondary study with your application. If you studied in China, you must provide a:

award certificate and
graduate statement/certificate.

All applicants have to prove they can meet English language requirements . Any test scores have to be valid at your proposed commencement date.

Include a copy of the information page (with your photo) in your passport. This will verify your identity and ensure we can make offers correctly.

Include the contact details of two referees who will support your application. These referees will need to provide insight into your research experience.

We will contact your referees for a report, but you will need to enter their details into the application form.

Other documentation, originals or certified copies, may be required depending on your individual circumstances, for example:

evidence of change of name
proof of citizenship, if you are not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand by birth
evidence of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status
previous research program information .

If you don't provide us with all documents it will take us longer to process your application. Your start date might then be delayed, or you might miss an admission or scholarship deadline.

4. Apply online

Once you have prepared your application and contacted a potential supervisor, use the online application form to apply. Your application can only be assessed once your referees have responded to us, and all outstanding documents and school/institute endorsements have been received.

Important dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ).

To commence by	You must apply by
RQ 1: January	30 September
RQ 2: April	31 December
RQ 3: July	31 March
RQ 4: October	30 June

Candidates applying for a Student Visa or UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check scholarship round application deadlines and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your Confirmation of Enrolment.

Find out more about research quarter dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ). You can start a PhD in any quarter, as long as the Census Date hasn't passed.

Candidates applying for a UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check scholarship round application deadlines and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your offer of admission.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

Explore other programs

Express yourself. and your interest..

They say choosing a degree is hard, which is why we've made it easy. Register your interest and we'll send you everything you need to know about applying to UQ.

Sign up for updates

We will use your information to keep you informed about UQ programs, news, events and scholarships. By submitting this form, you consent to the terms of UQ's Marketing consent and privacy notice .

IMAGES

Philosophy of science for PhD students in social
Nwf.com: An Introduction to Social Philosophy: John Stuart Mac: كتب
Doing a PhD in the Social Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (PhD by Research)
Studies in Social Philosophy
Philosophy of social science

COMMENTS

The Joint Degree Program in Social Thought & Philosophy
The information above highlights the basic requirements for the Joint Degree Program in Social Thought and Philosophy. Usually, PhD students in Philosophy take at least a year's worth of graduate courses before they can petition to get into the Joint Program. At that point, they should discuss all the specific requirements and administrative ...
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The PhD program in Social and Behavioral Sciences is designed for individuals seeking training for careers as social and behavioral scientists, health educators, and health promotion or communication specialists in the public health arena. The curriculum centers on the application of social and behavioral science perspectives to research on ...
Philosophy PhD Program
The PhD in Philosophy is designed for students who have completed the Philosophy MA at The New School for Social Research or a comparable master's degree from another university. The PhD provides maximum flexibility, enabling graduates to develop the highest level of competence in their chosen field of scholarly specialization. Degree Doctor of ...
Joint/Dual Doctoral Programs
Joint PhD Social Thought & Philosophy. The Joint Ph.D. Program in Social Thought and Philosophy is designed to provide students with equal in-depth training, simultaneously provided by the Committee on Social Thought and the Department of Philosophy. Those interested in pursuing this joint degree program must first be admitted in EITHER the ...
Doctoral Program
Stanford's Ph.D. program is among the world's best. Our graduate students receive their training in a lively community of philosophers engaged in a wide range of philosophical projects. 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 ...
Philosophy
Program Overview. The Department of Philosophy's graduate program in social, political, ethical and legal philosophy (SPEL) supports inquiry into the broad array of value theory. Our faculty draw upon a variety of traditions and approaches to address historical, practical and abstract philosophical questions prompted by our evaluative lives.
Philosophy, PHD
The program features a focus on practical and applied philosophy and an interdisciplinary coursework component related to the student's research topic. Practical philosophy includes the fields of ethics, philosophy of law, social and political philosophy, feminist ethics and political philosophy.
Doctor of Philosophy
Social and behavioral sciences; Career outcomes. 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 ...
Teaching of Social Studies PhD
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Studies requires 75 points of graduate study and a dissertation. The Ph.D. degree program in Social Studies leads to a strongly research-oriented degree designed for individuals preparing for a career in teaching, conducting research, and working in teacher education in a university setting, or a private or public policy organization.
PhD
The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD) Program will transform you into a scholar well-equipped to identify and solve social problems - both close to home and around the world. Grounded in innovation and academic rigor, the SP2 PhD allows you to explore diverse perspectives and approaches to social work, social welfare research ...
Frequently Asked Questions
Successful candidates should possess strong analytic, theoretical and methodological skills, as well as relevant social and behavioral science and public health experience. A prior master's degree is not a criterion for admissions to the doctoral program. However, successful applicants generally have a prior master's degree in a related ...
PhD Program Overview
The PhD Program in Philosophy offers an intensive course of study in preparation for a career as a scholar and teacher of philosophy. The program in particular consists of four major components. (1) Completing coursework in the three main areas of contemporary philosophy and in the history of philosophy. ... These social events build solidarity ...
Philosophy Degrees
The New School for Social Research is a graduate institution in New York City. We generate progressive scholarship in the social sciences and philosophy. Our 75+ full-time faculty members in nine departments offer masters and doctoral degrees to 800 graduate students. Learn more
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (Ph.D.)
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Social Work in conjunction with the School of Graduate Studies-New Brunswick provides an outstanding program of academics and research. Here are a few key features: ... • Graduate Research Coordinator, Center for Research on Ending Violence, Rutgers University (2018-2020) • Quality Control Evaluator, Ryan ...
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (PhD Program)
Program Overview. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work program's goal is to create scholars who will develop and disseminate new knowledge about interventions, programs, and policies that will advance social justice and improve quality of life and well-being for vulnerable groups of people.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD/DPhil)
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Research (Integration of Religion and Society) Explore Our Unique Doctoral Degree Program Focused on Helping Professionals Change the World through Social Research. Gain the knowledge and confidence to lead, publish, and change the world at Omega Graduate School (OGS). The OGS Doctor of Philosophy in the ...
Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and Social Anthropology
Program Description. Doctoral programs at CEU are fully funded study programs with a standard duration of 4 years that award a US and an Austrian degree. The PhD program does not have separate sociology and anthropology tracks—both disciplines are integrated. Students are encouraged to conduct empirical research using a wide variety of ...
PhD Program
The Columbia School of Social Work's Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program has produced many of the world's most influential leaders in Social Work and Social Welfare Scholarship since its inception in 1950. The program is offered by Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and administered by the School of Social Work. . It prepares candidates for careers as ...
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (Ph.D.) Admissions
We offer a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in conjunction with the Graduate School-New Brunswick. Rutgers is a member of the highly selective Association of American Universities (AAU) comprised of 62 leading research universities in North America. We have an outstanding research faculty and research opportunities for doctoral students.
Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)
KU's School of Social Welfare offers social work degree programs at undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels: BSW, MSW, DSW and PhD. Learn more. Degree Programs. Request Info. Info Sessions. PhD students at the KU School of Social Welfare graduate with the critical knowledge and skills they need to become innovative stewards of the discipline.
Social Philosophy
This year's topic: Social Ontology and Epistemology. In this reading group, we will study recent work on social ontology and epistemology. During the fall semester, we'll cover social ontology, i.e., the field of metaphysics which concerns the ontological status of social kinds. Do social kinds, such as races, ethnicities, and genders, exist?
Social and Political Philosophy
The American Philosophical Association University of Delaware 31 Amstel Avenue, Newark, DE 19716 Phone: 302.831.1112 | Fax: 302.831.8690 Email: [email protected]
Doctor of Philosophy
Philosophy. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an internationally recognised graduate research program that will enable you to become an independent researcher. With the guidance of an advisory team, you'll undertake a research project, produce an 80,000-word thesis and complete an oral examination. A PhD takes 3 to 4 years full-time.