Philosophy, Ph.D.

Specific Courses Required
PHI 5318Logic for Philosophers3
PHI 5319Philosophical Writing3
PHI 5350Workshop in Teaching Philosophy3
PHI 5330Readings in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy3
PHI 5331Readings in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy3
PHI 6V10Prospectus Research1
PHI 6V99Dissertation9
Area Course Requirements
A total of 15 semester hours required as follows:
Contemporary Issues in Philosophy
Each graduate student must satisfy a Contemporary Issues area requirement in each of ethics, epistemology and metaphysics. The requirement is satisfied by receiving a grade of B or higher in a 5000-level course of at least three credits which is primarily in the area in question according to the decision of the Graduate Director, and which course is not listed under Specific Courses Required. Moreover, the same course cannot be used to satisfy more than one of the Contemporary Issues requirements, or to satisfy both a Contemporary Issues requirement and a History of Philosophy requirement.
Select nine semester hours from the following:9
Value Theory
Readings from the Philosophers (Course may be taken up to six times with different topics for a total of eighteen credit hours)
Topics in Action Theory
Topics in Philosophy of Mind
Contemporary Philosophical Problems
Philosophical Writing
Special Topics in Philosophy (may be taken up to four times, with different topics)
Topics in Epistemology
Topics in Metaphysics
Seminar in Political Philosophy
Seminar on Religion, Law, and Politics
Contemporary Ethical Theory (may be taken up to three times, with different topics)
Topics in Contemporary Philosophy of Religion (may be taken up to three times, with different topics)
Issues in Contemporary Philosophy of Science (may be taken up to three times, with different topics)
Topics in Philosophy of Language (may be taken up to three times, with different topics)
Advanced Seminar in Political Philosophy
History of Philosophy
Select six semester hours from the following:6
History of Philosophy: Patristic and Medieval
Latin American Philosophy
East Asian Philosophy
Contemporary Continental Philosophy
Contemporary American Philosophy
Jewish Philosophy
Islam and Democracy
Special Topics in Philosophy
Readings from Plato
Readings from Aristotle
Readings from Kierkegaard
Readings from the Philosophers (Course may be taken up to six times with different topics for a total of eighteen credit hours)
Topics in Classical Philosophy (Course may be taken up to three times with different topics for a total of nine credit hours)
Topics in Modern Philosophy (Course may be taken up to three times with different topics for a total of nine credit hours)
Classical Political Thought
Medieval Political Thought
Modern Political Thought
Electives
30 Semester hours required chosen with the approval of the Graduate Program Director to cover a broad range of contemporary philosophical issues and historical areas and to ensure a development of at least one area of specialization (AOS) and an area of competency (AOC). Students who enter the Ph.D. program in philosophy with an M.A. in philosophy or a closely related discipline may have the 30 elective hours reduced to take appropriate account of their previous graduate work. The Graduate Program Director will determine the exact number of hours that will transfer, but the maximum number will be 18 semester hours. No course used to fulfill a requirement in Sections 1 and 2 of these requirements can be used towards the electives requirement.30
Total Hours70

Philosophy Preparation

  1. A written examination in classical texts of ancient philosophy and medieval philosophy.
  2. A written examination in classical texts of modern and twentieth century philosophy.
  3. A written dissertation prospectus (not more than 15 pages) and a bibliography.
  4. An oral dissertation prospectus defense.
  5. A dissertation and a bibliography.
  6. An oral examination over the dissertation.

Foreign Language

No foreign language is strictly required for completion of the Ph.D. in philosophy.  However, no later than at the time of the prospectus defense, the dissertation committee shall set for each student any relevant requirements beyond the philosophy course work necessary to the pursuit of the student’s research, as well as the means by which these are to be satisfied.  Normally this will be a foreign language.

Teaching Preparation

  1. Six to twelve hours of assisting in introductory courses.
  2. PHI 5350 Workshop in Teaching Philosophy
  3. Six to twelve hours of teaching as an instructor of record.