Philosophy
105 Gregory Hall
810 South Wright Street
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-2889
phildept@illinois.edu
Major: Philosophy
Degrees Offered: M.A. and Ph.D.
Graduate Concentration: Medieval Studies ( (available to all degrees)
Joint Degree Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Philosophy and Juris Doctor (J.D.) in Law through joint Law and Philosophy program
Dual Degree Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Philosophy and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) through the Medical Scholars Program
Graduate Degree Programs
The normal program of graduate study in philosophy is directed toward the Ph.D. The M.A. degree is awarded after completing Stage One. Only under exceptional circumstances and without any commitment of financial aid, students may be allowed to seek only the Master of Arts degree. This happens only rarely. Students seeking solely an M.A. degree are encouraged to apply elsewhere.
Admission
The Graduate College admission requirements apply. Applicants should have had a course in symbolic logic and general courses in the history of ancient and early modern philosophy. Students deficient in these areas may be admitted, but they are required to remedy their deficiencies by taking such courses in their first year. Applicants should also have done some coursework in such central areas of philosophical inquiry as ethics and the theory of knowledge. All applications for admission must be supported by three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on the applicant's aptitude for graduate study in philosophy. All applicants are also required to take the general aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and to submit their scores. They are further required to submit a sample of their written work in philosophy (10-20 pages). International applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit their scores; a score of at least 600 on the paper-based test (115 on the computer-based test) is required for regular admission. In addition, these students must demonstrate competence in oral English before they will be allowed to assist as preceptors for the department, as described in the information for teaching assistants.
The deadline for applications is January 1 for admission in the following fall semester. Students are not normally permitted to start the program in the spring semester. For additional information see the department's information for prospective graduate students.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's Graduate Program Regulations and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Arts
The M.A. degree is awarded after completing Stage I. Students may not apply to the M.A. degree program.
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Hours in regularly scheduled courses (excluding PHIL 583 and 590) | 24-32 |
| Directed Research, PHIL 590, or Independent Study, PHIL 583 | 0-8 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Minimum Number of 500-level Hours Required Overall (excluding 583 and 590): |
12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| A one-year residence requirement | |
| Submission of a substantial essay and passing an oral examination on this essay OR admission to Stage II. | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.25 |
Students qualify for the M.A.degree by earning at least 32 hours of graduate credit with at least a 3.25 grade point average (A = 4.0), as specified above.
Doctor of Philosophy
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| A course distribution requirement: Two graduate-level courses must be taken in each of the department's main areas of concentration: value theory, history of philosophy, and metaphysics-epistemology-philosophy of mind. | 0-24, some hours may be completed during Stage I |
| Students must demonstrate competence in symbolic logic, either by passing an approved course in the subject or by passing a proficiency examination administered by the department. | 0-4 |
| Regular Seminars | 12-24 min, some hours may be completed during Stage I |
| Minor area outside of Philosophy (max hours allowed 8, unless an extra-departmental minor is declared and fulfilled, then max 16) | 0-16, amounts over 8 require approval |
| Language Requirement: Students must demonstrate a basic reading knowledge of one of the following languages: German, French, Greek, and Latin. | 0 |
| Thesis Hours Required – PHIL 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 16 min |
| Total Hours | 64 |
Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: |
48 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| The max. limit of 583 (Independent Study) hours that can be used to satisfy Ph.D. requirements is 12. Participation in a dissertation seminar is required each term in the Third Stage, as is participation in one regular seminar per year. | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.25 |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | No, but Masters level requirements must be met (32 hours) |
| Qualifying Exam Required | No |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes |
The Ph.D. program has three stages. The first stage is completed when a student has earned 32 hours of graduate credit, or it may be deemed completed if the student has received a master's degree in philosophy elsewhere. The second stage is completed when the student has earned 32 additional hours (or, having received a master's degree previously, has earned and has been allowed transfer credit for a total of 64 hours) and has satisfied the preliminary examination requirement, a course distribution requirement, a foreign language requirement, and a logic requirement. Of the 64 hours required for the Ph.D. (beyond the MA level requirements), only 12 can be in Independent Study courses (Philosophy 583), and at least 20 must be earned in regular seminars. The third stage is completed when the student has earned another 32 hours of graduate credit (usually in seminars and thesis research) and has satisfied the thesis and doctoral oral examination requirements (see below). Also required in the Third Stage is participation in a dissertation-writing seminar each term and participation in one regular seminar per year. Third-stage regular seminar participation is typically for 2 hours credit, thus totaling 4 hours beyond the 20 hours (min) of seminars required for Stage 2. A minimum grade point average of 3.25 (A = 4.0) is required for the Ph.D. degree. Candidates must also satisfy the Graduate College residence requirement.
Candidates need not take work in a minor field outside the department. In cases in which advanced study in philosophy would be enhanced by study in a related discipline, students may use such related coursework to satisfy the credit requirements for the degree, limited to 8 hours. If a student wishes the work to count as an extra-departmental minor, the minimum number of hours accepted is 8 and the maximum is 16.
After satisfying these requirements, a candidate for the Ph.D. must submit an acceptable dissertation and pass a final, oral examination on the thesis. The acceptability of the thesis is judged and the final examination administered by the candidate's doctoral committee.
Ph.D. candidates who wish simultaneously to pursue advanced degrees in other disciplines (e.g., medicine or law) are permitted to do so.
Joint Degree Program
For the Ph.D.-J.D. dual degree program, the specific requirements of both Philosophy and Law programs must be met. But 16 hours of Law courses can be counted toward the Philosophy, and 16 hours of Philosophy courses can be counted toward the Law degree. Students enrolled in the Ph.D.-J.D. program take an average of seven years to complete both degrees. This program allows an exception to the simultaneous conferral rule in that the J.D. may be conferred prior to completion of the Ph.D. degree. The first year of the program is typically spent meeting requirements of the Philosophy degree.
Dual Degree Program
For the Ph.D.-M.D. dual degree program, the specific requirements of both the Philosophy and medical programs must be met. Students enrolled in the Ph.D.-M.D. program take an average of eight years, including summers, to complete both degrees. The first year of the program is typically spent meeting requirements of the Philosophy degree.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program.
Financial Aid
Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are offered financial aid, in the form of fellowships or assistantships, which cover living expenses and include a waiver of tuition and service fees. This aid will usually be continued for up to five years provided the student is making normal progress. Further details are qualifications are given in the department's graduate regulations.