Program Overview

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Program Overview

The PhD program in philosophy at the University at Albany provides an excellent foundation in graduate-level epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy. Students can choose between a specialization in philosophy of knowledge and representation and the specialization in philosophy of values and society.

Program of Study

The PhD program starts with foundational coursework, followed by advanced seminars, research, and directed readings in philosophy. Students will complete an original dissertation in close cooperation with their faculty advisors.

Core Philosophy Courses

• One of the following courses related to ways of knowing:
  • Theory of Knowledge
  • Philosophy of Science
• One of the following courses in the philosophy of thought and meaning:
  • Metaphysics
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Philosophy of Mind
• One of the following courses in the philosophy of morality and values:
  • Ancient Ethical Theory
  • 17th-19th Century Ethical Theory
  • Contemporary Ethical Theory
  • Fundamental Issues in Ethics
• One of the following courses in the philosophy of law, rights, and justice:
  • History of Political Philosophy
  • Contemporary Political Philosophy
  • Fundamental Issues in Political Philosophy

Specialization Courses

• Choose three or more courses in subjects related to your specialization of knowledge and representation or values and society.

History of Philosophy Courses

• Choose three courses in ancient and modern philosophy:
  • One or two of the following courses in ancient philosophy:
    • Plato
    • Aristotle
    • Medieval Philosophy
    • Ancient Philosophy after Aristotle
  • One or two of the following courses in modern philosophy:
    • British Empiricism
    • The Continental Rationalists
    • Kant and Continental Idealism
  • If you take only one course in each area, choose a third from the following:
    • Ancient Ethical Theory
    • 17th-19th Century Ethical Theory
    • Phenomenology
    • 19th Century Continental Philosophy
    • Pragmatism
    • History of Political Philosophy
    • Topics in the History of Philosophy
    • History of Logic
    • Analytic Philosophy

Additional Requirements

• Demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language or research tool.
• Pass a comprehensive and topical exam.
• Write and orally defend a dissertation.

Areas of Specialization

Knowledge and Representation

• Focuses on historical and contemporary philosophical studies related to cognitive, linguistic, aesthetic, and cultural ways of knowing and symbolic systems.
• Sample courses:
  • Metaphysics
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Analytic Philosophy
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Theory of Knowledge
  • Logic and Philosophy
  • Philosophy of the Social Sciences
  • Theory of Art
  • Topical courses in epistemology and philosophies of aesthetics, logic, psychology, and cognitive science.

Values and Society

• Focuses on moral and political dilemmas that arise as social values are expressed.
• Sample courses:
  • Ethics and Public Policy
  • Philosophical and Ethical Issues in Public Health
  • Bioethics
  • Ancient Ethical Theory
  • 17th-19th Century Ethical Theory
  • Contemporary Ethical Theory
  • Theory and Function of Religion
  • Philosophy and Public Affairs
  • Philosophy of Race
  • Philosophy and the Humanities
  • Philosophy and Literature
  • History of Political Philosophy
  • Contemporary Political Philosophy
  • Meta-ethics
  • Topical courses in ethics and philosophies of religion, law, and politics.

Career Outcomes

• Earning your doctorate will qualify you to teach philosophy and cognate subjects in community and junior colleges, private liberal arts colleges, four-year public schools, major universities, and private secondary academies.
• Possessing a PhD will also enable you to pursue a variety of careers in government agencies, political think tanks, nonpartisan research firms, international nonprofits, social impact startups, and educational technology companies.

Admissions Requirements

Deadlines

• Departmental Assistantship Consideration:
  • Fall: February 15
  • Spring: November 1
  • Summer: Not Available
• No Departmental Assistantship Consideration:
  • Fall: Rolling
  • Spring: Rolling
  • Summer: Not Available

Required Application Materials

• Transcripts from all schools attended
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official GRE Scores
• Statement of goals
• Writing sample

Student Learning Objectives

• The Ph.D. program in philosophy trains students to become professional philosophers, both as teachers and as researchers.
• Students acquire a strong background in the history of Western philosophy as well as in contemporary, issue-driven, topical philosophy.
• Learning objectives:
  • Students acquire and demonstrate a strong background in the history of Western philosophy as well as in contemporary, issue-driven, topical philosophy and show they have developed the tools and capabilities to do research in their areas.
  • Students acquire and demonstrate the skill of engaging in specific investigation and research in philosophy. They demonstrate knowledge of recent philosophical literature in their area, and expertise with the tools and capabilities to do original research in their areas.
  • Students demonstrate professional-level skill in producing research by producing a substantial piece of original research (i.e., dissertation).