Program Overview

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Overview of the Doctoral Program in Philosophy

The Doctoral Program in Philosophy at Stanford University is among the world's best, providing students with rigorous training in traditional core areas of philosophy and opportunities to explore many subfields. The program is designed to balance structure and flexibility, allowing students to develop a broad and substantial exposure to major areas of philosophy while focusing on areas of particular interest.

PhD Requirements

The PhD requirements include:

• First-year Ph.D. Proseminar: a one-quarter, topically focused seminar required of all first-year students.
• Distribution requirements: six courses distributed across three areas:
  1. Value theory (including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law)
  2. Language, mind, and action
  3. Metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science)
• 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.
• Teaching Assistancy: a minimum of five quarters of teaching assistancy are required for the PhD.
• 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.
• Writing Seminar: in the Summer Quarter after the second year, students are required to attend the Second Year Paper Development Seminar.
• Dissertation Work and Defense: the third and following years are devoted to dissertation work, with milestones including a dissertation proposal, departmental oral, and university oral exam.

PhD Minor in Philosophy

To obtain a PhD minor in Philosophy, students must:

1. Consult with the Director of Graduate Study to establish eligibility and select a suitable advisor.
2. Complete 30 units of courses in the Department of Philosophy with a letter grade of 'B-' or better in each course.
3. Take at least one course or seminar numbered over 99 in each of six areas:
4. Logic
5. Philosophy of science
6. Ethics, value theory, and moral and political philosophy
7. Metaphysics and epistemology
8. Language, mind, and action
9. History of philosophy
10. A faculty member from the Department of Philosophy 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.

Interdisciplinary Study

The department supports interdisciplinary study, and courses in Stanford's other departments and programs may be counted towards the degree. Dissertation committees may include members from other departments.

Graduate Program in Cognitive Science

Philosophy participates with the departments of Computer Science, Linguistics, and Psychology in an interdisciplinary program in Cognitive Science. Students who complete the requirements within Philosophy and the Cognitive Science requirements receive a special designation in Cognitive Science along with the PhD in Philosophy.

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.

Joint Program in Ancient Philosophy

This program is jointly administered by the Departments of Classics and Philosophy and provides students with the training, specialist skills, and knowledge needed for research and teaching in ancient philosophy.

Ph.D. Subplan in History and Philosophy of Science

Graduate students in the Philosophy PhD program may pursue a PhD subplan in History and Philosophy of Science. The subplan requires:

1. Attendance at the HPS colloquium series.
2. Selecting one of several Philosophy of Science courses.
3. One elective seminar in the history of science.
4. One elective seminar in philosophy of science.

Funding

The PhD program provides 5 years of financial support, including tuition, stipend, and health insurance. Additional funds are available for books, computer equipment, relocation, and conference travel expenses.

Program Characteristics

The 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, with a transition to working on their dissertations in the third year. The goal of the third year is to generate a topic and proposal for the dissertation, with the fourth and fifth years focused exclusively on research and writing.