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Dec 01, 2024
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2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Philosophy Major, PhD
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Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
Philosophy is an ancient discipline. It pursues systematic rational inquiry into human experience and the broader world. Its main subfields include: ethics, the study of what to do and how to live; metaphysics, the study of the nature of the world; and epistemology, the study of knowledge and understanding of the world. The history of philosophy is also an important subfield. Philosophy pursues its questions with a variety of methods. These have at their core commitment to precise, clear, and careful explanation, argument, and analysis; to the refusal of dogmatism; to ongoing openness to criticism; and to the production of a systematic and accurate view of both ourselves and the world in which we live. The serious study of philosophy broadens intellectual horizons. A PhD in philosophy also prepares students for a career as an academic researcher and teacher.
Campus Code
Knoxville Campus
Admissions Standards/Procedures
- Admission to the graduate program is decided on a case-by-case basis. The deadline to apply is January 15.
- An application to our program includes
- a writing sample of approximately 5000-6000 words,
- personal statement,
- GRE scores,
- transcripts from prior degree programs, and
- three letters of recommendation.
- While some prior experience in philosophy is necessary for admission, we are open to applications both with and without prior degrees (MA or BA) in philosophy.
Credit Hours Required
- Minimum of 72 credit hours after the Bachelor’s or
- Minimum of 48 credit hours after the Master’s
Required Courses
- PHIL 600 (24 credit hours)
- For students with a Master’s, 24 credit hours, or for students with only a Bachelor’s, 48 credit hours selected in consultation with the major professor and/or dissertation committee. These must include
- the proseminar (PHIL 601 ) and
- at least one other philosophy course at the 600-level
Additional Course Requirements
- There are course distribution requirements, to ensure breadth of knowledge across
- ethics and political philosophy,
- metaphysics and epistemology, and
- history of philosophy
- Please see the department’s graduate student handbook for details of these distribution requirements
- Prior graduate-level coursework may be used to fulfill these requirements.
- Courses are selected in consultation with the major professor and/or guidance committee.
Non-Course Requirements
- Students must normally demonstrate a reading knowledge of one living foreign language in which there exists a significant body of philosophical literature.
- In special circumstances relating to the area of dissertation research, the Graduate Committee may (i) approve a language that does not satisfy these conditions or (ii) waive the requirement of a foreign language in favor of another appropriate research skill.
- Preparation and defense of a dissertation
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Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
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