The Department of Philosophy offers work leading to the doctor of philosophy with a major in philosophy.
The MA is granted to PhD program students when they pass their preliminary examinations and become a dissertator. When a student must leave the program early and is unable to complete a PhD, a terminal MA is granted upon satisfying the department's criteria for a master's degree.
The PhD degree is awarded in recognition of a successfully completed program of advanced studies in philosophy, culminating in a dissertation which represents a contribution to philosophy or to philosophical scholarship.
The PhD program falls into two major stages. The first consists of work that prepares the student for admission to candidacy for the PhD degree. Studies during the first stage of the program are devoted to acquiring the philosophical skills and learning needed to do philosophy in the second stage when writing a successful dissertation.
The department offers five years of support to all incoming graduate students. Support begins with the first fall semester and continues for at least nine additional semesters, provided the student makes satisfactory academic progress and carries out duties acceptably as a graduate assistant.
The department assigns a faculty member as placement officer and devotes a significant portion of staff resources to help graduates find employment.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | January 5 |
| Spring Deadline | The program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
For admission to the PhD program with full graduate standing, an applicant must have completed the equivalent of a BA with a major in philosophy. Promising applicants who do not meet this requirement may be admitted with deficiencies provided that they have completed at least 12 credits in philosophy.
You must apply online by the fall deadline to be considered for admission.
The process begins with the application to the UW–Madison Graduate School.
Answer all required questions and be sure to submit the following:
- Reasons for Study (also called Statement of Purpose)
- Names of at least three professors and their email addresses for letters of recommendation
- English language proficiency test scores if your native language is not English
- Supplemental application (questionnaire about what philosophy courses you've already taken)
- Writing sample (4,500–6,000 words recommended, which is 15–20 pages double-spaced, devoted to a philosophical subject)
If you have questions about the process of applying, contact the graduate coordinator, uwmadisongradprogram@philosophy.wisc.edu or 608-263-5278.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
We offer five years of support to all incoming graduate students, beginning their first fall semester, and continuing for at least nine additional semesters, provided the student makes satisfactory academic progress and carries out duties acceptably as graduate assistants. The support you receive may vary from year to year between assistantships and lectureships.
Note to International Students
Please be advised that all students who are not United States citizens must prove that they have the financial means to live and study in the U.S. before they are granted a visa. For an explanation of this policy, see International Applicant Financial Information.
Additional Financial Aid
Citizens of the United States and permanent residents should contact the office of Student Financial Aid (608-262-3060) for more information on eligibility, how and when to apply, and types of aid.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 32 credits; 27 credits must be taken in PHILOS coursework |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 48 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.50 GPA required. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Philosophy requires a grade of B or better in all PHILOS seminars. |
| Assessments and Examinations | Students are required to complete the following:
|
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. Students in the History of Philosophy area may find it important to take additional language courses chosen in consultation with their advisor. |
| Graduate School Breadth Requirement | All doctoral students are required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. Refer to the Graduate School: Breadth Requirement in Doctoral Training policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1200. A minor composed only of Philosophy courses is possible. Completion of such a minor requires a student takes at least three courses, numbered 500 or above, including two graduate seminars, all of which fall outside their major area of specialization. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Proseminar | 3 | |
| Students must complete the following course. | ||
| Proseminar in Philosophy | ||
| Teaching Seminar | 1 | |
| Students must complete the following course during the first year of teaching. | ||
| Teaching Philosophy | ||
| Other Seminars | 30 | |
| Students must complete 30 credits or 10 seminars from the following: | ||
| Reading Seminar | ||
| Seminar: Epistemology | ||
| Seminar-Logic | ||
| Seminar-Philosophy of Language | ||
| Seminar-Philosophy of Science:Causation, Explanation & Probability | ||
| Seminar-Ethics | ||
| Seminar-Philosophy of Mind | ||
| Seminar Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Metaphysics Seminar | ||
| History of Philosophy Requirement (6 credits) | ||
Within the 30-credit or 10 seminar requirement, students must complete 6-credits of History of Philosophy courses. | ||
| Advanced History of Philosophy | ||
| Advanced History of Philosophy | ||
| Logic | ||
| Students must select one of the three options to complete this requirement: | ||
| Option 1 | ||
Pass a proficiency exam administered by the Logic Committee | ||
| Option 2 | ||
Pass an advanced UW logic course like those listed below. Students may apply one of the following courses toward the seminar requirement. | ||
| Symbolic Logic | ||
or PHILOS 512 | Methods of Logic | |
| Option 3 | ||
Pass a course at another institution that includes or surpasses the content of PHILOS 511 or PHILOS 512. The Logic Committee will review documentation related to the relevant course's content and determine whether the student satisfies the logic requirement. | ||
| Reading Seminar | 6 | |
| Students must complete at least 6 credits by choosing one of the options. | ||
| Option 1 | ||
| Reading Seminar (taken twice) | ||
| Option 2 | ||
Students complete an additional seminar numbered 800-900 | ||
| Research | ||
| Students must complete directed research or thesis-prep courses to meet the minimum credit requirement. | ||
| PHILOS 990 | Research and Thesis | 2-9 |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
Seminar Requirement
Each of the other listed seminars (except for the Proseminar and Teaching Seminar) meets with a concurrently offered PHILOS 701 Reading Seminar. Students who complete PHILOS 701 in place of the other listed seminar attend all the seminar meetings and complete the readings, but have a substantially lighter workload, determined by the professor before the beginning of the semester.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 6 credits of graduate coursework taken as a graduate student from other institutions. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the degree.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 9 credits of coursework numbered 500 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Probation
Students who have four or more grades of “Incomplete” may not register for further work until these Incompletes have been removed. It is the policy of the philosophy department not to give Incompletes, except when illness or events beyond the student’s control prevent the completion of course work.
If a student who is not making satisfactory progress (a) has at any one time three or more incompletes that have been on the student’s record for one semester or more, or (b) has not passed the dissertation prospectus examination by the end of the ninth semester of residency, or (c) has at any time a cumulative GPA of less than 3.5 in philosophy graduate seminars (those numbered 800 and above), then the student will be placed on probation; and if after two semesters there is still a deficiency, the student will be removed from the program.
No student while on probation is eligible for appointment as a TA, PA, or RA nor will that student be recommended by the department for a fellowship.
Advisor / Committee
Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. An advisor is a faculty member, or sometimes a committee, from the major department responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies. Students can be suspended from the Graduate School if they do not have an advisor.
To ensure that students are making satisfactory progress toward a degree, the Graduate School expects students to meet with their advisor on a regular basis.
The Assistant to the Chair serves as the advisor for the first year or so. Students then select an advisor and, as coursework and other requirements are completed, a committee of faculty is selected by the student to serve as advisors. The primary advisor serves as the dissertation chair. The dissertation committee members (typically 3 faculty from the Department of Philosophy) serve as readers.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits
Time Limits
The program of study that you work out will be designed for completion, normally, by the end of the sixth or seventh semester of full-time graduate studies.
In order to make satisfactory academic progress, a student must attempt to complete the logic requirement by the end of his or her first year. If the student does not fulfill the requirement, then another attempt must be made in the third semester. If the student fails to satisfy the requirement again, another attempt must be made in the fourth semester. If the student fails to pass the requirement by the end of his or her fourth semester, then this will constitute failure to make satisfactory academic progress. Subject to instructor’s willingness, a student may attempt to pass the requirement more than once in a semester.
All entering graduate students will participate in a proseminar in their first term in residence. All graduate students must take the Teaching Philosophy course during their first year of teaching.
- A student who is normally enrolled and in residence in the PhD. program is making satisfactory progress unless that student:
- has not attempted to complete the logic requirement by the end of the first year in residence and continued to attempt to complete the logic requirement in each subsequent semester until completing this requirement, or
- has not completed the logic requirement by the end of the second year in residence, or
- has not satisfied the history of philosophy requirement by the end of the third year of residence, or
- as not become a dissertator by the end of the fourth year of residence, or
- has not passed the examination on the dissertation prospectus by (a) the end of the ninth semester in residence or (b) within one year after passing the prelim, whichever is later.
Moreover, failure to submit a passing prelim by the end of the seventh semester will result in dismissal from the program.
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.
Other
n/a
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Learning Outcomes
- Expert ability to think critically about arguments.
- Expert ability to interpret complex texts accurately and analyze them logically.
- Ability to design curriculum for undergraduate courses in their areas of expertise and competence.
- Ability to communicate very precisely and concisely in both writing and in speech.
- In-depth familiarity with the history of Western philosophy and the major debates within that tradition.
- Ability to write a book length manuscript which constitutes an original and valuable contribution to the field.
- Interpretative charity, and intellectual honesty, which includes appropriate attribution to others of their ideas, and recognition and frankness about the limitations of one's own ideas.
- Fosters ethical and professional conduct.
- Ability to engage in high quality undergraduate instruction in their areas of expertise and competence.
- Well-equipped to pursue continuous professional development with respect to goals.