Philosophy (PHIL)

Abstract

The Department of Philosophy offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees with emphasis on contemporary Anglo-American philosophy and the interaction of philosophy with other disciplines. Students normally enter the doctorate program without an M.A. degree, but the M.A. may be earned on the way to the Ph.D. While the Ph.D. program is suitable primarily for students who wish to enter a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, the M.A. program is appropriate for those who want to deepen and expand the knowledge they gained as undergraduates or who wish to develop competence in philosophy to apply to some other professional field.

The Department operates two special interdisciplinary curricula, at both M.A. and Ph.D. levels. One is in Philosophy and the Sciences, which includes both a specialization in the Philosophy of Science and a specialization in Cognitive Science. These benefit from the presence of the rich array of science departments at the University of Maryland College Park, including Physics, Biology, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Psychology, and Linguistics. The other is a specialization in Politics, Philosophy and Public Policy, run in conjuction with the Department of Government, the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, and the School of Public Affairs.

Admissions Information

The Department requires for admission the results of the Graduate Record Examination, three letters of recommendation from previous instructors, and a sample of the student's written work on a philosophical topic (normally one or two essays, totaling no more than twenty to twenty-five pages). M.A. admission requirements are less stringent than those for admission to the Ph.D. program, but the same supporting documents must be provided.

Candidates with a high grade point average should normally have completed at least 18 credit hours (or the equivalent) of philosophy, including one course in logic, one in ethics, one in epistemology, metaphysics, or philosophy of mind, and two courses in the history of philosophy.

A candidate may be admitted to the curriculum in Philosophy and the Sciences (CPaS) with fewer than 18 hours in philosophy if the student has a strong background in science or in a cognate discipline in cognitive studies. For details concerning the curriculum within CPaS, students should consult the Chair of the CPaS Program (see below).

Application Deadlines

Fall

Spring

Domestic Applicants:
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Domestic Applicant Deadlines

Applications for admission with financial support (Assistantships or Fellowships) must be received by January 5 .
Applications for admission without financial support must also be received by January 5 .

This program does not accept applications for this semester.

International Applicants:
Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials

IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.

Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas

February 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1

June 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants

May 1
If Domestic Deadline is after May 1

October 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials

May 15
If Domestic Deadline is after May 15

October 31
If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Application Requirements

GRE General
3 Letters of Recommendation
Writing Sample (Philosophy Paper)

	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants: U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Domestic Applicant Deadlines	Applications for admission with financial support (Assistantships or Fellowships) must be received by January 5 . Applications for admission without financial support must also be received by January 5 .	This program does not accept applications for this semester.

International Applicants: Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.
Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas	February 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1	June 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants	May 1 If Domestic Deadline is after May 1	October 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials	May 15 If Domestic Deadline is after May 15	October 31 If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Students must complete ten three-hour courses, or a total of thirty hours of course work. Three of these courses must be Core Courses (Value Theory; Metaphysics, Mind and Language; and either Epistemology or Philosophy of Science). Three others must be graduate seminars offered by the Department. The presumption is that the other four courses will be graduate or upper-level undergraduate philosophy courses as well, but substitutions, including courses from other departments, are allowed with permission of the Graduate Director. As many of two of the ten required courses may be special MA Paper courses, enabling students to write the equivalent of an MA thesis if they wish.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Students who seek admission to the Ph.D. program normally should intend to pursue only full-time study toward that degree.

In addition to the Graduate School requirements, students must complete twelve three-hour courses, or a total of thirty-six hours of course work. Three of these courses must be core courses (Value Theory; Metaphysics, Mind and Language; and either Epistemology or Philosophy of Science). Six others must be graduate seminars offered by the Department. The presumption is that the other four courses will be graduate or upper-level undergraduate philosophy courses as well, but substitutions, including courses from other departments, are allowed with permission of the Graduate Director. Other requirements include: a qualification in symbolic logic; at least two courses focusing primarily on a particular historical period or on particular figures in the history of philosophy; and presentation of a research paper at a Departmental colloquium in the latter stages of dissertation research. All Ph.D. students are also required to teach undergraduates for two semesters at an institution of higher learning, normally through the Department's teaching assistantship program.

Foreign language skills are required only as demanded by the individual student's research.

Partial credit toward the Ph.D. requirements may be awarded for relevant work done at other graduate institutions. The Director of Graduate Studies will make a specific determination in each case.

Philosophy students pursuing a Ph.D. in Philosophy and the Sciences (CPaS) are subject to certain special requirements. Contact the CPaS Chair, or visit the Department's web-site, for details.

Facilities and Special Resources

The Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, in the School of Public Affairs, engages in research, teaching, and curriculum development in the ethical and conceptual issues in public policy formation. The ten philosophers associated with the Institute offer graduate students expanded opportunities for coursework and research.

In addition to the excellent libraries on campus, students are encouraged to utilize other libraries in the Washington/Baltimore metropolitan area, such as the Library of Congress, the Center for Hellenic Studies, and the Eisenhower Library on the campus of Johns Hopkins University.

The Department sponsors a series of colloquia by visiting and local speakers throughout the academic year.

Financial Assistance

The Department administers a number of graduate assistantships and fellowships. Promising students have a good chance of receiving some fellowship support in the first year, with a further term of fellowship support once coursework is completed. Students awarded either an assistantship or a combination of assistantship and fellowship have a presumption of support through the fifth year of studies, provided that they remain in good standing.

Contact Information

Brochures describing the regular M.A. and Ph.D. programs in philosophy may be obtained by writing to the Committee on Graduate Admissions and Awards, Department of Philosophy. (All of this information is also available on the Department's web-site, at http://www.philosophy.umd.edu/.) Information concerning the curriculum in Philosophy and the Sciences may be obtained from the Chairperson, Committee on Philosophy and the Sciences. Information concerning the curriculum in Politics, Philosophy and Public Policy may be obtained from the Chairperson, Committee for Politics, Philosophy and Public Policy. All inquiries should be addressed care of the Department of Philosophy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742.

Dr Jeffrey Bub, Chair, Committee for Philosophy and the Sciences (CPaS)
Department of Philosophy, University of Maryland, College Park
MD 20742
Telephone: (301) 405 5697
Fax: (301) 405 5690
jbub@carnap.umd.edu

http://www.philosophy.umd.edu

Dr Karol Soltan, Chair, Committee on Politics, Philosophy and Public Policy
Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland, College Park
MD 20742
Telephone: (301) 405 4135
Fax: (301) 405 5690
ksoltan@umd.edu

http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP/

Dr Jeffrey Bub, Director of Graduate Admissions
Department of Philosophy, University of Maryland, College Park
MD 20742
Telephone: (301) 405 5697
Fax: (301) 405 5690
jbub@umd.edu

http://www.philosophy.umd.edu/

Courses: PHIL

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