Philosophy (Humanities)

Along with our sister Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science in the School of Social Sciences, the Department of Philosophy is consistently ranked by the Philosophical Gourmet Report among the top graduate programs for philosophy. Our graduate program has two distinct tracks - the Philosophy track and the LPS track - which share a common core of requirements in history of philosophy, logic, ethics, and metaphysics and epistemology. Because each department makes its own admissions decisions, students should apply to the track whose curriculum most closely corresponds to their own interests. The Philosophy track is described here.

UCI's Philosophy Department is committed to providing students a well-rounded graduate education, including central areas of contemporary philosophy and a solid foundation in the history of philosophy. Those with interests in mathematics, the natural sciences, or the social sciences are encouraged to take courses in Logic and Philosophy of Science and to include LPS faculty members on their dissertation committees. Our cooperative two-track program provides students the benefits of faculty expertise in a host of areas.

Every year the Philosophy Department invites distinguished philosophers from other universities to present their work to our faculty and graduate students. Participation in this colloquium series, though not mandatory, contributes significantly to graduate education. Colloquia sponsored by Logic and Philosophy of Science might also be of interest to Philosophy track students. We also regularly host a range of other research activities, such as one-off research talks, workshops, and international conferences (e.g., our recent international conference on Hinge Epistemology).

As at other leading research universities, the seminar is the primary forum for graduate-level instruction in philosophy. Graduate education at UCI nonetheless has several distinctive features. Because admission to our Ph.D. program is based on merit, there is no bias against applicants with an interrupted education or with an M.A. from another university. Instead of shifting suddenly from coursework to dissertation work, UCI students make the transition gradually. In the second year of the program, they work closely with a faculty member of their choice, exploring an area of specialization and developing the skills they will need for dissertation research. Our Tools of Research requirement enables students to choose between studying a second language and graduate coursework in a department other than Philosophy, depending upon their choice of dissertation topic. Last but not least, congenial relations between graduate students and faculty lead to an unusual number of student-faculty reading groups.

Towards the end of the graduate program students are encouraged to do practice job talks and job interviews before going onto the academic job market. The Postgraduate Placement Director will also assist students with refining their portfolio for job applications.

Bachelor’s Degree, 4-5 year degree.

1. Detailed mark sheets (grade reports) for each semester of study and all yearly examinations. Individual examinations and papers must identify the subject and show minimum, maximum and awarded marks as well as overall results. Exams and papers must state the level of pass, class, and division. Rank in class should be indicated, if available.

2. Diplomas or official statements from all degree-granting universities with the date of formal conferral.