PhD in Philosophy at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville

University Rank:#212

University of Florida offers the PhD of Philosophy as a full-time degree delivered on campus at its main campus in Gainesville , United States of America. Taught in English and completed over 5 years, the program equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for philosophy and related professional fields. The next available intake begins on January 9, 2027.

About PhD in Philosophy

Program Information

The Department of Philosophy offers graduate degree programs leading to the M.A. and the Ph.D. degrees in Philosophy.

Graduate students enjoy a supportive community. Teaching assistants are provided with shared office space, and most graduate students participate in organizing a yearly conference, the Southeast Graduate Philosophy conference (for more information, see http://www.phil.ufl.edu/seg).

Admission to either program requires either a bachelor's degree in philosophy or sufficient course work in philosophy as determined by the department. Applicants to either program are evaluated on the basis of their academic record, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a writing sample. Students admitted into the Ph.D. program who do not already have an M.A. in Philosophy must complete the coursework requirements for the M.A. as part of their first two years of full-time enrollment in the Ph.D. program.

General Program Information

All graduate students must take in their first fall semester of enrollment the Graduate Proseminar (PHI 5935 Proseminar (3 cr.)), an intensive workshop requiring regular writing and presentation of philosophical papers; they must also take in that first year the foundational course on Graduate Logic (PHI 5135 Graduate Logic (3 cr.)). These two critical courses help ensure success in the core curriculum, which is designed to provide a thorough grounding in the three main divisions of philosophical work: history, value theory, and the various areas known together as M&E (â€œmetaphysics and epistemologyâ€).

Additional core courses include surveys in ancient philosophy (PHP 5005 Ancient Philosophy I (3 cr.) and PHP 5015 Ancient Philosophy II (3 cr.)), in modern philosophy (PHH 5405 Modern Philosophy I (3 cr.) and PHH 5406 Modern Philosophy II (3 cr.)), ethical theory (PHI 5665 Ethical Theory (3 cr.)), epistemology (PHI 5365 Epistemology (3 cr.)) and foundations of analytic philosophy (PHP 5785 Foundations of Analytic Philosophy (3 cr.)).

M.A. Program Information

The M.A. degree requires 36 hours of coursework, which can be completed in two years by registering for 9 credits each fall and spring semester. Distribution requirements mandate a selection of core courses and 6000-level seminars, while electives make up 6 hours of coursework. Requirements include an oral Final Exam administered by a group of faculty selected by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Ph.D. Program Information

The Ph.D. requires 90 credit hours, which may include 36 used for the M.A., additional courses at the 6000-level, 3 proposal research hours, 12 doctoral research hours, and the successful completion and defense of a dissertation. In completing the Ph.D. advanced students will normally have an opportunity to teach their own undergraduate courses under the supervision of faculty as well as to work as a Teaching Assistant in many other courses.

Funding

Funding for graduate students is provided primarily by Teaching Assistantships. Newer teaching assistants assist with lower level courses (such as Introduction to Philosophy and Contemporary Moral Issues) and more experienced teaching assistants may assist with more advanced courses. M.A. students who have demonstrated exceptional teaching capabilities may have the chance to teach their own course during the summer after they have completed all course requirements for the degree. Advanced Ph.D. students more regularly get these opportunities, during the fall and spring semesters as well as the summer.

Some funding for supporting graduate student travel to conferences is available.

Further Information

For more information about the department in general, see its website at http://phil.ufl.edu.

More details about the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, their requirements, policies, and procedures, may be found at http://phil.ufl.edu/grad/grad-program.html.

Prospective students can find detailed information on the admissions process at http://phil.ufl.edu/grad.html?page=prospective.

Questions and requests for help can be directed to the Graduate Coordinator, who may be reached at [email protected].

Philosophy (PHD)

SLO 1 Specialist Knowledge
Acquire specialist knowledge of one or more recognized major subfields in philosophy, understood to include the following areas, divided into the three broad categories of history, theoretical philosophy, and matters of value: history (ancient, medieval, modern, 19th century, 20th century); theoretical (metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language); value (normative ethics, meta-ethics, aesthetics, political)

SLO 2 Original Advanced Research
Pursue an original and sustained line of philosophical research that results in a contribution to the body of philosophical knowledge

SLO 3 Professional Presentation
Produce original research and prepare it in a way that makes it adequate for presentation at a professional conference

SLO 4 Professional-level Course Design and Teaching
Design, teach, and manage an undergraduate course in philosophy entirely on one's own

SLO 5
Participate in such professional activities as (i) publishing in a professional journal; (ii) presenting work at a conference; (iii) commenting on someone else's work at a conference; (iv) refereeing submissions for a professional conference; (v) helping with the organization of a conference, including referee work, invitations for speakers, and the like.

Philosophy (MA)

SLO 1 Core Competence
Identify, describe and explain key aspects of ancient Greek philosophy, the modern era (1600-1900), and core areas of contemporary philosophy

SLO 2 Formal Logic
Employ and understand the tools of contemporary formal logic, including first-order predicate calculus and a substantial portion of meta-logical theory

SLO 3 Research Skills
Read and comprehend contemporary philosophical work, present such work to others, analyze and critically evaluate the arguments therein, and formulate one's own position clearly and defend it in the context of philosophical discussion

SLO 4 Teaching Skills
Present philosophical material in a lucid and concise fashion to audiences of varying backgrounds, lead discussions of philosophical material in a way that encourages clear and original thinking about the issues, and assess undergraduate work in philosophy classes, including grading written work for clarity of expression, comprehension of material, and cogency of argument

Requirements and Admission Criteria for PhD in Philosophy at University of Florida

Entry Requirements

Applicants who should complete the SSAR:

Attended a high school regionally accredited in the United States for at least three years.
Attended a DODEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) school.

Applicants who should not complete the SSAR:

Attended a secondary school located outside the United States for more than one semester.
Studied a curriculum that did not follow the standard U.S. system.

Required: At least three full years of your most recent secondary school transcripts, including courses in progress (grades 9, 10 and 11 + senior schedule) in both the native language of instruction and a word for word certified English translation (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts are accepted electronically via the status Check Status page for the review process, while official transcripts and translations are required upon enrollment.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency examination results, such as TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test, are encouraged for non-native English speakers, but are not required for freshman admission. SAT or ACT results are required for all freshman applicants.

Fee Information

How to Apply

Start by exploring our more than 250 degree programs to determine the application requirements and if additional items, such as transcripts, portfolios or recommendation letters, are needed in your application. Application deadlines also vary by department, so be sure to apply before the deadline.

Regardless of program, all graduate students apply using the UF graduate school application through CollegeNET. You will select your college and major within the application. Complete the application and pay the $30 non-refundable application fee. Review your application carefully before submission, as changes cannot be made once the application is submitted.

The Office of Admissions does not provide an application fee waiver. If needed, check directly with the program to which you are applying. Additionally, if your application is not considered because the application deadline is passed, UF will not issue you a refund for the application fee. It is important to know the application deadlines for the intended major.

If you are applying to more than one program, you must complete an application for each program and pay the non-refundable application fee

Official test scores must be sent to UF electronically by the testing agency.

GRE

Review your program requirements to determine if GRE scores are needed. Most applicants must submit GRE scores, but some programs in the College of the Arts do not require these. When using electronic delivery, select school code 5812 (University of Florida). UF does not superscore the GRE.

GMAT

All MBA applicants must submit satisfactory scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test. GMAT scores may also be accepted by certain MHA, Sport Management, and Food and Resource Economics programs. Contact individual departments for specific requirements. When ordering your scores from GMAC, select the department you intend to apply to here at the University of Florida.

Fundamentals of Engineering

Some engineering programs will accept FE scores as a substitute for the GRE. Contact individual programs for requirements.

Exemptions

Applicants with a previous graduate or professional degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution may be exempt from the Graduate Record Exam or Graduate Management Admission Test at the program's discretion.

Verifying Receipt of Scores

Requested scores generally arrive to UF within 2-4 weeks

Send your transcripts to the UF Office of Admissions.

For the purpose of initial review, the Office of Admissions accepts unofficial transcripts. These can be uploaded through your Application Status page.

Applicants who receive an offer of admissions should arrange to have official transcripts sent to the UF Office of Admissions from each postsecondary institution attended. If you attended UF as your postsecondary institution, you do not have to order a transcript from the Office of the University Registrar. Official transcripts can be sent to UF in two ways: paper transcript received by UF in a sealed envelope or electronic transcripts sent from your institution directly to UF, which can save up to two weeks response time. UF accepts electronic transcripts through FASTER, Parchment, National Student Clearing House, ScribbleSoft, e-Scrip Safe, Credential Solutions, SCOIR or Transcripts Plus.

All academic credentials become property of the university. They will not be returned to you or forwarded to a third party. For diplomas and academic credentials that are only issued once, please send an attested or certified copy of the original.

Transcript updates can be found within your Application Status page. Transcripts uploaded or received by mail will display on the Application Checklist as Transcript - Under Review. Once the transcripts are reviewed, these checklist items will be removed, and the Awaiting Transcript checklist items will be updated accordingly. We process transcripts as quickly as possible. The Admissions Office prioritizes the review of transcripts needed for students to register for the current term.

Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé that is uploaded within your graduate application.

If the program of interest requires recommendation letters, these should be submitted electronically through the admissions application. You must request these recommendations prior to submitting your application. You cannot add or delete recommendations once your application has been submitted. If your recommendation is supplied by paper or PDF, check with your academic program to inquire if this will be accepted.

You can check the receipt of materials by the Office of Admissions on the Check Status page. This page will only reflect information concerning materials forwarded directly to the Office of Admissions and does not include materials that are required to be sent directly to your academic unit.

Approximately 24-48 hours after submitting your online application, your 8-digit UF Identification Number (UFID) will be available on the status of your application. Use the same username and password used to submit your CollegeNET application.

Your UFID is unique to you and should be used in all email communication and any subsequent applications submitted. If you do not use your UFID in communications and submissions, it is difficult for us to match your test scores, transcripts, and financial aid information to your academic record.

PhD in Philosophy at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville