Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophy)

Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophy)

Why study this program?

The Department offers programs leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

The fields in which advanced study may be pursued include ethics; social and political philosophy; aesthetics; feminist philosophy; logic; decision theory; philosophy of science, including biology, and cognitive science; epistemology; philosophy of language; philosophy of mind; metaphysics; ancient philosophy; modern philosophy from the 17th to the 20th century; and contemporary European and Anglo-American philosophy. Inquiries concerning possible subjects for research should be directed to the Graduate Coordinator.

Entrance Requirements

The Department’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.3 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

Where applicable, applicants must meet the minimum English Language Requirement .

Applicants must also provide the following:

  • Curriculum vitae (CV)
  • 3 letters of reference
  • Statement of interest which describes the research questions and issues that interest the applicant (and why), and explains why the applicant would like to pursue a philosophy degree at the University of Alberta.
  • Writing sample - should be a piece of academic work, preferably in philosophy, and should not be more than 30 pages.

Students with very little background in philosophy may be required to enroll as a qualifying student  or as a non-degree program graduate student , before being considered eligible for admission to a graduate degree program.

The application deadline is January 15 for Fall admission.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Faculty:
Arts

Delivery Mode:
On Campus

Program Type:
Thesis Based

Degree Level:
Doctoral

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 27 units in graduate-level coursework and a thesis.

Coursework


  • Nine 3-unit graduate-level courses for students admitted with an MA.
  • Students admitted directly to the PhD with a BA will be required to take up to twelve 3-unit graduate-level courses (36 units).
  • For all students, at least five courses must be taken in the first two terms of study.

Thesis


  • Registration in 900-level THES

Comprehensive Examinations


Within the first twenty-four months of the program, and before taking the oral candidacy examination, students must have passed three comprehensive examinations in areas of the student’s choice. Comprehensive examination topics are chosen from different areas of philosophy, listed by the Department as the currently possible areas for which PhD comprehensive committees are available.

Candidacy Examination


Before beginning work on the dissertation, students must submit a thesis proposal and then pass an oral candidacy examination, demonstrating the capacity to carry out the proposed research. Work on the dissertation itself usually lasts two years.

Residence Requirement


There is a residence requirement of one year of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta for the PhD program.

Length of Program


The time required to complete the program will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken; however, a minimum of four years is normally required.

The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.


Courses

Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings , under the subject heading Philosophy (PHIL).

Tuition and Fees

Graduate students in the Department are eligible to compete for the general graduate awards listed at www.gradstudies.ualberta.ca and are encouraged to do so. Graduate assistantships are available within the Department; inquiries should be addressed to the Graduate Coordinator.

For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.
Scholarships and Financial Support

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.

QUESTIONS?
Program-specific inquiries

Please refer to the detailed program information or email deptphil@ualberta.ca.

General inquiries

Please check out some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQS) to see if your question has been answered, or contact the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) during our office hours.

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1