Ph.D. in Philosophy

Contemplation in Action

Steeped in the Jesuit tradition, Fordham’s doctoral program in philosophy will train you both to think and to do.

You’ll develop into an outstanding scholar with a strong grasp of the history of philosophy from ancient to contemporary. Guided by the Jesuit practice of eloquentia perfecta—the ability to speak and write eloquently and effectively—you’ll produce publishable papers and present original research.

You’ll also become a skilled teacher who’s ready to step in and train the next generation. The invaluable experience you’ll gain teaching introductory philosophy courses will make you a strong candidate in academia. In recent years, 60 percent of our graduates have gone on to tenure-track positions while an additional 26 percent have received full-time non-tenure track positions.

Committed to philosophical pluralism, our faculty is particularly strong in continental philosophy, epistemology, ethics, medieval philosophy, metaphysics, and the philosophy of religion.

Program Highlights

  • Learn from faculty members who are actively engaged in research and are editors of highly regarded journals and book series
  • Prepare to teach introductory philosophy through our pedagogy seminars
  • Take advantage of our Inter-University Doctoral Consortium, which provides the option to take courses at Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and the CUNY Graduate Center
  • Attend symposia, conferences, and lectures in the New York City area

Program Basics

  • Curriculum requires 10 courses for a total of 30 credits for M.A. students and 16 courses for a total of 48 credits for students without the M.A.
  • All students take a course in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, modern philosophy, contemporary philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology, value theory
  • Oral examination, demonstrated reading proficiency in foreign language/s, and dissertation required
  • Graduate assistantships and fellowships available

Careers

Our graduates have landed tenure-track positions at:

  • Augustana College
  • Boston College
  • Creighton University
  • Gonzaga University
  • Hamline University
  • LaGuardia Community College (CUNY)
  • Loyola University Chicago
  • St. John’s University
  • University of San Diego
  • Wheaton College

  • Ph.D. students entering with a master's in philosophy take 30 hours (10 classes) of coursework. Students entering the Ph.D. program without a master's in philosophy take 48 hours (16 classes) of coursework. All students, regardless of whether they enter with a prior master's, must take a course in each of the following fields:

    • Ancient philosophy
    • Medieval philosophy
    • Modern philosophy
    • Contemporary philosophy (analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, or one other contemporary area, e.g., American, contemporary Thomism, feminism)
    • Metaphysics and Epistemology
    • Value Theory

    Students entering with a master's in philosophy will have their transcript evaluated to determine which of these requirements have been satisfied in their master's coursework.

    Ph.D. students earning a master's in cursu must satisfy the distribution requirement for the master's by the time they complete the qualifying paper requirement (only for students entering without a master's).

    Students entering without a master's may take only three 5000-level courses. Students entering with an master's may only take one 5000-level courses. To remain in the program, students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 (based on a 4.0 scale).

  • All first-semester graduate students are required to take the proseminar, “Philosophical Research and Writing,” which covers the basics of academic research and writing in the discipline. All students who are required to teach by the terms of their financial aid awards must also take the “Seminar in Philosophical Education.” The credits for these two seminars do not count toward satisfying the 48-credit requirement.

  • Ph.D. students in Philosophy must demonstrate a strong level of reading competence, as determined by their Advisory Committees, in one language other than English. Students register for a 0-credit, pass/fail course when they are prepared to demonstrate proficiency in the relevant language. Students who satisfy the requirement by taking a graduate reading course must earn a grade of B or higher in the course. For more details, see the Graduate Student Handbook.

  • All Ph.D. students must demonstrate an understanding of the elements of symbolic logic, either by taking PHIL 5100 (Logic I), or by taking a departmentally administered logic exam. For more information, see the Graduate Student Handbook.

  • Ph.D. students entering the program without an M.A. must submit a qualifying paper (5,000-7,500 words, including footnotes but excluding bibliography) of professional quality by the end of their third semester. The requirement is intended to promote the student’s breadth of knowledge and professional development, and to help the student develop an AOC (area of competence). Hence, the qualifying paper will normally be in an area different from the student’s intended dissertation area. Students should discuss their qualifying paper plans, including choice of topic, with their Advisory Committee. The paper will be blind reviewed by two readers chosen by the Director of Graduate Studies. If both readers deem the paper of professional quality (for example, suitable for a professional conference presentation or suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal), the paper receives a High Pass and the requirement is satisfied. If both readers assign a grade lower than a High Pass, the requirement is not satisfied. If one reader assigns a High Pass grade and the other assigns a grade lower than a High Pass, a third reader will be chosen by the Director of Graduate Studies. If the third reader assigns a High Pass grade, the requirement is satisfied. If the third reader does not assign a High Pass grade, the requirement is not satisfied. Students who do not satisfy the qualifying paper requirement on their first attempt may revise and resubmit once for reevaluation. When evaluating resubmissions, readers will take into account the student’s response to feedback and the extent to which they engaged with the revision process. For more details, see the Qualifying Papers page of the Graduate Student Handbook.

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    Ph.D. students must pass an oral examination based on both a reading list and a related paper. This paper is distinct from the Qualifying Paper submitted by the end of the third semester by the students entering the program without an M.A.

    The student develops the reading list in consultation with their dissertation mentor and two examiners (appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the mentor). The list is then approved by the committee and by the Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies. This group constitutes the student's Reading List Committee.

    Once the reading list is approved, the student is responsible for having a Reading List Approval Form signed by all members of the committee and by the Chair (or, if designated, the Director of Graduate Studies).

    The reading list should consist of three distinct areas, at least one of which should be historical. This may take the form of one historical period and two contemporary approaches, or two historical periods and one contemporary approach. The reading list should provide the student with the requisite background for the dissertation and, thus, should consist of the major primary and secondary sources in the dissertation area. The reading list should present the major alternative positions that characterize the dissertation area and should limit itself to the most important representatives of these positions. Students can ask the Director of Graduate Studies to consult some past “model” reading lists.

    Students entering with an M.A. must have their reading list approved by their committee by the end of their third semester. Students entering without an M.A. must be approved by the end of their fifth semester. In both cases, students must pass their oral exam within a year of their reading list’s approval (i.e., the end of the fifth semester for students entering with an M.A., and the end of the seventh semester for students entering without an M.A.). The oral exam will focus on both the full reading list and on the student’s related paper, which must be submitted no later than one month before the date of the examination. Each student is expected to be able both to defend their paper’s thesis and to answer questions regarding any of the items on their reading list. Oral exam dates for the fall must be set by October 15 and, for the spring, by March 15.

    After the oral exam, members of the committee will write reports detailing the reasons for the grade they assign. These reports must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies within three days of the examination. Students must earn a grade of High Pass on the exam by earning a grade of High Pass from at least two of the examiners. No student receiving a grade of Fail from any examiner can achieve an overall grade of High Pass for an exam. Students may retake this examination no more than once, and a retake must be completed in the semester following the original examination. For more details, see the Oral Examination page of the Graduate Student Handbook.

  • The dissertation is the cornerstone and culmination of your graduate career and demonstrates your ability to write and research at a professional academic level. The dissertation process begins with the dissertation proposal, which is defended before a panel of four faculty members by the end of the sixth semester for students entering with an MA and the eighth semester for students entering without an MA. Fall defense dates must be set by October 15 and spring dates by March 15.

    Once completed, the dissertation is defended publicly before a panel of five faculty members comprising the dissertation mentor, two readers, and two examiners. As with oral examinations and proposal defenses, fall semester dissertation defenses must be scheduled by October 15 and spring defenses by March 15. Students wishing to graduate in May must defend by April 15. After making any corrections or edits as suggested by the defense committee, the final dissertation is submitted electronically to the GSAS. For more details, see the Dissertation page of the Graduate Student Handbook.

  • For detailed descriptions of the program’s requirements and expectations, see the Philosophy Graduate Student Handbook.