About the Graduate Program
Work for the PhD degree is offered in all major fields of philosophical inquiry and historical periods of philosophy. The department has strengths in ethics, social and political philosophy, epistemology, feminist philosophy, metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of religion. We also have strengths in the history of philosophy, especially Kant, nineteenth-century, early modern, and ancient. Our faculty reflects a variety of approaches and methodologies, including analytic, continental, historical, and pragmatic. Students must complete at least 47 hours of formal course work, in addition to satisfying other requirements. See our Rules and Requirements page for further details about the degree. Those who are offered admission to our PhD program receive an annual stipend, full tuition waiver, and health insurance for six years. The department and Graduate School also provide generous additional sources of funding, including: topping-up awards, a moving stipend, travel and conference funds, summer research funds, language study funds, funds for interdisciplinary research, an ABD stipend, and other awards and fellowships for exceptional teaching, research, and service.
Director of Graduate Studies: Karen Ng karen.ng@vanderbilt.edu
Graduate Program Coordinator: Jamelia Veliz jamelia.c.veliz@vanderbilt.edu
How to Apply to the Graduate Program in Philosophy
Application to the Graduate Program in Philosophy consists of the following five components:
1. Completion of the online application to the Vanderbilt Graduate School.
2. Submission of unofficial transcripts.
3. Submission of at least three, but at most five, letters of recommendation.
4. Submission of a statement of purpose, describing the candidate’s philosophical interests, research and professional goals, and other relevant details of their philosophical and/or academic trajectory and experience.
5. Submission of a philosophically substantive writing sample demonstrating research potential (no more than 25 pages).
The application deadline for fall admission of any given year is January 15 of that same year.
Click here to apply online to the Graduate Program.