PhD in Philosophy

The Ph.D. consists of 72 credits (the equivalent of 24 courses), which includes approx. 2.5 years of coursework, a topical, and a dissertation. Students may transfer up to 24 credits from prior graduate coursework toward their Ph.D.

While completing coursework at UB, students must satisfy the seminar breadth requirements, according to which students must complete at least 1 seminar in formal methods (broadly construed), at least 1 seminar in history of philosophy, at least 1 seminar in metaphysics and epistemology (broadly construed), and at least 1 seminar in value theory.

In order to be approved to make the transition from early coursework to later stages of the program, students must demonstrate sufficient ability to complete academic work at a sufficiently high level. This is assessed by the submission of a qualifying paper, which is the best paper a student has written at UB, that will be graded by a committee of faculty members.

Before officially beginning to write their dissertations, students must submit and defend a topical paper that describes the plan for and provides an overview of the dissertation project.

Dissertations are normally written as collections of approximately four thematically related chapters that can be published as stand-alone articles. However, students may also write their dissertations as books whose parts only make sense within the context of a larger whole.

Students must also pass the logic competency exam, take the Teaching Philosophy course, and satisfy the qualifying paper requirement.

Each of these requirements is explained in further detail in the graduate handbook.