The Philosophy PhD at McMaster University is a thesis-based doctoral program in the Faculty of Humanities, leading to the degree of PhD in Philosophy. The program's central aim is to develop the research capabilities required of professional philosophers and to prepare graduates to teach philosophy at the university level. Because competence in advanced research is considered the primary qualification for an academic position, the program centres each student's individual course of study on research, with coursework treated as complementary to that research rather than a prerequisite for it. Structured this way, students can begin their own research early while steadily building a broad foundation of philosophical knowledge. Research areas in the department include social, political and legal philosophy; theoretical and applied ethics; the history of philosophy, both ancient and modern; metaphysics and epistemology; philosophy of science; and language and logic. The program is offered full-time or part-time and takes four years to complete, with a typical intake each September.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission to the PhD program requires a completed M.A. in Philosophy, or an equivalent degree in a closely related discipline. Students already enrolled in McMaster's M.A. program in Philosophy may be admitted to the PhD program without completing the M.A., provided they satisfy conditions for excellent first-year progress set by the Ph.D. Program Committee. Selection is made by the Department of Philosophy's Ph.D. Program Committee, and admitted students remain subject to the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies, including the equivalent of a McMaster B+ average in prior graduate work and strong letters of reference. Required documents include official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended and a statement of research interests. Applicants whose primary language is not English must supply an IELTS score of at least 6.5 overall or a TOEFL iBT score of at least 92, unless exempted.
