Graduate Education
Graduate Program Options
Masters in Philosophy
Our department cannot afford to fund M.A. students and we do not want students to personally pay for their degrees. For this reason, we only consider applications to our M.A. program when the student already has a commitment of funding from an external source (such as, an external fellowship).
PhD in Philosophy
Our graduate program, which is approximately 30-40 students in total, admits about 7 new Ph.D. students per year. The interests and expertise of our faculty are wide-ranging and our students are exposed to a variety of areas in Philosophy. For information on our faculty, and their areas of research and publications, please see https://philosophy.uconn.edu/faculty/. Our faculty produces research that is internationally prominent, and the size of our program enables faculty members to devote close attention to each student.
Learn from the Best
Professors in the Department of Philosophy are experts in their field, and are dedicated to the education and mentorship of our graduate students.
More Resources for Graduate Students
GA-ships and TA-ships for Ph.D. students
Merit-based financial aid is available from the Philosophy department for students in our Ph.D. program in the form of Graduate Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships. Teaching assistantships will range from $27,763.52 to $29,214.12 in salary for the academic year 2024-2025. Tuition is waived for Graduate Assistantships who are awarded half- or full-time Teaching Assistantships and with full-time registration (6 credits or more & maintaining a 3.0 grade point average or better). Both half- and full-Teaching Assistants may purchase excellent health-care coverage, heavily subsidized by UConn. Graduate students accepted into the Ph.D. program are normally guaranteed up to five years of support at the full Graduate Assistant level contingent upon their making satisfactory progress through the program. (Need-based aid, which is distinct from GA-ships and TA-ships, is available through the Financial Aid Office. To access their form, please visit their website at http://financialaid.uconn.edu or phone (860) 486-2819.)
Jorgenson and Harriott Fellowships for Ph.D. students
In addition to the funding available from the Philosophy department, UConn sponsors two university-wide Fellowships of up to $20,000—the Jorgenson and the Harriott: https://grad.uconn.edu/prospective-student/internal-awards/.
Each requires evidence of scholarly achievement, and the Harriott also requires evidence of the applicant’s commitment to enhancing diversity. After submitting applications to our Ph.D program via the link at The Graduate School (above), we strongly encourage qualified applicants to submit a form to request consideration for the Jorgenson and/or Harriott Fellowships from the Application Management Page: http://connect.grad.uconn.edu/apply. We are not allowed to consider your application for these Fellowships unless you fill out this form, so we encourage qualified applicants to complete it.
Philosophy Conference Participation Award
When department budget allows, Philosophy graduate students presenting at a conference are eligible for up to $500 per fiscal year to help support their participation in the conference.
Students cannot receive more than $500 in a fiscal year in departmental funds. Fiscal years start on July 1st and run through June 30th of the subsequent year.
Please complete this form to apply.
M.A.s from Other Institutions
We are often asked about M.A. degrees earned from other institutions. We count M.A. degrees in philosophy towards our Ph.D., but we do not count M.A. degrees earned in other fields.
Research Opportunities
Our department offers many opportunities for trying out ideas and brainstorming. They include:
- a weekly ‘brown bag’ discussion, in which graduate students and faculty in the department can try out papers and ideas;
- a colloquium series, with invited outside speakers;
- chapters of SWIP and MAP; and
- several research groups.
Philosophy Graduate Student Association
The UConn Philosophy Graduate Student Organization (PGSA) is the professional organization of the philosophy graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the University of Connecticut. The purpose of the PGSA is to organize research and social events for its members and other graduate students at UConn and neighboring institutions.