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The Department of Philosophy also offers a program leading
to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The requirements are as follows:
Courses: The University requires 72 points. The department
requires that 44 points (the “basic points”) be as specified below. The
remaining 28 points may all be in dissertation research, although the student
may include other courses toward the total as well. The required 44 basic
points consist of the following:
- Proseminar (8 points). Each year, the department offers a
full-year Proseminar required for all first-year Ph.D. students. It is open to
first-year Ph.D. students only. It includes frequent short writing assignments,
and the mode of instruction emphasizes discussion rather than lecture. The
topics are determined by the instructors but include basic texts and ideas in
analytic philosophy.
- Basic course work (28 points; typically seven 4-point courses)
drawn from advanced introduction courses, intermediate-level courses, topics or
advanced seminar courses, and research seminar courses. These must include at
least one course in value theory (ethics, aesthetics, philosophy of law, or
political philosophy); at least one course in metaphysics, epistemology,
philosophy of language, or philosophy of mind; and at least one course in the
history of philosophy (ancient, medieval, modern, or 19th century). At least
three of the courses must be outside value theory. Of these 28 points, no more
than 8 points may be in advanced introduction courses.
- Two Associated Writing courses (8 points).
Third-Year Review: By the first day of the fifth semester in
the program, students must submit three papers (normally the product of courses
in the first two years). To satisfy the requirement, papers should be
substantial pieces of work of 15-30 pages in length and should demonstrate that
the student is able to take his or her philosophical research and writing to the
high level appropriate for writing a dissertation. Students should also be in
good standing at the time of the review.
Third-Year Thesis Prospectus Examination: By the 10th week
of their sixth term in the program, students must submit to the director of graduate
studies a proposal for a thesis. The prospectus should be between 5 and a
strict maximum of 15 pages long (double spaced). It should not be a philosophy
paper, but rather a thesis plan that (1) clearly articulates an interesting
philosophical problem in a way that (2) displays the student’s knowledge of the
problem’s place in the space of philosophical ideas and, in particular, of the
leading attempts to resolve the problem, and (3) gives as clear an indication
as the student can give at this early stage of how he or she intends to
organize the thesis, and of what he or she expects her contribution to be, that
is, of what he or she can add to the existing literature. (Students writing a
thesis consisting of three linked papers should apply these guidelines to each
of their topics.) The director of graduate studies then appoints a committee,
of at least two faculty members, but normally three faculty members, who meet
with the candidate about the proposal. This meeting is the oral thesis
prospectus examination. Although the prospectus defense takes the form of an
oral examination, its principal purpose is to reach an agreement with
prospective future members of the student’s thesis committee as to the shape
and substance of the project.
This
meeting must take place by the end of the third year in order for the student
to maintain good standing. Once it takes place, the student remains in good
standing even though the committee may require him or her to revise the thesis
proposal and meet to discuss it further. The student must pass the examination
by the end of the seventh term in the program. The thesis prospectus
examination should satisfy the committee that the candidate can write a passing
thesis meeting the description in the candidate’s submitted prospectus.
Logic Requirement: Students should satisfy the department of
their competence in the following: formalization of English sentences;
derivations within a system of predicate logic; formal definition of truth and
validity for a first-order language; basic metalogical tools, including the
use-mention distinction, the concept of rigor, and proof and definition by
mathematical induction; statement and proof of basic metalogical results,
including the deduction theorem, soundness and completeness for sentential and
predicate logic, and completeness for predicate logic. The director of graduate
studies will count the student as having passed the requirement when presented
with appropriate evidence (e.g., of a pass in a relevant course at NYU or elsewhere).
Language Requirement: There is a University requirement of
proficiency in one language other than English. Knowledge of a formal language
can be used to satisfy this requirement.
Thesis and Oral Examination: The dissertation can consist of
a monograph or, alternatively, of three outstanding papers.
The
department envisions that, in most cases, the dissertation will grow out of
work done for the topics or advanced seminar and Associated Writing courses and
that there will be no sharp distinction between years of course work and years
of dissertation writing. Students are expected to complete all degree
requirements, including the dissertation, within five years. Special permission
from the department is required to extend work on the dissertation beyond the
seventh year.
Further Requirements: A minimum of 36 of the 44 basic points must be taken in the
NYU Department of Philosophy. In addition, in order to receive the Ph.D., a
student must be in residence as a full-time student for two full years at NYU.
Each term’s
program must be approved by the student’s adviser and the director of graduate
studies in the first week of classes.
Transfer Credit: Transfer credit is apportioned on a case-by-case basis and
is normally restricted to courses taken in philosophy Ph.D. programs. Normally,
credit for a maximum of 12 basic points and 12 nonbasic points is allowed for
work done elsewhere.
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
Students at the New York University School of Law may pursue
an M.A.-J.D. or Ph.D.-J.D. dual degree program in philosophy and law. Students
at the School of Medicine may pursue an M.A.-M.D. dual
degree program in philosophy and medicine. In each case, students must meet the
admission requirements of both schools. Graduate students in the Department of
Philosophy may enroll in pertinent School
of Law classes, and, if
qualified, may attend classes under the auspices of the law school’s Program in
Law, Philosophy, and Social Theory. In addition, the Department of Philosophy
sponsors frequent colloquia, at which the research of faculty or invited
speakers is presented.
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