PhD in Philosophy in Santa Cruz United States | University of California, Santa Cruz

The Philosophy program welcomed its inaugural doctoral candidates in 2001. Currently in Fall 2023, the department enrolls 22 graduate students. Annual admissions typically include 4-5 Ph.D. candidates and 1-3 M.A. students.

The Department specializes in four key areas: Ethics and Technology, Social & Epistemic Injustice, Disagreement & Rationality, and Public Engagement (details available on the About page). Faculty members emphasize philosophical history as essential context for modern disciplinary issues. Their contemporary research aligns with top-tier academic programs, particularly mirroring UC philosophy departments' strengths in philosophy of science, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, epistemology, aesthetics, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, ethics, and moral psychology (see Research page). This scholarship draws from influential thinkers like Kant, Aristotle, Hume, and Wittgenstein, while uniquely incorporating medieval scholars, including Islamic philosophers - a rare focus for a department of this size.

The Ph.D. curriculum is structured for completion within six years or fewer.