continental philosophy phd programs

PhD Program Overview

Academic mission.

The PhD Program in Philosophy offers an intensive course of study in preparation for a career as a scholar and teacher of philosophy. The program in particular consists of four major components. (1) Completing coursework in the three main areas of contemporary philosophy and in the history of philosophy. (2) Participating in a paper revision workshop, in which students significantly revise an essay originally written for a seminar in consultation with faculty and other students. (3) Defining an intellectual project and writing the PhD dissertation under the direction of a faculty committee. (4) Teaching as assistants in faculty-taught lecture courses and then as lecturers in stand-alone tutorials and small courses. In addition to these major components, students and faculty also participate in a variety of workshops and reading groups in which students present their own work for criticism by their peers and faculty. Throughout the PhD program, students and faculty join together in a continuous, rich philosophical dialogue. And faculty also support that dialogue and students’ intellectual work through advising, mentoring, ongoing academic evaluations, and canny career advice.

Note: The PhD Program in Philosophy is the only graduate program to which the Department of Philosophy admits students; those students interested in a masters degree can apply directly to the Masters of Arts Program in the Humanities ( MAPH ). This is a standalone program in the Division of Humanities within which students can take a number of graduate courses in philosophy. Elsewhere on this site we have a more thorough explanation of how our faculty interests serve our MAPH students.

Culture of the PhD Program

The PhD Program in Philosophy is intellectually inclusive, capacious in its research and teaching interests, and unusual in the extent and depth of the collective engagement with both the analytic and continental traditions. All programs now promote their interdisciplinarity, but we’ve been enjoying our wide range of philosophical interests for decades here at Chicago—thanks in part to the thorough integration of the interdisciplinary Council of Advanced Studies workshops into the PhD program and also to departmental colloquia, in which departmental and visiting faculty speak (and are challenged) on various philosophical issues. The department hums with free-flowing philosophical discussions among students and faculty occurring in seminars, workshops, colloquia, the hallways of Stuart Hall, and the Friday afternoon coffee hours in our Anscombe Library.

Socially, the department also tries to make sure that every student’s voice is heard in the running and shaping of the department and its PhD program. There are always two elected graduate student representatives who help keep channels of communication open and flowing in both directions between the departmental faculty and graduate student body, and faculty meet with students regularly about issues of concern. The department also has a faculty diversity liaison; a Diversity, Inclusivity, Climate, and Equity (DICE) Committee composed of departmental faculty and graduate students; and a graduate student outreach coordinator. We all work to ensure that the PhD program, courses, and the departmental culture feel welcome to students from all backgrounds. Here is  more information on DICE .

The Women in Philosophy (WIP) group organizes bi-quarterly social gatherings for graduate women in the department. Gatherings typically consist of dinners or brunches hosted at the home of one of our members. While the primary purpose of these gatherings has typically been that of socializing, they are also a space in which people should feel free to raise and discuss any issues pertaining to life in the department. These social events build solidarity and community for the women in our department, and in general there is a high level of cooperation and collaboration between graduate women in the department. Here is  more information on WIP .

The University of Chicago is situated in the heart of the South Side of Chicago, one of the country’s most culturally and intellectually rich cities . Life in Chicago is itself also inclusive: it’s a diverse, vibrant city with many social possibilities and livable—and strikingly affordable!—neighborhoods for students.

Contemporary Continental Philosophy

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Department of Philosophy

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Graduate-Level Philosophy @ UNM

The Department of Philosophy at the University of New Mexico offers programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in philosophy. Many areas of concentration are open to students. Both Anglo-American and Continental approaches are well represented, and the department has special strengths in:

• The History of Philosophy
• Philosophy of Art
• Philosophy of Mind
• Phenomenology and Existentialism
• Philosophy of Psychology/Psychoanalysis

South Asian Philosophy

• Social and Political Philosophy

Because of our small size, students can expect a high degree of personal attention and interaction with the faculty.

The Department of Philosophy maintains an active colloquium series with frequent visiting lecturers. The department also has an endowed lecture series: the Brian O'Neil Memorial Lecture Series in the History of Philosophy . Past O'Neil speakers have included Julia Annas, Robert Pippin, Alan Richardson, Paul Guyer, and Hilary Putnam. In recent years the department has hosted the Southwest Seminar in Early Modern Philosophy and the Southwest Seminar in Continental Philosophy.  Our graduate students also organize an annual conference, and their recent keynote speakers have included Graham Priest, John Lysaker, and Cynthia Willett.

The University of New Mexico is located in Albuquerque. Founded in 1706, Albuquerque is New Mexico’s largest city with a population of approximately 540,000. The metropolitan area boasts a population of over 700,000. With a relatively mild climate (not too warm, not too cold) the city has become a relocation destination for people across the country.

Albuquerque lies at the base of the Sandia mountains and straddles the Rio Grande river. Both offer hiking and mountain-biking year-round, and skiing is available in the Sandia Mountains as well as Santa Fe, Taos and many other locations in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Fly fishing is another outdoor activity easily enjoyed by UNM philosophy faculty and graduate students.

Albuquerque also has a host of other recreational destinations including excellent golf courses, a world class zoo, an art history museum, the botanical gardens and an aquarium.  Each year, the city proudly hosts the world famous Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Parks, tennis courts, and bike trails are also generously scattered across the city. Albuquerque and the UNM campus are also recognized for their unique infusion of Adobe, classic, and modern architectural influences.

For more information on Albuquerque or New Mexico, please visit:

• http://www.cabq.gov
• http://www.state.nm.us

Department Strengths

Continental philosophy.

Six faculty members in the department specialize in Continental philosophy or have research interests related to this area: Adrian Johnston, Brent Kalar, Paul Livingston, Ann Murphy, John Taber, and Iain Thomson.  The figures covered by these faculty members include: Fichte, Schelling, Kant, Hegel, Husserl, Marx, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Lacan, Levinas, Foucault, Derrida, Deleuze, Irigaray, Kristeva, Badiou, Žižek, and Agamben. (UNM is also home to the Max Scheler Archives, one of two such archives in the world.)

The major movements and orientations in the Continental tradition are well-represented in the department, and we regularly offer courses in 19th, 20th, and 21st century philosophy that focus on: German Idealism, existentialism, phenomenology, structuralism, post-structuralism, social and political philosophy, psychoanalysis and gender theory.

Given the department's general strength in the history of philosophy, our graduate students, have the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of the historical contexts crucial to comprehending the discussions and debates central to Continental philosophy.

With several specialists in South Asian philosophy the UNM Department of Philosophy provides an opportunity for graduate students to focus on Asian/South Asian thought at either the M.A. or Ph.D. level. For more information please click here .

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UNM Philosophy

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Loyola University Chicago

Department of philosophy, continental philosophy, research strength.

Our course offerings in Continental Philosophy cover the variety of approaches developed during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in continental Europe. These approaches include phenomenology, existentialism, hermeneutics, critical theory, structuralism, post-structuralism, and deconstruction, and the issues taken up cover the spectrum of philosophy. Among the philosophers covered in depth are Marx, Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Gadamer, Sartre, Derrida, Foucault, Levinas, Habermas, and Lyotard. A number of faculty contribute regularly in this area. Typical course offerings in the area of Continental Philosophy include:

• Phenomenology
• Hermeneutics
• Existentialism
• Neo-Marxism
• Critical Theory
• Deconstruction
• Structuralism and Post-structuralism
• Social-Political Philosophy
• Topics in Ethics, Aesthetics, Philosophy of Religion, etc.

Faculty members who teach regularly in the area of Continental Philosophy include:

• Andrew Cutrofello
• David Ingram
• Hanne Jacobs
• Jacqueline Scott
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As a PhD student in the Harvard philosophy program, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your ideas, knowledge, and abilities. You'll work with other doctoral students, our faculty, and visiting scholars, all in a stimulating and supportive environment. The program has strengths across a broad range of topics and areas, so you'll be able to pursue your interests wherever they may lead, especially in moral and political philosophy, aesthetics, epistemology, philosophy of logic, philosophy of language, the history of analytic philosophy, ancient philosophy, Immanuel Kant, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. In addition, students can pursue joint degrees with classics, Harvard Law School, and in Indian philosophy.

Incoming cohorts consist of five to eight students per year. You will have substantial access to our renowned faculty and all the resources that Harvard makes available. This relatively small size also gives students a sense of intellectual community.

The curriculum is structured to help you make your way towards a dissertation: graduate-level coursework, a second-year research paper, a prospectus to help you identify a dissertation topic, and then the dissertation itself. Past dissertations in the department have addressed a broad range of topics: Aristotle, Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau; contemporary moral and political philosophy; metaphysics; epistemology; and logic.

In addition to your research, you will also have the opportunity to develop your teaching skills in many different settings across the University.

You can find graduates of the PhD program in many universities. Some of our students have gone on to faculty positions at Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, and Stanford University. Other graduates have gone on to diverse careers in, among others, the arts, the law, secondary education, and technology.

In addition to the standard PhD in philosophy, the department offers a PhD in classical philosophy in collaboration with the Department of the Classics and a coordinated JD/PhD program in conjunction with Harvard Law School.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Philosophy and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Philosophy | Classical Philosophy | Indian Philosophy 

For information please consult the Department webpage on the  graduate program overview .

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Philosophy .

Academic Background

Applicants to the program in Philosophy are required to have a solid undergraduate background in philosophy, indicating that they have a good grounding in the history of philosophy, as well as familiarity with contemporary work in ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, and logic.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be between 12 to 30 pages long. The sample must address a substantial philosophical problem, whether it is an evaluation or presentation of an argument, or a serious attempt to interpret a difficult text. The upload of the writing sample should be formatted for 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper, 1-inch margins, with double-spaced text in a common 12-point font, such as Times New Roman.

Applicants seeking admission to the coordinated JD/PhD program must apply to and be separately admitted to Harvard Law School and the Department of Philosophy.

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Philosophy

See list of Philosophy faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Our graduate program has particular strengths in Continental philosophy, critical philosophy of race, and feminist philosophy. Graduate training in philosophy at Penn State focuses on these areas while providing all graduate students with a strong foundation in the history of philosophy   and a broad training that includes work in ethics. 

Graduate students have the option of pursuing dual-title doctoral degrees in  African American and Diaspora Studies ,  Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies , or  Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies ; doctoral minors in social thought and literary theory, criticism, and aesthetics are available as well. 

The members of our graduate faculty are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their fields; for more information on their recent publications and current research, consult the entries in  the Graduate Faculty section of our directory . We strive to prepare our graduate students for professional academic careers through our mentoring program, teaching apprenticeship and certification programs,  and our effective placement efforts .

Announcement :  The Penn State Philosophy Department no longer either requires or considers GRE scores for admission to our Ph.D. program.

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General Admission Contact The New School for Social Research Office of Admission 72 Fifth Avenue, 1st floor New York, NY 10011 212.229.5600 or 800.523.5411 [email protected]

Admission Liaison Mariam Matar

Department of Philosophy 6 East 16th Street, room 1015A New York, NY 10003 212.229.5707 x3078

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The Philosophy department of The New School for Social Research has inherited a legacy of critical thinking and public social and political engagement from thinkers such as Hannah Arendt, Hans Jonas, and Agnes Heller and is rooted in the belief that philosophy reaches beyond academia. Our faculty and alumni are as likely to be found writing in the pages of the New York Times or protesting in the streets as they are publishing in academic journals or lecturing at Oxford and Frankfurt.

Our graduate degree programs in Philosophy are designed to be more creative and flexible than traditional programs. Founded on a fierce commitment to intellectual freedom, our vibrant intellectual community is a place where divisions between Continental and Analytic and philosophy and politics, anthropology, literature, and classics become obsolete.   The graduate curriculum centers on a mix of problems-based and historically oriented courses. Areas of particular strength for our faculty include ancient philosophy, critical theory, existentialism, German idealism, feminist thought, French structuralism, phenomenology, post-Analytic philosophy, pragmatism, psychoanalysis, social and political philosophy, and philosophies of art, language, mind, and nature.    Within the Philosophy department, MA and PhD students can study ancient Greek, Marxist critiques of capitalism, emerging scientific discoveries in artificial intelligence, and animal ethics and politics or spend a semester or year focusing deeply on a single classic philosophical text such as Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason or Spinoza’s Ethics . Students and faculty also develop independent studies on topics ranging from philosophical anthropology, philosophy of trust, and narrative to Leibniz, Hume, and Aristotle.

Philosophy Degrees

The department offers intellectually rigorous programs of study, each with its own requirements.

MA in Philosophy (optional specialization in Psychoanalysis)

Phd in philosophy.

Inquisitive, admired, and analytical-meet some of our faculty:

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The courses in Philosophy combine deep intellectual analyses of important philosophers with a robust and comprehensive survey of important ideas. Pairing an understanding of both thinker and thought creates a context in which to understand underlying concepts and examine bigger intellectual implications.

Scholars and Work

Look closer at our historically-informed, and intellectually-curious philosophical work:

Philosophy PhD candidate Tomas Lima Pimenta has received a DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Long-term Research Grant Award for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Eric Godoy (Philosophy PhD, 2015) asks who bears responsibility

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College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Academics > Philosophy > Graduate Program > Philosophy (MA and PhD)

Philosophy (MA/PhD)

Deepen your research and cultivate your teaching.

In the Philosophy PhD program, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of the discipline, grounded in continental European thought, through rigorous coursework and seminars. Through directed research, colloquia and the dissertation, you’ll also develop the expertise necessary to begin your academic career. In addition to your studies within the department, you’ll spend the spring of your second year abroad, engaged in immersive language study.

Whether you enter the program with a BA or an MA, we fund your entire doctoral program and ask you to complete it in six years or fewer. This means six years of complete tuition remission, a $22,000 stipend, a $3,000 supplement (to pay for extra expenses, such as health care), and travel funding to present your work at academic conferences.

Work closely with leading scholars in

• Contemporary continental thought
• German idealism
• Social and political theory
• History of philosophy and ethics
• Feminist philosophy
• Psychoanalytic thought
• Latin American philosophy

The department is committed to your success not only as a scholar but as a teacher. Our teaching practicum, taken over the second and third years of study, guides you in your transition from teaching assistant to teaching fellow to the academic job market, making you a strong candidate for tenure-track positions and postdocs.

There is a limitation of four years between admission to the doctoral program and admission to doctoral candidacy. The time between admission to candidacy and dissertation defense should be between eight months and two years.

Chicago: a city of broad shoulders and broad minds

In addition to its world-renowned museums, libraries, political think tanks and historic neighborhoods, Chicago is home to a vibrant community of scholars. As part of an independent study, attend a lecture or seminar at one of our many neighboring universities. Present your work at local conferences and in our departmental student-organized Frings Colloquium, and take part in events organized around Chicago by groups such as the Ancient Greek and Philosophy Workshop, or by the Chicago-Area Consortium in German Philosophy.

PhD Completion

Upon completion of the required quarter hours, given your track, you must also complete four core courses at the 600-level or higher for admission into PhD candidacy. You’ll need to demonstrate competence in two languages, usually French, German, Spanish, Latin or Greek. PhDs are awarded upon successful defense of your dissertation.

Application Deadline

Applications for Fall 2024 are due January 6, 2024.

Submit an online application, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and writing sample. A proof of English proficiency test is required for international students. GRE scores are not required and will not be considered.

Required Courses

Each student, whether entering with a BA or an MA, is required to take 28 courses (112 credit hours) over the course of four years.

of Philosophy graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Learn from published scholars

At DePaul, you’ll learn directly from esteemed philosophers like Sean Kirkland, PhD, associate professor and director of graduate studies for philosophy. Kirkland has had numerous books, book chapters, articles, papers, and essays published. His most recent piece of work is a collection that came out with Northwestern University Press titled A Companion to Ancient Philosophy which is a collection of essays on a broad range of themes and figures spanning the entire period extending from the Pre-Socratics to Plato, Aristotle, and the Hellenistic thinkers.

“I joined the Philosophy program at DePaul because of the top-rated faculty in continental philosophy, the commitment to foreign-language acquisition and the opportunities to study abroad. Through weekly reading groups, I was able to improve my German significantly, which was of great help when I spent a semester abroad at the University of Freiburg in Germany. Later in my time at DePaul I applied for and received a Fulbright research fellowship to go back to Germany. The faculty in the philosophy department at DePaul were incredibly supportive and helpful during the process, no doubt because several of them had done research abroad on Fulbright fellowships as well.”

Ian (PhD ’16)

Philosophy faculty member, st. john’s college, santa fe, nm.

Alumni Network

Graduates of the Philosophy PhD program have gone on to positions at institutions such as Emory University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Memphis, Duquesne University, Whitman College, Luther College, Colby College and University of California, Berkeley. View Philosophy alumni placements and appointments .

Contact Information

For more information about applying, contact The Office of Graduate Admission at (773) 325-7315 or [email protected] .

Take the next step

We’ll send you information about the degree, admission requirements and upcoming info sessions. Let’s get started.

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Philosophy admitted its first doctoral students in 2001. As of Fall 2023 there are 22 graduate students in the program. Each year 4-5 new Ph.D. and 1-3 M.A. students will be admitted.

The Department has four areas of focus; Ethics and Technology, Social & Epistemic Injustice, Disagreement & Rationality, and Public Engagement (see the "About" page ). The department’s faculty also have an interest in the history of philosophy as an indispensable background to the main areas of contemporary concern in the discipline. Among the faculty’s main contemporary interests are those topics commonly pursued in any high-ranking research and teaching program, and particularly those comparable to departments of philosophy at other UC’s: philosophy of science, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, epistemology, aesthetics, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, ethics and moral psychology (see the "Research" page ). The faculty’s research and teaching in these areas is informed by leading historical figures, including especially Kant, Aristotle, Hume, Wittgenstein and—again, uniquely for such a small department—leading figures from the Middle Ages and late antiquity, including medieval Islamic figures.

Inquiries should be directed to:

Janette Dinishak

Graduate Program Director

[email protected]

Graduate Program Advisor and Coordinator

[email protected]

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Clinical Psychology

Mission statement.

Our mission is to advance knowledge that promotes psychological well-being and reduces the burden of mental illness and problems in living and to develop leading clinical scientists whose skills and knowledge will have a substantial impact on the field of psychology and the lives of those in need. Our faculty and graduate students promote critical thinking, innovation, and discovery, and strive to be leaders in their field, engaging in and influencing research, practice, policy, and education. Our pursuit of these goals is guided by the values of collaboration, mutual respect, and fairness, our commitment to diversity, and the highest ethical standards.

Information about the Clinical Psychology Graduate Major

UCLA’s Clinical Psychology program is one of the largest, most selective, and most highly regarded in the country and aims to produce future faculty, researchers, and leaders in clinical science, who influence research, policy development, and practice. Clinical science is a field of psychology that strives to generate and disseminate the best possible knowledge, whether basic or applied, to reduce suffering and to advance public health and wellness. Rather than viewing research and intervention as separable, clinical science construes these activities as part of a single, broad domain of expertise and action. Students in the program are immersed in an empirical, research-based approach to clinical training. This, in turn, informs their research endeavors with a strong understanding of associated psychological phenomena. The UCLA Clinical Science Training Programs employs rigorous methods and theories from multiple perspectives, in the context of human diversity. Our goal is to develop the next generation of clinical scientists who will advance and share knowledge related to the origins, development, assessment, treatment, and prevention of mental health problems.

Admissions decisions are based on applicants’ research interests and experiences, formal coursework in psychology and associated fields, academic performance, letters of recommendation, dedication to and suitability for a career as a clinical scientist, program fit, and contributions to an intellectually rich, diverse class. Once admitted, students engage with faculty in research activities addressing critical issues that impact psychological well-being and the burden of mental illness, using a wide range of approaches and at varying levels of analysis. Their integrated training is facilitated by on-campus resources including the departmental Psychology Clinic, the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and the David Geffen School of Medicine.

Our program philosophy is embodied in, and our goals are achieved through, a series of training activities that prepare students for increasingly complex, demanding, and independent roles as clinical scientists. These training activities expose students to the reciprocal relationship between scientific research and provision of clinical services, and to various systems and methods of intervention, assessment, and other clinical services with demographically and clinically diverse populations. The curriculum is designed to produce scientifically-minded scholars who are well-trained in research and practice, who use data to develop and refine the knowledge base in their field, and who bring a reasoned empirical perspective to positions of leadership in research and service delivery.

The program’s individualized supervision of each student in integrated research and practice roles provides considerable flexibility. Within the parameters set by faculty interests and practicum resources, there are specializations in child psychopathology and treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy, clinical assessment, adult psychopathology and treatment, family processes, assessment and intervention with distressed couples, community psychology, stress and coping, cognitive and affective neuroscience, minority mental health, and health psychology and behavioral medicine. The faculty and other research resources of the Department make possible an intensive concentration in particular areas of clinical psychology, while at the same time ensuring breadth of training.

Clinical psychology at UCLA is a six-year program including a full-time one-year internship, at least four years of which must be completed in residence at UCLA. The curriculum in clinical psychology is based on a twelve-month academic year. The program includes a mixture of coursework, clinical practicum training, teaching, and continuous involvement in research. Many of the twenty clinical area faculty, along with numerous clinical psychologists from other campus departments, community clinics, and hospitals settings, contribute to clinical supervision.  Clinical training experiences typically include four and a half years of part-time practicum placements in the Psychology Clinic and local agencies. The required one-year full-time internship is undertaken after the student has passed the clinical qualifying examinations and the dissertation preliminary orals. The student receives the Ph.D. degree when both the dissertation and an approved internship are completed.

Accreditation

PCSAS – Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System

The Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at UCLA was accredited in 2012 by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). PCSAS was created to promote science-centered education and training in clinical psychology, to increase the quality and quantity of clinical scientists contributing to the advancement of public health, and to enhance the scientific knowledge base for mental and behavioral health care. The UCLA program is deeply committed to these goals and proud to be a member of the PCSAS Founder’s Circle and one of the group of programs accredited by PCSAS.  (Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 402, Washington, DC 20036-1218. Telephone: 301-455-8046). Website:  https://www.pcsas.org

APA CoA – American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation

The Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at UCLA has been accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation since 1949. (Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE. Washington, DC 20002-4242. Telephone:  202-336-5979 .) Website:  http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/

Future Accreditation Plans:  

Against the backdrop of distressing evidence that mental health problems are increasingly prevalent and burdensome, the field of psychological clinical science must think innovatively to address the unmet mental health needs of vulnerable populations. UCLA’s clinical psychology program remains committed to training clinical psychological scientists who will become leaders in research, dissemination, and implementation of knowledge, policy development, and evidence-based clinical practice. This commitment is firmly rooted in our overall mission of promoting equity and inclusion, adhering to ethical standards, and developing collaborations in all aspects of clinical psychology.

Increasingly, we believe that significant aspects of the academic and clinical-service requirements of accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA) obstruct our training mission. Too often, APA requirements limit our ability to flexibly adapt our program to evolving scientific evidence, student needs, and global trends in mental health. Like many other top clinical science doctoral programs, we see our longstanding accreditation by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) as better aligned with our core values, including advancement of scientifically-based training.

Accordingly, we are unlikely to seek renewal of our program’s accreditation by APA, which is set to expire in 2028. The ultimate decision about re-accreditation will be made with the best interests and well-being of current and future students in our program in mind. To that end, we will continue to monitor important criteria that will determine the career prospects of students completing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from programs accredited only by PCSAS. For example, we are working to understand the potential implications for securing excellent predoctoral internships and eligibility for professional licensure across jurisdictions in North America. Although the UCLA clinical psychology program has no direct influence over these external organizations, we are excited to continue to work to shape this evolving training landscape with the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS) and leaders from other clinical science programs.

Our ongoing monitoring of trends in clinical psychology training is encouraging for PCSAS-accredited programs. However, evolving circumstances could result in our program changing its opinion with respect to seeking APA re-accreditation in the future. In the spirit of transparency and empowering potential applicants to make informed choices for their own professional development, we are pleased to share our thinking on these important issues.

Notice to Students re: Professional Licensure and Certification

University of California programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the University of California and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The University of California has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether, if they complete a University of California program, they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C).

NOTE:  Although the UCLA Clinical Psychology Program is not designed to ensure license eligibility, the majority of our graduates do go on to become professionally licensed.  For more information, please see  https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/content-analysis/academic-planning/licensure-and-certification-disclosures.html .

Clinical Program Policy on Diversity-Related Training 

In light of our guiding values of collaboration, respect, and fairness, this statement is to inform prospective and current trainees, faculty, and supervisors, as well as the public, that our trainees are required to (a) attain an understanding of cultural and individual diversity as related to both the science and practice of psychology and (b) provide competent and ethical services to diverse individuals.  Our primary consideration is always the welfare of the client.  Should such a conflict arise in which the trainee’s beliefs, values, worldview, or culture limits their ability to meet this requirement, as determined by either the student or the supervisor, it should be reported to the Clinic and Placements Committee, either directly or through a supervisor or clinical area faculty member.  The Committee will take a developmental view, such that if the competency to deliver services cannot be sufficiently developed in time to protect and serve a potentially impacted client, the committee will (a) consider a reassignment of the client so as to protect the client’s immediate interests, and (b) request from the student a plan to reach the above-stated competencies, to be developed and implemented in consultation with both the trainee’s supervisor and the Clinic Director.  There should be no reasonable expectation of a trainee being exempted from having clients with any particular background or characteristics assigned to them for the duration of their training.

Clinical Program Grievance Policies & Procedures

Unfortunately, conflicts between students and faculty or with other students will occur, and the following policies and procedures are provided in an effort to achieve the best solution. The first step in addressing these conflicts is for the student to consult with their academic advisor. If this option is not feasible (e.g. the conflict is with the advisor) or the conflict is not resolved to their satisfaction, then the issue should be brought to the attention of the Director of Clinical Training. If in the unlikely event that an effective solution is not achieved at this level, then the student has the option of consulting with the Department’s Vice Chair for Graduate Studies. Students also have the option of seeking assistance from the campus Office of Ombuds Services and the Office of the Dean of Students. It is expected that all such conflicts are to be addressed first within the program, then within the Department, before seeking a resolution outside of the department.

More Clinical Psychology Information

• For a list of Required Courses please see the  Psychology Handbook
• Psychology Clinic
• Student Admissions Outcomes and Other Data

Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy

Baylor University

Baylor University began offering the PhD in philosophy in 2003. At that time fellowship funding for the terminal MA degree, which Baylor had offered since 1950, ceased being offered (though on rare occasions students may still be admitted to the program). As of the fall of 2010, Baylor has placed 16 students in teaching positions in higher education, at such schools as Biola University, Georgetown College, Georgetown University, Houston Baptist University, Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary, and West Georgia State University ( Recent PhD Placements ). Currently about 30 PhD students are actively working on the degree. The Average GRE of current students who entered the program in 2006 or later is 1427. We admit 3-6 new students each year. Baylor is becoming known for the unusually collegial relationships that prevail within its philosophy PhD community. Our graduate students are quite active in presenting papers in colloquia of the American Philosophical Association and other professional conferences, and in recent years have had papers accepted by such journals as Faith and Philosophy, History of Philosophy Quarterly, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy East and West, Synthese, and Religious Studies ( Graduate Student Presentations and Publications ). In 2010 Academic Analytics ranked Baylor’s graduate faculty number 18 out of 112 programs that offer the PhD in philosophy, on measures of scholarly productivity and professional citations.

Instituting the PhD in philosophy is part of a university-wide development plan known as  Baylor Vision 2012 , which calls for the university to become a first-rate research university while enhancing and widening its commitment to the Christian tradition. The degree of excellence in both faculty and PhD students that Baylor has achieved in just seven years seems to attest to the wisdom of Vision 2012’s architects in linking aspirations to academic excellence with aspirations to Christian faithfulness.