PhD Prelim Exams are intended to test the candidate’s knowledge of, and competence to work in, the main areas of philosophy.  Candidates are expected to show an understanding of the central positions and important lines of debate in an area, and to demonstrate general intellectual and philosophical ability at the PhD level.  Their submissions should display a knowledge of these positions and an ability to appraise them critically.  In assessing exams and submitted essays, attention will be paid to the centrality of the issues discussed, the accuracy of the accounts given of existing views and arguments, and the philosophical quality of the submission.

Effective August 2003, the Department of Philosophy has new regulations in place for the Prelim Exams for the PhD in Philosophy. The new requirements for the PhD are:

• Students must pass three exams. Each exam must be in a separate area. The four major areas from which a student can choose are:

  Area I - metaphysics and epistemology

  Area II - history of philosophy;

  Area III - philosophy of language and logic;

  Area IV - moral and political philosophy.

  An exam can be taken by a 3-hour or 72-hour written exam or by a paper submission. At least one exam must be a written exam.

• Each student must pass six half-courses at the graduate (600) level.

• Each student must show competency in logic (typically by passing PHIL 379 with a grade of B or better).

Students entering in September must complete the above requirements by April 30 of the second year of their program. Students entering in January must complete the above requirements by August 31of the second year of their program.

Details

a)  There will be a standing committee and chair for each of the four examination areas. All exams (and papers) will be vetted by an appropriate area committee. Committees will consist of three members, including the chair. The committees will be appointed by the graduate director, in consultation with the Department Head, for one year. Though committees are reappointed each year, every effort will be made to preserve continuity in a committee from year to year.  

Prelim Exam Committees

b)   Preliminary exams will be given four times each year:  on the last Friday of August, November, February, April.   If they plan to take an exam, students must notify the Graduate Office and exam’s subarea(s) at least two weeks in advance of the examination date.

c)  Examination questions will be drawn from a set bibliography for each sub area (see below). Bibliographies are available from the Department’s Graduate Office and online at the Department’s website. Each year, each examination committee will review the bibliographies in its area.

d)  The four major areas have sub areas with corresponding bibliographies. The sub areas are the following.

Metaphysics and Epistemology

• Metaphysics
• Epistemology
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Science

Moral and Social Philosophy

• Ethics
• Political Philosophy

Philosophy of Language and Logic

• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Logic

History of Philosophy 

• Plato and Aristotle
• 12th Century to 14th Century Medieval Philosophy
• Early Modern Philosophy
• Late Modern Philosophy

e)  For the first three areas, a student chooses one sub area and a corresponding bibliography for examination.  For the area of History of Philosophy, the student chooses two sub areas for examination.

f)  In an examination (either 72-hour or 3-hour), a student will be given 6 questions and asked to answer 2 of those questions.

g)  If a student chooses to take an exam by paper submission, he or she must submit a short proposal to the committee at least 1 month in advance of the exam date.  The proposal shall consist of a statement of the topic, a 100-200 word abstract, and, if necessary, a supplementary bibliography on the topic of the paper.

h)  A student can meet with members of the committee to discuss philosophical content in the relevant area.  However, members will not read or comment on practice answers (or draft papers) before the exam.

i)  The committee will inform the student and graduate director within three weeks of the exam submission whether the student has passed.  If the student has not passed the exam, the committee will provide the student with written comments of its decision.  If the committee does not make a decision within three weeks of the exam's submission, then it is the responsibility of the Graduate Director to ensure that the exam is assessed in a timely manner. 

j)  A student is not allowed to take an exam in a particular major area more than three times.

k)  A student who fails an exam may appeal that result to the Graduate Committee.  If the student is not satisfied with the result of that appeal, he or she may appeal that result to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.