Philosophy

The PhD in Philosophy at Western in a four-year program. In their first year students take courses; in their second they take a comprehensive exam in their main research area and complete a course that will lead the writing and defend of a thesis prospectus; their third and fourth years are spent writing their dissertations. The courses and supervision available reflect the strengths and diversity of interests of the faculty, which collect along five principal fields: feminist philosophy; history of philosophy (ancient, medieval and modern); moral, political and legal philosophy; philosophy of mind and language; and philosophy of science (including mathematics and logic.

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Program Length

• 12 Terms (4 years)

Program Design

• Full-time study
• Thesis-based

Funding Information

• Western Funding Package

Applicants (domestic and international) are encouraged to apply for the following scholarships:

• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 70% average in the Master's degree.

In special circumstances, admission will be offered to students with a Master’s in another discipline, depending on whether their program of study for the Master’s is appropriately related to their intended area of research in philosophy.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language:

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum acceptable score is 550 for the paper and pencil version, 213 for the computer version, or 86 for the internet version with no individual score below 20. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
• The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Minimum acceptable score is 6 out of 9.
• The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Minimum acceptable score is 80 on each section and an overall score of 85.
• The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). Minimum acceptable score is 60.

Application Deadline

• January 7 (opens October 7) - Fall term

Fields of Research

• Feminist Philosophy
• History of Philosophy
• Moral, Political and Legal Philosophy
• Philosophy of Mind & Language
• Philosophy of Science