Where to apply

1. Where to apply Wonder Philosophy 2019

2. NA programs Wonder Philosophy

3. How do you decide where to apply? • Good job prospect • Prestige (does matter), professional training opportunities • Smooth process • Financial support, time to degree, location • Enjoyable learning experience • Departmental climate, friendly cohort • Some of them are easier to assess than others.

4. Philosophical Gourmet Report • https://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/ • Basic idea: a prestigious philosophy program is one that professional philosophers think are prestigious. • Current ranking: • Surveyed in 2017 • 274 philosophers from English-speaking countries responded • 91 programs were ranked • “Please rate the overall quality of the graduate program’s faculty”

5. Philosophical Gourmet Report • Results are grouped into: • Metaphysics and Epistemology • Philosophy of the Sciences and Mathematics • Theory of Value • History of Philosophy • Other • “Other”: continental tradition; feminist/ sex/ race studies; non-Western traditions or comparative work. • We’ll go over ways of assessing programs in these fields later.

6. Philosophical Gourmet Report • Good for name recognition • Does not always translate into job placement (but name does help) • Usually means more funding for the department • More networking/development opportunities • Does not necessarily mean more money for you • Does not correlate at all with climate • Usually support their students okay

7. Academic Placement Data and Analysis • http://placementdata.com/ • Basic idea: graduate school is professional training; a program is a success if its students are professionally successful • Methods • Placement data are publically available on many department websites • Surveys of alumni • Reports of different years do slightly different things • They recently started a series of in-depth analysis of departments • You do need some social science knowledge to read the reports

8. Academic Placement Data and Analysis • https://infogram.com/academic-model-1gdjp93xddqepyw • There are a lot of factors affecting placement, so I recommend a “fuzzy” reading method – e.g., top 20 are considered equally good • They give 3 rankings: permanent position placement, research job placement, and prestigious job placement • Notably, they do not have teaching-based job placement • (You will find that this is generally true in professional philosophy)

9. Academic Placement Data and Analysis • APDA also gives detailed climate & diversity analysis through demographic questionnaires • The 2018 & 2019 reports give some discipline-level data. • The 2017 report has more department-level data (starting Section 4.2) • This is especially important if you have a more niche interest and want to make sure the department is overall supportive • Starting page 50 of the 2017 report, there are data of race & gender diversity. A reasonably good indicator of inclusivity.

10. Academic Placement Data and Analysis • http://placementdata.com/blog/ • She randomly selects two programs and reviews the data in a comparative manner. • Probably the only place where you can get an “objective” (i.e., not just impression or experience) but still in-depth perspective of a department • It might not help you as much in applications as it might in selection. • I would recommend spending time on it only if you have a very clear and specific vision of what you want in a program. • Lastly, I just want to point out: APDA is great. I’m so happy someone’s doing it.

11. Pluralist’s Guide • https://sites.psu.edu/pluralistsguide/ • Developed in response to PGR’s white-male-English-analytic focus. • Offers assessment in 7 areas • Africana, American, continental, critical race, feminism, GLBT, Latinx • Method: experts in these areas are identified. They are asked to rate programs based on how much they believe students will be properly supported.

12. Pluralist’s Guide • A great resource if you’re interested in one of these 7 areas. • To the best of my knowledge: the Pluralist’s guide is your best (and only) bet for the 5 areas that are not feminist or continental. • While still small, feminist and continental philosophies have been growing in recognition (if not also in size) and so there’re a little more resources there. • One way to assess the friendliness of a program to an alternative-tradition focus is to look at other related disciplines. • E.g., if you want to do Indian philosophy, you can try to find out if the East Asian department has a friendly relation with the philosophy department

13. The APA Guide to Graduate Programs • https://gradguide.apaonline.org/ • Is not a rank, but provides program names as a place to start. • Also provides other information you might care about. • E.g., teaching opportunities, average time to completion, cohort size • Not super complete for PhD programs (especially non-US ones). Very good for MA programs.

14. The APA Guide to Graduate Programs • It’s not super useful if you’re interested in more-mainstreamed topics. • E.g., “Social and Political Philosophy” returns 71 entries; “Metaphysics” returns 44. • For smaller topics, it’s good for giving you some names to start. • E.g., “Arabic and Islamic philosophy” has 6 entries; “Latin American philosophy” has 9. • Note: specialization classifications like these can be fuzzy. • E.g., “comparative philosophy” can include Chinese philosophy.

15. The APA Guide to Graduate Programs • A surprisingly good place of information for master’s. • You can check funding and teaching opportunities. • “Terminal Masters” with “Financial Aid” return 27 entries. • Other caveats • “program size” does not seem accurate. • “tuition fee” is hard to read.

16. Other concerns: funding • If you’re applying to PhD programs in NA, you should only apply to funded ones. Not funded ones are generally considered illegitimate. • (Note: this isn’t true outside of NA.) • It’s really hard to find out funding situations because money is still hush-hush for some reason. • http://www.phdstipends.com/results -- student-led initiative to anonymously share funding package received by various people. • Remember to cross-compare with local cost of living. • We’ll talk more about PhD funding when we discuss the financial package tomorrow. • Note: there are unfunded but legitimate MA programs still.

17. Other concerns: faculty reputation • Measures of prestige generally measures faculty reputation. • I recommend relying on, e.g., the PGR measure of prestige over your own sense of who counts as a big name, as your sense will most definitely change throughout grad school (and in the direction of PGR). • Be careful about going to a place after just one big name, because they might • Immediately change job • Be a terrible advisor • Hate your project

18. Other concerns: program size • Information on program size is very easy to find, but there is no centralized location for easy search. • (The APA guide means to have it but the data does not appear reliable.) • All (legitimate) departments list their current graduate students and faculty online. If you really care, you can go on each of their websites and find out. • Generally, though, my sense is that it’s not as important as people think. It’s more like an imperfect indicator of climate. (Though, program size is a lot easier to assess than climate.)

19. Other concerns: climate • It’s very important but very hard to assess. • You can look at the diversity of their current faculty body or student body, but most of the time you’re looking at 0-2 faculty of colour and it’s hard to tell if 2 means twice as good as 1. • It’s actually a lot easier to assess once you’ve been accepted and can go on campus visits. We’ll talk more about how to assess climate tomorrow.

20. Concluding remarks • When I applied, I applied to 16 and got in to 5. All my MA friends applied to about that many. People applying straight from undergrads tend to vary more. • In general, I think 15~20 is a good number if 1) you’re interested in a mainstream topic, 2) application fee is not a burden, 3) you really want to get in.

21. Grad school outside of NA Wonder Philosophy

22. Where can I go? ANYWHERE! • European academic degrees generally • Bachelor’s 3 (or 4) years • Master’s 1 (or 2) years • PhD 3 to 4 years • American academic degrees generally • Bachelor’s 4 years or more • No Master’s • PhD 5 years or more BUT! • It is very normal to do a master’s in the US too! (More about this later)

23. My trajectory • BSc. Mathematics and Philosophy with specialism in Logic and Foundations • MSc. Logic • PhD. Philosophy (LPS track) • Four year undergraduate degree from England • Applied to three master’s programs (one 1 year and two 2 year programs) • Applied to one PhD position in Sweden (rejected) • Two year master’s degree in the Netherlands • Applied to ten PhD programs in the US • Six year PhD in the US

24. UG, straight to PhD! • Common in the US! But rare elsewhere… • Apply in final year of UG, or after graduating (while working) • Deadlines: December/January for Fall start. • Often funding comes with being a Teaching Assistant position • Examples: PhD Philosophy at various UCs, USC • Let me show you...

25. The Americas • Canada, US, Mexico, Brazil, … • Canadian programs are more similar to Europe than US • Master’s are necessary before doing a PhD • Lots of terminal master’s programs offered without a PhD program. • Others are often a mix of different systems… • Look up the entry requirement for a PhD program/position

26. Asia and Australasia • Similar structure to European academic structure (i.e. different from the US) • 3 to 4 year undergraduate degree + master’s, then PhD • Master’s are required before PhD (more on this later!) • Funding? Depends… • Citizenship • Cultural background • Grades/GPA • Reference letters • Academic advisor might have some funding. CONTACT THEM about your interest! • Japan: MEXT, Korea: KGSP, Australia Awards, … • Search: *country* scholarship program! • Examples: Australia National University, Queensland University, Monash University, Seoul National University, Korea University, Tokyo University, Tingshua University etc.

27. Asia and Australasia • Step 1: Find programs you like (and research about funding) • Is there a philosopher that you read about in Asia or Australia? Where are they at? Search if they have a PhD or a master’s program at the institution. • Can you write your work in English for the qualification? Or are you capable of writing in another language? • Step 2: Apply to the programs (by email or by postal mail) • Some universities prefer the applications posted by mail… • Step 3: With or without an offer, apply for the funding • You can say that your offer is pending, or ask the program coordinator for a timeline because you have a deadline for funding. • You might have to write another statement for why you want to be considered for funding. E.g. unable to fund your studies otherwise. • Do some research on where the funding is coming from: • government funding: cultural exchange values? How does your work contribute to that? • Step 4: Apply for a visa • Costs money. • This process depends a lot on your citizenship and residency. By the time you’re at this stage, you can reach out to your university’s International Office for help. • Step 5: Buy a ticket and go! • Probably need to have some money saved to buy a ticket and moving in etc.

28. Pros and Cons • Pros • Growing and expanding philosophy communities • More opportunities to try things out (particularly for growing departments) • Your background can bring more for them! You are a valuable asset to them. • Cons • Far away from North America or Europe. Hard to attend conferences if they are far away. • New culture? Different academic environment? • Student visa restrictions in terms of doing work. • Harder to move back to the NA and European academic communities

29. European “post-graduate” “courses” • In Europe, some of the English words mean different things! • “Faculty” doesn’t mean academic researchers or professors. • “Courses” mean programs. E.g. master’s courses. • “Modules” mean courses. • “Professors”. ONLY a few are professors!!!! • Doing a PhD is a job! You’re not a student! (except for the UK) • Deadlines • On going - apply whenever! • July, for starting in September. • Funding • Depends on countries… (citizenship, residency etc.) • Germany. DAAD (German scholarships) are available for lots of people • Fullbright… • Internal funding from the university (Contact your potential advisor) • UK. AHRC: “Arts and Humanities Research Council” -- if your advisor is European, they might have funding from AHRC, and they can use theirs to fund you!

30. European application • Step 1: Find programs/positions you like. • Irregular PhD positions so be on your toes! • Contact individual academics to ask about positions • Sign up to mailing lists https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/philos-l/ • Step 2: Apply for the program/position • Research statement might be needed! • Step 3: Apply for funding • GRADES MATTER! • Harder to get funding than to get an offer for a PhD. • Step 4: Offer + Visa + START!

31. Pros and Cons • Pros • Many researchers are from different European countries • Paid more: it’s a job (except for the UK). • It’s shorter. • Get your PhD quickly, and then actually do the research that you like! • Access to many countries for conferences by trains (not too expensive) • NO COURSEWORK! :) • Cons • Funding is in general for citizens of EU countries. • Brexit :( • If you cannot finish on time, you cannot finish (unless you have money) • My experience: more rare to find first gen students in graduate programs. • NO COURSEWORK! :(

32. Common in all PhD applications • Academic transcript • E: important for funding, not for acceptance • Reference letters (2 or 3 or more) • Make sure you have a few in mind, in case someone refuses to. • American reference letters and Europeans ones are very different. Americans expect the letter writers to exaggerate. Europeans don’t. • Personal/research statement • If you have an advisor already, write your research statement to be close to their interest. • Have a rough plan for European PhDs, which is not necessary for US ones.

33. Common in all PhDs • Write your dissertation under an advisor. • The end goal is to get a PhD! And become a doctor! • Lots of people do not finish. It is very common to not finish a PhD. • After that, you could get a job in academia or you could find a job in other areas

34. Master’s degrees Wonder Philosophy

35. Why did I do a master’s? • I didn’t feel ready for a PhD. • I thought I needed to learn more philosophy and learn more logic. What did I get out of it? • Found out what I enjoyed the most • Found out what I didn’t like • Better reference letters than before What did I lose from it? • Confidence? Arrogance? • Money… health…

36. European (and some other) master’s • Taught master’s • Often one year, with 6 months or less to write a thesis. • Research master’s • Two years: 18 months of courses, 6 months of thesis. • Two years: 1 year of courses, 1 year of thesis • Two years: Write a thesis… • One year: Write a thesis… It depends on the program… Sometimes they call their master’s a BPhil… which is a bachelor’s…

37. Pros and Cons • Pros • More experience before starting PhD research • More time to find out what I like • More people to write letters for you • More opportunities to see whether you actually want to do a PhD • Cons • Money… (International fees are a lot more expensive) • Time…

38. Specialised Programs Wonder Philosophy

39. I went to specialised programs... • BSc. Mathematics and Philosophy with specialism in Logic and Foundations • MSc. Logic • PhD. Philosophy (LPS track) But it actually looks more like this… • MMath. Mathematics changed in my fourth year to... • BSc. Mathematics and Philosophy with specialism in Logic and Foundations. (Applied in fourth year to master’s programs) • MSc. Logic (applied in second year to PhD programs) • PhD. Philosophy (LPS track)

40. Specialised programs • Analytic and Continental divide: is this real? • Heidegger, Hegel, Nietzsche, Sartre, Levinas, Deleuze, Derrida, Merleau Ponty... • Russell, Frege, Carnap, Quine, unlabelled generally… • Formal philosophy, informal philosophy? • LPS, HPS, • Critical Theory, PIC, Applied Ethics, Biomedical Ethics, … • Joint Graduate Programs: JD (law) + PhD (something else). • Feminist Philosophy

41. Specialised programs: pros and cons • Pros • Focus on my interests earlier • Taught about the topics from current researchers • More people working in the area • Best in the subject area • Cons • Harder to switch to another interest area • Less flexibility about choosing topics of research • Less informal learning about other topics • I forget how to talk to philosophers at a general conference…