PhD Philosophy

Program Overview

The University of Birmingham's Philosophy PhD program provides a flexible research degree with on-campus or distance learning options. Students develop analytical and communication skills valued in diverse careers, including teaching, research, and social work. The program offers a traditional PhD format and a PhD by Papers option, allowing students to tailor their research to their interests and career goals. The department boasts a world-renowned faculty and an active research community.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Philosophy PhD program at the University of Birmingham is a postgraduate research degree that can be pursued on-campus or through distance learning. It is a 3-year full-time or 6-year part-time program. The program allows students to join a vibrant research community with diverse research interests and approaches. Expert supervision is available in various areas, including Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Logic, Philosophy of Mathematics, Moral Philosophy, Metaphysics and Epistemology, and Philosophy of Religion.

Careers:

The program develops skills highly desirable in the job market, including articulacy, precise analytical thought, clarity, rigour in formulating complex problems, and the ability to analyze and construct sound arguments. These skills are transferable to various employment areas, including teaching, lecturing, and social work. Graduates have secured positions at organizations such as BBC, Friends of the Earth, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Highways England, Ministry of Justice, and the University of Birmingham.

Other:

The program offers two thesis formats: the traditional PhD format and the PhD by Papers option. The PhD by Papers option allows students to write a thesis comprising several separate papers in the style of philosophy journal articles. This format is popular at top US departments and offers advantages such as allowing students to follow their interests and providing work towards publishable papers that can improve academic job prospects. The University of Birmingham is ranked 1st in the UK for Philosophy in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 based on Grade Point Average (Times Higher Education). The Department of Philosophy is home to an expanding, energetic, and friendly community of philosophers who produce world-leading research in all core areas of contemporary philosophy and a number of specialty areas. Postgraduate students play an active role in the Department and contribute to research activities, including research seminars, weekly speaker series, workshops, and conferences. The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to postgraduate students, including libraries, research spaces, careers support, and funding opportunities. Postgraduate students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge.

Fees Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,786 full-time; £2,393 part-time International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only) More detail. The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study. The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

• For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change.
The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024. Fee status Paying your fees Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Funding opportunities International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government. Postgraduate loans For those starting courses after 1 August 2020, loans are available of up to £26,445 for PhD students, in all subject areas.