Philosophy

Welcome!

The Philosophy Department at the University of Cincinnati is a PhD-granting department with strengths in philosophy of science, philosophy of cognitive science, and moral psychology, and a growing strength in applied ethics and social philosophy.  

We have an active intellectual community involving faculty, staff, students in our PhD program and BA programs, as well as postdocs, visitors, and affiliated faculty from other University of Cincinnati Departments.  

Learn more about the Philosophy Department community. 

The Department offers Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees in Philosophy and in Cognitive Studies, as well as a Philosophy Minor and a Bioethics Certificate. 

Learn more about our undergraduate programs. 

We typically admit 3-5 new students into our PhD program each year; these students receive a full tuition scholarship and a stipend to cover living expenses. Our PhD students specialize in topics ranging from metaphysics to philosophy of science, philosophy of mind and cognitive science, philosophy of biology, ethics, and social and political philosophy. Our PhD program offers a traditional track, similar to other Philosophy PhD programs, and a sciences track, which combines deep grounding in philosophy with cross-disciplinary training in scientific disciplines. 

Many of our students explore how their philosophical research connects to work in other disciplines by taking courses outside of our department; many even pursue MA degrees in other fields—such as psychology, economics, criminal justice, psychological counseling, and artificial intelligence—concurrently with their Philosophy PhD. This both enriches their research and makes them uniquely qualified candidates on the job market. 

Most graduates of our PhD program are placed into academic positions. In the 2022 Academic Philosophy Data & Analysis (APDA) report, our program ranks third worldwide in its rate of placing PhD graduates in permanent academic positions. 

Learn more about our PhD Program and academic job placement record. 

The Philosophy Department has held an annual colloquium (conference) focused on varying cutting-edge research topics for fifty-seven years straight. We also have a regular visiting-speaker series, reading groups, and other activities. 

The department also houses the Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) and the Executive Office of the Philosophy of Science Association, and it has close connections to the Institute for Research in Sensing (IRiS), the Center for Cognition, Action, and Perception (CAP), and the Cincinnati Ethics Center.

You can stay informed about our events and activities by joining the mailing list for our newsletter, sent three times per year. Learn more about Philosophy events and activities. 

• Director of Undergraduate Studies: Vanessa Carbonell | (carbonva@ucmail.uc.edu)
  
• Director of Graduate Studies: Peter Langland-Hassan | (langlapr@ucmail.uc.edu)
• Department Head: Angela Potochnik | (potochaa@ucmail.uc.edu)
• Program Manager: Kate Katzarova | (katzarep@ucmail.uc.edu)
• Program Coordinator: Madeline Jentsch | (jentscmy@ucmail.uc.edu)
• Financial Administrator 1: Kristin Rice |(rice2ks@ucmail.uc.edu)
  
• Business Manager: Amanda Powell | (powela2@ucmail.uc.edu)