This handbook should contain most of the important information about BaylorUniversity’s Philosophy Ph.D. program that current or prospective students would want to know. If you have any suggestions about what should be included in updated versions, please email them to the Director of Graduate Studies. Note that the handbook is only for student and faculty convenience and is subject to change. Official university and department policies as well as the Graduate Catalog always take precedence over the information in the handbook.

This handbook was initially prepared largely by Kevin Smith, drawing upon a variety of sources that are not being separately cited.

Responsibilities
1. Select List of Graduate Student Responsibilities

The Department recognizes that all sorts of things happen in life and that there are things that are more important than graduate study. Nonetheless, here is a partial list of student responsibilities:

Exhibit a high degree of moral character, intellectual integrity, and professionalism, both at Baylor and while participating in outside professional activities
Contribute to a supportive and welcoming Christian community inclusive of all students, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, visitors and staff
Abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws as well as by Baylor and Department policies (including Title IX behavior and reporting responsibilities for Baylor employees)
Fulfill course work on time with doctoral-level quality, with seminar study typically not limited to the material expressly assigned in the classroom
Contribute to in-class discussion
Work independently, with philosophy studies and research going beyond the classroom
Fulfill TA/RA responsibilities professionally, fairly, and on time
Fulfill program milestones (required courses, comprehensive exams, prospectus, dissertation defense, etc.) on time
Participate regularly in the Graduate Colloquium
Participate in the social life of the Department
Typically attend other philosophical events on campus (conferences, visiting lectures, etc.)
Be prudent with social media
Typically inform a relevant faculty member (Graduate Program Director, Associate Graduate Program Director, Department Chair, course instructor, dissertation director, etc.) if unable to meet responsibilities or facing difficulties that impact performance
1. Very Select List of Graduate Faculty Responsibilities
Exhibit a high degree of moral character, intellectual integrity, and professionalism, both at Baylor and while participating in outside professional activities
Contribute to a supportive and welcoming Christian community inclusive of all students, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, visitors and staff
Abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws as well as by Baylor and Department policies (including Title IX behavior and reporting responsibilities)
Offer timely and informative feedback to students on their work in seminar, prospectus, and dissertation work, unless Department practice says otherwise
Grade fairly and in a way that respects the intellectual integrity and academic freedom of students
Typically keep the Graduate Program Director, Associate Graduate Program Director and Department Chair appraised of difficulties a graduate student is facing

Graduate Assistant Assignments and Stipend
1. Graduate Assistant Assignments

Our Department policy is to have graduate assistants work on average at most 15 hours a week for the faculty member they are assigned to (they are expected to do at least 5 hours of unsupervised independent research to fill up their Grad School required 20 hours). If the faculty member has tasks that need doing over the summer, they are welcome to negotiate with their assistant to see if that works for the student, but summer work should be subtracted from their workload in the fall as students may have other projects in the summer.

Teacher of Record

Graduate students must have completed comps to teach, and they typically begin teaching their own courses only after they have completed all of their course work. It is normal for students to teach logic first for both the fall and spring semesters of their fourth year, unless they have a dissertation fellowship (see Section 8.3).

Stipend

Graduate assistant stipend amounts will be $28,000 for the 2024-25 academic year and $30,000 for the 2025-26 academic year.

Overview of Degree Requirements
1. M.A. in Philosophy

We no longer offer the terminal M.A. It is still in the course catalog. Our PhD students may choose to be awarded an M.A. during their course of study. Once you complete the requirements for the M.A. in philosophy and wish to receive the degree, please notify the Office Manager and file for graduation with the graduate school. To find more information about the graduate school’s requirements for graduation, visit https://graduate.baylor.edu/requirements-graduation.

Many of our students have chosen to receive the M.A. because this enables them to teach at some colleges, including McLennan Community College.

Graduate students can earn an M.A. in philosophy:

After 30 hrs (10 regular courses) of PHI coursework,
18 hrs (6 regular courses) of which are at 5000 level, and
After completion of PHI 5330 or 5331.
1. Ph.D. in Philosophy

Course requirements for the Ph.D. in philosophy:

Total hours: 70, with the following specific requirements, understood without double-dipping (i.e., a single course can only satisfy one of the following requirements).

A. Specific courses:

Philosophical Writing (PHI 5319)
Logic for Philosophers (PHI 5318)
Teaching Philosophy (PHI 5350)
Readings in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (PHI 5330; i.e., comprehensive examinations with possible dissertation preparation)
Readings in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy (PHI 5331; i.e., comprehensive examinations with possible dissertation preparation)
Prospectus (PHI 6V10), 1-9 hours
Dissertation (PHI 6V99), at least 9 hours

B. Contemporary issues and history:

One course in ethics
One course in metaphysics
One course in epistemology
Two courses in the history of philosophy

In unclear cases, the Graduate Program Director decides, in consultation with the course instructor if necessary, whether a course fulfills the requirement. In some cases, whether the course fulfills the requirement may depend on the specific choice of topics the student worked on.

C. Ten elective courses

Course credit transfer

Students can request for transfer of graduate credit from other institutions. The courses need to be substantially in philosophy. Normally two or three courses at most will be transferred. In exceptional cases, students may ask to transfer more. Transferred credit only counts towards the ten elective courses.

To make a request, students should collect the syllabi for the courses they are transferring and decide which PHI courses in the Baylor Graduate Catalog count as equivalent. They should present this information to the Graduate Program Director for approval before beginning the administrative process of transferring credit. The transfers are subject to any restrictions for the chosen equivalent course number in the Baylor Graduate Catalog.

Independent studies

When students have a specialized interest that is unlikely to be met through regular coursework, they can ask a faculty member to offer an independent study. These need to be approved by the Department Chair, who will take into account factors such as the importance of the course to the student’s and/or faculty member’s research projects, the likelihood that other students would be interested in a regular course on the topic, and the faculty member’s workload.

The approval is given automatically in the case of the second-semester-of-third-year independent study designed to help produce a prospectus (see section 7.3).

Advising

Students must meet with either the Graduate Program Director or Associate Program Director prior to registering for classes each semester until they graduate. If the students are in the Waco area, they should meet in person. Students should bring an updated CV to these meetings and have an idea of what courses they want to take in the coming semester.

Typical program flow

Year	Fall Semester	Spring Semester	Summer
1	Course One: 5319: Philosophical Writing Course Two Course Three RA/TA	Course One Course Two Course Three: (5318 Logic if offered) RA/TA	Register for 5330 (Ancient/Medieval comps)
2	Course One Course Two Course Three RA/TA	Course One Course Two Course Three: 5318 Logic or 5350 Teaching Seminar RA/TA	Register for 5331 (Modern/Contemporary comps)
3	Course One Course Two Course Three RA/TA	Course One Course Two: 5350 Teaching Seminar if offered) Course Three: independent study leading to prospectus RA/TA	Defend prospectus (if not done in spring) Register for 6V10
4	Register for 6V99 Dissertation writing Dissertation fellowship	Register for 6V99 Dissertation writing Teacher of Record	Register for 6V99 Dissertation writing
5	Register for 6V99 Dissertation writing Teacher of Record	Register for 6V99 Dissertation writing Dissertation defense Teacher of Record	Register for 6V99 Graduate in August

Graduate Student Continuation Conditions
The Graduate Committee consists of the voting members of the Philosophy Department who are also Philosophy Department graduate faculty. It is chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies or, in his or her absence, the Associate Director of Graduate Studies or, when the Department Chair is a member of the Philosophy Department graduate faculty, the Department Chair. A quorum of the Graduate Committee consists of at least half of the members of the Graduate Committee or five members, whichever is lower. A PhD student is a student in the Philosophy PhD program, whether or not the student has completed an M.A. degree. A PhD student is discontinued provided that the student is not permitted to complete the PhD. A PhD student’s regular semester is a fall or spring semester during which the student neither (a) is on an approved leave of absence of eight or more weeks nor (b) begins a period of maternity or paternity leave nor (c) begins a period of reduced duties under the Childbirth/Adoption Accommodation. The end of the semester is the day on which grades for non-graduating students are due. The ancient comprehensive examination, the medieval comprehensive examination, the early modern comprehensive examination, and the contemporary comprehensive examination each count as a separate comprehensive examination. A Philosophy class is a course listed or cross-listed as a PHI class. A completed grade is a recorded letter grade from A to F.
A PhD student shall be discontinued if at least one of the following conditions holds:
1. The student has two or more grades of C+ or below in Philosophy classes.
2. The student has received a grade of C+ or below on each of two comprehensive examinations, whether these are two instances of the same examination or two different examinations.
When a PhD student satisfies at least one of the following conditions, the Graduate Committee shall meet in a reasonably timely manner with a quorum of members and after discussion shall hold a vote on whether the student shall be discontinued. A simple majority of the members present at the meeting is necessary and sufficient for discontinuation.
1. After two or more regular semesters, fewer than half of the student’s completed grades in Philosophy classes are among A, A- or B+.
2. The student has received an F grade in any comprehensive examination.
A PhD student shall cease to receive funding if at least one of the following conditions holds:
1. The student has not attempted to defend a PhD dissertation prospectus by the end of the seventh regular semester.
2. The student has not successfully defended a PhD dissertation prospectus by the end of the eighth regular semester.
At any meeting of the Graduate Committee or the Philosophy Department containing a quorum of the Graduate Committee, any member of the Graduate Committee can on reasonable grounds propose a motion that a graduate student be discontinued, have funding terminated, or have status or funding made conditional on some specified condition. When seconded, such a motion will require a simple majority for approval.

Such a student can nonetheless petition the Graduate Committee for reinstatement of funding after successfully defending a PhD dissertation prospectus.

A PhD student who is discontinued but who in the judgment of the Director of Graduate Studies has a reasonable chance of completing the M.A. within a reasonable timeframe shall be permitted to complete the M.A. Funding in such a case will be conditional on a decision made by the Department Chair, with the understanding that normally M.A. students do not receive funding. Even when finishing an M.A. is not in view, a student who is performing satisfactory Teaching/Research Assistant work but who meets the conditions for discontinuation as a PhD student or discontinuation of funding during the fall or spring semester will normally be permitted to stay on until the end of the spring semester.
In the absence of a letter from a medical professional or special circumstances approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, an incomplete grade for a course other than 5330, 5331, 6V10 and 6V99 will be replaced with an F if the required work is not turned in within 31 days of the end of the semester during which the course was taken. Without majority approval of a quorum of the Graduate Committee, an incomplete grade for a course other than 5330, 5331, 6V10 and 6V99 will be replaced by an F at the end of the student’s next regular semester after the semester of the course if the required work has still not been turned in.
A student who receives a grade of C+ or below on just one of a pair of comprehensive examinations for the first time will be deemed to have failed that examination, will receive an incomplete grade for the 5330 or 5331 course that contains that examination, and will retake that comprehensive examination. A grade of B- or above in a 5330 or 5331 course requires a grade of B- or above on each of the two comprehensive examinations constituting that course.
Funding tied to Teaching and Research Assistantships is always at the discretion of the Department Chair’s judgment that the student’s work performance is satisfactory.
Students to whom the discontinuation of status or funding policies of point 3a or 4a apply may petition the Graduate Committee in writing for an extension of status or funding for one additional semester in the hope of an improvement of grades or a belated prospectus defense, respectively, and specifying the exceptional circumstances that make the request appropriate. A majority vote will be needed for the petition to be successful. At most one such extension will be granted a student in connection with point 3a, and at most one such extension will be granted in connection with point 4a.

Additional note: The required 5000 level ethics, metaphysics and epistemology courses must be passed with a grade of B or higher.

Logic Prerequisite

The 5318 and 5319 courses have a logic prerequisite. Students need to have taken a logic course (typically as undergraduates) that includes proofs and translations without quantifiers as well as translations with quantifiers. Students who do not satisfy this prerequisite before their first semester at Baylor should contact the Graduate Program Director in order to prepare for a placement exam over the summer before enrolling in the program.

After Year 5

Normally students should graduate within five years.

If a student takes longer than five years to finish the Ph.D., the department may be able to give the student adjunct classes to teach, but they will not be able to keep their previous stipend. At the 2024 rate for teaching an adjunct philosophy class at Baylor, the student would receive a salary of $18,000 a year with a 2-2 teaching load. But there are no guarantees.

The student would continue to have graduate student status and should be able to keep their tuition support and health care subsidy even after losing their stipend.

After Year 8

Students are expected to graduate within eight years. After year eight, students must apply to the Graduate Program Director for an extension on a semester-by-semester basis. The application needs to include a detailed plan, with dates of specific landmarks, for finishing the dissertation, and the plan needs to be approved by the student’s dissertation director. The Graduate Program Director will forward the application for extension, with their recommendation for or against it, to the Graduate School. The Graduate School is extremely hesitant to grant more than one year of extension, and does not grant more than two years.

Comprehensive Examinations

Comprehensive examinations in this department are broken down into four parts each called a “comp” and covering a different period in the history of philosophy (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and Contemporary). The default schedule is to take the Ancient and Medieval comps the summer after your first year in the program and take the Modern and Contemporary comps the summer after your second year.

The Ancient and Medieval comps are linked to a Pass/Fail summer course with the course number 5330 and the Modern and Contemporary comps are linked to a Pass/Fail summer course with the course number 5331. Each comp will still be given a letter grade that students are informed of for internal departmental use, but transcripts will only say pass-fail.

Each comp involves answering multiple essay questions in a limited amount of time without access to notes, the internet, or other philosophy sources.

The comps are anonymized before grading by a committee, and the committee does not give comments to students.

Guidelines for Setting, Answering, and Grading Comprehensive Exam Questions
1. Questions
Questions should avoid focusing on portions and details of an assigned text that are tangential to the philosopher’s main aims in the text.
While it is usual for the students to have some choice among the questions that are asked on the exam, students must be prepared to answer questions on every text that they have read. In particular, it is perfectly acceptable for the questions to be set up in ways that foil attempts at strategic omission in reading (e.g., by giving a student a choice between two questions on the Enneads, but not making it possible to avoid answering a question on the Enneads).
It is recommended that the examinations be structured in such a way as to particularly check knowledge of authors and texts more central to the history of philosophy (though all the texts on the reading list are important to the history of philosophy).
A single question may, if the questioner so chooses, draw upon more than one assigned text of a single philosopher, or even on more than one philosopher or group of philosophers.
The questions on any examination should not draw on the work of philosophers covered in a subsequent examination (e.g., the ancient examination should not ask for a comparison with a medieval figure), although it is perfectly fine for a question from an examination on a later period to require the student’s general familiarity with texts assigned for an examination on an earlier period, especially one covered by an examination typically taken in the same year. This allows for comparative questions. However, one should not require so much familiarity that even students who did well on an earlier examination would need to re-study the material.
Notwithstanding the preceding point, an effort will be made to have each examination be a test primarily of the knowledge of the assigned texts from the period in question.
The examination should not presuppose knowledge of unassigned secondary literature or of interpretive or substantive material taught in a course, even one taken by the majority of the students being examined.
Questions may require students to engage in some serious philosophical (historical and/or substantive) thinking on the examination. The examination should seek to test understanding and not merely the memorization of central ideas. In particular, it is acceptable to ask how a particular philosopher, in light of the assigned texts, would likely respond to some case, counterargument or other figure, or to request the student to critically analyze an argument in an assigned text. However, the questioners should bear in mind the limitations of time and the difficulties in tackling philosophical problems in an examination situation.
Questions should not require students to have word-for-word memory of any particular texts. Thus, if a question concerns a matter of textual interpretation that depends on the wording, the text in question should be quoted (in an assigned translation).
Questions should avoid the use of undefined technical terminology not found in the texts assigned. The examiners should be careful in cases where a term is used in a different sense in contemporary philosophy from the sense in which the term is used in the texts assigned. In such cases, it would be good to explicitly specify which sense is indicated (e.g., “How does Aquinas think essential properties (in his sense of the word ‘essential’) differ from accidental ones?”).
Ambiguity in questions is to be avoided. Care should be taken in the formulation of questions that they be fair and clearly stated.
Questions from previous years may be re-used at the examiners’ discretion, bearing in mind that examinees will have copies of past examinations.
There is no guarantee that the past structure and/or composition of the exam will match the present structure and/or composition.
No hints are to be given to examinees as to what questions will occur in a given year.
1. Answers
Examinees will abide by usual standards of integrity.
Examinees should fully answer the selected questions, being careful to address every part of the question (unless the question expressly makes some parts of itself optional or selectable) and avoiding going off on tangents that do not answer the question.
A typical answer is two to four double-spaced pages long, but they can be longer or shorter as the subject requires or permits, respectively.
Examinees should not be afraid to argue for and defend controversial interpretations or substantive views without consideration for what they think the views of the examiners are.
Interpretations used need to be reasonable in light of the text and should be defended to the extent reasonable in light of limitations of time and space, the obviousness or non-obviousness of the interpretation (interpretations that are pretty much obvious given the text do not require defense), and the relative centrality of the particular interpretation to the answer being given.
In the case of an ambiguous question, the student may choose any reasonable interpretation of the question but should indicate the ambiguity.
1. Grading
The most important question for the grading committee to answer is whether a student has passed or failed the examination.
Examinees are to be graded on their familiarity with the text and on the reasonableness of their answers in light of the texts assigned. In particular, examinees are not to be penalized for departing from the grader’s own views or even from generally accepted interpretations, as long as either the interpretation taken is fairly reasonable in light of the assigned texts, or else it is ably defended.
Graders are to bear in mind the limitations of time and space, as well as the stresses of the examination situation, particularly when evaluating those answers that require the student to think on the spot.
Graders should be aware of what texts have been assigned to the students, and to grade the questions according to that understanding.
Examinees are not being examined on their grammar or spelling, though of course if the grammar or spelling make understanding impossible, the grade will reflect that.
Grading is not to be done on a curve. It is possible that in one year everyone will get a B+ or lower and in another year everyone will get an A. At the same time, some implicit comparison simply cannot be avoided, but the comparison should only be a tool to determining what grade is absolutely deserved.
Graders will be careful that students not be unfairly penalized in the case of a question that deviates from these rules for questions, but are to make a prudent decision of how to most fairly grade such a question. Note also the rule on technical definitions under “Miscellaneous”.
An A+ should be a very rare grade on a question, being seen in effect as a request that the student receive a departmental commendation (if the other grades are sufficient) and given only for truly superlative answer. An A indicates an excellent answer. An A- indicates an answer that shows a thorough grasp of and sufficient engagement of the text, but that falls short of genuine excellence. A B+ indicates a satisfactory and generally good answer, while B and B- indicate lower quality answers that, nonetheless, are up to passing standards. One might think of a B- as a “low pass”. A C+ is a high fail—the answer is not satisfactory, but has something to be said in favor of it. A thoroughly unsatisfactory answer should be given a C.
1. Miscellaneous
Examinees should avoid strategic choices of which texts to read. They should read all assigned texts.
Examinees are permitted up to two ordinary (non-philosophical) hard-copy dictionaries, either English-English or between English and some other modern language.
If an undefined technical term occurs in a question where the term was not used by any of the assigned texts, the examinee may request a definition from a proctor. The proctor will find a philosophy graduate faculty member willing and able to answer the question (or answer it himself or herself, if the proctor is a philosophy graduate faculty member). The examinee will then note who offered this definition, and the examinee will not be penalized if the definition does not match the sense intended by the examining committee. If the rules for setting questions are kept to, this situation will not occur.
1. Ancient and Medieval Comps

The question bank of historical examination questions can be found on Box.com under the “Comprehensive Exams” folder.

Ancient and Medieval Reading Lists for Comps

Ancient

Patricia Curd and Richard McKirihan (editors), A Presocratics Reader, 2nd edition (Hackett, 2011). Read Chapters 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14.1.1-12, 14.2, 14.5.21-22.

Additional Antiphon texts from pages 104-105 of the 1996 edition of Curd and McKirihan and omitted in the 2001 edition, also found here: https://quizlet.com/176794618/sophists-flash-cards/

Additional Critias texts from page 107 of the 1996 edition of Curd and McKirihan and omitted in the 2001 edition, also found here: https://quizlet.com/176794618/sophists-flash-cards/

Plato, Complete Works, edited by John Cooper (Hackett, 1997). Read Apology, Meno, Republic, Phaedo, Symposium, Theaetetus.

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. Recommended translations: W. D. Ross, revised by J. L. Ackrill and J. O. Urmson (Oxford World’s Classics, 1998); Terence Irwin (Hackett, 1985); Roger Crisp (Cambridge U. P., 2000). Read the whole work.

Aristotle, Aristotle: Selections. Translated and edited by T. Irwin and G. Fine. (Hackett, 1995). Read the sections from the Categories, Physics, Metaphysics, and Politics.

Epicurus, The Epicurus Reader. Translated and edited by Brad Inwood and Lloyd Gerson. (Hackett: 1994). Read pp. 3-40.

Sextus Empiricus, Selections from the Major Writings: On Scepticism, Man and God. Translated by Sanford Etheridge (Hackett, 1985). Read Part One (selections), pp. 31-128. This is Book 1, chapters 1-34, Book 2, chapters 10, 14-16, 21 and part of 22, Book 3, chapter 5, 15-19, and 32, all from the Outlines of Pyrrhonism. (Available for free in Loeb Classical Library: http://www.loebclassics.com.ezproxy.baylor.edu)

Seneca, Moral and Political Essays. Edited by John M. Cooper and J. F. Procopé (Cambridge U. P., 1995). Read On Anger, Book II (pp. 42-75), On Mercy, Book I.2-I.8, Book II.1-II.7, and On Favors, Books I and II (pp. 193-241).

Plotinus, The Essential Plotinus. Translated by Elmer O’Brien (Hackett, 1978). Read pp. 33-175.

Medieval

1. Augustine

(a) Confessions, 2^nd edition, tr. F. Sheed, introduction P. Brown, ed, with notes, M. Foley, Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. (ISBN 0-87220-816-8).

(b) On the Free Choice of the Will, tr. T. Williams (ISBN 0872201880)

2. Boethius, On the Consolation of Philosophy (ISBN 0140447806), all books except Book II.

3. Anselm, Proslogion, with the replies of Gaunilo and Anselm, tr. T. Williams (ISBN 0872205657).

4. Bonaventure, The Mind’s Journey to God, tr. P. Boehner (ISBN 0872202003).

5. Thomas Aquinas:

(a) Summa Theologiae, Prima Pars, qq. 1-4, 12-13, 15, 44-45, 75-76, 82-83, 85-86

Translation by Fred Freddoso on-line at http://www.nd.edu/~afreddos/summa-translation/TOC-part1.htm

(b) Summa Theologiae, Prima Secundae, qq. 1-5, 49, 55, 61, 62, 90, 94, 109-110

http://www.ccel.org/a/aquinas/summa/home.html

(d) Summa Contra Gentiles 1.13.

https://web.archive.org/web/20180416215333/http://dhspriory.org/thomas/ContraGentiles1.htm#13

6. John Duns Scotus, selections from Philosophical Writings, ed. A. Wolter (ISBN 0872200183).

Pages 14-33, 52-81, 97-132

7. William of Ockham, selections from Philosophical Writings, ed. S. Brown (ISBN

0872200787). Pages 1-45, 90-126

Modern and Contemporary Comps

The question bank can be found on Box.com under the “Comprehensive Exams” folder.

Modern

Descartes Meditations

Spinoza Ethics (Book 1)

Leibniz Discourse on Metaphysics

Monadology

Hobbes Leviathan

Part 1, Chapters 1-6, 8, 12-15

Part 2, Chapters 17-21, 31

Locke Second Treatise of Government (Chapters 2, 3, 5, 7-10, and 19: paragraphs 211-226 and 240-242)

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (Hackett Abridged Edition, ed. K. Winkler)

Epistle to the Reader

Book I, Chapters 1-2

Book II, Chapters 1-14, 21-27

Book IV, Chapters 1-3, 14-16, 18

Feel free to omit the author’s notes.

Berkeley Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Hume An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals

Treatise of Human Nature, Book I, Part 4, §§5-6

Reid An Inquiry into the Human Mind on the Principles of Common Sense (recommend: Brookes edition, Penn State UP)

Dedication

Books I-VII, except for Book VI, Sections 10-19

The Hume-Reid exchange (in the Brookes ed.)

Rousseau The Social Contract

Book One

Book Two: Chapters 1-7 and 11.

Book Three: Chapters 1-6, 9-10, and 12-18.

Book Four: Chapters 1-2, and 5-9

Kant Critique of Pure Reason (Cambridge UP) (214 pages total)

“Introduction to the second edition” 136-151

“First Part. Transcendental aesthetic” (172-192)

“Second Part. Transcendental logic: Division one. Transcendental analytic: analytic of concepts” (193-267)

“analytic of principles” (267-285).

Transcendental Dialectic

“on pure reason as the seat of transcendental illusion” (387-393).

“Book 1: on the concepts of pure reason” (394-408)

“Antinomy of pure reason” (459-495)

“Transcendental idealism as the key to solving the cosmological dialectic” (511-513)

“The regulative principle of pure reason in regard to the cosmological ideas” (520-523).

“the ideal of pure reason” (551-558).

“What is Enlightenment?”

Practical Philosophy (Cambridge UP) (119 pages total)

Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Sections II & III (61-101)

Critique of Practical Reason (153-185)

Metaphysics of Morals, “Doctrine of Right” (386-395) and “Doctrine of Virtue” (512-527, 531-5, 539, 543-547, 559-562, 571-575)

“Toward Perpetual Peace” (317-330)

Critique of the Power of Judgment (Cambridge UP) (89 pages total)

“Introduction” (59-83)

“Analytic of the Beautiful” (89-125)

“Aesthetic Deduction” (184-197)

“Teleological Power of Judgment” (239-255).

(Total Kant 420 pages)

Late Modern and Contemporary

Hegel Phenomenology of Spirit (Pinkard translation, Cambridge UP)

Preface (3-26)

A. Self-Sufficiency and Non-Self-Sufficiency of Self-Consciousness;

Mastery and Servitude §§189-196 (112-116)

The Science of Logic (Cambridge UP)

Introduction: General Concept of Logic (23-25)

Doctrine of Being: “With What Must the Beginning of Science be Made?” GW 21.53–68 (45-57)

Ch. 1 Being (A: Being, B. Nothing, C. Becoming) GW 21.68–71 (59-61)

Ch. 2 Existence, 21.129–131, 136–137 (113-14, 119-120)

Doctrine of the Concept: Section II: Objectivity, Chapter 3 Teleology 12.154-12.172 (651-669)

Section III: The Idea, The Idea of Life, The Idea of Cognition GW 12.173-206 (670-699, 729-731)

Aesthetics (Oxford UP) “Introduction” (1-25, 55, 70-95, 100-1)

Philosophy of Right (Cambridge UP), “Introduction” (25-61), “World History” (372-375)

Philosophy of Mind (Oxford UP), Introduction “§§377-386” (15 pages)

Kierkegaard Fear and Trembling (Cambridge UP) (13-107)

Marx Theses on Feuerbach
The German Ideology: Part I, C on “Communism,” pp. 187-200 in The Marx-Engels Reader, 2nd ed., Robert Tucker, ed. (New York: Norton, 1978).

Mill Utilitarianism

On Liberty (JS and HT Mill)

Nietzsche On the Genealogy of Morals, “First Essay” (24 pages)

James “What Pragmatism Means” and “Pragmatism’s Conception of Truth” (from Pragmatism)

Wittgenstein Philosophical Investigations (3rd edn) (Through §315)

Heidegger Discourse on Thinking: “Memorial Address” (43-56)

Being and Time: “§§40-44.b” (228-264) (49 pages)

Gadamer Truth and Method, “Ch. 4. Elements of a Theory of Hermeneutic Experience” (268-341) (73 pages)

de Beauvoir “Introduction” to The Second Sex (30 pages)

Arendt The Human Condition, Ch. 5 (74 pages)

Anscombe Intention and “Modern Moral Philosophy” (95 pages)

Foot Natural Goodness Ch. 1, 2, 3 (30 pages)

Quine “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” (20 pages)

Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (208 pages)

Rawls Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, “Section 1-45” (1-150) (150 pages)

Kripke Naming and Necessity “Lectures I-II” (84 pages)

MacIntyre After Virtue, Ch. 14 and 15 (40 pages)

Skipping a Comp

You will be able to do three instead of four comps under the following conditions: (a) you take two history classes on philosophers from the time period of the comp you're not doing, and (b) you spend the half of the summer that would otherwise be spent preparing for the comp doing work that furthers a dissertation under supervision of the faculty member who would have been in charge of the relevant sections of 5330/5331 (e.g., you will set up and report on a summer plan to read articles/books in an area that you are likely to write a dissertation on).

Skipping a Comp FAQ

Q1: To substitute for a comp, do I need to have taken the two history classes before the comp that I am skipping?

A1: This is recommended but not required. If you have not completed the two history classes before the comp, you will get an Incomplete in PHI 5330/5331, which will turn into a Pass as soon as you have completed all the requirements for 5330/5331 (which in this case would be passing the other comp in the pair, finishing the dissertation-directed research, and completing the two history classes).

Q2: Does the Department guarantee that there will be two history classes available to substitute for a comp during my time at Baylor?

A2: No. So if you don't have the two classes lined up, you will be taking a risk by skipping the comp.

Q3: What if I avoid a comp because I'm planning on taking two history classes, but in the end am unable to take two history classes in that area?

A3: In that case you will need to take the comp before we can advance you to the dissertation-writing stage. You will need to take the comp with another cohort (or ask for a specially scheduled one) before you can register for dissertation hours.

Q4: Can I do four history classes and skip two comps?

A4: No.

Q5: The Department requires two history classes from every student. Can those same two history classes satisfy the history coursework requirement and substitute for a comp?

A5: Yes, but it is likely to be in your interest as a philosopher to take more than two history classes.

Q6: If I am aiming at an M.A. degree rather than a PhD, can I skip one of the two required comps by taking two history classes?

A6: It's a requirement that you spend the study time working towards a dissertation. Since the M.A. does not have a dissertation, you cannot do this. However, if at the time you did plan on doing the PhD and fulfilled the requirements for the 5330/5331 course credit (did one comp, worked towards a dissertation, and did two history classes in the area of the skipped comp), and have then changed your mind and wish to leave with an M.A., then, yes, that course credit will fulfill the requirement for the M.A. that you have 5330 or 5331.

Interim Graduate Student AI Use Guidelines

Treat material from generative AI much like you would material from a person in writing your papers and doing your research. If you get ideas from use of generative AI, appropriately cite the source of the idea as generative AI, with details as to the model, version and date. If you use AI-generated words, images, code or other materials, clearly indicate the source. Use quotation marks for unchanged text, with square brackets used to indicate adaptations as needed. In the case of images and other materials give proper credit much like you would a human collaborator.

Just as you can ask a friend or the Writing Center or Microsoft Word to find mistakes in your grammar and spelling, you can ask an AI to do that, and as long as the contribution of the AI is limited to fixing errors in grammar and spelling, you don’t need to cite this. Likewise, AI-based formatting help, especially in LaTeX, that does not affect the content does not need to be cited.

Appropriately verify information received from an AI prior to relying on this information in publication, presentation, teaching or classwork. For instance, if you use AI to identify a reference, verify the reference with an original text or a reputable non-AI translation. If you use AI to generate a proof, verify every step of the proof yourself, checking any references that the proof relies on. If you use AI to generate computer code that you rely on, make sure you understand how every line of the code works.

When in doubt, explicitly state in your work what help you got, whether from humans or AI. Don’t ask an AI to restructure or rewrite your paper for you without clearing this with the faculty in charge of the project. If such help constitutes a substantial portion of an assignment, clear this explicitly with the faculty member in charge.

When confidential information is at stake, again treat online-connected AI like you would a human being. If you have a duty of confidentiality that would preclude you from making some information available to a human, do not put that information into an online-connected AI. Even in the case of self-hosted ostensibly offline AI, you may need to take appropriate precautions to avoid a breach of confidentiality, in addition to ordinary security measures. If you are training an AI model that you will make available to others, do not train it on any data that you are not entitled to make available to those to whom you make the model available, and ensure that anyone else using the model abides by such conditions.

Follow all applicable laws and Baylor policies.

Mentoring Agreement

The Graduate School requires that dissertation directors and graduate students discuss the Graduate School’s model mentoring agreement at the beginning of the mentoring relationship, for the sake of clarity of expectations. The dissertation director and student are free to decide to commit mutually to the agreement but are not required to do so.

Prospectus

The prospectus is a proposal for your dissertation. It should ideally be completed and defended by the summer before your fourth year. Two conditions of continuing in the program are that you attempt to defend your prospectus by the end of your seventh semester (fall of your fourth year) and that you defend it successfully by the end of your eighth semester.

Expectations of the Document

A prospectus is a maximum of 15 double-spaced pages, plus a bibliography. Different dissertation directors will have different expectations. Check with your dissertation director for his or her specific expectations. The following notes are only heuristic guidelines.

The prospectus is defended in front of the philosophers of the dissertation committee (i.e., the non-philosophy member of the final dissertation committee does not need to be present).

The primary function of a prospectus is to provide convincing evidence to the committee of the truth of two propositions:

That the topic is appropriate for a dissertation—not too trivial, too boring, too vast, or done already.
That you are ready to work on this dissertation, including (but not only):
1. That you have a sufficient knowledge of what relevant literature there is and have read a not insignificant portion of it
2. That you have a sufficiently clear picture of what the problems in the area are, and
3. That you show promise of making a sufficient original contribution, e.g., because you already have a sufficient number of original ideas on the topic, though perhaps in inchoate form.

A prospectus normally contains a general discussion of the problem or problems and of the planned approach and a discussion of how the planned approach relates to the literature, together with more or less worked-out outlines of chapters.

The dissertation should not be thought of as one’s magnum opus. It is, rather, a work that provides one with a “license to do professional philosophy”. A fortiori, the dissertation prospectus is not a magnum opus. It is, rather, a work that provides the committee with evidence that you’re ready to work on gaining your license to do professional philosophy.

There is no obligation that the dissertation match the prospectus, though significant departures should be cleared with one’s dissertation director, and if one wishes to work on a completely new topic, the committee as a whole should be consulted (and may need to be reconstituted).

Some Model Prospectuses

Sample prospectuses will give you an idea of what a solid prospectus can look like. Again, remember that your dissertation director may have specific requirements. Note that some of the older prospectuses far exceed our present maximum length of 15 pages. Four samples are found at http://alexanderpruss.com/prospectus/.

Second Semester of Third Year Independent Study

We very strongly encourage students to take an independent study with their dissertation director during the second semester of the third year, with the aim of producing and ideally defending a prospectus. We require a prospectus defense in the first semester of the fourth year, and that is not changed, but we want to encourage students to do it in year three. The independent study would provide three credits of electives, so you would only need to take six credits that semester (or less if you have transferred M.A. credit). To complete the independent study, you would either produce a prospectus the dissertation director considers passable, or, if that doesn't work out, you would write a standard seminar-style paper on the reading you did. This independent study counts as an elective. Typically the independent study will be listed as PHI 4V99.

Dissertation
1. Dissertation Committee
The dissertation examining committee will include a minimum of four members.
At least two members, including the chairperson, will be Baylor Graduate Faculty from the degree-granting program.
At least one member must be a member of Baylor’s Graduate Faculty whose primary appointment is from a program other than the one conferring the degree. This non-program member helps to ensure a consistent level of quality, rigor, and fairness across all graduate programs at Baylor University.
The committee may also include one member from outside of Baylor with approval of the candidate’s Graduate Program Director. Non-Baylor committee members are not eligible to serve as the dissertation chairperson.
The Graduate Program Director is responsible for ensuring the relevant expertise of the non-Baylor committee member and notifying the Graduate School through the Announcement of Doctoral Oral Examination form.
The candidate’s dissertation director will serve as the chairperson of the committee and ensure that formal announcement of the examination is made, that the exam is conducted fairly, and that it is open to the faculty.
The committee may include additional members beyond the required minimum of four.
Preferably, the student and the examiners will be present in person, but in certain cases (e.g., online degree programs, extenuating circumstances, etc.) this may not be logistically possible. A Graduate Program Director may approve alternative formats for examination, including virtual, video-conferenced participation of one or more examiner(s). Such approval needs to be accompanied with justification to the Graduate School.

Additional information about the dissertation defense (this applies also to a prospectus defense):

1. The office manager needs to know about the planned defense sufficiently ahead of time in order to (a) book a room; and (b) in the case of a dissertation defense submit an Announcement of Oral Exam form 10 working days ahead of the defense.

2. The student needs to provide the dissertation or prospectus to all the committee members with enough advance time for them to review it prior to the defense. In the case of a prospectus, a month is typically a reasonable amount of time but less than two weeks is unreasonable. In the case of a dissertation, more lead time is likely to be needed—the student should check with the committee members.

Dissertation Requirements

For formatting questions, look at https://graduate.baylor.edu/formatting. This website contains a template for your dissertation as well as the detailed “Formatting and Submission Guidelines.” The website will give you a number of requirements from the graduate school that you must follow, and you should look at least a month before your defense so there are no surprises.

The website also states that your department decides on the citation format. The Philosophy Department does not currently have any specific citation format requirement, and hence you can choose any standard professional citation format you like unless your dissertation director has some special requirements.

Dissertation Writing Fellowship

The Department has a dissertation writing fellowship for students normally awarded during the first semester of the fourth year. This fellowship provides a standard stipend but has no teaching responsibilities in order to allow students who get the fellowship to get into the rhythm of writing a dissertation. It will normally be a requirement of the fellowship that (a) you have written a passable prospectus (according to the dissertation director) by the middle of April in your third year, (b) your dissertation director recommends you for the fellowship, (c) the prospectus will be successfully defended before the beginning of the fellowship (i.e., in the second semester of the third year or the summer after it), and (d) your coursework will be complete before the fellowship thereby allowing you to write your dissertation. We foresee most students who satisfy these conditions receiving the fellowship. We also see this as linked with the independent study in section 7.3, since the independent study is designed to help you get your prospectus done in year three. Note that in some cases we may transfer the fellowship time to the second semester of the fourth year, e.g., to relieve Department teaching needs.

Dissertation Writing Fellowship F.A.Q.

Q1: What if I apply for the dissertation writing fellowship in April, get it, but do not succeed in defending the prospectus before classes start in the fall?

A1: Successful defense of the prospectus is required for the fellowship. In a case like this, you will be assigned some TA/RA/instructor duties, at the Department's discretion.

Q2: What if I apply for the dissertation writing fellowship, get it, but fail to complete my coursework by the summer before the fellowship time?

A2: Without completion of coursework, you are not at the dissertation writing stage and cannot take on the fellowship.

Q3: I have taken parental leave or medical time off, or I could have taken parental leave but chose not to. Do I still need to have a prospectus written by the second semester of my third year to be eligible for the writing fellowship?

A3: Such special cases are left to the discretion of the fellowship selection committee. The committee is likely to extend the clock due to such factors. Likely in such a case we would expect the prospectus to be successfully defended in the first semester of the fourth year, to be considered for a fellowship starting in the second semester of the fourth year.

Dissertation Defense

Normally, the dissertation defense is scheduled by the candidate in consultation with the dissertation director. If the dissertation director/committee believes the dissertation is not ready for a defense, it is usually inadvisable for a defense to be scheduled, but it is the student’s right to insist on a defense if they so choose.

Students are responsible for checking the deadline for defending prior to a graduation date with the Graduate School.

The defense is 1.5-2.5 hours long. Normally it is done in person, with the candidate and the committee present (though if there is a non-Baylor committee member, they will typically attend electronically). Typically, there is an initial open-ended question by the dissertation director that invites the student to give a brief (5-10 minute) summary of the highlights of the dissertation, and then the committee members take turns asking questions of the candidate and engaging in discussion.

Guests are allowed if the candidate and dissertation director both agree. Normally, guests do not ask questions, but the candidate and dissertation director may choose to agree to allow a brief amount of discussion with guests.

The committee decides whether the student’s dissertation passes unconditionally, passes on conditions specified by the committee (e.g., “major revisions A, B, and C approved by the dissertation director, and an extensive bibliographic enhancement of the introduction approved by Professor X”), or fails. The conditions specified need to be such that they can be reasonably expected to be completed within the ten days the graduate school gives for final revisions after the defense. In case of failure, Graduate School rules are to be followed regarding any future defense options.

Graduation Checklist for Dissertation and Thesis Students

Before your Defense

Apply to graduate on BearWeb if you are graduating in the same term in which you’re defending.
Run an audit on UAchieve. Discuss any incompletes or unfulfilled requirements with your department administrators or GPD.
Check relevant submission, defense, and regalia purchase deadlines on the Graduate Academic Calendar.
Formulate your committee based on our committee guidelines.
Begin formatting your dissertation or thesis using Baylor Guidelines.
Check that your department has submitted an Announcement of Oral Exam form at least 10 days before your defense. Do NOT submit this yourself.
Schedule your Preliminary Technical Review using the online scheduler. Reviews must take place at least 14 days prior to your defense.

In preparation for your review:

Complete your document formatting.
Prepare your signature page for approval at your review.
Upload those documents to our submission portal (Vireo) following the instructions online.

Defense

Obtain signatures from your committee members on your pre-approved signature page.
Obtain the signature of your department chair on your pre-approved signature page.

Within 10 Days after Your Defense

Upload your manuscript to Vireo after you’ve completed all necessary formatting revisions as well as content revisions required by your committee.
- Reply promptly to any emails from our submission portal asking for additional revisions in the following weeks. Revisions should be made within 48 hours of receiving feedback.
Discuss copyright and embargo options with your committee chair.
Submit the Copyright and Final Approval Form online, which will trigger an automated email to your committee chair for approval. (*This form is new. We no longer use PDF versions of this form.)
Follow up with your committee chair after submitting your Copyright and Final Approval Form to ensure that they have approved it.
Check that your department has submitted the Results of Oral Exam form online.

In the Weeks Following Your Defense

Once all forms and manuscript revisions have been completed, look for an email through Vireo confirming that your dissertation or thesis has been approved.
After approval, download the final approved version of your manuscript to use for future copies.

All doctoral students (PhD, PsyD, EdD, etc):

Upload your final approved version of your dissertation to ProQuest following instructions in your approval email. Read our FAQs related to ProQuest submission and copyright first.

PhD students only:

Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates using the link in your Vireo approval email.

Two to three days after you’ve completed this checklist, run another audit to ensure all requirements have been cleared, including “Approval of Final Dissertation/Thesis.”

Other
1. Childbirth and Adoption Accommodations

Male or female parents with Graduate Assistant (GA) status of a newly born baby or a newly adopted child are eligible for this accommodation. In the case of two graduate student parents, there would be a limit of one accommodation per family. It is expected that the accommodation will be used only once during the student's time at Baylor, but special situations may be negotiated on a case by case basis.

Students may choose between two options: (A) Full-time leave for half a term or semester. This option allows students to be fully relieved of their assistantship responsibilities during any period of weeks equaling no more than half the term. (B) Half-time leave for the full term or semester. This option allows students to perform half their assistantship responsibilities (roughly 10 hours) for the entire term. This option is intended to allow students to continue teaching if desired.

The GA will receive full funding during the leave, will continue to remain fully enrolled, and will continue to be eligible for Baylor Graduate Student Health Insurance. The GA should be given clear beginning and ending dates for the leave.

As early as possible, students anticipating childbirth or adoption should discuss their intent to apply for Childbirth/Adoption Accommodation with their faculty advisor and Graduate Program Director (GPD). Together the GPD and student will complete the following process:

Step One:
- Students will consult with their GPDs for the time range of the leave (up to six weeks).
- Students will provide the GPD and the Graduate School (graduate_records@baylor.edu) with documentation verifying pregnancy and/or adoption.
Step Two: Student or GPD will submit the online application form at least one month prior to the anticipated start date.
- Once approved, the student and GPD will be notified. During the semester of accommodation, the department will pay the student for work served as normal. Any enhancement funds (fellowships) will be paid in the usual ways, without interruption or deduction.

This information was taken from https://graduate.baylor.edu/childbirth-adoption and more can be found there.

Short-term medical leave eligibility requirements can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/short-term-leave

Graduate Travel Information

Graduate School Travel Award: Graduate students are eligible for $800 in aid each academic year (1 June through 31 May of the following calendar year) for the purposes of conference travel. Any one award may not exceed $400. However, students may request less than $400, thereby possibly allowing support for more than two meetings in a year. The award is paid by check directly to the graduate student before the meeting date. This money must be used for conferences for which you are presenting a paper. You must apply for this award prior to travel. No awards will be granted after the travel has taken place.

*The Graduate School must receive your travel funds request at least 4 weeks in advance of the planned travel.

Please see the Grad School’s website for important details on what is considered eligible travel: https://graduate.baylor.edu/travel-awards

Additionally, the Philosophy Department will normally provide $400 for each student to attend conferences where they are presenting papers or for dissertation research. This money can be used to enhance the Graduate School award or used to fund a third conference trip. You may split your $400 department allotment between different conferences. Prior to making any arrangements for travel, you should submit an email to the Office Manager for a decision by the Department Chair regarding the amount of reimbursement to expect. *In some instances, we may be able to provide you with some funding up front to help defer costs to you.

Apply for and use funds from the Graduate School first. The share of departmental funds will supplement the Graduate School award.

Retain all receipts for travel. Receipts must indicate the cost and that payment was made by you. You will need to file for reimbursement.

Housing and Transportation

Baylor owns four affordable apartment complexes near campus for graduate students and their families. The Quadrangle in particular houses several grad students in the philosophy Ph.D. program. For more information on these complexes as well as other resources for locating off-campus graduate student housing, see https://graduate.baylor.edu/GSHC.

Baylor also has a community garden in one of the complexes (Browning Square) which graduate students can access and they can sign up for individual growing plots. More information can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/student-resources/living-waco/housing-transportation-nutrition/graduate-student-housing-community.

Information on the university shuttle as well as other modes of transportation in Waco can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/student-resources/living-waco/housing-transportation-nutrition

Department Social Life

The Philosophy department has various social events and activities throughout the year to promote community and camaraderie among the graduate students and faculty. These include:

Graduate Colloquium – a weekly, hour-long colloquium in which a graduate student presents a paper, idea, or some project they are working on in order to 1) practice professional presentation skills and 2) receive feedback from their peers and department faculty on their scholarly work. Regular participation in the colloquium from graduate students is strongly encouraged.
Stammtisch – a weekly, informal gathering at a local bar, typically the Dancing Bear, held just after colloquium to continue conversation among students and faculty, philosophical or otherwise.
Potlucks – a monthly potluck meal hosted at a volunteer faculty member or graduate student’s home. Potlucks are a great way for faculty, graduate students, and their families to gather and socialize on a regular basis. The main course is provided by the department and attendees bring dishes to pass.
Bible study – a weekly, 45-minute opportunity for faculty and graduate students to study the Bible together and be mutually enriched in their Christian faith. All denominations and faith backgrounds are welcome. A different book of the Bible is usually chosen each semester.
Recreational sports – occasional group sporting activities organized by a graduate student or faculty member for students, faculty, and families. Past activities have included Ultimate frisbee, bowling, racquetball, pickleball, volleyball, and even chess. In the past, more regular department sports opportunities such as leagues or weekly pickup games have also existed.

Informal gatherings and events among students, cohorts, faculty, and families are also encouraged. Any student or faculty member may reach out by email to invite departmental participation in concerts, sporting events, lectures, etc.

Community Support Resources

Baylor offers many support resources to its graduate students and faculty.

Student Life Center Resources

The Student Life Center houses many helpful resources including:

Baylor Counseling Center – in-person counseling is available during business hours and telehealth counseling is available 24/7. Graduate students can participate in individual, couple, or group counseling sessions.
Baylor Health Services – students can make medical appointments in their health portal or by phone to see a healthcare professional for various medical needs, including lab draws, vaccines, checkups, physical therapy, and illness visits. Telehealth options are also available, and there is a pharmacy onsite for prescription pickups.
Campus Recreation – the SLC houses Baylor’s fitness facilities, most of which are free for Baylor students and faculty. These include a fitness center with cardio machines and weightlifting room, an indoor track, an indoor pool, several racquetball courts and ping-pong tables, exercise rooms, a bouldering pit, and a 53-foot rock wall. Sports equipment can be borrowed from the front desk with ID. Just outside the SLC are volleyball, tennis, and pickleball courts and an outdoor fitness course. Fitness classes and personal training are offered regularly for a fee, and Campus Rec also facilitates intramural and club sports for students as well as Outdoor Adventure trips, classes, and events.

More health and wellness resources available at the SLC and elsewhere can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/studentresources/healthandwellness.

Title IX

All faculty and graduate students paid by Baylor are considered mandatory reporters by Baylor University.

Civil Rights Policy and Sexual and Interpersonal Misconduct Policy:

Baylor University does not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, disability, national origin, ancestry, age (over 40), citizenship, genetic information or the refusal to submit to a genetic test, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, Texas, or local law (collectively referred to as Protected Characteristics).

If you or someone you know would like help related to an experience involving:

Sexual or gender-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, stalking, intimate partner violence, or retaliation for reporting one of these types of prohibited conduct, please visit www.baylor.edu/titleix or contact us at (254) 710-8454 or TitleIX_Coordinator@baylor.edu.
1. Harassment (excluding those issues listed in #1) or adverse action based on Protected Characteristics, please visit www.baylor.edu/equity or contact us at (254) 710-7100 or Equity@baylor.edu.

The Office of Equity and Title IX understands the sensitive nature of these situations and can provide information about available on- and off-campus resources, such as counseling and psychological services, medical treatment, academic support, university housing, advocacy services, and other forms of assistance that may be available. Staff members at the office can also explain your rights and procedural options. You will not be required to share your experience. If you or someone you know feels unsafe or may be in imminent danger, please call the Baylor Police Department (254-710-2222) or Waco Police Department (9-1-1) immediately.

Except for Confidential Resources, all University Employees are designated Responsible Employees and thereby mandatory reporters of potential sexual and interpersonal misconduct violations. Confidential Resources who do not have to report include those working in the Counseling Center or Health Center and the University Chaplain, Dr. Burt Burleson.

Writing Center

The Graduate Writing Center (GWC) is a resource for all Baylor graduate student writers (online and on-campus) who desire to improve their writing skills. Consultants help with writing projects at all stages of the composition process – generating ideas, organizing, and revising – whether students are working on academic papers, reports, personal statements and applications, papers intended for publication, theses and dissertations, or grant proposals. You can set up an appointment online at MyWCOnline or email gwc@baylor.edu.

The GWC is preparing to merge with the University Writing Center (UWC) in Fall 2025. Graduate students can avail themselves of the UWC, located in Moody Library 2nd floor West. You can call the UWC at (254) 710-4849, email, or stop by in person.

More information about the GWC can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/gwc. FAQs about the GWC can be found here: https://blogs.baylor.edu/gwc/.

Graduate School

The Graduate School at Baylor offers a plethora of resources for graduate students and graduate faculty to help them succeed and integrate well into the Baylor community. These include:

Professionalization – the Grad School offers many ways to sharpen your professional skills and advance your career, including regular professionalization (GPS) workshops, teaching enhancement, and research guidance. More information can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/studentresources/professionaldevelopment
Funding and award opportunities – along with travel funding, the Graduate School offers other opportunities for graduate students to highlight their research and achievements. Information on fellowships, graduate student jobs, grant writing, and other funding opportunities can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/studentresources/fundingandawards
Two Week Outlook – a weekly email containing curated Baylor events and resources for graduate students. You can sign up to receive the emails here: https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1993221/1969312/?v=a. Past issues can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/two
Graduate School Association (GSA) – all graduate students are welcome to join the GSA for support, community, and advocacy on their grad school journey. The GSA offers regular social, academic, and spiritual opportunities to get involved. More information can be found here: https://gsa.graduate.baylor.edu/
Mentorship – graduate students and faculty can learn about the value of mentor/mentee relationships here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/faculty-staff-resources/mentoring
Graduate faculty resources – the Graduate School has made their professionalization workshops (GPS) open to faculty as well as graduate students. Information about these and other graduate faculty resources can be found here: https://graduate.baylor.edu/faculty-staff-resources/graduate-faculty
1. Spiritual Life Center

The Bobo Spiritual Life Center on campus offers opportunities for all students including graduate students to dive deeper into their faith. Resources include:

Graduate student Bible studies
Pastoral care – you can make an appointment with a university chaplain by calling the Office of Spiritual Life at 254-710-3517 or emailing Spiritual_Life@baylor.edu.
Ministry opportunities
Missions and service
Local church connections

Information and resources for spiritual well-being can be found here: https://spirituallife.web.baylor.edu/

Other Community Resources

Outside of Baylor, the larger Waco community also has many resources to offer. These include:

Church communities – many current faculty and students are heavily invested in their local churches and would be happy to share about involvement opportunities with newcomers to the department.
Local resources – please visit https://graduate.baylor.edu/student-resources/living-waco/living-waco for a long list of local resources including grocery stores, recreation opportunities, dining, auto care, etc.

Philosophy Ph.D. Program Handbook

Introduction

Responsibilities

Select List of Graduate Student Responsibilities

Very Select List of Graduate Faculty Responsibilities

Graduate Assistant Assignments and Stipend

Graduate Assistant Assignments

Teacher of Record

Stipend

Overview of Degree Requirements

M.A. in Philosophy

Ph.D. in Philosophy

Course credit transfer

Independent studies

Advising

Typical program flow

Graduate Student Continuation Conditions

Logic Prerequisite

After Year 5

After Year 8

Comprehensive Examinations

Guidelines for Setting, Answering, and Grading Comprehensive Exam Questions

Questions

Answers

Grading

Miscellaneous

Ancient and Medieval Comps

Modern and Contemporary Comps

Skipping a Comp

Skipping a Comp FAQ

Interim Graduate Student AI Use Guidelines

Mentoring Agreement

Prospectus

Expectations of the Document

Some Model Prospectuses

Second Semester of Third Year Independent Study

Dissertation

Dissertation Committee

Dissertation Requirements

Dissertation Writing Fellowship

Dissertation Writing Fellowship F.A.Q.

Dissertation Defense

Graduation Checklist for Dissertation and Thesis Students

Other

Childbirth and Adoption Accommodations

Graduate Travel Information

Housing and Transportation

Department Social Life

Community Support Resources

Student Life Center Resources

Title IX

Writing Center

Graduate School

Spiritual Life Center

Other Community Resources

Philosophy