The International Student Blog

For most people, graduate degrees seem mysterious and unobtainable. Students often do not know how to go about applying to programs or what the graduate program will expect of them. Similarly, most people have very little knowledge of what philosophy does or what its purpose is. Given these facts, graduate programs in philosophy seem puzzling and students may wonder, “What is a philosophy graduate degree?” Nevertheless, graduate degrees in philosophy are far less confusing and obscure than they sound. Many international students benefit from pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy.

For those wondering “What is a philosophy graduate degree,” the real question is, “What to expect when pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy.” Students should expect to experience a rigorous and demanding process when pursuing their PhD. In philosophy, the PhD will require a great deal of thought, writing, and dialogue. International students should expect that their program will require insightful and well-written papers on important philosophical topics. For that reason, some international students will want to take advantage of the tutoring and writing centers offered at most universities.

Philosophy is best described as the study of the most difficult ideas humanity has been able to conceive. Students are expected to demonstrate their learning at the end of their program by producing a doctoral dissertation. In this large document, the student will attempt to prove and demonstrate the truth of a particular philosophical point. The whole of the student’s course work in a graduate program is directed towards the creation of that final document. Students should expect to work and write extensively on the ideas that they become the highest-level experts on, upon the completion of their degrees.

The question then, “What is a philosophy graduate degree?” is answered. A graduate degree in philosophy is the best means to pursue a career as a philosopher who teaches and publishes on the university level, exploring the deepest questions humanity has ever conceived.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 at 3:00 pm and is filed under International Student, International Student Study Section, Study in the USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Written by Bryanna Davis

Bryanna joined EIC in 2011 after returning to the United States from teaching English in China. Her interest in international education, sparked initially by her own study abroad experience in Wales, led her to the company. Bryanna is originally from Missouri and is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri.

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