The Graduate Program in Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder is designed to provide students with a broad and intensive training in philosophy. It focuses on the careful philosophical development and professional preparation of its students. We have distinguished faculty in all the core areas of philosophy. The Department is also one of a few elite programs in the country that balance strength in contemporary philosophy with a serious interest in the history of philosophy, with faculty spanning the whole history of Western thought, from Plato and Aristotle, through the Middle Ages, to the early modern period. In theÌý, the Department was ranked #27 among Ph.D. programs in the United States, 36th worldwide, and 13th for U.S. public universities.Ìý In theÌý, which cover the entire English-speaking world, not just the U.S., the Department placed in nine areas:
- Medieval Philosophy: ranked 1stÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with two other departments)
- Applied Ethics: ranked 4thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with eight other departments)
- Epistemology: ranked 9thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with twenty other departments)
- Normative Ethics: ranked 11thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with twelve other departments)
- Metaethics & Moral Psychology: ranked 12thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with twelve other departments)
- Ancient Philosophy: ranked 15thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with six other departments)
- Early Modern: 17th Century: ranked 19thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with fifteen other departments)
- Political Philosophy: ranked 24thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with twenty-two other departments)
- Metaphysics: ranked 25thÌýin the English-speaking world (tied with seventeen other departments)
We offer a Ph.D. program, a distinct M.A. program, and, most recently added, a Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's program for our undergraduate philosophy majors. The M.A. program is intended for students who wish to explore advanced study in philosophy in a two-year graduate program that will prepare them for further study at the doctoral level. The Ph.D. program is intended for those who aspire to a career of teaching and research at the college or university level. Around five to six new Ph.D. students and four to eight new M.A. students enter our programs each fall.
Our faculty is known for having some of the best teachers on campus – as is evidenced by the fact that we have a very large and active group of undergraduate majors, over 200 at any given time, making it one of the largest philosophy majors in the country. Philosophy classes are in high demand among the undergraduates; this in turn makes it possible for us to offer plenty of classes in a wide range of subjects for both undergraduate and graduate students. At the graduate level, there are groups of students studying with a wide range of faculty members. To get an idea of the range of interests of the current group of M.A. and Ph.D. students, visit the Graduate Students page. Faculty and graduate students alike benefit from the highly collegial philosophical community at CU.
Studying philosophy in Boulder has the additional advantage of location. Situated at the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, 25 miles northwest of Denver, Boulder has an ideal geographical setting, surrounded as it is by the natural beauty of the Foothills and the nearby Rockies and Indian Peaks, with many recreational opportunities such as hiking, skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, trail running, and kayaking. Boulder is a mid-size college town with many diverse cultural offerings, and is often found on of the to live and study in the US.