Philosophy: Environment (Ph.D.)
Offered by: Philosophy (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Program Description
**This program is currently not offered.**
The Ph.D. in Philosophy; Environment is a research program offered in collaboration with the Bieler School of Environment. As a complement to the unit's expertise, the program considers how various dimensions (scientific, social, legal, ethical) interact to define environment and sustainability issues.
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
Required Courses (9 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 615 | Interdisciplinary Approach Environment and Sustainability. | 3 |
Interdisciplinary Approach Environment and Sustainability. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Through a series of modules on current environmental and sustainability issues, this course emphasizes the value and challenges of an interdisciplinary approach by examining how different fields can work together to address these issues. | ||
| PHIL 682 | Pro-Seminar 3. | 6 |
Pro-Seminar 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A series of seminars on selected topics designed to provide professional training to graduate students. Topics will be selected from the general area of Metaphysics/Epistemology. | ||
| PHIL 701 | Candidacy Examination. | 0 |
Candidacy Examination. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Preparation and submission of a candidacy research paper that must be passed by all doctoral candidates in order to continue in the doctoral program. | ||
| PHIL 704 | ||
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
Complementary Courses(27-33 credits)
Students admitted to Ph.D. 1 require 33 credits.
Students admitted to Ph.D. 2 require 27 credits.
6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 651 | Seminar: Ancient Philosophy 2. | 3 |
Seminar: Ancient Philosophy 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course on a philosopher or philosophical issue articulated in antiquity. | ||
| PHIL 656 | Medieval Philosophy. | 3 |
Medieval Philosophy. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to a particular topic in medieval philosophy. Subject varies from year to year. | ||
| PHIL 661 | Seminar: 18th Century Philosophy. | 3 |
Seminar: 18th Century Philosophy. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course on an eighteenth-century philosopher or philosophical issue. | ||
| PHIL 667 | Seminar: 19th Century Philosophy. | 3 |
Seminar: 19th Century Philosophy. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course on 19th-century philosophy or philosophical issue. | ||
| PHIL 675 | Seminar: Contemporary European Philosophy. | 3 |
Seminar: Contemporary European Philosophy. Terms offered: Fall 2025 An advanced course on contemporary European philosophy or some important issue in the Continental tradition. | ||
and/or any other course at the 500 level or higher in the history of philosophy recommended/accepted by the student's advisory committee.
6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 627 | Seminar: Critical Philosophy of Race. | 3 |
Seminar: Critical Philosophy of Race. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course examining a question, theme, or thinker in the critical philosophy of race. | ||
| PHIL 634 | Seminar: Ethics. | 3 |
Seminar: Ethics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar on a particular topic in ethics. Topic varies by year. | ||
| PHIL 643 | Seminar: Medical Ethics. | 3 |
Seminar: Medical Ethics. Terms offered: Winter 2026 An advanced course devoted to a particular philosophical problem as it arises in the context of medical practice or the application of medical technology. | ||
| PHIL 644 | Political Theory. | 3 |
Political Theory. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Seminar on a particular topic in political theory. | ||
| PHIL 648 | Seminar: Philosophy of Law. | 3 |
Seminar: Philosophy of Law. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to a particular topic in the philosophy of law. Subject varies from year to year. | ||
and/or any other course at the 500 level or higher in value theory recommended/accepted by the student's advisory committee.
6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 606 | Seminar: Philosophy of Mind. | 3 |
Seminar: Philosophy of Mind. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to specific topics in the philosophy of mind. | ||
| PHIL 610 | Seminar on Advanced Logic 2. | 3 |
Seminar on Advanced Logic 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar on a particular topic in advanced logic. Topic varies by year. | ||
| PHIL 611 | Seminar: Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics. | 3 |
Seminar: Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminar on a particular topic in philosophy of logic and mathematics. | ||
| PHIL 615 | Seminar: Philosophy of Language. | 3 |
Seminar: Philosophy of Language. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to a topic in the philosophy of language. | ||
| PHIL 619 | Seminar: Epistemology. | 3 |
Seminar: Epistemology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to a topic in the theory of knowledge. | ||
| PHIL 621 | Seminar: Metaphysics. | 3 |
Seminar: Metaphysics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course devoted to a topic in metaphysics. | ||
| PHIL 670 | Seminar: Contemporary Analytic Philosophy. | 3 |
Seminar: Contemporary Analytic Philosophy. Terms offered: Fall 2025 An advanced course on some major analytic philosopher, or some issue of central importance in the analytic tradition. | ||
and/or any other course at the 500 level or higher in metaphysics and epistemology recommended/accepted by the student's advisory committee
3-6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 610 | Foundations of Environmental Policy. | 3 |
Foundations of Environmental Policy. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies. | ||
| ENVR 614 | Mobilizing Research for Sustainability. | 3 |
Mobilizing Research for Sustainability. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Through workshops and practice, students will develop communication strategies and acquire collaboration and leadership skills to foster innovation and help translate knowledge into action to address complex environmental and sustainability issues. Students will learn methods, build skills, and develop mindsets that can enable their research to have an impact on the most pressing issues in sustainability. | ||
0-3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 585 | Readings in Environment 2. | 3 |
Readings in Environment 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Interdisciplinary literature project/essays related to environment, enabling advanced-level study under guidance of Environment faculty in areas outside the scope of individual departments. | ||
| ENVR 630 | Civilization and Environment. | 3 |
Civilization and Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Considers ways to reduce the human impact on Earth's life support systems through variables such as population size, wealth, technology, and conduct. Critically describes ethical frameworks for judging personal and policy choices, including post-collapse scenarios. | ||
| ENVR 680 | Topics in Environment 4. | 3 |
Topics in Environment 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminars and discussion of advanced, interdisciplinary aspects of current problems in environment led by staff and/or special guests. | ||
or 3 credits at the 500 level or higher recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the Environment Option Committee.
3-9 credits of complementary courses must be at the 500 level or higher and are to be chosen in consultation with the student's advisory committee.
Skills Requirement
Students whose research specialization does not require linguistic competence in other languages may choose, with approval from their supervisors and the Director of Graduate Studies, to take a complementary course that will enhance their research skills instead of satisfying the language requirement.
Logic Requirement
The Logic requirement must be satisfied in one of three ways:
1. The student sits a deductive logic examination set by the department.
2. The student takes and passes a deductive logic course approved by the department.
3. The student has taken an approved deductive logic course at another institution.
These credits do not count towards this program's credit requirements. The requirement must be satisfied by the end of the second year in the program.