The following are guidelines. For detailed, official requirements, please consult the UBC Calendar and the Philosophy Graduate Regulations.

  M.A. Requirements (Course Only Option)

• one year's residency at UBC
• ten one-term courses, including eight at or above the 500 level (one of these may be the Philosophy Proseminar, which is optional for M.A. students)
  

  Students may transfer to the thesis M.A. (see below) with the permission of the department.  

    M.A. Requirements (Thesis Option)

• one year's residency at UBC
• six one-term courses, including four at or above the 500 level (one of these may be the Philosophy Proseminar, which is optional for M.A. students)
• a thesis prospectus (normally submitted in April for consideration in early May)
• a thesis of approximately twenty thousand words
  

  Students may transfer to the course only M.A. at any time.

  Ph.D. Requirements

For students who have obtained a master's degree:

• two years' residency at UBC
• eight one-term courses at or above the 500 level

For students who have not obtained a master's degree:

• three years' residency at UBC
• ten one-term courses, including eight at the 500 level or above
• a minimum average of 80% (A- or 3.7 GPA) in six one-term courses
• during the first year, six one-term courses including four at the 500 level or above and four with a minimum average of 80% (A- or 3.7 GPA)

For all doctoral candidates:

• a Philosophy Pro Seminar during the first year
• one presentation to the Philosophy Graduate Colloquium during the first two years
• comprehensive exam:  three comprehensive papers selected from four areas (History of Philosophy; Metaphysics, Logic, or Philosophy of Language; Value Theory; and Epistemology and Philosophy of Science).  The comprehensive exam is a two-hour oral exam (40 minutes per paper:  5-minute presentation by candidate, followed by 35 minutes of questions).  See the graduate regulations for full details.
• dissertation prospectus and oral presentation
• a dissertation of approximately sixty thousand words and public dissertation defence