Department of Philosophy and Religion

Main Departmental Office
Environmental Science Building, Room 225

Mailing address:
1155 Union Circle #310920
Denton, TX 76203-5017
940-565-2266

Web site: www.phil.unt.edu
E-mail: philosophy@unt.edu

James Kennedy, Chair

David Kaplan, Director of Graduate Studies

The Department of Philosophy and Religion is the leading graduate program nationally and internationally in environmental ethics and environmental philosophy. The department offers the Master of Arts with a major in philosophy and the Doctor of Philosophy with a major in philosophy.

The Department of Philosophy and Religion oversees one of the world’s leading doctoral programs in environmental ethics and philosophy. Foundational training in the history of Western philosophy and religion provides the basis for specializations such as environmental policy, environmental justice, philosophy of ecology, eco-phenomenology and eco-feminism while fostering interdisciplinary experiences.

The master’s degree is appropriate for students wishing to develop master’s-level expertise in philosophy before pursuing doctoral studies in philosophy or related fields. It also provides an excellent background for students planning careers in law, policy, environmental science, public and private sector environmental firms, and non-governmental organizations.

Graduate courses in philosophy may also be taken as part of the Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies through the Center for Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies of the Toulouse Graduate School. This program permits students, in close consultation with a faculty advisor, to create their own degree plans, which involve study in three or more related areas. This degree can be completed in one year including summer. Philosophy courses also may be taken as a minor on the master’s degree in other disciplines and as a minor or supporting work on the doctorate.

Career opportunities for students who successfully complete the UNT PhD in philosophy and religion are diverse. Students interested in specializing in environmental ethics and philosophy will be well positioned to find jobs in academe as demand for specialists in this exciting and expanding new subfield of philosophy increases.

Because of its high concentration of specialists in the field of environmental ethics, the department offers humanists, scientists and professionals unique opportunities for postdoctoral work and professional development either through independent study and research.

Research

The primary specialization of the department is environmental ethics and environmental philosophy. Research in the department also includes philosophy of the social and natural sciences, phenomenology, literature, philosophy of science and technology, aesthetics, feminist philosophy, philosophy of religion, philosophy of water, environmental justice, philosophy of ecology, philosophy of food, and history of philosophy.

Scholarships and financial aid

Graduate teaching assistantships, teaching fellowships, and research assistantships are available from the department for a number of graduate students. All assistantships and fellowships are eligible to enroll on an in-state basis. Centers and projects can also be contacted independently regarding the possibility of research assistantships. For salary information related to assistantships and fellowships, please contact the department.

The department also provides $1,000 to the recipient(s) of the Gene Hargrove Graduate Fellowship. Depending on the income available from the endowment, one or more graduate students in the Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies at the University of North Texas in the College of Arts and Sciences will be given the fellowship each year. Graduate students in good standing in the department as well as incoming graduate students are eligible to receive the fellowship. The fellowship will be awarded on the basis of academic performance standards and financial need.

A $500 scholarship is provided each semester by the Richardson Environmental Action League, which began in spring 1973 and is the oldest continuously operating volunteer recycling organization in the state of Texas.

There are various other internal and external grants, scholarships, and fellowships. Please consult the department for more information.

Admission requirements

Application for admission to the Toulouse Graduate School is made through the graduate school. At the same time, a statement of purpose should be sent directly to the Department of Philosophy and Religion along with a writing sample, CV/resume, and three letters of recommendation. The statement of purpose should indicate the degree program being applied for and briefly summarize the applicant’s background and specific interests as these relate to future career plans. The department offers admission to its graduate programs for fall term/semester only. Complete application materials must be received by January 1 each year for admission to the following fall term/semester.

Master’s applicants normally should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, while PhD applicants should have a master’s degree in philosophy or a related field. Exceptions will be evaluated on an individual basis. All students seeking admission to the graduate philosophy program are required to take a standardized admission test (e.g., GRE, GMAT or LSAT). For standardized admission test and additional admission requirements, contact the academic program or the Toulouse Graduate School .

The Center for Environmental Philosophy

Eugene C. Hargrove, Director

The Center for Environmental Philosophy encourages and supports workshops, conferences and other special projects, including postdoctoral research in the field of environmental ethics. Activities currently include the publication of Environmental Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Journal Dedicated to the Philosophical Aspects of Environmental Problems, which is now in its fourth decade of publication; Environmental Ethics Books, a reprint series of important books dealing with environmental ethics and philosophy; and annual workshops on college and university curricula development and on nature interpretation. National research conferences focusing on selected topics in environmental ethics are held on an irregular basis.

Programs

Master’s Degree

Philosophy, MA

Doctorate

Philosophy, PhD

Courses

Philosophy

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