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Research Degrees in Philosophy

1.Admission as a Probationer Research Student
Candidates may apply for admission as Probationer Research Student, or directly to D.Phil. status, on a full-time basis
[For students starting from Michaelmas term 2025:
2.Transfer to M.Litt. or D.Phil. status

Candidates admitted as Probationer Research Students must complete all of the following requirements by the end of Week 8 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student:

(a) Attend two graduate classes in subjects not previously studied at master’s level.

(b) Submit one 5,000-word essay on a topic of the student’s choice, excluding subjects previously studied as master’s level, which will normally be related to one of the classes attended in (a), the pass mark for which is 60.

(d) Submit a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis.

The board will appoint two assessors, who will read the submissions and conduct an interview with the candidate. If the mark for the essay mentioned in (b) above is between 50 and 59 (inclusive) then the assessors may, depending on the quality of the candidate’s other submitted work, recommend approval or refusal of the Transfer of Status application.

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee may, depending on the student’s prior experience and education, waive requirements (a) and/or (b). If it waives both requirements then the student must complete the remaining requirements by the end of Week 2 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student.

Candidates admitted as Probationer Research Students after completing the Master of Studies degree in Philosophy of Physics at the University of Oxford must complete the following requirements by the end of the Week 0 before the start of their fourth term as a Probationer Research Student:

(a) Attend two graduate classes (which cannot be in the subject area of their MSt in Philosophy of Physics elective option, Philosophy of Physics or Philosophy of Science).

(d) Submit a 20,000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice, preferably in the area and philosophical style of their thesis.

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee may, depending on the student’s prior experience and education, waive requirements (a) and/or (b), and it has the power to replace requirement (d) by requirement

(e) Submit a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis.

If it waives (a) and (b) and replaces (d) by (e) then the student must complete the remaining requirements by the end of Week 2 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student. If it waives (a) and (b), but (d) is still required, then the student must complete the remaining requirements by the end of Week 8 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student.]

[For students starting before Michaelmas term 2025:

2.Transfer to M.Litt. or D.Phil. status
Applications should be accompanied by a thesis outline of about two pages and a piece of written work of no more than 8,000 words in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis.

Candidates admitted as Probationer Research Students after completing the Master of Studies degree in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Oxford must complete all of the following requirements by the end of Week 8 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student:
- (a) Attend two graduate classes with at least one from the following subject areas: moral philosophy; metaphysics; theory of knowledge; philosophical logic and philosophy of language; philosophy of mind and action.
  
  (b) Submit one 5,000 word essay on a topic of the student’s choice for one of the above listed classes, the pass mark for which is 65.
  
  (c) Submit a thesis outline of about two pages.
  
  (d) Submit a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis.
The board will appoint two assessors, who will read the submissions and conduct an interview with the candidate. If the mark for the essay mentioned in (b) above is between 50 and 64 (inclusive) then the assessors may, depending on the quality of the candidate’s other submitted work, recommend approval or refusal of the Transfer of Status application.

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee may, depending on the student’s prior experience and education, waive requirements (a) and/or (b). If it waives both requirements then the student must complete the requirements by the end of Week 2 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student.

Candidates admitted as Probationer Research Students after completing the Master of Studies degree in Philosophy of Physics at the University of Oxford must complete the following requirements by the end of the Week 0 before the start of their fourth term as a Probationer Research Student:
- (a) Attend two graduate classes (which cannot be in the subject area of their MSt in Philosophy of Physics elective option, Philosophy of Physics or Philosophy of Science) with at least one from the following subject areas: moral philosophy; metaphysics; theory of knowledge; philosophical logic and philosophy of language; philosophy of mind and action.
  
  (b) Submit one 5,000 word essay on a topic of the student’s choice for one of the above listed classes, the pass mark for which is 65.
  
  (c) Submit a thesis outline of about two pages.
  
  (d) Submit a 20,000 word dissertation on a topic of their choice, preferably in the area and philosophical style of their thesis.
The board will appoint two assessors, who will read the submissions and conduct an interview with the candidate. If the mark for the essay mentioned in (b) above is between 50 and 64 (inclusive) then the assessors may, depending on the quality of the candidate’s other submitted work, recommend approval or refusal of the Transfer of Status application.

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee may, depending on the student’s prior experience and education, waive requirements (a) and/or (b), and it has the power to replace requirement (d) by requirement
- (e) Submit a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis.
If it waives (a) and (b) and replaces (d) by (e) then the student must complete the requirements by the end of Week 2 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student.
Candidates admitted as Probationer Research Students after completing the Master of Studies degree in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford must complete all of the following requirements by the end of Week 8 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student:
(a)   attend at least one graduate class, which cannot be in Practical Ethics. This could potentially include Moral Philosophy; Political Philosophy; Ancient Ethics; Philosophy of Mind; Philosophy of Action.

(b)   submit one 5,000 word essay on a topic of the student’s choice, for one of the above listed classes, the pass mark for which is 65;

(c) submit a thesis outline of about two pages;

(d)   submit a piece of written work of approximately 5,000 words in the area and style of the proposed thesis.
The board will appoint two assessors, who will read the submissions and conduct an interview with the candidate. If the mark for the essay mentioned in (b) above is between 50 and 64 (inclusive) then the assessors may, depending on the quality of the candidate’s other submitted work, recommend approval or refusal of the Transfer of Status application.
The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee may, depending on the student’s prior experience and education, waive requirements (a) and/or (b). If it waives both requirements then the student must complete the requirements by the end of Week 2 of their third term as a Probationer Research Student.]

3.Confirmation of D.Phil. status

Applications should be accompanied by a thesis outline of about two pages and a piece of written work of no more than 8,000 words, intended as a part of the thesis, in final or near-final draft.

4.Theses

M.Litt. theses should not exceed 50,000 words, and D.Phil. theses should not exceed 75,000 words, including all notes, appendices, any source material being edited, and all other parts of the thesis whatsoever, excluding only the bibliography and abstract, unless the candidate has, with the support of their supervisor, secured permission from the board to exceed this limit. All candidates when they submit their theses must state the approximate number of words therein both (a) including citations and, if they have been granted permission to count citations separately, (b) excluding citations. Theses exceeding the limit are liable to be returned unexamined for reduction to the proper length. Candidates who have submitted in their final term may be allowed a maximum period of two terms to effect the necessary reduction.