PhD Philosophy at Rice University

Programme overview

The PhD in Philosophy is a research degree. Graduates read philosophical texts critically, communicate their views clearly at an advanced level, show in-depth understanding of one main area of philosophy and propose and defend original views.

What you will study

Students complete at least 90 credit hours, including HUMA 500 (The Humanities Beyond the Disciplines), 36 credit hours of departmental coursework including logic (PHIL 505 or equivalent proficiency), a qualifying examination, a thesis proposal defense, a thesis with at least one year of research in residence, and a final oral examination. They serve twice as a teaching assistant and teach at least one lower-level course.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Philosophy PhD application: a philosophy writing sample of up to 5,000 words, a statement of purpose and three letters of recommendation, preferably from professors in the applicant's major field. The GRE is optional with no minimum scores. The writing sample, statement and letters carry at least as much weight as test scores and grades. International applicants show English proficiency with a US degree, a degree taught in English, or minimum scores of TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 115. Application fee is $85.

USD 66,784 a year (2026-27). School of Humanities: Masters & PhD full-time tuition ($33,392 per semester) for the school's standard full-time master's and PhD programmes; estimate, excludes fees and health insurance. Reduced rate of $3,710 per year applies to continuing doctoral stud Source

Most doctoral applications for Fall 2027 close December 1, 2026 (Mechanical Engineering December 15, Computer Science January 1, 2027); applications open September 1, 2026 through the Rice graduate portal (gradapply.rice.edu). Application fee is generally $85, waived for some doctoral applicants.

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