stanford phd in philosophy

Law and Philosophy

The philosophical underpinnings and implications of law have been a central concern for as long as there has been law. Ultimately, law is a system of rules to regulate society, and the goodness or badness of any rule must be judged by its success in promoting a more just society.

Not surprisingly, then, what justice requires in a given sphere of activity and what set of rules will best achieve it are foundational questions in virtually every area of law—questions answered by scholars exploring the intersection of law and philosophy. In the past century, legal philosophers have made major contributions in areas as diverse as the justification for criminal punishment; the meaning of consent in private contracts; the moral basis of private property rights; distributive justice in tax regimes, the welfare state, eminent domain and allocation of citizenship rights; a rights-based versus welfarist account of the tort system; the state’s right to regulate family relationships; the justness of preventive war; the moral basis of legislation; intergenerational justice in environmental law; biomedical ethics; and the values of free speech and democracy in campaign finance reform.

The opportunities to open up new legal questions to philosophical inquiry, as well as shed new light on old questions, are virtually limitless. In many cases, this work requires thorough grounding in both legal institutions and philosophy—and Stanford’s JD/PhD program in law and philosophy is designed to provide that foundation. Although the program may be most relevant to aspiring academics, anyone hoping to work in policy positions in fields such as biomedical ethics and environmental ethics or even tax may find this joint degree useful.

Course Requirements

As many as 54 quarter units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. No more than 31 quarter units of courses that originate outside the law school may count toward the law degree.

The maximum number of law school credits that may be counted toward the PhD in philosophy is the greater of: (i) 12 quarter units; or (ii) the maximum number of units from courses outside the department that PhD candidates in philosophy are permitted to count toward their degree under general departmental guidelines or in the case of a particular student’s individual program.

Stanford Philosophy Department

Note to applicants:  The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program awards full funding to Stanford graduate students from all disciplines, with additional opportunities for leadership training and collaboration across fields. Joint Degree applicants are encouraged to apply to the  Knight – Hennessy Scholars Program.  Please be aware that the Knight-Hennessy Scholars applications are due in early Autumn one year prior to enrollment. View dates and deadlines: knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/dates-and-deadlines .

Ralph Richard Banks

• Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor of Law
• Faculty Director, Stanford Center for Racial Justice

Joshua Cohen

• Marta Sutton Weeks Professor of Ethics in Society
• Professor of Political Science, Philosophy and Law, Emeritus

Richard Thompson Ford

• George E. Osborne Professor of Law

Barbara Fried

• William W. and Gertrude H. Saunders Professor of Law, Emerita

Henry T. Greely

• Deane F. and Kate Edelman Johnson Professor of Law
• Director, Center for Law and the Biosciences
• Professor, by courtesy, Genetics
• Chair, Steering Committee of the Center for Biomedical Ethics
• Director, Stanford Program in Neuroscience and Society

Mark G. Kelman

• James C. Gaither Professor of Law

Norman W. Spaulding

• Nelson Bowman Sweitzer and Marie B. Sweitzer Professor of Law

Barton Thompson

• Robert E. Paradise Professor of Natural Resources Law
• Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment
• Professor, Doerr School of Sustainability

Allen S. Weiner

• Senior Lecturer in Law
• Director, Stanford Program in International and Comparative Law
• Director, Stanford Humanitarian Program
• Director, Stanford Center on International Conflict and Negotiation

Robert Weisberg

• Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law
• Faculty Co-Director, Stanford Criminal Justice Center

• Future Students
• Current Students
• Faculty/Staff

Admissions & Aid

• Admissions Home
• Application Requirements
• Financing Options
• Diversity Profile

You are here

Application requirements for all doctoral programs (phd).

All of our doctoral programs are designed to develop outstanding educational researchers who have a deep understanding of the scientific, practical and policy issues they study. All require full-time study, and we promise five years of full-time financial support for every student we admit. Our doctoral programs are small, typically ranging from about 25 to 35 new students a year. The small size of our doctoral cohorts creates big educational advantages for students: the classes are almost always small, students receive individualized attention from their advisors, and they have many opportunities to develop close collegial relationships with fellow students.

It is extremely important to demonstrate in your statement of purpose that your interests converge closely with the current research of faculty who work in the program to which you are applying. Other doctoral applicants will certainly do this, and if you don't, you will forfeit an important competitive advantage to them. 

If you wish to contact faculty, please read our Which Degree Which Program article, by Professor Eamonn Callan, which outlines the appropriate process for contacting faculty with whom you share research interests. 

• Program website:  Degrees and Programs/PhD
• Length of Program:  5 years (average length)
• Tuition: fellowship/assistantship salary and tuition guaranteed for first five years of the program (autumn, winter and spring quarters) for all students, including international students. Funding includes two summers.

Application Requirements:

Application form.

Complete and submit Stanford's graduate online application .

Application Fee

The application fee is $125 , is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline.

Application Fee Waivers

Stanford offers three types of application fee waivers for which GSE applicants may apply and be considered:

• GRE Fee Reduction Certificate-Based Waiver
• Diversity Program Participation-Based Waiver
• School-Based Waiver

Please visit the Stanford Graduate Diversity website for instructions, deadlines, and the fee waiver application form.

Statement of Purpose

A Statement of Purpose is required. Your statement should be typed, single-spaced and should be between one to two pages . Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study, and why our program is a good fit for you, your future career plans, and other aspects of your background as well as interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. You may indicate potential faculty mentors as part of your study and research interests. Be sure to keep a copy for your records. What's a Good Statement of Purpose?

A resume or CV  is required of all applicants, depending on which document is most appropriate for your background. There is no page limit for resumes or CVs, though we typically see resumes of one page in length. Please upload your resume or CV in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation . In the online application, you will be asked to identify your recommenders and their email addresses. Please notify your recommenders that they will receive an email prompt to submit their recommendation online. You can submit your request for letters of recommendation through the system without submitting the entire online application.  Stanford GSE only accepts online recommendations through the application system ; Stanford GSE cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed recommendations.

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in an academic, employment, or community service setting. We very strongly recommend that at least one of these letters be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Your recommendations should directly address your suitability for admission to a graduate program at Stanford GSE.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all three letters of recommendation are submitted through the system by the application deadline , so please work closely with your recommenders to remind them of the deadline.

College and University Transcripts

Transcripts are required from every college and university you have attended for at least one academic year as a full-time student. When submitting your online application, transcripts should be uploaded to the application as a scanned copy or PDF ; this is sufficient for the application review process. Please refrain from sending a secured PDF/transcript with a digital signature as our system cannot upload these properly. The best way to ensure we receive an upload-able document is for you to print out the secured transcript, scan it, and upload the scanned copy (not to exceed 10MB) as a PDF. 

If you earned a degree at the institution from which you are submitting a transcript, please ensure that the degree conferral date and the degree conferred is clearly visible on the document. If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Only if admitted will we contact you with instructions on sending two copies of your official transcripts to our office. We cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed copies of your transcripts during the application process. Please note: the instructions for sending transcripts on the online application and on the general Stanford Graduate Admissions Office website differ from this Stanford GSE requirement.

Concerning course work completed in a study abroad program

If the coursework and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit original transcripts from the study abroad institution.

Concerning foreign institutions

If your institution provides a transcript in a language other than English, we require that you submit a translation of the transcript that is either provided by the institution or a certified translator. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.

If your transcript does not include your degree conferral date and the degree conferred , please submit a scanned copy of your diploma, a conferral statement, or a conferral document in addition to your transcript . If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Stanford University requires the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English. The GSE requires a minimum TOEFL score of 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test or 100 for the internet-based test in order to be considered for admission. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is not required. Applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year master's program (or its equivalent) in the U.S. or at an institution where English is the main language of instruction are not required to take the TOEFL. For more information on TOEFL requirements, please refer to the Required Exams  page on the main Stanford Graduate Admissions website. You may register for the TOEFL test directly at the ETS website .

TOEFL Dates and Deadlines

PhD applicants who are required to take the TOEFL should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test and have official TOEFL scores sent electronically to Stanford at institution code 4704 (department code does not matter) no later than November 1 . This will give your official TOEFL scores time to be sent from ETS and be received by our system in time for the December 1 deadline. PhD applicants to Knight-Hennessy Scholars should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test no later than October 16 so your scores can be received by our system in time for the November 16 KHS GSE deadline. Please note that the TOEFL may be taken no earlier than 18 months prior to the application deadline.

Does Stanford accept tests other than TOEFL?

No. We accept only TOEFL scores; we do not accept IELTS or other test scores.

Contact Information

Admissions:  [email protected]  

• Financial Aid
• Current Student Info

Stanford Graduate School of Education

482 Galvez Mall Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Tel: (650) 723-2109

• Contact Admissions
• GSE Leadership
• Site Feedback
• Web Accessibility
• Career Resources
• Faculty Open Positions
• Explore Courses
• Academic Calendar
• Office of the Registrar
• Cubberley Library
• StanfordWho
• StanfordYou

Improving lives through learning

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Graduate students in the Program in History and Philosophy of Science can pursue PhDs either in the Philosophy Department, through its PhD subplan in  History and Philosophy of Science  or in the History Department, through its PhD field in  History of Science, Medicine and Technology . Diplomas will be issued by the respective departments, but the HPS study will not be noted on the transcript nor on the diploma.

Graduate students in the Program in History and Philosophy of Science who wish to pursue a  Ph.D. Subplan in History and Philosophy of Science  must fulfill  Philosophy Departmental Ph.D. degree requirements  and the following HPS requirements:

Philosophy Ph.D. students declaring the HPS subplan in Axess will have it appear on the official transcript but is not printed on the diploma.

Graduate students in the Program in History and Philosophy of Science who wish to pursue a  Ph.D. in History of Science, Medicine, and Technology , must fulfill  History Department Ph.D. degree requirements , and the following HPS requirements:

The courses described above must include two research seminars, at least one of which must be in the history of science, technology and/or medicine. Students are expected to write papers on substantially different topics for each seminar. You should also aim to present your research at the annual meeting of a professional society associated with the history of science, technology and/or medicine sometime during your third or fourth year.

All students participating in the program are required to attend the HPST  colloquium series  and are expected to present their own research at least once in the course of their studies at Stanford. The colloquium series generally meets three times per quarter. This year the students have created a  History of Science Reading group  which will meet five times in the winter quarter. The meetings are open to all who are interested.

For a complete list of courses see the  Undergraduate page , or look up specific course information in the  Stanford Bulletin .

For Graduate Admissions applications, please visit the  Stanford graduate admissions page.

Focal Group Members

R. Lanier Anderson

Russell Berman

Michaela Bronstein

Shane Denson

Jean-Pierre Dupuy

David Hills

Hector Hoyos

Marie huber.

Alexander Key

Joshua Landy

Antonia Peacocke

Joan Ramon Resina

Blakey Vermeule

Laura Wittman

Alex Woloch

Affiliated faculty, vincent barletta.

Herbert Clark

Adrian Daub

Dan Edelstein

Denise Gigante

Roland Greene

Monika Greenleaf

Thomas Icard

Reviel Netz

Andrea Nightingale

David Palumbo-Liu

Anastasia-Erasmia Peponi

Nancy Ruttenburg

Matthew Smith

Emeritus faculty.

Keith Baker

Gregory freidin.

Sepp Gumbrecht

Robert harrison.

Carolyn Lougee Chappell

Carolyn Springer

Kendall l. walton.

Lee Yearley

Political and Moral Philosophy

Students in this concentration analyze policy and policy making through a lens of political and moral philosophy. The emphasis is on the foundational philosophies upon which public and private policy-making institutions are based.  Students pursuing this concentration consider Ancient Greek, Enlightenment, and Modern political ideas and take into account questions of morality in policy making.  These basic issues can then be applied to issues within fields such as medicine, law, business, education, politics, the non-profit sector, and the environment.

Note that the courses below are not an exhaustive list; students may select other courses for their concentration with the approval of their faculty advisor. 

Affiliated Faculty

Hakeem Jefferson

Elective Courses

Ph.D. in Chinese Linguistics

The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students for a doctoral degree in Chinese linguistics.

Students should consult the most up-to-date version of the degree plan on the Stanford Bulletin  as well as the EALC Graduate Handbook . Each student should meet with their faculty advisor at least once per quarter to discuss the degree requirements and their progress.

Admission to Candidacy

Candidacy is the most important University milestone on the way to the Ph.D. degree. Admission to candidacy rests both on the fulfillment of department requirements and on an assessment by department faculty that the student has the potential to successfully complete the Ph.D.

Following University policy ( GAP 4.6.1 ), students are expected to complete the candidacy requirements by Spring Quarter of the second year of graduate study.

Pre-Candidacy Requirements

• CHINLANG 103 - Third-Year Modern Chinese, Third Quarter (5 units)
• CHINLANG 103B - Third-Year Modern Chinese for Bilingual Speakers, Third Quarter (3 units)
• CHINA 208 - Advanced Classical Chinese: Philosophical Texts (3-5 units)
• CHINA 209 - Advanced Classical Chinese: Historical Narration (2-5 units)
• CHINA 210 - Advanced Classical Chinese: Literary Essays (2-5 units)
• EALC 201 - Proseminar in East Asian Humanities I: Skills and Methodologies (3 units)
• CHINA 290  - Research in Chinese Linguistics (2-3 units)
• Four courses numbered above 200 in the field of China studies, at least two of which must be listed with the CHINA  subject code, and the other two of which may be in different sub-fields such as anthropology, art history, history, philosophy, political science, religious studies, or another relevant field, as approved by the student’s advisor.

All doctoral students must complete an MA qualifying paper. An MA thesis is accepted instead of a qualifying paper for students initially admitted as EALC MA students. Students seeking an MA en route to the PhD must secure approval from the primary advisor and submit an MA thesis.

A graded MA qualifying paper or thesis must be submitted to the DGS and SSO with an accompanying note from the student’s primary advisor by week five of spring quarter of the second year of study for the annual review and candidacy decision.

During the quarter when students complete the MA qualifying paper or thesis (25-30 pages), they must enroll in EALC 299 .

Teaching Requirement

• DLCL 301 - The Learning and Teaching of Second Languages (3 units)
• Demonstrate pedagogical proficiency by serving as a teaching assistant for at least three quarters, starting no later than autumn quarter of the third year of graduate study. The department may approve exceptions to the timing of the language teaching requirement.

Post-Candidacy Requirements

Demonstrate proficiency in at least one supporting language (beyond the near-native level required in Chinese and English) to be chosen in consultation with the primary advisor according to the candidate’s specific research goals. For this supporting language (typically Japanese, Korean, or a European language), students must be proficient at a second-year level at the minimum; a higher level of proficiency may be required depending on the advisor’s recommendation. Reading proficiency must be certified through a written examination or an appropriate amount of coursework to be determined on a case-by-case basis. This requirement must be fulfilled by the end of the fourth year of graduate study.

Students in Chinese linguistics must take at least one literature course.

Complete two relevant seminars at the 300 level. EALC 200  may be substituted for one of these two seminars.

Pass three comprehensive written examinations, one of which tests the candidate’s methodological competence in the relevant discipline. The remaining two fields are chosen, with the approval of the student’s advisor, from the following: Chinese literature, Japanese literature, Korean literature, archaeology, anthropology, art history, comparative literature, communication, history, linguistics, philosophy, and religious studies. With the advisor’s approval, a PhD minor in a supporting field may be deemed equivalent to completing one of these three examinations.

Students should submit a dissertation prospectus before advancing to Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status. The prospectus should comprehensively describe the dissertation project and include sections on the project rationale, key research questions, contributions to the field, a literature review, a chapter-by-chapter outline, a projected timeline, and a bibliography.

Pass the University Oral Examination (dissertation defense). General regulations governing the oral examination are found in Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures ( GAP 4.7.1 ). The candidate is examined on questions related to the dissertation after acceptable parts have been completed in draft form.

Following university policy ( GAP 4.8.1 ), submit a dissertation demonstrating the ability to undertake original research based on primary and secondary materials in Chinese.

ICME Doctor of Philosophy

Main navigation.

The Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering (ICME), and its predecessor program Scientific Computing and Computational Mathematics, has offered MS and PhD degrees in computational mathematics for over 30 years. Affiliated Faculty conduct groundbreaking research, train and advise graduate students, and provide over 60 courses in computational mathematics and scientific computing at both the undergraduate and graduate level, to the Stanford community.

Doctoral Program

We develop innovative computational and mathematical approaches for complex engineering and scientific problems, attracting talented PhD students from across the globe. Advised in research by more than 50 faculty from 20-plus departments, PhD students are immersed in a wide variety of fields including statistics and data science, machine and deep learning, control, optimization, numerical analysis, applied mathematics, high-performance computing, earth sciences, flow physics, graphics, bioengineering, genomics, economics and financial mathematics, molecular dynamics, and many more. PhD graduates find outstanding positions in industry and national laboratories as well as in academia.

ICME PhD students cultivate a broad and deep understanding of computational mathematics through core courses in matrix computations, optimization, stochastics, discrete mathematics, and PDEs and through their research work with ICME affiliated faculty.

For complete details, coursework, and research requirements please view the Stanford Bulletin:  Doctor of Philosophy in Computational and Mathematical Engineering

ICME PhD Application Submission

Doctoral Program

Main navigation.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is intended primarily for students who desire a career in research, advanced development, or teaching. Students in the PhD program obtain a broad education in the core areas of Aeronautics and Astronautics through coursework, while also engaging in intensive research in a specialized area, culminating in a doctoral thesis.

Minor in Aero/Astro

A student who wishes to obtain a PhD minor in Aero/Astro should consult with the Aero/Astro Student Services Office for designation of a minor advisor. A PhD minor in Aeronautics and Astronautics may be obtained by completing 20 units of graded, graduate-level courses in the Aero/Astro Department, following a program (and performance) approved by the department’s Director of Graduate Studies. Seminars and independent study (research) units do not count toward the required 20 units. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on these courses is required to fulfill the Ph.D. minor. The student’s PhD Reading Committee and University Oral Committee must each include at least one faculty member from Aero/Astro.

Ph.D. IN AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS

Department requirements are stated below for students admitted for Autumn 2021-22. Students admitted prior to Autumn 2021-22 should refer to the section “Ph.D. Aeronautics and Astronautics for Students Admitted Prior to Autumn 2021-22” (at the bottom of this page) for Qualifying Examination procedures.

Aero/Astro Doctoral Study

Students admitted to our Ph.D. program who do not already have an M.S. in a related discipline conferred when they begin the Ph.D. program must complete the Aeronautics and Astronautics M.S. degree requirements prior to receiving the Ph.D. This requires submission of the Graduate Program Authorization Petition in Axess ($125 fee) to add the M.S. program to a student’s record, and submission of the Master’s Program Proposal with advisor’s signature to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office. This must be completed at, or before, the beginning of year three of the Ph.D. program.

All Ph.D. students must complete the department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of their second year of graduate study to remain in good standing in the Ph.D. program. Requirements for remaining in good standing for the duration of the program are described in the “Ph.D. Requirements for Good Standing”, below. The Qualifying Examination is given once in the Autumn Quarter and once in the Spring Quarter. The application must have the signed approval of the student's Ph.D. advisor.

Ph.D. Requirements and Good Standing

Ph.D. students maintain good standing by:

• Meeting the university requirements for graduate enrollment and minimum progress (see below).
• Receiving official commitment of one faculty member to advise their Ph.D. program by the end of quarter four. This is recorded on the Ph.D. Advisor Commitment form and submitted to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office.
• Passing the Qualification Examination. Ph.D. students must complete this in the second year of graduate study. (Students admitted from the Stanford M.S. program must take the examination in Spring Quarter of year two of their graduate studies.)
• Submitting the Application to Candidacy before the end of the quarter when they pass the Qualification Exam. Once achieved, candidacy is granted through year seven of graduate study for students completing the M.S degree, or through year six of graduate study for students admitted with an M.S. degree in a related discipline, unless terminated by the department (e.g., for unsatisfactory progress).
• Participate in research, retain advisor, and sustain satisfactory research progress as determined by advisor.
• Satisfy coursework requirements.
• Secure advisor approval for any internship or leave of absence .
• Form a Dissertation Reading Committee .
• Pass the Oral Examination , in which dissertation results are presented and defended.
• Submit the final dissertation to the university. (See Doctoral Dissertation below)
• Apply to Graduate in AXESS during your final quarter in the program.
• Complete all these requirements for the Ph.D. within the candidacy period, or receive department approval for an extension of candidacy (for up to one year) and complete the requirements during that period.

Dissertation Advisor, Research Topic and Progress

Students are expected to participate in research with a faculty member each quarter until the student identifies a Ph.D. advisor, and the first quarter rotation must be with an Aero/Astro faculty member. Research activity is evaluated by the faculty advisor each quarter for all Ph.D. students and the result is recorded using at least one unit of research credit. Before the start of the quarter, expectations for research will be set at an initial meeting between the student and the research advisor. The Student Services Office will monitor your research rotation participation each quarter. If you do not participate in research, you may no longer be in good standing in your Ph.D. program and risk losing funding support. Funding for new students supports up to four quarters in a rotation program. The arrangement between the student and the faculty member supervising your research may be for the entire academic year or for a shorter period. The latter would enable a student to work with different faculty members exploring different areas of research until the student identifies a Ph.D. advisor. This provides you with the opportunity to find the group that is best suited to your research interests.

Students must receive an official commitment from a Ph.D. Advisor by the end of quarter four of the Ph.D. program. This is recorded on the Ph.D. Advisor Commitment form and submitted to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office. By signing the form, a faculty member indicates a commitment to supervise the student, and work toward securing funding. The principal dissertation advisor must be a member of the Academic Council. Former Academic Council members, emeritus Academic Council members, or non-Academic Council members may serve as co-advisor with the appointment of a principal dissertation advisor who is currently on the Academic Council.

Faculty research advisors guide students in key areas such as selecting courses; designing and conducting research; developing of teaching pedagogy; navigating policies and degree requirements; and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways. The primary responsibilities for monitoring the research progress of a Ph.D. student lies with the Ph.D. research advisor. An acceptable research dissertation must be presented for the Ph.D. degree. Because development of a dissertation is usually an intense and personal process involving you and your research advisor, it is not possible to abstractly define an acceptable dissertation. You should be very careful to reach a clear understanding of your advisor’s expectations and standards before embarking too far into the research project. Switching your research topic without the consent of the research advisor will affect the status of good standing.

When the research advisor is from outside the Aero/Astro department, the student must also identify a primary faculty co-advisor from within the department to provide guidance on departmental requirements and opportunities. The co-advisor must be a member of the student’s Reading Committee and Oral Exam Committee.

Students and advisors should be aware of the University’s policies regarding minimum progress requirements for graduate students described in the Stanford Bulletin in the section titled "Graduate Degree”, including the quarterly grading expectations for research units and for the TGR course. If these are not met, the advisor and department will follow the University’s guidance, as explained in the “ Guidelines for Dismissal of Graduate Students for Academic or Professional Reasons ” section of the Stanford Bulletin.

Occasionally, a student's research may diverge from the area of competence of the adviser, or irreconcilable differences may occur between the student and the faculty adviser. In such cases, the student or the faculty adviser may request a change in assignment. If the department decides to grant the request, every reasonable effort must be made to pair the student with another suitable adviser. This may entail some modification of the student's research project. In the rare case where a student's dissertation research on an approved project is in an advanced stage and the dissertation adviser is no longer available, every reasonable effort must be made to appoint a new adviser, usually from the student's reading committee. This may also require that a new member be added to the reading committee before the draft dissertation is evaluated in order to keep the reconstituted committee in compliance with the University requirements for its composition. Please see the Aero/Astro Student Services Office immediately if you have any questions or concerns about this.

Ph.D. Qualifying Procedures in Aero/Astro

The Aero/Astro Qualifying Examination entails two components: (1) Field Examinations (components can be waived, more details provided below) and (2) Research Examinations. All Ph.D. students must attempt the department qualifying procedures before the end of their second year of graduate study to remain in good standing in the Ph.D. program. The Aero/Astro Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is given once in the Autumn Quarter and once in the Spring Quarter, usually in the second week of November and May. The exact dates are announced several weeks before the exam. The Application for the Aero/Astro Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is made available early each examination quarter, with the application deadlines early in April and October. The application must have the signed approval of the student's proposed Ph.D. advisor. Students must be enrolled in the quarter they attempt the Qualifying Examination.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Aero/Astro Qualifying Examination, a student must meet the following conditions by the appropriate deadline.

• The candidate should have the official commitment of one faculty to advise them. There is no explicit requirement regarding having taken one or more AA290 classes with the advisor.
• The student’s overall average GPA must be greater than or equal to 3.5.

Application for the Aero/Astro Qualifying Examination

The application form is made available early each Quals quarter and is due approximately two weeks later. The application must have the signed approval of the student's Ph.D. advisor.

All petitions (to waive specific Quals conditions or to defer the exams) are due prior to the start of the Quals quarter (deadline announced); they must include a justification of exception circumstances, advisor signature, and appropriate documentation. Submitting any such petition is not guaranteed to be approved.

Field Examination Procedures

• Students can waive one or more of these classes by following a two-step process: (step 1) showing that they have taken a sufficiently related class at a prior institution (which needs to be certified by the AA Director of Graduate Studies) and (step 2) taking an exam for each of the classes the student desires to waive and achieving a grade of A or higher (the instructor can handle the exam in the form of their choosing, e.g., through an oral exam or a written exam). The exam will be offered once per year (synchronously with the regular exam for the related course). If the student does not achieve a grade of an A or higher on the waiver exam, then the student is required to take the course.
• Students who do not meet the 3.7 core course GPA requirements will be required to take a field exam in each corearea where the GPA is lower than 3.7. Field Exams will be scheduled for the same week as QualifyingExaminations. Each Field Exam is a 45-minute oral examination of knowledge and understanding on topics fromone core area, and is conducted by a committee of three examiners made up of AA faculty (the advisor, or co-advisor, may be included). In consultation with their advisor, the student will submit a list of suggested examiners(at least four, ranked in order of preference). The AA Director of Student and Academic Services will determine the final list of examiners based on the provided list and faculty availability. One faculty member will be assigned as the Point of Contact (POC) in charge of sending examination feedback and results to the Director of Student and Academic Services.

Field Exam Decision

• Once compiled, the Director of Student and Academic Services will disseminate the feedback and results to the student’s Ph.D. advisor(s).

Following the Field Exams, the results will be discussed by the department faculty in a closed meeting. A student who fails to pass a field exam, or exams, the first time will be eligible to retake the exam(s) with advisor approval. A student approved to retake a field exam must pass the next available Field Exams. A student who does not receive advisor approval for a retake option or fails the field exam(s) for a second time will be removed from the Ph.D. program. The student’s Ph.D. advisor will relay final decisions to the student.

Core courses per area for gaining Qualifying Examination eligibility:

• ENGR 205: Introduction to Control Design Techniques
• AA 242A: Classical Dynamics
• AA 200: Applied Aerodynamics
• AA 210A: Fundamentals of Compressible Flow
• AA 240: Analysis of Structures
• AA 256: Mechanics of Composites
• AA 203: Optimal and Learning-based Control
• AA 214: Numerical Methods for Compressible Flows
• AA 222: Engineering Design Optimization (CS 361)
• AA 228: Decision Making under Uncertainty (CS 238)

Research Examination

• The candidate student will be examined by 3 faculty (advisor, and co-advisor, not included; the advisor(s) mayattend the exam session as a “silent observer”, but will leave for the discussion regarding the decision). At least 2 ofthe faculty should be AA faculty (no courtesy). In consultation with their advisor, the student will submit a list of suggested examiners (at least five, ranked in order of preference). If the student is proposing faculty from outside of AA, it is highly recommended the Ph.D. advisor and student consult with the outside faculty member(s) to assist with availability, scheduling, and guidelines. The AA Director of Student and Academic Services will determine the final list of examiners based on the provided list and faculty availability. One faculty member will be assigned as the Point of Contact (POC) in charge of sending examination feedback and results to the Director of Student and Academic Services.
• The advisor submits a one-paragraph recommendation of the student to the examiners. The recommendation will inform the discussion and evaluation of the student at the end of their exam.
• What is the research problem? Why is it hard? Who does it impact?
• What is the state of knowledge in the field today? What are the limits of current practice?
• What is the new technical idea? Why can we succeed now?
• Are there others dedicated to finding a solution to the problem?
• What is the impact if successful?
• The student supplies to each examiner a 1-page report summarizing the student’s research project and a plan for the Ph.D. The report is due to the examiners two weeks before the exam. The role of the report is to give some time to the examiners to familiarize themselves with the student’s research project.
• During the first half hour the student presents the research project. 
• The second half hour comprises a 30-minute QA session related to the research project. During this session the examiners can ask questions related to the fundamental concepts covered during the presentation. This gives the opportunity to the examiners to assess general mastery of the area the student is working on, beyond the traditional confines of coursework. The examiners should make sure that there is enough diversity in the questions asked.

Research Examination Decision

• Pass, with a list of classes the student should take to strengthen their background (at most three); the student should receive a grade of at least B in these classes in order to defend their thesis
• Fail, with retake option (if first time) or removal of the student from the PhD program (if second time)

Following the Research Exams, the results will be discussed by the department faculty in a closed meeting. If there is no consensus on an exam outcome, the Department Chair will lead a discussion regarding the case until a consensus is reached. A student who fails the research examination the first time will be eligible to retake the exam with advisor approval. A student approved to retake the research exam must pass the next available Research Exams. A student who does not receive advisor approval for a retake option or fails the exam for a second time will be removed from the Ph.D. program. The student’s Ph.D. advisor will relay final decisions to the student.

After the Exams

A student who passes the Qualifying Examination must file for candidacy before the end of the quarter. 

A student can take field exams and/or research exams at most twice (with advisor approval). The first time should be either in the Fall or Spring of the second year; the second time, if applicable, should be the next available Qualifying Examination. A student who fails to qualify after two attempts may remain in the AA-Ph.D. program for one additional quarter. After this additional quarter, a student will be formally dismissed from the Ph.D. program by the Aero/Astro Faculty Committee. In this quarter, the department will not approve a leave of absence or reduced tuition requests.

If a student elects to formally enter the Engineer degree, they must discontinue the Ph.D. at the same time they add the Engineer degree via the Graduate Program Authorization Petition in Axess.

There are two requirements for admission to Ph.D. candidacy in Aeronautics and Astronautics: students must first pass the departmental qualifying exam and must then submit an application for candidacy. The Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree  (PDF) must be submitted to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office before the end of the quarter in which a student passes the Qualifying Examination. The candidacy form lists the courses the student will take to fulfill the requirements for the degree. The form must include the 90 non-MS units required for the Ph.D.; it should be signed by the advisor and submitted to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office for the Director of Graduate Studies’ approval signature. Aero/Astro uses a department-specific candidacy form, which may be obtained in the Aero/Astro Student Services Office. It is incumbent upon Ph.D. students to request letter grades in all courses listed on the Application for Candidacy form. 

Students must receive a passing grade, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, on all courses listed on the Candidacy form. Changes can be filed at any time by submitting a revised Candidacy form with advisor's signature, and submitting the form to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office for the Director of Graduate Studies’ approval. In order to graduate or go TGR, you must have completed all units listed on your current Candidacy form including any units for a Ph.D minor.

Once achieved, candidacy is granted through year seven of graduate study for students completing the M.S degree, or through year six of graduate study for students admitted with an M.S. degree in a related discipline, unless terminated by the department (e.g., for unsatisfactory progress). This term is not affected by leaves of absence. The candidacy end date is listed on the student’s record in AXESS. Students who are unable to graduate before their candidacy expires may submit an extension request for up to one additional year of candidacy.

Candidacy extensions requests require review of a dissertation progress report, a dissertation draft, timetable for completion of the dissertation, and any other factors regarded as relevant by the department. Students must submit the candidacy extension request before the end of their program's time limit. Once candidacy has expired, registration privileges are terminated and the student will need to apply for reinstatement into the Ph.D. program. Extension requests should be submitted to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office. Note, the department is not obligated to grant an extension, and all requests are subject to final approval by the Aero/Astro Department Chair.

Ph.D. Funding

AA-PhD students who are in good standing relative to program requirements are funded to the department’s 50% academic year post-quals research assistantship level. Arranging for this funding is the responsibility of the faculty Ph.D. advisor and the department, and can include fellowships, research assistantships, training grants and teaching assistantships.

Students receiving summer funds, including RAs and fellowships, must be registered. If there is a reasonable expectation for a student to be making progress toward the degree in the summer or during a graduation quarter, and the student is in good standing, the student should be funded at minimum to the 50% post-quals research assistantship level. However, arrangements may be made during the summer for a research assistantship percentage increase/decrease depending on the expectations of research progress agreed upon by the student and advisor. When students near the end of their degree program, the student and advisor may agree to end the graduate funding; it’s necessary, for instance, if students begin their new employment before Ph.D. conferral.

Course requirements

Each individual Ph.D. program, designed by the student in consultation with the advisor, should represent a strong and cohesive program reflecting the student's major field of interest. Ph.D. candidates must complete a minimum of 135 units. Ph.D. candidates who received their M.S. from Stanford may count up to 45 units towards the 135-unit total. Students who received an M.S. degree at another institution may petition (through the university Registrar’s Office) to transfer up to 45 units toward the 135-unit requirement.

Of the 90 units required beyond the M.S. degree, a student must complete at least 21 units of approved courses in advanced study in engineering, science, and mathematics. These courses cannot include research, directed study, or seminars, must be taken for a letter grade, and must be numbered 200 and above. The remaining units can be fulfilled through Ph.D. dissertation units or free electives numbered 100 and above. Units that were applied toward the M.S. degree cannot be reused. When applying for Ph.D. candidacy, a Ph.D. course proposal approved by the advisor must be submitted.

Ph.D. Minor

If choosing to take a Ph.D. minor, or minors, in other departments, a maximum of 9 units total from the minor program(s) may be included in the 21 units of formal coursework; the remaining minor units may be considered free electives, and included within the 90-unit total (beyond the MS) required for the Aero/Astro Ph.D.

Dissertation Reading Committee

Each Ph.D. candidate is required to establish a reading committee for the doctoral dissertation within six months after passing the department's Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. Thereafter, the student should consult frequently with all members of the committee about the direction and progress of the dissertation research. The student’s principal advisor and dissertation reading committee have the responsibility of supervising the research work and insuring that high standards of performance are maintained. Conversely, it is the student’s responsibility to keep their reading committee members informed about their research progress. The signatures on your dissertation represent the final certification of its adequacy.

A Dissertation Reading Committee consists of the principal dissertation advisor and at least two other readers. If the principal advisor is not within the Aero/Astro Department, there should be an Aero/Astro co-advisor. It is expected that at least two members of the Aero/Astro faculty will be on the reading committee. Although all readers are usually members of the Stanford Academic Council, the Department Chair may approve in special circumstances that must be justifiable, one non-Academic Council reader if the person brings unusual and necessary expertise to the dissertation research, and has no conflict of interest (for example, this person should not be part of the research project or directly associated with the funding authority). Generally, this non-Academic Council reader will be a fourth reader, in addition to three Academic Council members. It is the student’s and the advisor’s responsibility to justify to the Chair why this non-Academic Council member is proposed as a fourth reader.

The student must submit a Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form , signed by each of the readers, to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office for approval by the Department Chair. Approval of a non-Academic Council reader requires submission of a Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Committee Members . Any changes to the committee must be submitted to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office for approval by the Department Chair prior to submission of the dissertation. The Change of Advisor or Reading Committee Form requires the signature of anyone who is added to the committee; advisors/readers who signed the original form do not need to sign again.

University Oral Examination

Each Ph.D. candidate is required to take the University Oral Examination after the dissertation is substantially completed but before final approval of the dissertation. The dissertation draft must be in writing, with the expectation the final dissertation will be ready to submit within one quarter of the examination. The student should make available the draft copy of the dissertation to members of the examination committee prior to the exam. The examination itself is intended to verify that the research represents the student’s own contribution to knowledge and to test their understanding of the research. Candidacy must be valid and the student must be registered in the quarter in which the University Oral Examination is taken. The coordination of this exam is the responsibility of the department (primarily the student and advisor). The Registrar reviews but does not participate in the examination. The examination normally begins with a presentation by the Ph.D. candidate during which clarifying questions may be asked. This part of the examination is typically open to the public. After a brief recess, the examination continues in private session, with only the candidate and members of the examining committee in attendance.

This Committee is comprised of four faculty examiners plus a chairman. The examination should be conducted according to the major department’s stated practice, although it should not exceed three hours in length. A typical exam in Aero/Astro is expected to take three hours. At the conclusion of the examination the candidate should be asked to leave so that the committee can confer in private. A vote is taken and the chair tallies the votes of the members. The Orals Chair should submit the results of the examination to the Student Services Office immediately following the exam. The student’s advisor will notify the student of the outcome.

The University Oral Examination Form can be found on the Registrar’s Office website. The form must be submitted with a thesis draft to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office at least three weeks prior to the date arranged for the oral examination. The department will provide a (red) folder which includes the exam schedule, ballots, and department and university guidelines for the exam. Note: Students must be enrolled during the quarter when they take their University Oral Examination. If the orals take place during the break time between quarters, the student must be enrolled in the prior quarter. Once the oral examination has been passed, the student finalizes the thesis for reading committee review and final approval.

Procedures for Scheduling University Oral Examinations

• Register for the quarter in which you will be taking your Orals.
• Verify your Reading Committee in Axess : If the committee who signed on the form when you submitted your Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form is no longer appropriate, complete the Change of Advisor or Reading Committee Form and submit to the Aero/Astro Student Services Office.
• Four examiners: normally your reading committee plus one other faculty member, although readers are not required to be members (for instance, in case of scheduling conflicts). At least one examiner must be from your major department; Aero/Astro expects that two or, more likely, three members will be Aero/Astro faculty. Check with your minor department for their rules for representation. At least three examiners must be members of the Academic Council (i.e., a Stanford Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor - not Adjunct or Visiting). A non-Academic Council member requires a Petition for Doctoral Committee Members.
• Committee chair: must be a member of the Academic Council or an emeritus member. May not hold an appointment in the same department as you or your advisor (this includes joint appointments, but does not include courtesy appointments). May not be a member of the reading committee. The chair is an "impartial representative of the University" in the exam; although the chair does vote, the chair need not be expert in your field. If you are having difficulty identifying a chair, ask your advisor or fellow students for suggestions. If you decide on a chair from a distant field (e.g., History or Music), make sure your advisor is aware of your plan before the exam
• Schedule a room: for participation in a public seminar, ask the Aero Astro Office (Durand 202), email: [email protected]
• University Oral Examination Schedule Form (if you have a minor, obtain minor department chair signature)
• Dissertation abstract (for the committee chair)
• Dissertation draft (for the department chair, and full committee as requested)
• Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Committee Members, if required (with curriculum vitae if they are not visiting faculty or on the Stanford academic staff.)
• Remind your Committee – Approximately three days before the oral, send reminders to your full committee about the exam date and location.

Doctoral Dissertation

Please refer to the Directions for Preparing Doctoral Dissertations , which outlines the University guidelines for preparing a Ph.D. dissertation. When the final draft of your dissertation has been completed, make an appointment to consult with the Graduate Degree Progress (GDP) officer in the Registrar’s Office to go over a review of the completion of your Ph.D. program and the strict formatting requirements for the dissertation. Submit the final version of your dissertation to the GDP no later than the dissertation deadline of your submission quarter. Note: All members of the Reading Committee must sign the dissertation before the filing deadline.

The date of degree conferral is early in the following quarter. Diplomas are mailed following degree conferral. Students who have no outstanding Stanford obligations (financial or academic) may obtain an official "certificate of completion" from the Graduate Degree Progress Office after degree conferral. Prior to requesting a Statement of Completion, the submission must first be approved by both the Final Reader and Registrar's Office. Note: students will receive email confirmation once the submission is approved by the Registrar's Office. This email confirmation will provide instructions for obtaining the letter by essentially logging on to AXESS, and going to the eDissertation/eThesis Center, where it should be ready and available as a link to the student.

Note: Students may be eligible to petition for a Graduation Quarter during the quarter they plan to submit the dissertation. For details, contact the Aero/Astro Student Services Office . International students should consult carefully with the International Center before selecting specialized registration status because their visas may prohibit it.

ExploreDegrees Archive, 2011-12

Explore courses, alphabetical index.

Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2011-12 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin .

Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science

The University's basic requirements for the Ph.D. degree are discussed in the " Graduate Degrees " section of this bulletin.

Programs of study leading to the Ph.D. degree are designed by the student, in consultation with advisers and the Director of Graduate Studies, to serve his or her particular interests as well as to achieve the general department requirements. A student is recommended to the University Committee on Graduate Studies to receive the Ph.D. degree in Political Science when the following program of study has been completed:

• The candidate for the Ph.D. degree must take three of the following concentrations in political science: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, methodology, and political theory. Students concentrate on two of these areas by fulfilling, depending on the concentration, combinations of the following: written qualifying examinations, research papers, research design, or course work. The requirement for the third concentration may be satisfied by taking either a written examination in that area or by taking a minimum of 10 units with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better in the third concentration from among the formal graduate-level courses in the five divisions of the department. The third concentration cannot be satisfied by courses taken as a requirement for a first or second concentration. A third concentration in theory requires two courses in addition to the five units necessary to fulfill the program requirement. A third concentration in methodology requires two courses in addition to the 10 units necessary to fulfill the program requirement. Completion of special concentrations may require more than 10 units of course work.
• The Ph.D. candidate is required to demonstrate competence in a language and/or skill that is likely to be relevant to the dissertation research. The level of competence needed for successful completion of the research is determined by the student's adviser. All candidates must complete at least 10 units of statistical methodology or its equivalent. Previous instruction can be counted towards this requirement only if approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
• Every Ph.D. candidate must complete at least five units of graduate-level instruction in political theory.
• By the start of the fourth quarter in residence, each graduate student submits a statement of purpose to the student's adviser. This statement indicates the student's proposed major concentrations of study, the courses taken and those planned to be taken to cover those fields, the student's plan for meeting language and/or skill requirements, plans for scheduling of comprehensive examinations and/or research papers, and, where possible, dissertation ideas or plans. This statement is discussed with, and must be approved by, the student's adviser. In the Autumn Quarter following completion of their first year, students are reviewed at a regular meeting of the department faculty. The main purposes of this procedure are, in order of importance: to advise and assist the student to realize his or her educational goals; to provide an incentive for clarifying goals and for identifying ways to achieve them; and to facilitate assessment of progress toward the degree.
• Students must take the comprehensive exams in two major fields by the end of their second year in the program. Students are expected to have passed these examinations and to have faculty approval of their research paper by the end of their second year.
• Upon completion of one research paper and two comprehensive exams in his or her two major concentrations, the student files an Application for Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree which details program plans and records. The University and the department expect that students be advanced to candidacy by the completion of their sixth quarter as a full-time student. Each second-year student is reviewed and considered for admission to candidacy in a meeting of the faculty that is typically held during the tenth week of Spring Quarter. Since completion of two comprehensive exams and a research paper are prerequisites for admission to candidacy, students should plan their first- and second-year studies so that these requirements are satisfied by the time of the faculty review meeting. In particular, students should submit their research paper to the relevant faculty readers no later than the middle of Winter Quarter, since revisions of the paper are often required prior to obtaining faculty approval.
• During the third year, a formal dissertation proposal must be submitted to and approved by the student's dissertation adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. Dissertation proposals must be approved by the end of the third year.
• A candidate for the Ph.D. in Political Science is required to serve as a teaching assistant (TA) in the department for a minimum of three quarters.
• Doctoral candidates who apply for the M.A. degree are awarded that degree on completion of the requirements outlined in the description of the M.A. program.
• The candidate must pass the University oral examination on the area of the dissertation at a time, after the passing of the written comprehensive examinations, suggested by the candidate's dissertation committee.
• The candidate must complete a dissertation satisfactory to the dissertation reading committee.

© Stanford University - Office of the Registrar . Archive of the Stanford Bulletin 2011-12.   Terms of Use | Copyright Complaints