Be part of a dynamic philosophical community

Take advantage of research fellowships and opportunities to present your philosophical work. You’ll learn how to think analytically and write persuasively, all while being part of a community that supports your academic and professional growth. 

MA in Philosophy

Our MA in Philosophy prioritizes both research and teaching. Demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of ares in philosophy.

Joint MA and JD

Pursue an MA degree in philosophy while simultaneously completing a JD in the College of Law.

PhD in Philosophy

Focus on further developing your knowledge, teaching, and research skills with our PhD in Philosophy.

The Iowa philosophy department has a history of research and teaching excellence in a number of core areas, including: epistemology, metaphysics, social and political philosophy, ethical theory, philosophy of mind, and history of philosophy, with a special emphasis on the history of analytic philosophy. 

Our approach to the history of philosophy is broad – it includes Eastern and Western ancient philosophy, Islamic philosophy, and women philosophers of the early modern period. We are interested in uncovering the insights and concerns that are at the root of each debate, and the historical turns that have brought us to where we are today. 

Our graduate student to faculty ratio is 1.4:1, and we were recently ranked the second PhD program in the country in terms of gender diversity of faculty.

We are a very active department. Students work closely with faculty and with fellow students as well.  The department offers the PhD degree and also administers an MA/JD program with the law school. 

The TA salary for 2023-24 is $21,360. All TAs receive a full tuition waiver and a generous benefits package. Accomplished new doctoral students may be nominated for the Iowa Recruitment Fellowship, which provides an extra stipend supplement of $5,000 per year, and also $5000 in four years of summer fellowship support.  

A number of research fellowships are available for graduate students working on the dissertation, including the Ballard and Seashore Dissertation Semester Fellowship; the Graduate College Post-Comp Research Award; and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dissertation Writing Fellowship.

The Philosophy Department offers generous support for graduate student travel to philosophy conferences and workshops, in addition to supplemental support that is available through a number of UI offices.

The philosophy department hosts six to eight colloquia per year, featuring a number of internationally prominent philosophers.  

Recent speakers include Ernest Sosa, Timothy Williamson, Lynne Rudder Baker, Michael Huemer, Elizabeth Anderson, Dean Zimmerman, Louise Antony, Larry May, Laurie Paul, Earl Conee, Sanford Goldberg, and Barry Stroud.  

The department holds pre-colloquium meetings to explore each paper topic in advance, and graduate students also have a lunch and discussion meeting with each speaker.

The UIGPS hosts a national conference in the spring. Informal salons organized by our students are held throughout the year. The graduate student community is very active and collegial, and discussions tend to spill over and extend to other venues in downtown Iowa City.

Iowa City is a vibrant college town that offers numerous venues for the arts, music, food, sports, theater, and recreation. It features a relatively low cost-of-living, and has been rated a best place to live by Money magazine and Forbes. Iowa City is a UNESCO international city of literature, the only one in North America.

How to apply

More information is available online. Applications are due Feb. 1. Contact the Director of Graduate Studies with any questions:

Portrait of Katarina Perovic

Katarina Perovic

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies