Testimonial

Miami’s department, I am finding, is quite unique. I just finished my Master’s at Miami and am currently pursuing a PhD at SUNY-Stonybrook, a school known for its strengths in continental philosophy.  It has very early become apparent that a strong background in the history of philosophy is essential, and that is precisely what I feel Miami was able to provide. It’s true, a background in the history of philosophy is nothing peculiar to Miami, but a background such as this in a close-knit department, in a funded Master’s program, committed to personal attention, and with a large degree of freedom accorded to the student, that is unique. From a seminar on the First Critique, to a reading of the Phenomenology of Spirit, to the Third Critique, to Husserl, to Leibniz, to Spinoza, to Plato, to Marx, to Nietzsche, to feminist theory, and to psychoanalysis, this is just some of the material to which I was introduced, and I am finding that such a broad introduction was invaluable. And this was just my particular menu; there are others which can accommodate different interests. Also not to be underestimated is the approachability of the professors. There is not one professor at Miami who would not affably invite student attention, and work with students beyond the immediate concerns of the classroom. The professors are all dedicated to the philosophical, professional, and personal needs of the students, and this is all the more accentuated by the closeness and familiarity of the department. On top of all this, the professors all really know their stuff. Miami was also able to bring in some very well-respected and important speakers, from Linda Alcoff, to Eric Santner, to Judith Butler and Jane Gallop. All of these thinkers are working on the cutting edge of their fields, and all have come to Miami to speak and interact with students. The students themselves are great too, and I count among some of my best friends my fellow Master’s students. In addition, Oxford is really not a bad place to spend a bit of time studying philosophy. The town is quaint, the campus is beautiful and idyllic, and there are quite a number of important resources if one takes the time to utilize them. The coffeeshop uptown is also a real boon, one I appreciate all the more now that I am out on Long Island and the only places for coffee are Starbucks and vending machines. Check it out and you’ll see what I mean. In short, I think that one would be hard-pressed to find a program better suited to serving as a transition to a PhD program, and I for one do not think that I could have chosen better. The department is devoted to making sure that students are aware of and can meet the requirements for success in a doctoral program, and thus it’s a department which is specially tailored to students who both hope to define and refine their skills in philosophy, and to fortify their credentials for a strong PhD program.