Little help with graduate programs

Alan · 10-26-2011, 02:30 AM

Can someone help me figure out how the fuck I can apply to the Sorbonne and what are the requirements?
For my life I can't figure out their website, even in English.

Also, I don't assume that you guys will already know firsthand of some good philosophy PhD programs outside the United States, but if you have free time and nothing better to do I hope you guys can help me find some good universities, particularly in Europe.
Outside of the States I've only looked at Toronto (main choice), Oxford, Sorbonne, and maybe West Ontario.

My main philosophical interests are Deleuze, Marxism, critical theory, feminist philosophy, political philosophy, and postcolonialism. If you guys find philosophy departments with these or professors specializing in these send those my way.
Also, there's this school called the European Graduate School. Almost all of those professors deal with the issues I like and teach in other universities so you could help me track them down in their other institutions outside EGS, like seeing where else Judith Butler and Helene Cixous teach.
I'm not saying you guys do all my work and I do nothing; it's just that there's too much to look for and so little time, I'm sure I can get some help here.

MissCheyenne · 10-26-2011, 02:37 AM

Assuming I have looked at the correct website, there are two options for application to the Sorbonne. One is for those who are part of an exchange programme and there is an online application form to fill out which is in french. If you are applying as an individual, you have to contact them directly either in person, by phone or email. I can't find any information on course requirements though, you may have to speak with them directly to find out what they are. Sorry I haven't been more help.

Herakles · 10-26-2011, 08:32 AM

If you're looking for reputable schools, Brian Leiter's "Philosophical Gourmet Report" is the unofficial standard ranking. I'm also in the process of researching philosophy grad programs (although, really, my mind is pretty much made up), but, frankly, there aren't many schools I'm really impressed by.

Schools that usually rank at the top in the UK are: Oxford, St. Andrews, King's College, Cambridge and University College London. Schools at the top of the list in Canada: Toronto and West Ontario are usually the top ranked, but McGill, British Columbia, Queens and York are near the top, as well.

The PGR survey for 2011 is supposed to be done by October 27 and be online in roughly a month.

Most of the top ranked schools for your areas of interest are in the US, unfortunately. But, outside the US, Oxford and Cambridge rank pretty good for political philosophy in the UK, Toronto and Queens in Canada. Birkbeck College in London ranks pretty high for feminist philosophy. As does Sheffield. I don't know how you feel about Australia, but Melbourne and Monash did pretty well in the survey. McGill and Queens in Canada rank kind of high, as well.

Hope this helps.

HumanePain · 10-26-2011, 07:28 PM

When I first saw the title I thought "Oh no, not another "survey"!" LOL

I envy you Alan. Here I have read only the first five books of Nietzsche, a little of the Ancients and Medieval, and am just now starting Hegel, Schopenhauer and Kant, and it will be a year or more before I start with the French (I'll start with Montaigne and Voltaire), haven't even touched Spinoza and to make it worse have read what little I have read completely out of chronological order, and you have already reached the graduate level, and the other posts indicate reputations of which I had no perception. The more I know, the more I know how much I don't know. But it's the journey not the destination that makes it fun!

Even though jobs for this kind of knowledge are very rare, it is easy to understand how interesting and exciting philosophical studies can be. Reading the above mentioned giants has removed a veil from my mind, and has enabled me to see the veils over other minds as well. It is depressing, scary and yet exhilarating at the same time!

I love this place.

Alan · 10-26-2011, 08:41 PM

I should further mention that I'm not limiting myself to English speaking universities.
I also speak Spanish and French, and I have no problem going to another country even without knowing its language. A friend tells me there are some good programs in Germany, and if I were to Italy I could study under those which were active with the Operaismo movement.
Portugal and Brazil would also be good. That's what I mean with outside the United States, because English-speaking countries, I already know the good universities but I need more options.

Catch · 10-27-2011, 04:43 PM

It looks like you need a Bachelor or Master Degree and contact their office with the provided phone number. I would get International Calling on your phone service before making the call. They are probably looking for the usual. I would find out if they need a ACT, SAT, GSAT, or KSAT before taking any expensive tests.

Elystan · 10-30-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumanePain

When I first saw the title I thought "Oh no, not another "survey"!" LOL

I envy you Alan. Here I have read only the first five books of Nietzsche, a little of the Ancients and Medieval, and am just now starting Hegel, Schopenhauer and Kant, and it will be a year or more before I start with the French (I'll start with Montaigne and Voltaire), haven't even touched Spinoza and to make it worse have read what little I have read completely out of chronological order, and you have already reached the graduate level, and the other posts indicate reputations of which I had no perception. The more I know, the more I know how much I don't know. But it's the journey not the destination that makes it fun!

Even though jobs for this kind of knowledge are very rare, it is easy to understand how interesting and exciting philosophical studies can be. Reading the above mentioned giants has removed a veil from my mind, and has enabled me to see the veils over other minds as well. It is depressing, scary and yet exhilarating at the same time!

I love this place.

Really, because I only really felt like I could rattle off a list of mistakes really clever people had made hundreds of years ago.

HumanePain · 11-02-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elystan

Really, because I only really felt like I could rattle off a list of mistakes really clever people had made hundreds of years ago.

Whoa, not all mistakes! There are also enlightening (pun intended) perspectives and excellent instruction on critical thinking. We do not have to pursue what Nietzsche or Descartes thought to benefit from their examples on how to think. And believe me, following their examples leaves me far better off than I was in ignorance ("Nietzsche is my co-pilot" LOL).

There is value in taking advantage of the solutions to difficult problems already examined and addressed by intellects more gifted than mine. I may still be in the foothills but at least I am now aware of the "pure air" in the mountaintops above and have something to strive for than wallowing in the mud.

Grausamkeit · 11-02-2011, 04:54 PM

Excellent post, HP!

Geoluhread · 11-03-2011, 09:49 AM

Well Alan, I have no life and I do absolutely nothing of importance all day. I can help out with things, for example tracking down those professors that teach at EGS.

I did a quick search on Judith Butler and other than EGS she'll be teaching at Columbia University as a visiting professor in the spring semesters of 2012 and 2013.

The other professor in your post, Heene Cisxous, all it says that she was appointed as the AD white-professor-at-large [no idea what this means, to be honest] at Cornell University till 2014. A search on Cornell university showed it has lots of divisions all over the world, so I assume it isn't much of a help.

I'll try to track down the other professors for you and anything you need, just tell me.

HumanePain · 11-03-2011, 03:08 PM

Sorbonne would be cool, you know, to go to the same school to which Descartes submitted his books, even though the Sorbonne theologists were on the wrong side of history (accusing Descartes of being an atheist). On second thought maybe it isn't such a good place since he had to sugar coat his Meditations on First Philosophy as a way to respond to "objections" from atheists by studying an atheist view first. But...I am sure they must have caught up with The Enlightenment by now eh?