Graduate Student Handbook

The Department of Philosophy is the home of a number of undergraduate programs, as well as the following graduate programs:

MA in Applied Philosophy & Ethics
Graduate Certificate in Professional Ethics

In addition, the Department contributes two courses to the Core Curriculum for all undergraduate students: PHIL 1305: Philosophy & Critical Thinking and PHIL 1320: Ethics & Society.

The department is large and diverse, both in terms of faculty expertise, philosophical methodology, and pedagogical approach. Its mission is to:

• Preserve, increase, and transmit knowledge of the discipline of philosophy and its applications
• Foster critical and moral thinking skills
• Support excellence in faculty research and creative activity
• Promote public dialogue on matters of significance throughout the university and community

For more information about the department, please have a look around our website.

Key People

In addition to the faculty members with whom graduate students take courses, the following individuals are important ones to know:

• Craig Hanks, Professor and Department Chair
• Anthony Cross, Assistant Professor and Graduate Advisor
• Kellea Clark, Administrative Assistant III
• Mia Villasana, Budget Assistant
• Andrew Boyd, Systems Support Specialist
• Jo Ann Carson, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Dialogue Series
• Rebecca Raphael, Professor and Program Director for Religious Studies

Facilities

The Department is spread out across three buildings: Comal, Derrick, and Nueces. Most of the spaces relevant to graduate students, however, are in Comal. They include:

Main Office

The main office in Comal 102 is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. This office houses the Department Chair and two staff workers: our Administrative Assistant and our Budget Specialist. The Department Chair handles all top-level administrative matters for the Department, including hiring part-time and temporary teachers, arranging teaching assignments, and supervising all faculty and staff. Our Administrative Assistant handles many administrative matters, including processing all the paperwork for graduate instructional assistants and student workers. Our Budget Specialist handles financial matters for the Department. The Department also has a Systems Support Specialist whose office is Comal 207F. Our Systems Support Specialist maintains the technology in the department and can assist with problems on any university-owned machine, including classroom machines.

Adjunct Instructor / Instructional Assistant Office

Comal 203 is an office space with computers, mailboxes, and lockers for adjunct instructors (that is, individuals who are teaching on a per-course basis for the Department) and instructional assistants. Adjuncts and instructional assistants may use this space at any time, whether for their own coursework or work associated with their teaching responsibilities. However, it is first and foremost a professional space for adjuncts and instructional assistants to meet with students and complete any required instructional tasks. So, in the event that desk space is limited, individuals fulfilling those responsibilities have priority. IAs should email our Administrative Assistant to be assigned a locker to store any student work, which ought to be secured. (This is for FERPA reasons. For more on FERPA, see below.) Comal 203 has a refrigerator, coffee machine, and microwave. Please feel free to use them, but please be responsible about cleaning up after yourself.

The Dialogue Room

Comal 116 is the Dialogue Room. The Dialogue Room is designed to host most of the events in the Dialogue Series, a student-oriented and public-facing program of 60 or more presentations and discussions each semester. The lounge adjacent to the Dialogue Room is open to anyone, but also serves as a spillover space when the Dialogue Room is full.

Phi Sigma Tau

Phi Sigma Tau is the International Honor Society in Philosophy. Founded in 1930 and incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in 1955, the Society now has a network of over 200 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, at both public and private institutions of higher learning. The purpose of Phi Sigma Tau is to encourage interest and activity among students and to promote ties between philosophy departments in accredited institutions. The members of Phi Sigma Tau meets regularly throughout the academic year to discuss philosophy, current events, and much else. Students are strongly encouraged to join and participate. For more information about Phi Sigma Tau, please contact Rebekah Ross or Amelie Benedikt.

Masters in Applied Philosophy & Ethics

The Department of Philosophy offers the MA in Applied Philosophy & Ethics, which can be completed in two ways: the Thesis Option and the Non-Thesis Option.

The degree requirements for each of these tracks can be found at the following links to the university catalog:

• MA in Applied Philosophy & Ethics - Thesis Option
• MA in Applied Philosophy & Ethics - Non-Thesis Option

Comprehensive Exam Requirements

MAAPE students must complete a comprehensive exam in order to graduate. Requirements for the comprehensive exam differ for the thesis and non-thesis options.

Comprehensive Exam - Thesis Option

Students taking the Thesis Option must complete a comprehensive exam, which takes the form of an oral thesis defense that’s typically conducted by the three faculty members who constitute the student’s thesis committee. The exam focuses on the merits of the thesis itself, but can include general questions about what the student has learned over the course of the program. The exam can be repeated until the student passes it.

Comprehensive Exam - Non-Thesis Option

Students taking the Non-Thesis Option must also complete a comprehensive exam, which has two parts: a portfolio and an exit interview.

The portfolio is a collection of your work that demonstrates your progress as a graduate student. It should not simply include your best and most recent work: you should include the major papers you wrote (or exams you took) for every class. Additionally, it should include a two- to three-page essay that summarizes and evaluates your philosophical development, as you understand it. Place this essay at the beginning of your portfolio, followed by a list of all the philosophy courses that you’ve taken, including the semester, year, the instructor’s name, and the grade that you earned. (For instance: PHIL 5301: Applied Philosophy, Fall 2020, Craig Hanks, A.) Finally, please flag two papers that you take to represent your best work, which will be the focus of the exit interview.

The exit interview will be conducted by two faculty members and will focus on the two papers that you flagged in your portfolio, but can include general questions about what you’ve learned over the course of the program. The exam can be repeated until the student passes it.

Graduate Certificate in Professional Ethics

The Department of Philosophy also offers a Graduate Certificate in Professional Ethics. The requirements for this graduate certificate can be found at the following link to the university catalog:

Certificate in Professional Ethics

Policies and procedures are subject to change, and students can always consult with the Graduate Advisor about specific issues. However, the following summaries are accurate as of the last updating of this document.

Graduate School Deadlines

The Graduate College maintains a list of important deadlines related to graduation requirements on their website.

While in general the Graduate Advisor will remind you as these deadlines approach, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have fulfilled all degree requirements prior to the corresponding deadlines during the semester that you intend to graduate.

Graduate School Forms

There are a number of forms of which students should be aware:

• Graduate Student Travel Fund Request Form - Graduate students have access to a small pool travel funds from the Graduate College, which can sometimes be matched by the Department. This form must be submitted to the Graduate College, and a copy to the Department, to secure those funds.
• Thesis Proposal Form - Students taking the Thesis Option must complete a Thesis Proposal Form before enrolling in PHIL 5399A: Thesis. This requires assembling a thesis committee, which must be composed of at least three faculty members. Typically, one of those individuals serves as the chair of the committee and the second and third serve as the readers (which means, in essence, that the student works primarily with the chair and much less intensely with the readers), though they can serve as co-chairs (and therefore split the advising responsibilities). Students should approach faculty members long before they are interested in enrolling in PHIL 5399A to discuss the prospect of writing a thesis and to ensure that they agree about the nature and scope of the project.
• Thesis Submission Approval Form - After completing the thesis and defense, this form must be completed so that the thesis can be submitted to the Graduate College.
• Thesis Chair/Committee Member Change Request Form - In the event that students want to change the composition of their thesis committee, they must submit this form to the Graduate College.
• Master’s Comprehensive Examination Report Form - Faculty submit this form on behalf of students after they have completed their oral defense (Thesis Option) or exit interview (Non-Thesis Option).
• Change of Minor/Concentration Form - Graduate students can have graduate minors, the requirements for which are listed here. To add or change a graduate minor, students must complete this form.
• Leave of Absence Form - In the event that students decide not to take classes for a particular semester, they should complete the Leave of Absence Form. Failure to complete this form can result in having to reapply to the program.
• Application to Graduate - In order to graduate and participate in commencement activities, students must apply for graduation during the semester they plan to graduate using the form linked above.

Independent Studies

Students are sometimes interested in studying topics that are not covered in existing courses. In such circumstances, students can approach a faculty member about an independent study. If the faculty member agrees, then the student will need to complete the Independent Study Proposal Form. This form requires detailed information about the rationale for and content of the course, to include a list of materials, assignments, and a course schedule. If the proposal is approved, then the student will be contacted by our Administrative Assistant about enrolling in a special section of PHIL 5388. Problems in Philosophy. Independent studies are opportunities for truly independent research: they are not one-on-one tutorials. Students should only take independent studies if they are ready and willing to study largely on their own and to produce a substantial piece of work during the relevant semester.

Internship in Applied Philosophy

Students are often interested in putting philosophy to work in practical ways, and the Department strongly encourages students to think creatively about such opportunities. In the past, students have started philosophy discussion groups in juvenile detention centers, helped launch podcasts, put on theater productions, shadowed people who serve on ethics boards, worked in a range of nonprofits, and participated in interreligious dialogue groups. Students can get credit for such work by taking PHIL 5395: Internship in Applied Philosophy. This course provides an opportunity for structured practical experience in applied philosophy in a private or public setting.

Students pursuing PHIL 5395 need to be supervised both by a member of the graduate faculty and by an individual in the organization. Students who are interested in this course should consult with both the Graduate Advisor, the faculty member with whom they would like to work, and the individual in the relevant organization, developing a plan that will, ultimately, need to be approved by the Graduate Advisor and the Department Chair.

Course Substitutions

Students in the MA in Applied Philosophy & Ethics sometimes want to take courses that are relevant to their philosophical interests but that are not offered in the Department of Philosophy, such as courses in Women’s Studies, Political Science, and History. If students want to take such a course and have it count as one of their electives for the MA in Applied Philosophy & Ethics, then they can make that request to the Graduate Advisor. The request can be sent via email and should explain why the course is relevant to the student’s degree.

How to Raise Concerns

Periodically, students have issues with other students, faculty members, staff, or other individuals related to the program. Students should bring such concerns either to the Graduate Advisor or the Department Chair, who will do their best to protect the anonymity of the student if that’s desired. If those channels don’t seem appropriate for whatever reason, students also have access to the Dean of the Graduate College, the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and the Dean of Students.

For more on submitting complaints, please see this page that’s maintained by the Office of the Provost, as well as this university policy.

Title IX

Title IX protects all Texas State students, faculty, staff and visitors from discrimination on the basis of gender, sex, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation.

“Title IX” refers to part of the federal Education Amendments Act of 1972 that prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded educational programs or activities, which includes Texas State University. Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sexual discrimination. Texas State is committed to providing an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on sex. The university’s Title IX coordinator addresses concerns related to sexual discrimination on campus.

All University employees, including GIAs, are obligated to report incidents of sexual misconduct directly to the Title IX Coordinator or other “appropriate designee,” (e.g., a supervisor). Students can report instances of sexual misconduct here. They can report instances of discrimination here. If a student opts to report instances of sexual misconduct or determination directly to the Title IX Coordinator, the Department of Philosophy requests that the student also shares that information with the Department Chair so that any necessary actions can be taken.

Graduate College Scholarships

The Graduate College offers a number of scholarships and grants, details about which are available here.

Departmental Scholarships

Additionally, the Department offers some scholarships for which students can apply.

They following departmental scholarships are open to graduate students:

• The Treanor Scholarship - $1000 - Deadline: March 1
• The Victor Holk Graduate Scholarship in Philosophy, Sustainability, and Creativity - $1000 - Deadline: March 1

More information on departmental scholarships and instructions for applying can be found here.

Graduate instructional assistants (GIAs) assist faculty members with their courses. Typically, they assist faculty members who are teaching high enrollment sections of PHIL 1305: Philosophy & Critical Thinking or PHIL 1320: Ethics & Society. Responsibilities usually include grading assignments, running discussion sections, corresponding with students, holding office hours, and similar academic tasks.

Requirements

To work as a GIA, students:

• Must be in good academic standing (no probation or suspension)
• Must be regularly admitted to a graduate degree program (no conditional, non-degree, or graduating senior status)
• Must have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Must be enrolled in 9 or more graduate hours

In addition, international students must have approval from the International Office to work as a graduate assistant.

GIAs can apply for a one-time waiver to serve as a GIA while being enrolled in fewer than 9 graduate hours. Typically, students make this request during their final semester in the program, when they may only need one or two classes to graduate. Students do not apply for the waiver directly. Instead, they should submit their request via email to the Graduate Advisor as soon as they realize that they will need it, but at least one month prior to the beginning of the relevant semester.

During their first three semesters in the GIA position, students must enroll in PHIL 5100 (Practicum in Teaching Philosophy). PHIL 5100 does not earn graduate credit, so students don’t have to pay for it. It is not a course that meets at a set time for all GIAs. Instead, it’s a course whose requirements are met by the instructional mentoring that the faculty member provides over the course of the semester.

Students who are interested in working as GIAs should apply here.

The IA Role

IAs have several roles and corresponding responsibilities:

As a graduate student, you should be concerned with your responsibilities to yourself and your department. You have been accepted into the graduate program primarily as a student and should therefore ensure that: you get your own work done, you complete this work within a reasonable amount of time, and you do the best job possible on your own assignments.

As a teacher, your responsibilities are primarily to the students. To show that you want to help the students with their learning, you should: ensure that the students know who you are (and, to the extent possible, know who they are); keep up with the progress of the course; be familiar with the course material; be available to the students, especially during your stated office hours; use appropriate teaching methods and techniques; model disciplinary, departmental, and academic values.

As an assistant to a faculty member, your responsibilities are primarily directed towards that individual. It is your responsibility to: discuss with the course instructor exactly what your duties and responsibilities will be for the course; be familiar with the course texts and course outline; know the course material; know the technical details of the course (e.g., the number and weight of assignments); keep in contact with the instructor of the course; work together with other members of the instructional team.
 
In your capacity as an expert in the discipline, you are expected to represent the department by being knowledgeable (as best you can) in the subject matter of the course. Your responsibilities are to: do sufficient background reading so that you may answer the students’ questions carefully and accurately; remember your position in the department, and do not represent yourself as THE authority; be intellectually honest and admit when you don’t know the answer to a student’s question (but be resourceful in trying to find out).

Students will come to you for advice. In your capacity as an advisor you should:
respect the student who comes to you for help, being especially careful not to become patronizing or manipulative; refer students with extreme personal or academic problems to the appropriate counselors or resources; and consider the student’s individual needs when you are giving advice regarding course selection (abilities, interests etc.).

IAs are expected to fulfill all their responsibilities both as IAs and as students diligently. Failure to do so will result in a review by the Graduate Advisor, Department Chair, and a liaison from the Department’s Personnel Committee.

Faculty Issues

If you encounter room issues such as: your classroom door is locked, furniture is missing and/or constantly being rearranged, or you do not have a large enough classroom relative to the number of students, please alert our Administrative Assistant by the 12th day of classes. All room changes must be requested by the 12th day of classes.

If you encounter classroom technology issues, please alert ITAC: 512-245-4822.

Absences

If you need to request time off on a future date, please work with your assigned instructor. If you are going to be absent on a day that you are supposed to teach due to an emergency, please immediately alert (1) the office and (2) your assigned instructor. Your assigned instructor will determine whether it’s possible to find a substitute or whether the class will need to be canceled.

FERPA

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and guarantees students’ access to their own records.

Anyone who handles student education records should respect the private nature of those records and secure them from unauthorized disclosure. Since computer records are especially vulnerable, those who maintain these records should take special security measures. In practice, this means that GIAs should be extremely careful with student records and only discuss them with other GIAs associated with the same course, the supervising faculty member, the Department Chair, and the Graduate Advisor.