Johannes Wagner, PhD Graduate, (Apr. 1, 2024)Doing my PhD at Cambridge opened up “a new heaven and a new earth” for me. I applied to write a thesis on Spinoza’s Neoplatonism, which I did. But the project evolved in ways I could never have imagined, thanks to the outstanding supervision I received, and the incredibly rich and stimulating environment. My research benefitted from the Faculty’s expertise in early modern and medieval Philosophy, as well as the analytic rigor and deep commitment to clarity that characterise the whole department. I learned so much from classes and research groups across Philosophy, Divinity, and Classics, and college life expanded my horizons beyond my specialty. Among Philosophy postgraduates, I found people easy-going, hardworking, and cooperatively minded, so friendships and collaborations of various kinds emerged naturally. I’ve also enjoyed teaching and supervising ambitious and interested undergraduates undergoing a highly focussed philosophy programme. Doing a PhD is challenging, the Faculty’s standards are high, and there were difficult moments. Yet the available resources and amazing people here allowed me to work through things and come out stronger. Cambridge has fundamentally changed me for the better, both as a philosopher and a person, and studying here I’ve honestly had the time of my life.
Wouter Cohen, PhD student, (May. 4, 2023)I started my PhD in 2019, having done the MPhil here in 2017-2018 and an undergrad in the Netherlands (in Utrecht) before that. It can be stressful to move to a new country where they don't speak your first language, but Cambridge has been very welcoming and there are plenty of international students in the Faculty.
Needless to say, the academic environment in Cambridge is really very great. The academic staff, as well as the administrative staff, are very approachable and generous with their time. There are many regular workshops, seminars and reading groups, attended by both postgraduate students and staff, and also a work-in-progress seminar just for postgraduate students. I mainly work in theoretical philosophy and the history of analytic philosophy, and have benefited most from attending the Moral Sciences Club, the Serious Metaphysics Group and several smaller reading groups, but there are specialist workshops and seminars for most areas of philosophy. There are also plenty of opportunities to teach and develop your pedagogical skills, which I have found to be very rewarding. Finally, and very importantly, the postgraduate student community has really made my time in Cambridge special. It is hard to overestimate how much I have gained from being part of this friendly and supportive group
Sahanika Ratnayake, PhD student, (May. 6, 2019)I did the MPhil at Cambridge several years ago, at the time not knowing if I wanted to continue with philosophy. To my surprise, I enjoyed the experience so much, I returned for the PhD.
My PhD project is interdisciplinary and lies at the fringes of mainstream analytic philosophy. However, I have been given nothing but support and encouragement. If anything, I have been actively pushed to develop the more ambitious claims in my work. Graduate study at Cambridge gives you enough breathing room to develop your own ideas and approaches. The department is also eager to support your extra-curricular activities - I recently applied for some funding to run a social project and the staff were incredibly helpful with the application.
One of the very special things about studying philosophy at Cambridge is the graduate student community. I have found it to be welcoming and supportive. My peers have given me very helpful feedback on my work and are endlessly encouraging. And if you are ever feeling down - there is a cadre of stuffed dinosaurs in the graduate centre available for cuddling!