Graduate Life

aerial view of Stanford campus

The philosophy graduate program is set up so as to enable mentorship and close contact with many different faculty members throughout the years in which we are at Stanford through a combination of coursework, advising, and professional development. We benefit from many opportunities for research and collaboration with members of our own department as well as the numerous visiting scholars who come through Stanford. Philosophical discussions frequently spill out of the seminar rooms and workshops into the department lounge and other more informal settings.

As Stanford’s graduate students, many of us live on or near campus, making for a tight-knit community. Not only do we work together in workshops and reading groups, but we also meet together in more informal settings to play music and sports, and to just relax generally. Additionally, there are a variety of social events throughout the year such as teas, movie nights, and parties, hosted by the Hume Society.

Many of us like to take advantage of the cultural offerings on campus including plays, art exhibits at the Cantor Center for the Arts, and music at Bing Concert Hall. Off campus, there is also much to explore. Nearby Palo Alto has an assortment of restaurants, weekly karaoke, and a wonderful old movie theatre for those interested in film. The legendary San Francisco is a short train ride away. 

Stanford is an excellent place for those who like to be outdoors. Campus is spacious, with a number of trails available for running and walking such as The Stanford Dish and a loop around Lake Lagunita. During the week, it is not uncommon to find members of our department using excellent athletic facilities to swim, rock-climb, and play team sports like basketball with one another.  On the weekends, we sometimes get together and go on hikes around the Bay Area. The beautiful California coast is only 30 minutes away.

And, of course, what you've heard about the weather is true. We like to say that there are two seasons at Stanford—sunny and warm, and sunny and warmer.