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History & Philosophy of Science Program

Submitted by Marion Groh Mar... on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 10:52

The Program in History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) at Stanford is an academic initiative by the Departments of History and Philosophy.  This unique program teaches students to examine the sciences, medicine and technology from myriad perspectives, conceptual, historical and social, and offers a unique coursework as part of the Undergraduate major in Philosophy as well as a subplan designed for the Ph.D. Degree in Philosophy.  

Undergraduate Concentration in the Major

A total of 61 units is required for the concentration in History & Philosophy of Science in the B.A. Degree in Philosophy as follows:

I. Three science courses (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics) for 12 units.

II. The following philosophy core courses must be completed with a letter grade by the end of the junior year:

  1. One Logic course (PHIL 50, 150, 151, or 154)

  2. PHIL 60: Introduction to Philosophy of Science OR PHIL 61: Science, Religion, and the Birth of Modern Philosophy.

  3. PHIL 80: Mind, Matter, and Meaning.

III. Three history of science courses.

IV. Three philosophy of science courses, one of which must be PHIL 164 Central Topics in the Philosophy of Science: Theory and Evidence.

V. Three additional courses in philosophy or history (to be approved by the adviser).

the HPS John McCaskey Undergraduate Fellowship

For more information, contact the Undergraduate Student Services Administrator. 

Graduate Program 

Philosophy graduate students in the Program in History and Philosophy of Science who wish to pursue a Ph.D. track in History and Philosophy of Science must fulfill Philosophy Departmental Ph.D. degree requirements and the following HPS requirements:

  1. HPS colloquium series attendance

  2. One of the following graduate level Philosophy of Science courses: 263, 264, 264A, or 266

  3. One elective seminar in the history of science

  4. One elective seminar (in addition to the course satisfying requirement 2) in philosophy of science

HPS Lane Dissertation Fellowship and Research Grants for Ph.D. Students

For more information, contact the Undergraduate Student Services Officer.