Graduate Excellence @ the Beach - November 2018

Graduate Excellence @ The Beach

 

Philosophy Receives National Accolades

The Masters program in Philosophy has been named as being in the top 15 nation-wide—a major recognition for the Department of Philosophy and for Cal State Long Beach. The recognition appears in the Philosophical Gourmet Report, which for over twenty years has been the single most influential ranking service in the discipline, across the English-speaking world. It is now published by Wiley-Blackwell Updates and new rankings are released every three years. (According to the American Philosophical Association, there are 189 Masters programs in Philosophy.) 

The appearance of Cal State Long Beach on the list is recognition of the exemplary research achievements of the Philosophy faculty, who regularly publish with Oxford University Press, Routledge, and Cambridge University Press, and in journals like Philosophical Studies, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, Synthese, Brain and Cognition, and the Journal of the History of Philosophy. The recognition is also due to a strong record of student success. Graduate students in Philosophy have gone on to top J.D and Ph.D programs, and have earned numerous fellowships, and awards. See here for more information on student accomplishments and here for faculty accomplishments.

Applications from prospective students are accepted every spring and fall. For more information about the MA program in Philosophy at Cal State Long Beach, contact the graduate advisor, Prof. Alexander Klein.

 

                 Highlights from the California Forum for Diversity

Over 100 students attended the California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education, which took place at the University of San Diego on October 27^th. The Forum acquainted students from underrepresented groups with the academic and career opportunities associated with advanced study in a wide range of disciplines at the doctoral level.  Students were able to meet representatives of the nation’s leading graduate schools offering master’s and Ph.D. degrees and attend workshops and panel sessions.

“Applying to PhD programs is an intimidating process, especially for first-generation students like myself whose parents have no experience in pursuing a higher education.  Last year at the Diversity Forum at CSU Channel Islands, I learned I should apply to the CSU Pre-Doctoral Program and acquire a mentor. This year, I am a Sally Casanova Scholar with a faculty mentor, which made me more distinctive when networking with recruiters. As an underrepresented student in higher education, the Diversity Forum is wonderful resource, which ultimately helps demystify the pursuit of a graduate education.” -Juan Campos, Political Science

"As a Master student in the Social and Cultural Analysis of Education program and a scholar interested in pursuing

the professoriate, I understand the importance and value of spaces such as the California Diversity Forum in Higher Education. With the support of the Graduate Studies Resource Center (GSRC), I was able to gain access to a network of individuals dedicated to bridging access for underrepresented groups in academia. Being exposed to workshops such as "Surviving and Thriving in Graduate School" and "How to Finance your Graduate Education", I began to deepen my thinking about how Ph.D. programs can be possible for me. Beyond the logistics of the application process, my takeaways from the experience were: gaining clarity about my goals for graduate school, developing relationships with potential Ph.D. program administrators and doctoral students, and learning critical tips about navigating higher education as a first-generation queer student of color." -Carlos Alberto Guijarro, Social and Cultural Analysis of Education

“I attended the California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education at the University of San Diego and throughout the day, I had opportunities to attend seminars held by various specialists in higher education, network with other students applying for graduate school, and speak directly with university representatives from programs I was researching. In addition to learning critical information about campus-based internal funding, I also learned about external (and "portable") fellowships as well! I also learned useful information about creating a compelling statement of purpose, and constructing CV's. I left feeling much more informed, confident in my research, and better equipped to make decisions moving forward. 10/10 - would attend again!” -Bobby Lith, Communication Studies