Only faculty who are certified as members of the Philosophy Department Doctoral Faculty may direct Ph.D. dissertations in the department. Certification is for five years; faculty may apply for recertification at the end of any five-year term.

Procedures and Criteria for Certification

A faculty member wishing to be certified as a member of the Department's Doctoral Faculty should make written application to the Department Chair. The application shall include a current vitae and copies of any significant recent publications and presentations. The faculty member's case will be reviewed by those members of the Department Doctoral Faculty not up for recertification that year, and the Department Chair will report results to the faculty member. A majority vote by secret ballot will suffice for forwarding the application to the Graduate School. Candidates will receive written notification of decisions from the Graduate School. Candidates whose applications are turned down by the department have the right to a rehearing before the same body.

Initial certification requires meeting the following conditions:

• membership in the Philosophy Department at the rank of Assistant Professor or above
• a Ph.D. degree
• membership in the UM Graduate Faculty
• a significant research record of published books, edited chapters, and/or articles in refereed journals that have national reputations, or other evidence of scholarly activity. A significant research record typically has three articles or one book in the five years before a decision.

Procedures and Criteria for Recertification

A faculty member wishing to be recertified as a member of the Department's Doctoral Faculty is responsible for initiating the recertification procedure by making a written application for recertification to the Department Chair. The application shall include a current vitae and copies of any significant publications and presentations for the previous five years. The faculty member's case will be reviewed by those members of the Department's Doctoral Faculty not up for recertification that year, and the Department Chair will report results to the faculty member. A majority vote by secret ballot will suffice for forwarding the application to the Graduate School. Candidates will receive written notification of decisions from the Graduate School. Candidates whose applications are turned down by the department have the right to a rehearing before the same body.

The criteria for recertification are the same as for certification but include the additional condition of previous participation in graduate education, such as directing theses and/or dissertations, serving on thesis and/or dissertation committees, and graduate teaching, for example teaching graduate seminars.

If a faculty member appeals a negative decision by the Graduate School, the Graduate Faculty Senate Executive Committee will adjudicate the matter. If a faculty member appeals a negative decision by the Graduate School, the Graduate Faculty Senate Executive Committee will adjudicate the matter.

Adopted by the Department of Philosophy, August 31, 2019