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Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master's)

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Dissertations and theses submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for master's or doctoral degrees at the University of Michigan. This collection also includes theses written by U-M faculty.

Ph.D. dissertations at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are awarded by the Rackham School of Graduate Studies .

Recent Deposits

Awards & Honors

Congratulations to the winners of our departmental prizes, and to our honors students on the completion of their thesis projects! Learn more about their work below (click to jump to a section):

William K. Frankena Prize

Winner: Colton Karpman

The William K. Frankena Prize is awarded yearly in the spring to a graduating major for excellence in the major. First awarded in 1991-92, the Frankena Prize is funded by the Marshall M. Weinberg Endowment for the Frankena and Stevenson Prizes . Recipients of the Frankena Prize have attended graduate school in Philosophy at Berkeley, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, North Carolina, Princeton, Stanford, and UCLA, as well as Harvard, Michigan, NYU and Stanford Law Schools and Dartmouth Medical School.

For more information on the Frankena Prize, visit the Philosophy Department website.

Elsa L. Haller Prize

Winter 2019 winner: Solomon Medintz

Fall 2019 winner: Andrea Tillotson

The Haller Scholarship Endowment, established in 1974, is used for Haller Prizes, awarded for outstanding overall performance in 400-level Philosophy courses (excluding PHIL 413 - PHIL 418) and—occasionally—for essays of exceptional merit written for these courses.

In 2010 the Department extended the original Haller Prize award to include overall exceptional achievement in Philosophy. This award is determined based on students' overall grade point average and participation in departmental activities.

For more information on the Haller Prize, visit the Philosophy Department website.

Honors Theses

Congratulations to our graduating honors students on the completion of their thesis projects!

Maeve Stargardt, "Life, Law, and the Necessity of Abortion"

Advisor: Elizabeth Anderson

Nicole Hocott , "Personhood and the Morality of Abortion"

Advisor: Sarah Buss

Second Reader: Victor Caston

The Honors Experience

University of Michigan

Application Dates & Deadlines

While we do have deadlines specified below, please send us your essay as soon as possible.

Your response will go to either (1) the email account linked to your U-M application, if you have not yet decided, or (2) your umich.edu account, if you have accepted U-M’s invitation.

February 14, 2024  – All applications received by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on March 7, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  

March 6, 2024  – All applications received after February 14, 2024 but by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on April 4, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  

April 9, 2024 – All applications received after March 6, 2024 but by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on April 25, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 2 decision categories: admit or deny. We cannot accept applications for admission into Honors for fall 2024 after April 9th.

In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  If your decision is a defer, you will be notified by 11pm on April 25, 2024 at the latest , to inform you of our final decision.

May 1, 2024—If we admit you into Honors on or prior to April 25, 2024 you must confirm by May 1, 2024 that you plan to join the Program. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LSA Honors Program?

The Honors Program is a Michigan learning community that provides its students with academic and extracurricular opportunities to help them grow intellectually, personally, and professionally.

Is Honors a 4-year program?

Students applying for Honors as a high school senior are applying for the lower-division program. Lower-division Honors encompasses a student’s first two years of study at U-M and is meant to provide a more engaged experience with the liberal arts. Upon finishing their sophomore year, Honors students have the opportunity to interact further with the program through the upper-division by declaring an Honors major. Honors majors, which usually span the student’s last two years of study, typically culminate in a senior thesis. Honors major requirements vary by field of study, so students can go directly to the website of their desired/declared major to learn more about the declaration process and requirements.

Is Honors the Honors College?

We are intentional in calling ourselves a  program  and not a  college , as the LSA Honors Program is a program within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Our students are held to the same policies and standards as all other LSA students. While we do not have many additional requirements for our students, we provide a plethora of additional opportunities that we encourage our students to take advantage of.

What are the program requirements?

In order to remain in good standing in the Honors Program, students must adhere to the following requirements (both to be completed by the end of the second semester of their second year):

• Complete an Honors Core Course that fulfills the First Year Writing Requirement (FYWR)
• Achieve a cumulative 3.400 GPA

What are the advantages of Honors?

The Honors Program has three pillars: academics, community and engagement. In addition to having access to the academic offerings of LSA, Honors students also have the unique ability to enroll in Honors Core Courses and Honors-specific sections and to pursue Honors conversions. Students are able to build community by living in Honors housing with other Honors students and participating in various extracurricular activities. Honors also contains its own advising unit; all Honors students are assigned to one of our advisors who is knowledgeable on Honors, LSA, and University requirements.

When should I apply to Honors? You must be admitted to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) prior to applying to the Honors Program. You do not, however, need to decide if you are attending U-M before applying. We encourage you to apply as soon as you are admitted to LSA, as we are a space-limited program. Application dates are posted on your left.

How do I apply? You will apply by completing the essay questions on the  Apply Here  page and submitting them through the linked online application portal. The application consists of one essay. Be creative—we want to see how your mind works!

Do I need to be invited? The Honors Program is available to all LSA students. Anyone who is admitted to LSA is encouraged to apply!

I am applying to the Ross School of Business/School of Music, Theater, and Dance/Stamps School of Art & Design. Should I apply to Honors? If you have expressed interest in another school or college in your U-M application, you should consider applying to Honors if you also plan to pursue a degree in LSA as well as Ross/SMTD/Stamps.

How many students apply and are accepted each year? Our application reviewers read approximately 1700 applications to fill an incoming class of approximately 350 students.

Should I apply if I’m not sure I’m attending U-M? We strongly urge you to apply to Honors even before you know that you are going to come to U-M. That way it is likely that you will be able to base your decision, in part, on whether or not you are in Honors.

Is it possible to complete a joint degree with LSA and another U-M school? Yes! Several special degree programs are offered by the joint cooperation of LSA and other colleges or schools within the University. You will want to work with your Honors Academic Advisor to discuss your options.

When will I hear if I am accepted into Honors?

Refer to the application date guidelines on the left for a reply timeline. Your Honors decision will go to either (1) the email that is linked to your friend account and U-M application or (2) your umich.edu email address, if your deposit has been paid. If you do not receive a reply–either to your inbox or spam folder–and have a record of submitting your essay, use the “Contact Us” quick link below.

Can I or my parents call prior to the notification date for an admission decision?

Due to our compliance with FERPA regulations, Honors cannot notify parents or discuss a student’s application decision without the explicit consent of that student. Furthermore, we do not release admissions decisions early. Students can expect to hear back from us via email on the date corresponding with when they applied.

Can I visit campus and meet with an Honors student or Honors advisor?

Yes! Honors participates in every Campus Day date and you can talk with one of our advisors during the Q&A. If you are visiting campus and/or are unable to attend a Campus Day, we offer meetings with current Honors students so you can learn more about the program. You can access the meeting request form on our Visit Us & More Information page, underneath the Honors Ambassadors section. We also host virtual sessions from February-April. Our advisors are unable to meet one-on-one with prospective students due to limited availability.

Quick Links: 

Honors Application Link Contact Us Undergrad Admissions Contact Undergrad Admissions

Most Searched

Common questions, honors program.

Our  Honors Program  attracts students who are driven to go above and beyond an ordinary course of study. This four-year program for academically ambitious students in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) is the best known of the  Michigan Learning Communities  for good reason — every aspect of the program is designed to offer a more intense level of intellectual challenge.

How to Apply

Once you have been accepted into LSA, you are eligible to apply for the Honors Program. This involves writing one supplemental Honors essay, which will be considered alongside your Common Application. Only students who have been admitted to LSA can access the application. To review the essay question and submit your application, please refer to the Honors Program website .

Follow the Program in Ancient Philosophy

Graduate students in the Program for Ancient Philosophy belong to both Philosophy and Classical Studies, pursuing a PhD in the one they were originally admitted to and an MA in the other.

Sean Costello Third year Philosophy PhD, Greek MA [email protected]

• Aristotle’s philosophy of mind, metaphysics
• Plato’s philosophy of mind
• Ancient theories of perception and memory

I hold an undergraduate degree in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame and earned a master’s degree in ancient philosophy at Hertford College, University of Oxford, where I was the recipient of the Hertford Senior Scholarship.

I am the current sitting Chair of the Graduate Student Council of the American Philosophical Association and have also served as the President of the British and Irish Postgraduate Philosophy Association. At Michigan, I organize the Annual Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop in Ancient Philosophy as well as the bi-weekly ancient reading group.

My primary research interests lie in ancient philosophy of mind and metaphysics. My current work focuses on issues regarding perception (especially visual perception), memory, imagination (φαντασία), and consciousness in the writings of figures throughout the history of philosophy. I have particular interest in these topics within the work of Plato, Chrysippus, and especially Aristotle.

Andrew Mayo Fifth year Classical Studies PhD, Philosophy MA [email protected]

• Ancient medicine
• Hellenistic epistemology
• Ancient astronomy
• Hellenistic poetry

I am a PhD candidate in my fifth year on the Classics side of the program in ancient philosophy. I took my BA (2017) and MA (2018) in Classics at the University of Toronto.

My main research is in method and philosophy of science in ancient medicine, especially in the Hellenistic period. My dissertation focuses on the third-century physicians Herophilus of Chalcedon, Erasistratus of Ceos, and the Empiricist school of medicine. I also have research interests in Hellenistic epistemology, most of all the debates over the nature of knowledge that took place between the Stoics and Academics. I also have ongoing interests in Hellenistic poetry and ancient astronomy.

Matteo Milesi Seventh year Classical Studies PhD; Philosophy MA (awarded, 2021) [email protected]

• Ancient commentaries
• Neoplatonism
• Allegorical interpretation
• Ancient Science
• Early Christian Thought

I am a scholar of late antique intellectual history and philosophy. I am mostly interested in the hermeneutics of ‘authoritative’ texts within both Pagan and Christian circles. In my dissertation, entitled ‘Reading, Interpretation, and Authority: the case of Porphyry of Tyre’ and supervised by Francesca Schironi , I examine the commentaries written by the Neoplatonist philosopher Porphyry of Tyre (234–305 CE) in order to understand how exegetical practices play a key role in both building the identity of intellectual communities and in shaping the authority of interpreters and teachers within those communities. I have presented my work at several international conferences in a variety of fields, including Classical Studies, Philosophy, and Biblical Studies. I have also developed a strong research interest in the history of ancient science and ancient scientific thought: I wrote an article on Ptolemy, Porphyry and musical theory (forthcoming in Phronesis ), and I have worked as a research assistant for the Aratus-Project, an NSF-funded project on the ancient reception of Aratus’ Phenomena .

Sherice Ngaserin Ng Fifth year Philosophy PhD, Greek MA [email protected]

• Ancient Greek Scepticism
• Indian Buddhism
• Metaphysics & epistemology of ethics

I received my B.A. (Hons.) from Yale-NUS College, Singapore, where I majored in Philosophy and minored in Global Antiquity (specifically, in Classical Indian and Ancient Greek thought). I am interested in the implications of philosophical inquiry on the ethical life, and believe that Plato and the Indian Buddhist philosophers’ systematic approaches to philosophy are well-suited to this project. My most recent work focuses on drawing comparisons between Platonic and Indian Buddhist philosophy, including a project on the moral value of knowing in Plato’s Theaetetus and Dignāga’s Pramāṇa-samuccaya (‘Compendium on the Means of Knowing’).

Sara Panteri Fourth year Classical Studies PhD, Philosophy MA [email protected]

• Ancient science
• Plato’s philosophy of mathematics
• Hellenistic Alexandria
• Homeric poems and Archaic Greek poetry

I grew up in a small village in the north of Italy and I studied Classics at the University of Bologna. I then did research in History of Ancient Science at Humboldt University, Berlin. My interests cover two main areas of specialization. On the one hand, I am extremely fascinated by ancient Greek science and by its relationship to philosophy. In particular, I have been working on texts in the field of ancient Greek geometry, harmonic theory, and mechanics. On the other hand, I am interested in archaic Greek poetry and, more specifically, the Homeric poems. I am currently working on reasoning and understanding in the Iliad and the Odyssey .

Julian Rome Third year Philosophy PhD, Greek MA [email protected]

• Plato (incl. feminism, and methodology&form in dialogues)
• Contemporary philosophy of literature and aesthetics
• History of utopian philosophy

I received my B.A. from the University of Memphis in 2019, with majors in Philosophy, English, and French, and spent a semester at the Sorbonne in 2018 studying French language and literature. My philosophical interests center on Plato and contemporary literature, as well as feminist social/political philosophy. Currently, I am developing a dissertation project which explores utopianism in Plato’s dialogues and tracks it through contemporary speculative fiction, with a particular focus on late 20th and early 21st century feminist critical dystopias. I am interested in how Plato’s ideas are developed through myth and the dialogue form, which allows readers to explore different possible social arrangements reflecting different moral and political possibilities. These aspects of Plato’s writing, in my view, inform contemporary authors whose work not only explores Plato’s ideas, but borrows from his settings, mythologies, characters, and imagery.

I also have interests in Plato’s ideas and depictions of love and friendship, as well as his cosmology and depictions of the natural world. I am also interested in contemporary social/political philosophy, especially where social/political ideas are explored in contemporary literature, as well as social/political philosophy of language, especially where it intersects with philosophy of gender.

Adam Waggoner Fourth year Philosophy PhD, Greek MA [email protected]

• Ancient moral psychology
• Ancient ethics
• Ancient social-political philosophy

My research focuses on ancient Greek philosophy, moral psychology, and ethics. I also have research interests in social-political philosophy, philosophy of mind, and artificial intelligence. My dissertation develops an Aristotelian account of the passions, which focuses on how passions shape what is salient to us and motivate cognition and action. I show how this account helps us provide an Aristotelian model of how self-control works, understand why pleasure perfects activity, and shed insight on contemporary debates about the normative significance of emotions.

Before coming to Michigan, I received an MA in Philosophy from Western Michigan University. Before that, I received a BA in Philosophy, Theology, Theological Languages from Concordia University Wisconsin.

Glenn Zhou Fifth year Philosophy PhD; Greek MA (awarded, 2022) [email protected]

• Aristotle’s metaphysics, physics, and psychology
• Stoic moral psychology and action theory
• Ancient Chinese philosophy

I have broad interests in history of philosophy (ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, ancient Chinese philosophy, early modern philosophy, and early analytic philosophy) and contemporary philosophy (metaphysics, philosophy of mind, moral psychology, philosophy of action, and social philosophy).

I am currently writing a dissertation on Aristotle’s theory of boundaries and its application to his physics and psychology. Building on my dissertation, I am developing a neo-Aristotelian theory of telic boundaries, which covers boundaries in both natural and social realms.

I also write on the Stoics’ theory of non-rational representation, Descartes’ theory of error and his foundationalist methodology, and different approaches to sagehood in ancient Chinese philosophy (e.g. Zhuangzi’s equanimity approach, Mengzi’s cultivation approach, etc.). Lastly, I have a long-term translation project on Russell’s lectures in China.

Affiliated Students

Francisco Calderón Second year, Philosophy PhD [email protected]

• Early Greek philosophy and science
• Presocratics

I hold undergraduate degrees in both physics and philosophy from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.

I am mainly interested in how scientific theories are built, including the methodological and social aspects of scientific practice, throughout different historical periods. More specifically, my main line of work is on the foundations of contemporary physical theories, especially quantum field theory. I still do a little non-philosophical research in theoretical and mathematical physics.

I am also interested in early Greek philosophy and science, especially in the Presocratics and Plato. Finally, I am interested in the literature on science and values. As such, all my research interests operate within the intersection of the philosophy, history, and sociology of physics and science.

Within the field of ancient, I have—with the Greek translation group from Universidad de los Andes—published a collaborative translation of Thucydides’ “Melian Dialogue” with some essays by the group’s faculty members. We are also currently revising our translation from Aristophanes’ Clouds , and I've written an essay (in Spanish) surveying the traces of early Greek science in the comedy to go in that volume. Additionally, I am writing a solo paper on socially-informed aspects of the methodology of Presocratic astronomy and scientific realism, which I presented last year at the History of Philosophy of Science (HOPOS) biennial conference.

Valerie Trudel Second year, Philosophy PhD [email protected]

• Metaphysics and epistemology of gender
• Feminist philosophy
• Social/political philosophy

I received my B.A. (2021) in Classical Civilizations and Philosophy from UCLA, where I completed an honors thesis (in Classics) on Presocratic psychology, entitled “Rationality and Control in the Presocratic Soul.”

Now I am primarily pursuing interests in feminist philosophy and the philosophy of gender, especially in terms of how we should understand trans identities and how the nature of those identities can shed light on our understanding of gender as a whole.

I still hold strong secondary interests in the Presocratics and Plato, especially in the reception of the latter's work in contemporary political philosophy and in how the work of ancient thinkers can be incorporated into our contemporary political debates.