The program combines the study of classical philosophical traditions with interdisciplinary methods and sources. With personalized academic supervision, each student will conduct original research on social, historical, and natural phenomena.
Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics
The Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics trains researchers to analyze contemporary moral, political, and social issues.
The program benefits from academic collaboration with the Schools of Law and Medicine, providing methodological training tailored to each student’s research project. The program also offers a dual-degree option with the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS).
The doctoral program is designed to be compatible with professional commitments: on-campus sessions are held primarily in the evenings, while the final two years are devoted mainly to dissertation research.
Universidad Panamericana Launches New Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics
Learn morePh.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics
Academic Structure
The curriculum for the Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics consists of fourteen courses organized into five areas of study.
- The first area consists of two methodology courses focused on developing interdisciplinary research methods.
- The second area consists of six research seminars designed to guide, evaluate, and strengthen each student’s progress on the doctoral dissertation.
- The third area includes two ethics seminars devoted to the systematic study of the principal sources, problems, and doctrines of the ethical tradition.
- The fourth area includes two seminars in political and social philosophy focused on key sources and major traditions of political thought.
- The fifth area consists of two Applied Ethics seminars, organized into four modules, that explore different ways of applying philosophical inquiry to specific problems and historical realities.
Curriculum
First Semester
- Research Methods I
- Ethics I
Second Semester
- Research Methods II
- Ethics II
Third Semester
- Research Seminar I
- Applied Ethics I
Fourth Semester
- Research Seminar II
- Applied Ethics II
Fifth Semester
- Research Seminar III
- Political and Social Philosophy I
Sixth Semester
- Research Seminar IV
- Political and Social Philosophy II
Seventh Semester
- Research Seminar V
Eighth Semester
- Research Seminar VI
STUDENT PROFILES
ENTRY PROFILE
Applicants to the Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics should possess the following competencies:
Knowledge
- A master’s degree in philosophy, law, medicine, or the sciences; knowledge of the fundamental areas of philosophy and of contemporary human and social issues.
Skills
- Ability to conduct research with methodological rigor; critical and reflective thinking; advanced reading comprehension in Spanish and English; ability to analyze information from an interdisciplinary perspective; experience in specialized academic activities, such as conferences and academic publishing
Attitudes
- A sense of responsibility regarding social issues; a genuine interest in the study of classical and contemporary sources; and intellectual humility and commitment to rigorous, sustained study.
GRADUATE PROFILE
Upon completion of the Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics at Universidad Panamericana, graduates will possess the following competencies:
Knowledge
- Mastery of the fundamental methodological tools required to conduct original research with academic rigor and significant disciplinary impact; command of the conceptual tools required to identify and formulate responses to the ethical, social, and political problems facing contemporary society
Skills
- Ability to analyze practical problems—social, ethical, political, and aesthetic—using linguistic, methodological, and philosophical tools, thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge from an interdisciplinary perspective; ability to engage in dialogue with other disciplines concerning the conceptual tools best suited to developing responses to public problems; ability to synthesize historical positions on practical problems and evaluate their relevance to contemporary contexts; the ability to analyze complex problems and identify their underlying patterns and constituent elements.
Attitudes
- Scholarly rigor in the philosophical study of social issues; responsibility and commitment to research; a willingness to communicate and discuss social issues and their possible solutions both within specialized academic settings and in the public sphere.
Admissions Process
The admissions process consists of four steps:
1
2
3
4
Information Session
Applicants will have an initial information session with the Graduate Admissions Coordinator.
Submission of a Research Proposal
Applicants will prepare a research proposal, which may be submitted for preliminary review before the final application in order to refine relevant aspects of the project.
Application Submission
Applicants must submit an admission application, administrative documentation, academic records, and a research proposal in accordance with the guidelines set out in the call for applications. These materials will be reviewed by the doctoral program’s Academic Committee.
Admissions Decision
Finally, after reviewing the projects, the board will notify the selected applicants and announce the official results. Once this is done, the registration process will begin.
Research Lines
Practical Philosophy / History of Ethics
- This research line employs philosophical methods to address major normative problems in ethics and politics, bringing the classical tradition and the history of ethics into dialogue with contemporary moral challenges from a systematic and critical perspective.
Applied Ethics
- This research line addresses specific problems that require an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on both qualitative and quantitative methods. It encompasses fields such as bioethics, environmental ethics, human rights, technology, migration, education, and the philosophy of economics.
Philosophy and Law
- This research line examines the philosophical foundations of law from a humanistic perspective. It is divided into two areas: Legal Studies, focused on methodology and the principles of natural and positive law; and Human Rights, focused on the interpretation, argumentation, and development of fundamental rights in Mexican and international contexts.
Number of Students
Cohort
Students
2026–2029
4
Cohort
Doctoral Candidate
Thesis Title
Thesis Supervisor
2026–2029
José Ignacio Gallo López Santibañez
Animalization and the Ethics of Language: The Construction of Race, Gender, and Class through Zoomorphic Metaphors
María Elena García Peláez
2026–2029
Víctor Antonio Hernández Ojeda
The War on Narco-Terrorism: On the Concept of National Security
Luis Xavier López Farjeat
2026–2029
Sebastián Montes Izunza
Contemporary Art and Human Rights: An Examination from the Perspective of Moral Philosophy
Héctor Jesús Zagal Arreguín
2026–2029
Andrés Antonio Torres Scott
Populism: An Interpretation through Friedrich Nietzsche’s Political Theory
Eduardo Óscar Charpenel Elorduy
Scholarships
All students admitted to the program receive a full scholarship covering tuition and fees for the entire duration of the program, excluding degree conferral fees. In addition, admitted students may compete for a living stipend equivalent to six UMAs for the duration of the program.
International Partnerships
The Ph.D. in Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics has a dual-degree agreement with the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France, one of the world’s most prestigious research institutions in the social sciences and humanities. Under this international joint-supervision arrangement, doctoral students have a dissertation supervisor at each institution, undertake research stays at both institutions, and, upon completing and defending their dissertation, receive doctoral degrees jointly awarded by Universidad Panamericana and EHESS, with explicit acknowledgment of the interinstitutional collaboration on each diploma. This agreement strengthens the program’s international profile, enriches students’ academic training by providing access to two distinguished academic communities, and strengthens the School of Philosophy’s ties with international research networks.
Program Faculty
International Visiting Scholars
- Leopoldo Iribarren (EHESS—École des hautes études en sciences sociales)
- Michael Chase (Centre Jean Pépin) (UMR 8230-École normale supérieure) of the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
No. Previous experience in producing substantial academic research is an essential requirement, since this is a research-intensive program that requires familiarity with research methods and methodologies.
Yes. Previous academic training in philosophy is not required. Academic backgrounds in education, the social sciences, law, business, the natural sciences, mathematics, the arts, communication, health sciences, or psychology are all suitable preparation for the program.
Yes. Classes are held on campus twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Although the core doctoral faculty is listed above, students whose research is interdisciplinary may attend seminars taught by faculty from the Schools of Medicine or Law and receive training in the methodologies specific to those fields.
RVOE AND DATE OF AUTHORIZATION
RVOE SEP 20240615, dated March 19, 2024; 2011 Curriculum. On-campus format
CONTACT
Talib Zamudio Neme, M.A.
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Email — jtzamudio@up.edu.mx
WA —
+521 55 4193 8748