The department is strongly committed to helping its graduates secure academic jobs at respected institutions. Advisors help students prepare for the Philosophy job market by writing letters of recommendation, scrutinizing and offering advice on dossiers and writing samples, practicing mock interviews, and attending conventions where interviews are done. We also try to help students get the kind of professional experience (such as publications and papers at conferences) that maximize the chances of a successful job search. As the following data shows, we have been uncommonly successful at securing employment for our graduates.
The department has compiled its placement record since 1982. During this time, 74 percent (52 of 70) of those who earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found secure or somewhat secure employment in the academy in areas related to their research (or have become university administrators). During this period 29 percent (20 of 70) of our graduates became tenured; 3 percent (2 of 70) of our graduates during this period held tenure track positions but have not yet secured tenure; and 4 percent (3 of 70) have continuing lecturer positions with the same university. Others have found successful careers in other professions, such as software development.
All University of Nebraska–Lincoln Philosophy Ph.D. Graduates, from present back to 1982:
| YEAR | NAME | CURRENTLY AT | PREVIOUSLY AT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | TREVOR ADAMS (epistemology and moral psychology) | Adjunct Professor, Southern New Hampshire University | |
| JOHN DEL ROSARIO (philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, and epistemology of religion) | Chaplain, St. Rose High School and Grammar School Parochial Vicar, The Church of St. Rose, Diocese of Trenton |
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| 2022 | CHRISTOPHER STRATMAN (philosophy of mind and applied ethics) | Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy and Classics, University of Texas, San Antonio | Instructor, Doane University |
| 2020 | GABRIEL BRUGUIER (ethics) | Assistant Professor (tenure track), Research Specialist Librarian in the Research Partnerships Department, UNL | Education and Outreach Program Manager, Mid-America Transportation Center, University of Nebraska — Lincoln |
| ZACHARY GARRETT (philosophy of language, metaphysics) | High School Logic Teacher, Excelsior Classical Academy | ||
| KATERINA PSAROUDAKI (normative ethics, applied ethics, political philosophy) | Visiting Assistant Professor at Franklin College | Adjunct Instructor, University of Cyprus; Visiting Lecturer and Instructor, University of Cyprus | |
| CHELSEA RICHARDSON (critical race theory, feminist theory, applied ethics) | Founding Member and Director of Communications and Marketing at IDEA Consulting LLC | Temporary Lecturer for the Women's and Gender Studies Program, UNL; Education and Outreach Coordinator, Nebraska Supreme Court Office of the Public Guardian | |
| ANDREW SPAID (ethics) | Visiting Lecturer, Southern Methodist University | Visiting Assistant Professor and Adjust Instructor, Creighton University | |
| 2019 | LIA ELWONGER (epistemology, metaphysics) | Software Developer, FDM group | Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Nebraska — Omaha |
| SHANE GEORGE (ethics, philosophy of mind) | Visiting Assistant Professor, Philosophy, University of North Florida | ||
| LANDON HEDRICK (epistemology) | Instructor, Arts & College Preparatory Academy | High School teacher as Vanguard Classical School | |
| 2018 | AARON ELLIOTT (metaethics) | Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Lawrence University | Postdoctoral Fellow of Philosophy and Uihlein Fellow of Ethics, Department of Philosophy, Lawrence University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Moral and Political Philosophy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| 2017 | ALLISON FRITZ (environmental ethics and aesthetics) | Associate Professor, Philosophy, Department of English and Humanities, Chadron State College | Instructor of Philosophy, Auburn University |
| 2016 | DAVID CHAVEZ (epistemology, philosophy of mind) | Currently: Instructor (Permanent), Central New Mexico Community College | |
| CHRISTOPHER GIBILISCO(metaphysics, epistemology) | Software Engineer, Social Assurance | Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Nebraska at Omaha | |
| 2015 | DANIELLE HAMPTON (history of modern philosophy, Locke) | Adjunct Professor, Philosophy, Montclair State University and Part-Time Lecturer at Rutgers University - Newark | |
| TIMOTHY LOUGHRIST [formerly TIMOTHY LOUGHLIN] (epistemology) | Software Developer, Social Assurance | Assistant Professor of Philosophy, History Department, University of North Alabama | |
| RICHARD CHRISTOPHER MCCAMMON (political philosophy) | Professor, Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, VA | Associate Professor, Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, VA; Instructor of Philosophy, Languages, Literature, and Philosophy Department, Armstrong State University. | |
| ADAM R. THOMPSON (ethics, agency and responsibility) | Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Assistant Director, Robert J. Kutak Center for the Teaching & Study of Applied Ethics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln | |
| 2014 | ANDREW J. JAEGER (metaphysics) | Associate Professor (tenured), Philosophy Department, Benedictine College, Atchison, KS | Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department, Benedictine College, Atchison, KS |
| 2013 | ABLA HASAN (philosophy of language) | Assistant Professor of Practice (Arabic), Department of Modern Languages and Literature, University of Nebraska-Lincoln | |
| HOWARD H. HEWITT, JR. (ethics) | Instructor, Department of Philosophy, Auburn University | ||
| MASAYA HONDA (history of ancient philosophy, ethics) | Currently: Lecturer, Lecturer of Japanese/Japanese Program Coordinator, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, UNL | Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Nebraska at Omaha | |
| MARIA REBECA (BECKY) ZAVADA (philosophy of social science) | Assistant Professor (Philosophy and English), Language and Literature, Wayne State College | ||
| 2011 | JUSTIN MOSS (ethics) | Lecturer, Philosophy, Washburn University | Lecturer, University of South Dakota; Lecturer, Washburn University, Topeka, KS; Adjunct Professor, Avila University, Kansas City, MO; Adjunct Instructor, College of Saint Mary's, Omaha; Adjunct Instructor, Southeast Community College, Lincoln, NE |
| SRUTHI ROTHENFLUCH (epistemology) | Visiting Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department, University of Portland, Portland, OR | Instructor, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR | |
| STEVEN SWARTZER (ethics) | Associate Director for Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Center for Ethics Education, Fordham University, Bronx, New York | Teaching Assistant Professor and Outreach Director, Department of Philosophy and Parr Center for Ethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Assistant Director of the Robert J. Kutak Center for the Teaching and Study of Applied Ethics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln | |
| 2010 | EDWARD ABPLANALP (ethics) | Deceased 2014 | Tenured Professor of philosophy and religion, Philosophy Program, Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL |
| WILLIAM BAUER (metaphysics) | Assistant Professor (for Teaching), Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, North Carolina State University | ||
| PATRICIA SMITH [formerly PATRICIA (PATTY) STECK] (ethics) | Humanities Division Chair and tenured philosophy faculty, Philosophy Department, Century College, White Bear Lake, MN | ||
| 2008 | LEO IACONO (epistemology) | Faculty member, Philosophy, Southeast Community College, Lincoln, NE | Visiting Assistant Professor, Loyola University, New Orleans; Instructor, Saint Louis University |
| 2005 | CLAYTON LITTLEJOHN (epistemology) | Professor in Philosophy Australian Catholic University, Melbourne | Professor in Philosophy, King's College, London, UK; Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy and Classics, University of Texas, San Antonio; Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Southern Methodist University |
| STEVE ODMARK (ethics) | Tenured philosophy faculty, Philosophy Department, Century College, White Bear Lake, MN | ||
| 2004 | RODNEY CUPP (ethics) | Chair and Associate Professor of the Department of Language and Literature, Wayne State College | University of South Dakota; University of Alabama |
| JOYCE LAZIER (history of philosophy, Kant) | Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Canterbury High School, Fort Wayne, IN | Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, IN (IPFW); Brown Mackie College, Fort Wayne, IN; The Canterbury School, New Milford, CT; The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ; Doane College, St. Mary's | |
| 2003 | THOMAS KIEFER, JR (history of ancient philosophy) | Instructor, Creighton University | Adjunct Professor, Creighton University |
| MARK MATHEWSON (ethics) | Theologian in Residence, Iglesia Berea, Bereal Church, Lincoln, NE | Lecturer, Montana Bible College; Lecturer, Creighton University; Lecturer, Nebraska Wesleyan | |
| 2001 | TIM BLACK (epistemology) | Professor of Philosophy and Chair of Department of Philosophy, California State University, Northridge | Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Utah; Lecturer, California State University, Fresno |
| JONATHAN EVANS (history of philosophy) | Department Chair and Associate Professor of Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion Department, University of Indianapolis | ||
| PETER MURPHY (epistemology) | Associate Professor of Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion Department, University of Indianapolis | Visiting Assistant Professor at University of Calgary; Utah State University; Augustana College; University of Tennessee-Knoxville | |
| JOY REEDY (ethics) | Left the profession. | ||
| PETER TRAMEL (ethics, epistemology) | Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Fort Hays State University | Assistant Professor of Philosophy, United States Military Academy, West Point; Fort Hays State University | |
| 2000 | BRIAN HUSCHLE (epistemology) | Vice President, Academic Affairs, Mayville State University | Campus Dean, Administration, Northland Community & Technical College; Liberal Arts Division Chair, Northland Community Technical College |
| JONG-WANG LEE (metaphysics) | Adjunct Assistant Professor, Philosophy, University of Maryland University College Asia | Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Yeungnam University (South Korea) | |
| CANDICE UPTON (ethics) | No information available | (as of 2022) Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Denver | |
| 1999 | NANCY BRAHM (epistemology | Left the profession | Assistant Professor of Philosophy, California State University, Chico; Assistant Professor of Philosophy, California State University, Bakersfield |
| TRACY ANN SCHOLL (history of philosophy) | No current information | Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates; Assistant Professor, Minnesota State University; Associate Professor, Moorhead University | |
| XIAOMEI YANG (ethics) | Professor, Philosophy Department, Southern Connecticut State University and Research Associate in the Research Center on Computing and Society, Southern Connecticut State University | East Tennessee State University; University of Nebraska at Omaha; Assistant Professor, The College of New Jersey, Ewing; Assistant Professor of Religion, Temple University | |
| 1998 | PATRICK YARNELL (ethics) | Principle Instructor, Department of Philosophy, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. | Visiting Assistant Professor, Iowa State University; Instructor, Dartmouth College; Instructor, Kansas State University |
| 1996 | SUNG-DONG HAN (ethics) | No current Information | President, Daeduk College, Daejeon, South Korea |
| CHRIS MCCORD (history of philosophy) | Kirkwood Endowed Faculty Chair, Kirkwood Community College | Professor of Philosophy, Arts & Humanities Department, Kirkwood Community College | |
| 1995 | STEPHEN KERSHNAR (ethics) | Professor and Chair of Department of Philosophy, State University of New York at Fredonia | Senior Lecturer, Wayne State University; Lecturer, Creighton School of Medicine & College of Arts & Sciences, Creighton University, Omaha; Visiting Assistant Professor, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT |
| 1993 | MELANIE FULLER [formerly MELANIE ARMSTRONG] (ethics) | Director of Transfer and International Admissions at Nebraska Wesleyan University | Instructor, St. Mary's College |
| NANCY SLONNEGER HANCOCK (philosophy of language) | Attorney at Law, Hogan Lovells, Louisville, KY | Attorney at Law, NKU Community Connections, Northern Kentucky University and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Northern Kentucky University; Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Louisville | |
| DAVID REITER (epistemology) | Associate Professor of Philosophy, Erskine College | Knox Online Professor at Knox Theological Seminary; Associate Professor of Philosophy, Erskine College | |
| NNACHI JULIUS UMENNACHI (applied political philosophy) | Retired | Philosophy/Humanities Instructor and Coordinator of Honors Program, Scott Community College, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges; Instructor and Department Coordinator, Scott Community College | |
| 1992 | YORAM LUBLING (history of philosophy, Dewey) | Professor of Philosophy, Elon College | |
| 1991 | ROGER EBERTZ (epistemology) | Department Head and Professor, Department of Philosophy, History and Religion, University of Dubuque | Visiting Assistant Professor, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV; Lecturer, College of Saint Mary (Lincoln program), Omaha; Instructor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Instructor, Northwestern College, Orange City, IA |
| 1990 | BEVERLY KRACHER(ethics) | The Robert B. Daugherty Endowed Chair in Business Ethics and Society, Department of Marketing and Management, Heider College of Business at Creighton University; Founding Partner of the Business Ethics Alliance | Professor, Heider College of Business at Creighton University; Executive Director of the Business Ethics Alliance |
| JAMES SENNETT (epistemology, rationality) | Professor of Business Ethics and Coordinator of Business Programs, Brenau University. | Associate Professor of Philosophy, Brenau University; Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Pacific Lutheran University; Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Palm Beach Atlantic College; Assistant Professor of Philosophy, McNeese State University; Lincoln Christian University | |
| 1989 | (THOMAS) NIM BATCHELOR (philosophy of law) | Senior Faculty Fellow, Department of Philosophy, Elon University | |
| LORY (DAVID) LEMKE (epistemology) | No current information | Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Minnesota, Morris | |
| 1988 | HEIMIR GEIRSSON (philosophy of language) | Professor of Philosophy, Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Iowa State University | Grinnell College; Wartburg College; University of Nebraska at Omaha; University of Wisconsin; Washington County |
| 1985 | PIERANNA GARAVASO (philosophy of math) | Professor of Philosophy, University of Minnesota, Morris | |
| 1984 | DOUGLAS HENSLEE (metaphysics) | Deceased 2010 | Department of Philosophy, San Jose State University |
| MARVIN EDWARD KANNE (history of philosophy, Dewey) | Left the profession | ||
| 1983 | WAYNE WASSERMAN (ethics and epistemology) | No current information | Hollins College |
| 1982 | DAVID PAAS (philosophy of language) | Chairman of Economics and Business Administration, Professor of Business Law, Ralph and Winifred Rosecrance Professor in Business, Hillsdale College. | University of Nebraska at Omaha; Texas Women's University |
| MARK TIMMONS (ethics, Kant) | Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona | Illinois State University, Memphis State University | |
| 1980 | MARK HOVEN STOHS | Professor, Department of Finance, California State University Fullerton (retired) |