Ranked 17th in the previous Philosophical Gourmet Report

The University of Toronto’s academic and research strengths rank among the best in the world, and the Department of Philosophy is no exception achieving a ranking of 15th overall in the English-speaking world on the Philosophical Gourmet Report (PGR).

Edited by University of Chicago philosophy and law professor Brian Leiter, the bi-annual survey — intended to provide guidance to prospective PhD students — is considered the most influential and important in the field.

U of T ranked 17th in the previous world-wide rankings.

"We have always come out as the strongest department in Canada by a wide margin; it is gratifying to see our worldwide ranking continue to improve, tying us with Berkeley and placing us ahead of such renowned institutions as Cambridge and Chicago," said Arthur Ripstein, chair of philosophy. 

“These results will enable us to continue to attract outstanding graduate students. That fact will provide significant benefits to our undergraduates, giving them the opportunity to interact with teaching assistants, who will be future leaders of the profession."
Ripstein acknowledged that rankings of universities are controversial, but noted that the PGR has more credibility than most, with its distinguished editorial board and transparent methodology.

Based on peer review, the rankings measure faculty quality and reputation. This year's overall rankings were based on reputational surveys completed by 271 philosophers throughout the world.