Student Programs

TAS's Objectivist Center offers courses that range from introductory materials for those just getting acquainted with Ayn Rand's thought, to advanced courses for scholars who seek to master the fine points of the philosophy.

At each level, you can learn how to apply Objectivism to improve your own life. And as you progress in your studies, you can learn to master Objectivism's distinctive method of systematically focusing on the essentials of philosophic questions.

Graduate Seminar in Objectivist Philosophy and Method
The Graduate Seminar is a special week of lectures, discussions, and workshops designed for graduate students, junior faculty, and post-doctoral scholars of philosophy and related fields. David Kelley, Ph.D., founder of The Atlas Society, is the lead instructor for this intimate and intensive week of intellectual development. Instruction varies from year-to-year, but generally focuses on the content of Objectivism, the relation of Objectivism to non-Objectivist scholarly literature, the distinctive Objectivist method of philosophical analysis, and writing and speaking skills.

• 2008 Graduate Seminar on Politics and Law : August 3-8, 2008, Washington, D.C.
• 2007 Graduate Seminar on Moral Knowledge : August 5-10, 2007, Washington, D.C.
• 2006 Graduate Seminar on Epistemology and Philosophy of Mind : August 6-11, 2006, Washington, D.C.
• 2005 Graduate Seminar  : July 31-August 5, 2005, Washington, D.C.
• 2004 Graduate Seminar : July 31 - August 7, 2004 at Marist College, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Study Guides:

Objectivist Classroom
A series of recorded courses. Each comes with a detailed outline featuring many visual aids, and materials for further study such as suggested readings or study questions.

• David Kelley: Foundations of Knowledge  Buy it!
• David Kelley: The Perennial Questions of Objectivism Buy it!
• William R Thomas: The Essence of Objectivism Buy it!

Foundations Study Guides
These guides provide grounding in the essential literature for an Objectivist looking into an academic field. Topics range from epistemology to Montessori education.

Scholarships:

Scholarships for Graduate Students
 The Center offers up to a maximum of $11,000 annually in living expenses and tuition and fees to support qualified graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in philosophy and closely related fields such as political science, psychology and cognitive science. Application information for the 2010-2011 academic year is now available. The application deadline is March 1, 2010. If you have any questions, please contact wthomas at AtlasSociety dot org, or call us.

Seminar Scholarships
The Center offers special student rates to our conferences and workshops (e.g. the Summer Seminar). In addition, scholarships are available to help promising full-time students who could not otherwise attend. Scholarships are be awarded on the basis of merit and need. Scholarship awards vary from partial scholarships to those covering all costs of the event. Students interested attending Center events for reduced or waived fees can also apply to work as conference assistants. Look in the registration information for the event that interests you to see what opportunities are available.

Student Internships
TAS's Objectivist Center accepts student interns and research fellows to work on writing projects at the Center in Washington, D.C., on an irregular basis. These programs are for those with a systematic understanding of Objectivism and a strong commitment to advancing Objectivist ideas in the culture. For more information, contact Nadia Espinoza at The Atlas Society.