philosophy phd application deadlines

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The Department of Philosophy typically receives nearly 300 applications each year. We ordinarily expect an entering class of five to eight doctoral students. Although the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of offers the department can make, we invite all who would like to study Philosophy at Harvard to apply.

Note regarding GRE scores:   The Philosophy Department does not require applicants to submit GRE scores. Submission of scores is permitted, and, when submitted, GRE scores are taken into account in the admissions process. But those who do not submit such scores will not be penalized.

Note regarding application fee waivers : Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been completed, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility. Please consult the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences admissions pages for further information or email them at [email protected] .

Note regarding JD/PhD program:  Students seeking admission to the joint JD/PhD program must apply to and be separately admitted to both the Law School and the Department of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Student Qualifications

Background in Philosophy:  The Department requires that applicants have the equivalent of a solid undergraduate background in philosophy, so that they have a good grounding in the history of philosophy, as well as familiarity with contemporary work in ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, and logic.

Scholarly Potential:  The Admissions Committee looks for evidence of outstanding potential in the field of philosophy as shown in the applicant's academic record, letters of recommendation, and Statement of Purpose on the application form.

Questions?  Please contact the  Director of Graduate Admissions .

For more information on deadlines and application procedures, please click here:

PhD Admissions

How to Apply

General admissions information.

There is only one application round for our PhD program in Philosophy each year; c ompleted PhD applications are due on Thursday, December 14 . The Application for Admission and Financial Aid, with instructions, deadlines, and department-specific information, is administered through the divisional Office of the Dean of Students and is available is available online .

Questions pertaining to admissions and aid should be directed to [email protected] or (773) 702-1552. All correspondence and materials sent in support of applications should be mailed to:

The University of Chicago Division of the Humanities Walker, Suite 111 1115 East 58th Street Chicago, IL 60637

Online Application

Application facts (selected).

• The Department of Philosophy receives around 200-250 graduate applications per year from highly qualified applicants.
• We offer admission with the same full fellowship support package to about 5-10 applicants per year. 
• All faculty are intensively involved in the selection process (a four-phase process involving an admission committee and a full faculty vetting of the 30-40 most qualified candidates).
• The Department of Philosophy does not admit students who seek only a master’s degree, but, like all humanities departments here, we customarily refer a select group of qualified applicants to the University's Master of Arts Program in the Humanities (MAPH). (See below in this section for details.)
• Applicants will be notified of the results of their application for admission, at the latest, in early March.

Eligibility for the PhD Program

• A bachelors degree (or equivalent) is required to matriculate in our PhD program, although students needn't have finished that degree at the time of application.
• Some applicants may already have (or are working toward) master’s degree in Philosophy; note, however, that this is neither an asset nor a liability in the application process.
• Some applicants may be (or may have been) undergraduate majors in Philosophy; other applicants who weren't officially Philosophy majors should have significant background in philosophy (evinced by having at least taken a number of philosophy courses).
• Overall, what we care about is the applicant's aptitude for philosophy and readiness for graduate-level work.
• Scholars with a PhD in Philosophy from another program are not eligible to apply.

The Required Elements of the Application

In addition to the standard Division of Humanities forms and application fee, a complete application to the Department of Philosophy will include:

• A one-page, single-spaced personal statement outlining your philosophical interests and goals, and your reasons for wanting to pursue them at the University of Chicago;
• Up-to-date transcripts of all your post-secondary school education;
• All applicants for whom English is not a primary language may be required to submit current scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Current scores are no more than two years old at the time of application submission. Here is a complete description of the English proficiency policy , and questions about the English proficiency requirement should be directed to [email protected] .
• Three or four confidential letters of recommendation from people who are in a position to comment on your philosophical background and ability;
• A recent sample of your philosophical written work; and
• Official Graduate Record Examination scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytic writing sent by ETS). NOTE: sending GRE scores is an optional part of the application.

All of the above should be in English, or accompanied by English translations. It is particularly important for non-native speakers to demonstrate their competence to read, write, and participate in class discussions in English. Your writing sample and personal statement must be written by you, in English.

In some years, a few of the final candidates for PhD admissions spots may have a brief, exploratory Skype interview with departmental faculty members.

Advice about the Required Elements of the Application

A. the writing sample.

All of the components of your application are important and will receive careful scrutiny by our graduate admissions committee. The single most important credential in your application, however, is your writing sample, for it provides the best direct indicator of your ability to do first-rate graduate work in philosophy. The rest of the application provides the broader context within which we evaluate the writing sample, but note that we are unlikely to admit an applicant if one of the other components of their application raises ground for concern regarding their ability to succeed in graduate school. Note: Please do not put any identifying information on your writing sample. At a later point in the admissions process, some of these essays are read "anonymously" by faculty.

Selecting a Writing Sample:

• Your writing sample should provide the best possible demonstration of your philosophical writing and reasoning abilities. In general, the more perspicuous the overall structure of your writing sample is—the more clearly it displays how each of its parts contributes to the argument of the whole—the better it will serve as a credential for admission to our graduate program.
• Most often, a writing sample is a term paper written for a philosophy course—one that reflects your interests, that you put a lot of work into, that you did well on, and, above all, that you're proud of. Nonetheless, you should also consider selecting a sample that is devoted to a topic that is not overly esoteric, for your writing sample must be understood and positively evaluated by a wide range of members of our faculty.
• As for the length of the writing sample, a paper of around 20 pages is plenty; we're interested in quality, not quantity. An 8-10 page paper, by contrast, is almost always too short to give much of an indication of how a person thinks. If you are excerpting a writing sample from a longer course term paper, you may want to add some paragraphs (1) at the beginning of the paper to provide an overview of the paper’s philosophical interest or (2) at the end of paper to explain clearly what you have accomplished and why it is original.
• Sometimes, students want to submit a senior thesis (or even a MA thesis) running 50 or more pages. And, if that's your best work, then that is what you should send. But you should then also give us some guidance as to what part or parts of it (totaling 20-25 pages, say) we should examine carefully (or, at least, look at first).  
• It may be that you have more than one major philosophical interest. If so, it might be appropriate to submit up to two writing samples along with a cover note providing some guidance to the readers.

B. Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are important, but letters from faculty members who are not professors of philosophy will in general not be of much assistance to us in our efforts to assess your credentials as a candidate for our PhD program. Ideally, your application should contain at least three letters from professional philosophers. Any further letters from other teachers of yours included in your application dossier should therefore always be in addition to, not instead of, letters from philosophers. What we look for from the writers of your letters of recommendation is a candid and detailed evaluation of your philosophical abilities and accomplishments and an informed prognosis of your likelihood of succeeding in a top-notch philosophy PhD program. Far more important than the recommender’s professional stature or philosophical fame is the degree to which he or she knows you well and can provide a vivid portrait of your philosophical personality and a detailed account of your philosophical work to date.

C. The Personal Statement

The personal statement is not, strictly speaking, an admissions credential and it is not the place to cram in additional evidence of your philosophical ability. It should focus succinctly on facts about the philosophical work you have done to date, your primary philosophical interests and goals going forward in the future, and your reasons for thinking that the University of Chicago might be a good place to pursue them. In addition, if there is anything unusual about your philosophical trajectory or academic career that you think we should know, your personal statement is the place to provide that information. In particular, if there are significant portions of time during which you have not been enrolled as a student, we would appreciate a brief indication of what you were doing during those times.

D. Transcripts

We cannot enroll you without up-to-date transcripts of all your post-secondary school education: no such transcript may be omitted from your application. If you are applying from another country and you anticipate that we might have difficulty deciphering your transcript(s), then any additional guidance with which you, or especially your recommenders, can provide us in interpreting your transcript will be appreciated. Please contact Michael Beetley in the Humanities Dean of Students Office if you have any questions about transcripts.

E. GRE Exams and GPAs

Official documentation of your general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores with your application are optional for the application. We do not require (or take into account) any subject tests. For those who have taken multiple GREs: our policy is to look at an applicant's best scores for each section of the test and to throw out the lower scores. Note to applicants: Over the years, we have found that undergraduate grades, especially those in philosophy courses, are a somewhat better indication of philosophical potential than GRE scores. The average GPA in philosophy for our recent admitted students has been about 3.9 (out of 4). The analogous GRE averages are 710 verbal, 740 quantitative, and 5.5 analytic writing.

F. TOEFL Exam

In evaluating the GRE scores of applicants, we make allowance that these examinations are more difficult for non-native speakers of English. For this reason, it is all the more imperative that non-native speakers of English take the TOEFL exam, if they are not in a position to supply us with academic transcripts from an English-language college or university located in an anglophone country. The University has information regarding what counts as acceptable TOEFL scores for consideration for admission in Philosophy (see Humanities Division standards) .

Hearing Back from Us about Your Application

While curiosity is natural, as a general rule, please do not inquire about admissions decisions in February. There are a number of reasons why we won't be able to let you know the decision prior to the second week in March, most of which are out of our control (please be patient!). Of course, if you have some special reason for concern about your application, please feel free to contact us.

Master of Arts Program in the Humanities (MAPH) Referrals

We refer some promising applicants who have genuine potential for success in graduate school but whom we are not able to admit to our PhD program to the  Masters of Arts Program in the Humanities (MAPH) , which is a standalone Masters in Humanities program run through the Division of Humanities here. So if you are not admitted to our PhD program, you may be contacted by MAPH about your possible interest in enrolling in that program. (Note: if you already have an MA or a PhD in Philosophy, then you are not eligible for this program.)

Enrolling in MAPH, taking numerous graduate philosophy courses, and concentrating on philosophical academic work is an excellent option for students who are not admitted to a prestigious philosophy PhD program in their first attempt. We look for students whose intellectual interests and future applications to PhD programs would benefit from the intensive and rigorous one-year MAPH program.

If you are admitted to the MAPH program, we strongly urge you to visit our campus in order to learn more about the opportunities for students in the MAPH program and to meet the MAPH administrators, the MAPH Philosophy preceptors, and selected departmental faculty members.

MAPH Program Website

Campus Visits

Prospective graduate students who have been notified that they have been admitted to our PhD program are strongly encouraged at that point to make a campus visit before they accept our offer of admission. A campus visit serves its real purpose best if you learn things about the department that you couldn’t find out reliably merely through word of mouth or simply by perusing the departmental website—things such as the real character of the intellectual atmosphere of the graduate program, the accessibility of the faculty, the nature and depth of philosophical discussion in seminars and workshops, the sort of quality and care which goes into dissertation supervision, and the extent to which graduate students in the program are excited by the education which they are receiving. Since these are not things that are easily gleaned in a brief and superficial visit, you should also consider being selective in the number of PhD programs you visit.

If you are admitted to the PhD program, we will contact you, possibly as soon as early February, to inform you of our offer of admission and the timing for our visiting week, which usually occurs during the first week of our Spring Quarter . For your visit at UChicago, we will (1) schedule individual appointments for you with numerous faculty members and (2) arrange a number of activities for you together with some of our current graduate students and other prospective students in your cohort. Finally, we will encourage you to attend some seminars and workshops. We will pay for (or heavily subsidize) your transportation to Chicago and arrange for you to stay with one of our current PhD students.

Note: Prospective students are also discouraged from making a campus visit prior to their having been officially admitted to our PhD program. It is simply not feasible for faculty to meet personally with the many individuals interested in our department. While your application is under consideration, you should feel free to peruse our detailed website and to contact one or more current PhD students whose interests overlap with yours to find out more about whether our graduate program fits your interests. Our students are happy to answer your questions.

William H. Miller III Department of Philosophy

• PhD Admissions

• BA/MA Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Graduate Courses
• Graduate Requirements
• Job Placement
• Miller Prize
• Student Organizations

While an undergraduate major in philosophy is good preparation for graduate study in the department, applications are welcomed from students with other majors whose interests are now turning toward philosophy.

To apply, please read the information below and on the Graduate Admissions website , and complete the application online.

If applying to more than one department, please send complete application materials for each department. All application documents must be provided in English (either the original or translations of the original documents). If you are unable to secure translations to English, we recommend that you contact World Education Services .

All application materials and supporting documents should be uploaded through the online application; these include:

• Online application
• Application fee
• Statement of Purpose (briefly state your area of interest at the beginning of your Statement of Purpose; upload through the online application)
• Letters of recommendation (at least three): Letters of recommendation should be submitted and uploaded electronically following the instructions in the online application.
• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts must be uploaded through the online application. Applications will be ready for review with unofficial transcripts, but official transcripts will be required if an offer of admission is made
• GRE (optional)
• TOEFL or IELTS score (for international applicants)
• Sample of work (the sample should reflect the applicant’s area of interest, and generally does not have to be more than 20 pages in length).

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications is 15 December. Some finalists will be contacted for short Zoom meetings prior to a decision being made. Decisions on admitted and wait-listed students will be made by the first week of February.

For questions or inquiries about the online application and supporting documents, contact the Graduate Admissions office. You may also contact Michelle Brock, the academic program coordinator for the philosophy department, at [email protected]   or 410-516-7524.

Graduate Admissions

The Department of Philosophy at Berkeley seeks graduate students whose talents and interests will enable them to benefit from the distinctive intellectual resources on offer here, and who will contribute to a stimulating and friendly philosophical community. The Department values a diversity of interests, perspectives, and backgrounds among its students.

Admission to the Ph.D. program in Philosophy at Berkeley is highly competitive. We typically receive hundreds of applications each year, and can offer admission only to a small handful of students (the entering class generally numbers fewer than ten). Students are admitted only for the Ph.D. degree; there is no M.A. program in philosophy at Berkeley. All students who are admitted must begin their study at Berkeley in the Fall semester. Applications from women and members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.

In reviewing applications, the Admissions and Fellowships Committee looks for evidence that applicants have the training and intellectual characteristics they will need for success in a rigorous graduate program such as ours. Candidates for admission are not required to have majored in philosophy, but applicants who have not taken a considerable number of courses in the subject are unlikely to be admitted. The intellectual characteristics that the Committee looks for include the ability to write clear and well organized argumentative prose, the ability to discriminate between promising and unpromising lines of inquiry, the capacity to develop independent arguments and insights, and a nuanced appreciation of philosophical problems and issues.

The Admissions and Fellowships Committee attempts in each case to arrive at a fair assessment of the candidate on the basis of the totality of evidence submitted for review. It pays particularly close attention to the candidate's sample of written work, as well as to the letters of recommendation that are sent in support of the candidate's application. Candidates should seek letters of recommendation from teachers who are in a position to comment in detail both on their general scholarly abilities and on their distinctively philosophical talents and achievements. These same qualities should be evident in the writing sample submitted for review; it should go beyond mere exposition or superficial analysis of a philosophical text or problem. A good target length for a writing sample is 15-20 (double-spaced) pages.

Detailed information about admission to graduate study at UC Berkeley is available on the UCB Graduate Admissions website of the UC Berkeley Graduate Division. The Berkeley campus as a whole is home to a richly diverse intellectual community; for more information see the Graduate Diversity Outreach site.

How to apply

To apply for admission to the Ph.D. program in philosophy, apply online through the campus-wide UCB Graduate Admissions site. Do not send materials to the Department of Philosophy.

A complete online application would contain the following:

• Transcripts for all your undergraduate and graduate study
• Three letters of recommendation from those familiar with your philosophical work
• A representative sample of your best written work in philosophy (no more than 20 pages)
• Your results from the Graduate Record Examination
• A personal history statement
• A statement of purpose (applicants who wish to be considered for the concentration in Ancient Philosophy or History and Philosophy of Science should indicate this in their statement of purpose)

For information on application deadlines and other important dates please see the UCB Graduate Admissions site .

Fee waivers

• Fee waivers for international students are not available at this time.
• U.S. citizen or current permanent residents can apply for need-based application fee waivers.
• Undocumented students (not international) may be considered for an application fee waiver if they demonstrate financial need.
• Participants in certain programs and summer institutes can receive a fee waiver by documenting program participation. See the list of pre-approved programs here .

Graduate Admissions

Application.

Stanford’s  Online Application , information about requirements and instructions for applying are available through the  Grad Admissions website . The application opens each year in Fall quarter. 

The online application is due by the following deadlines:

PhD: Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Masters: Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Knight Hennessy: No later than December 1, 2023 (per Knight Hennessy program ) 

Coterminal Masters (internal Stanford students only): end of second week of Winter quarter,  Friday, January 19, 2024

Knight Hennessy:  No later than December 1, 2023

GRE scores will not be required in the 2023-24 admission round.

Please DO NOT mail paper transcripts at this time. E-transcripts are accepted.

Transcripts

• Please wait to mail official paper  transcripts  until we request them.
• Official e-transcripts can be sent directly by the school or clearinghouse to  philosophy [at] stanford.edu (philosophy[at]stanford[dot]edu)
• Please upload an unofficial transcript from each school you attended for a year or more with the application.
• NOTE: An official transcript is one that is received directly from the issuing institution (or CollegeNET CertiFile Service (CHESICC/Educational Perspectives) that bears the seal/signature representing its validity. To be considered official, paper transcripts must be sealed and unopened.
• Transcript information at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/starting-your-application/required-application-documents/transcripts-academic-records-0

Writing Sample 

• Should be a recent writing sample on a philosophical topic
• We recommend you send an example of your  best work
• needs to be uploaded into the application
• Typically samples are around 20 pages or less
• If submitting a thesis or document longer than 20 pages, please include a note pointing to most important passages
• Secondary samples are allowed, please mark which sample is primary if including more than one

Letters of Recommendation 

• Please have your recommenders submit their  confidential  letter via the online application.
• Letters from recommenders are due by the deadline. Please have them in as soon as possible.
• The application requires a minimum of 3 recommendations.
• If a recommender is unable to submit their letter via the online application, please let us know. We can accept email letters directly from professors. 
• For emailed letters from professors, the applicant must also send us a note saying they waive the right to see the recommendation.
• Please check the grad admissions website for the latest updates about required tests: 
• https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/starting-your-application/required-exams
• Grad admissions requires the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for most applicants whose first language is not English. This includes US citizens as well as international students.
• Applicants who have received a Bachelors or higher degree from a U.S. school are usually exempted from the TOEFL.
• For test criteria, please see the international section of the  Grad Admissions  webpage.  TEST INFORMATION

GRE scores will not be required by Philosophy in the 2023-2024 admission round.

• The GRE general test has been required in the past for Philosophy applications.  If submitting them, GRE scores must be from within the last 5 years.

Check the status of your application (e.g., letters of recommendation received, official ETS scores, etc.,) by logging into your application account Activity Log.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars cultivates and supports a highly-engaged, multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and delivers a diverse collection of educational experiences, preparing graduates to address complex challenges facing the world. Each year, Knight-Hennessy Scholars selects up to 100 students who are newly enrolling in a graduate degree program in any of Stanford’s seven schools. Knight-Hennessy Scholars participate in an experiential leadership development program and receive funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford. Candidates of any country may apply. Candidates must submit two applications to be considered; one to Knight-Hennessy Scholars by early October and one to the graduate degree program by its deadline. Visit  https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/  to learn more. 

• Apply at  https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/
• The KH application deadline is October 11, 2023, 1:00pm Pacific Time.
• For more information on the Knight-Hennessy Scholars please see:  https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/
• Applicants also need to apply separately to the department where they wish to study. 
• The deadline for the application to the Philosophy department for consideration for the KH program is December 1, 2023.

Please do not mail paper transcripts at this time. We will request official transcripts at a later stage.

PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT Building 90 450 Jane Stanford Way STANFORD, CA 94305-2155 USA

• Email:  philosophy [at] stanford.edu (philosophy[at]stanford[dot]edu)  
• Phone to list for mailing address if needed: (650) 723-2547 (for fastest response, please email)
• For problems with the application website , please check the online help in the website.

For application fee waivers, apply through:

• Application Fee Waivers

For exam waivers, or general questons, please contact the Central University Grad Admissions office:

• https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/about#contact

For other questions, please contact the  Philosophy Graduate Administrator 

• Email:  philosophy [at] stanford.edu (philosophy[at]stanford[dot]edu)
• Phone: (650) 723-2548 (for fastest response, please email)

For a helpful  guide on getting into grad school  from the School of Humanities and Sciences, please check:

• https://humsci.stanford.edu/prospective-students/guide-getting-grad-school

The Department of Philosophy welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

The Philosophy Department recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Phd program admissions, admissions information.

The only way to apply for admission to the Philosophy PhD program is by filling out an online application.  The application can be accessed via the following linked website from The Graduate School at Northwestern:

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

The online application for matriculation in Fall 2024 is now available.  All application materials are submitted via the online application system, CollegeNet, at the above link.   Your application and all supplemental materials  must  be received by the application deadline of Friday, January 5, 2024.

Application Materials

The Department of Philosophy requires the following supplemental application materials :

• Transcripts  from each post-secondary institution attended. Students working toward a master's degree at another institution should submit transcripts of all undergraduate work as well as transcripts of all graduate work completed at the time of filing the application. The department accepts the uploading of unofficial transcripts when you apply. Once accepted into the program, The Graduate School will require the submission of official (bearing the registrar's signature and/or the institution's seal) transcripts.
• At least  three  letters of recommendation . The recommendation form is available as part of the online application and is sent directly to the letter writers through the online application system. Prior to requesting that your providers complete the recommendation online, be sure to check with them to ensure they have a personal email address and access to the internet.
• Academic Statement - This statement concerning your academic interests and goals should not exceed two single-spaced pages.
• Personal Statement - Please include in the personal statement a description of any particular challenges or hardships faced during your academic trajectory. The personal statement should not exceed one single-spaced page.
• Writing Sample -  10-20 pages, double-spaced.
• TOEFL Scores  are required for applicants who are not native English speakers, although this requirement will be waived for those who have completed four years as an undergraduate, or two years as an MA student, in an institution where all instruction is conducted in English. Official scores must be less than two years old and must come directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The institutional code assigned to The Graduate School at Northwestern is 1565 . The minimum TOEFL score for admission is 577 for the paper-based test and 233 for the computer-based test. The minimum score required for the iBT TOEFL is 90. The Graduate School will accept the results of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) as a substitute for the TOEFL, with a floor of 7.0. For information regarding the internet-based TOEFL exam and an explanation of the exam, please consult http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/admission/requirements/test-scores/index.html .

The following supplemental materials are optional, but not required:

• A cluster statement expressing your interest in participating in an interdisciplinary graduate cluster. Please see Mellon Clusters in the Humanities and Qualitative Social Sciences: The Graduate School - Northwestern University for information about the themes and activities of the various clusters. 
• GRE Scores*  - Official scores must be less than five years old and must come directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The institutional code assigned to The Graduate School at Northwestern is 1565 .

* The department provides a holistic review for each application.  For those applicants who choose to submit GRE scores, these count as simply one data point among many.  They are not used to filter out any applications.  The absence of GRE scores in an applicant's dossier has no negative impact; when GRE scores are not submitted, the applicant will be assessed entirely on the basis of the required materials.

If you have any questions about the graduate application process that cannot be answered by consulting the Frequently Asked Questions page, the Department of Philosophy website, or The Graduate School's Admissions website, please feel free to email the Philosophy Graduate Program Coordinator at:  [email protected]

Philosophy PhD

The Graduate Program in Philosophy at Berkeley offers a first-rate faculty, a stimulating and friendly community of graduate students, and the resources of one of the world's finest research universities.

Two features distinguish our profile from that of other leading graduate programs in philosophy:

• The department has strengths in all the main areas of philosophy, including epistemology, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, philosophy of language, logic, ethics, the history of philosophy, and philosophy of science. We aim at diversity and breadth of coverage, rather than concentration on one or two areas of philosophical activity.
• Second, the program at Berkeley is structured to give students a high degree of independence in tailoring their studies to their interests.

Those wishing to pursue graduate studies in philosophy can choose among several routes to a PhD at Berkeley:

• The Philosophy Department's graduate program leads to a PhD in Philosophy.
• Students with strong interests in Ancient Philosophy may want to take advantage of a special ancient concentration within the philosophy program.
• Students with strong interests in the History and Philosophy of Science may want to explore the special HPS concentration within the philosophy program.
• Students with strong interests in formal logic may pursue them in the Philosophy Department, in the Mathematics Department , or in Berkeley's interdisciplinary program leading to a PhD in Logic and the Methodology of Science , to which the Philosophy Department has close ties.

Contact Info

[email protected]

314 Philosophy Hall #2390 University of California

Berkeley, CA 94720-2390

At a Glance

Department(s)

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

January 8, 2024

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

How to Apply

The Department offers admission in the fall only for its Ph.D. program. (Please note that there is no separate M.A. program in philosophy.)

Application may be made online . Applicants must submit official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a sample of philosophical writing. Brown Philosophy Department  no longer requires  GRE scores to apply to its PhD program  (no advanced subject test is required either). The application deadline is 2 January.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY

Inquiries regarding graduate admissions should be directed to the Graduate School and not to the Director of Graduate Studies. This includes questions about waiver of the application fee . (See here for information.) The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible only for the Graduate Program and plays no role in the admissions process.

The Department is not able to schedule individual meetings with prospective applicants. There are simply too many prospective applicants for that to be practical. This website, and faculty member's individual websites (see here ), should answer most questions about the PhD program, faculty research interests, and the like. Admitted students will be invited to visit the department in late March or early April, expenses being paid by the University (except in the case of some international students).

Application Advice

Students who are interested in applying to graduate school are often puzzled by the application process. This page is intended to provide some guidance. 

The best guidance will, however, be provided by a student's own undergraduate advisors and mentors. Almost every professor you have was once an undergraduate nervous about applying to graduate school, and most of them are happy to talk about their experience.

(Alex Guerrero, from Rutgers, also has some advice for prospective applicants.)

The Application Process

Application deadlines are typically in mid-January, but some departments, including Brown's, have deadlines at the beginning of January. It is really best to think, then, in terms of 1 January and, with the holidays being just before that, in terms of mid-December.  

Philosophy Department deadline for Fall 2023 Admission will be  January 2, 2023  before 12 midnight.

Application Documents

Departments make their admissions decisions based on all of the information available to them. It is very important that applicants have solid grades, and not just in philosophy. Most programs expect a student to have exposed themselves to other areas of learning, especially when those other areas are relevant to the areas of philosophy in which they are interested. Thus, for example, students interested in political philosophy should strongly consider taking some courses in political science; those interested in philosophy of language, in linguistics; in the history of philosophy, in relevant areas of history or history of science; and so on.

It is also important that students take a wide range of philosophy courses. It is natural to 'specialize' and take a large number of courses in a specific area of central interest. But it is equally important to have a solid undergraduate education in philosophy generally and particularly, for our program, in contemporary analytic philosophy, both on the 'metaphysics and epistemology' side and on the 'value theory' side, as well as in the history of philosophy. (Breadth is as important as depth, here as elsewhere.) That one has satisfied the requirements for a concentration (or 'major') in philosophy does  not  guarantee that they have such a broad education: There are different ways one can satisfy those requirements, and some ways of doing so will leave gaping holes. Students interested in pursuing graduate study should therefore consult with the undergraduate advisor, or some other mentor, no later than the second semester of the junior year regarding selection of courses.

The 'statement of purpose' is intended to give the admissions committee some general information about why a particular applicant wants to go to graduate school and what they intend to do once they get there. Do  not  tell a long story beginning, "Ever since my childhood, I've wondered about my dreams", although, if there are specific life-experiences which have sparked or sustained an interest in philosophy, these may be worth mentioning.

It is  not  expected that applicants will be able to commit themselves to some very specific project for their dissertation. Indeed, many students find that, when they get to graduate school and are exposed to a wider range of philosophical thought than they were previously, their interests change quite dramatically. Many programs will be suspicious of applicants who seem not to be interested in  philosophy  but only in some very small fragment of it.

What you  should  do in your statement of purpose is explain, as clearly and ( nota bene ) concisely as you are able, what it is about philosophy has so gripped you that you are considering graduate study. It is an odd way to spend one's life. What is it about philosophy that makes you want to spend the next six or so years of your life studying it? To spend at least three years writing a dissertation on one, small topic? And to spend the rest of your life pursuing research, teaching philosophy to unsuspecting teenagers, and so on and so forth? Your statement should include a serious explanation of your interests, as you now find them to be. And it is worth also including a reasonable assessment of what you hope to accomplish when you enroll in graduate school: Are there specific areas of philosophy about which you would like to learn more? Are there specific areas which bear upon your main areas of interest which you think you need to know more about?

Note that it's best to be detailed. Don't just say you're interested in meta-ethics. What questions interest you? What have you done to pursue these interests?

The statement of purpose is also the one chance the admissions committee has to get to know you a bit as a person. Graduate school is hard, and, while the love of philosophy will take you some distance, there are other intellectual and personal virtues that are important as well, such as persistence and an ability to respond well to (constructive) criticism. Departments are also communities of scholars, who work and learn together, and an ability to 'play well with others' is important. Most departments also value a diversity of perspectives. So, if there are particular life experiences that speak to these aspects of your personality, you should feel free to discuss them.

The letters of recommendation are one of the two most important parts of the application. It is typically these on which admission to the committee's shortlist will turn, and admission itself depends heavily upon the contents of these letters. Remember that the admissions committee has very little information available to it. It is therefore happy to rely upon colleagues who, presumably, have access to more information.

Because the letters are so important, anyone who thinks they even  might  be interested in graduate study must work to develop close professional relationships with at least two members of the faculty  before the senior year . The reason for this is that, given the large enrollment of most courses, it is difficult for any faculty member to get to know all of the students in any particular such course. And it is, as should be clear, impossible for a faculty member to write a cogent, informed letter for a student if they know of that student only as one among many members of one large lecture course. The best letters of recommendation are detailed, speaking honestly and convincingly about both the student's strengths and weaknesses, and good letters say something interesting, and equally convincing, about the applicant's potential for further growth and development.

How can one develop such relationships? Most obviously, by attending professors' office hours to discuss the material from lecture. Do not feel as though you have to have a question fully worked out before going to office hours. It's fine simply to want to talk about something you don't quite understand or something from the reading that is bothering you. Office hours are for just such things. (You would perhaps be surprised how often some faculty sit in their office hours wishing a student would come talk to them.)

Ideally, applicants will have three letters from philosophers who know them well. Letters from non-philosophers usually carry less weight. Such people may be able to speak to your general abilities as a student and scholar, but often they do not know much about philosophy and so cannot speak specifically to your potential as a philosopher. (Of course, there are exceptions: professors in other departments who are philosophically sophisticated.) It is also better to have letters from faculty than from graduate TAs, simply because the former have more experience than the latter. But, at the same time, a letter from someone who knows you really well is better than one from someone who can only speak in generalities. So this can be a balancing act. Talk with your mentors about whom you should ask for letters.

The writing sample is perhaps the single most important part of the application. Almost always, it is what will decide an application's fate. An application with a poor writing sample, but stellar letters and grades, will gain acceptance almost nowhere, since the poor quality of the writing tends to undermine one's confidence in the letters; but one with middling letters and an excellent writing sample might still stand a chance. (Strong grades are just assumed here: The writing sample won't get read if the grades are mediocre.) It is, therefore,  not  a good idea simply to select some paper that got an 'A' and submit it unchanged. You should, rather, look upon the task of producing a writing sample as if it were an additional course and plan to devote a fair amount of time just to this task.

It is, for this reason, also rarely a good idea to submit a paper one is writing for a course taught in the fall of the senior year (if that is when one is preparing the application). There is just not enough time to polish such a piece for inclusion as a writing sample. A better idea is to use a successful paper written in the junior year as the  foundation  for your writing sample, and then to work on it further, doing additional reading, polishing the arguments, getting feedback on drafts, and so on and so forth. You can begin this process by discussing the comments you received on the paper with your instructor. Note that this is also a good way to strengthen your relationship with that instructor and so to give them a solid basis for a letter of recommendation.

A good writing sample addresses a substantial philosophical problem, whether it amounts to a critical evaluation of an argument or a serious attempt to interpret difficult philosophical texts. Mere reports of what some philosopher or other thinks—or mere 'compare and contrast' efforts—are not likely to impress. Do not, however, think that you have to make an original contribution to the area about which you are writing to produce a solid writing sample. Very few undergraduates are capable of writing such a paper. Still, though, you should be thinking for yourself: We want to see that you are able to do philosophy, not just talk about it.

Mostly, admissions committees are looking for two things: promise and a solid basis from which a student can start learning to do original philosophical work. What the writing sample should demonstrate, then, is that you have acquired the basic skills needed for the serious study of philosophy: An ability to read and write philosophy and to think critically and creatively about philosophical problems.

The writing sample needs, as was said, to be a substantial piece of work. It should therefore be at least 12–15 pages long, as it is hard to do anything serious in less space. It should not be excessively long: The members of admissions committees, being human, have been known to get annoyed by overly long writing samples; they simply do not have the time to read 40 pages from every applicant. Rarely will there be any reason to go over 20 pages, and 25 pages is probably an absolute maximum. Generally speaking, it's not a good idea, either, to submit a longer piece of work, such as a senior thesis, even if you indicate to the committee that there is some portion of it that you would really like them to read. It is far better to re-work the relevant material so that you can be sure it is self-contained.

It is permissible to submit more than one sample of writing, but you should not do so unless you have some  very  good reason. (An example of a good reason: You have serious interests both in the philosophy of language and in Aristotle.) If you do submit more than one sample of work, you should indicate which of the pieces you intend as primary and which as supplemental, in case the committee deems itself unable to read everything (as is likely).

You should be  absolutely certain  to proofread thoroughly: Do  not  trust spell-checkers and the like to do this for you. It is a good idea, too, to have friends read through the paper and comment upon your style, grammar, and so forth. The paper needs to be well-written: Being able to write well is an absolutely fundamental prerequisite for graduate study. (You will learn to write better as a graduate student, but you need to have a solid foundation already.) Make sure, too, that your citations are in good order, that quotations and footnotes are properly formatted, and so on and so forth: You want your paper to look as if you've spent real time with it—and as if you are proud of it.

Finally, the writing sample does  not  have to be connected, in any way, with the area or areas you think you most want to pursue in graduate school. So long as your record shows a sufficient foundation to pursue those areas, a writing sample in some other area might even impress the committee as a demonstration of your philosophical breadth. Your faculty advisers can help you choose a paper that would be appropriate for a writing sample.

Department of Philosophy

Letter to Prospective Applicants

Thank you for your interest in our program. This page contains general guidelines and information.

The application process is administered by the Yale Graduate School.   Their admissions webpage has useful information about the application process and access to the online application system.

As you probably know, the number of applications we receive here at Yale far exceeds the number of slots we have available.   We have approximately  500 applications for 5-6 slots every year.

The most important factors in our decision-making are the candidate’s writing sample, and the associated letters of recommendation.  Your writing sample (which should be 15-25 pages) should be an example of your very best work.  Your letters should be from people who know you well, and can speak specifically about your abilities in philosophy.

Next in importance is the transcript, and what it reveals about the range of courses taken, and the candidate’s success in them. 

For the personal statement, we assume that if you are applying to graduate school at Yale, then you are interested in what we do here.  That said, if you can tell us a bit more about your background and interests, this information might be helpful.

The GRE is not required.

The test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all applicants whose native language is not English.  This requirement is waived only for applicants who will have received a bachelor’s degree, prior to matriculation at Yale, from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction. 

Prospective students are welcome to visit the department, talk with our current students, and, when possible, sit in on classes. However, to promote fairness and objectivity in admissions decisions, the Department Chair and the Director of Graduate Studies will not schedule meetings with prospective graduate students before admissions decisions have been made.

We wish you the best of luck.

Department of Linguistics and Philosophy

Graduate admissions, requirements.

To enter the doctoral program , students must have done well in their previous academic work and must be formally accepted as candidates for the Ph.D. degree by the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy. Furthermore, an applicant must have received a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college or university of acceptable standing.

Although there are no formal requirements for admission, successful applicants typically have an undergraduate major in philosophy, or a comparable level of preparation.

The Application

A complete application includes the MIT application form, an academic transcript from each college/university attended, and three letters of recommendation.

In addition to the application, all applicants should submit a writing sample in philosophy, ideally of 15-25 pages in length. The writing sample should allow us to assess the applicant’s understanding of a philosophical problem, and ability to evaluate philosophical arguments. This assessment is usually easier if the writing sample explicitly engages with some of the contemporary philosophical literature.

Students are only admitted into the program in the fall. The application deadline is January 2nd for the following September. Decisions are communicated to applicants by early March.

GRE scores are optional : they are  not required for admission to the doctoral program. The reporting codes are:

Institute code: 3514 Department code: 2804

MIT requires international applicants whose native language is not English to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

TOEFL: Minimum score required: 577 (PBT) 90 (IBT) TOEFL Department codes: 20 (Philosophy) Institute code: 3514 (MIT)

IELTS: Minimum score required: 6.5 Electronic scores send to: MIT Graduate Admissions

However, the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy does grant waivers. In general, we grant waivers to students who have received a degree from an American or English-speaking university, or who show an extensive background in English. We ask that students who request a TOEFL or IELTS waiver have their recommenders comment in depth on their English speaking, reading and writing skills as a part of the recommendation. We also strongly suggest that they submit a writing sample in English. Applicants may request a waiver in the application.

Accessing the Application Form

To apply, please visit: https://gradapply.mit.edu/phil

The statement of purpose, letters of recommendation and writing sample are submitted on-line. Scanned copies of transcripts are submitted on-line for review purposes but are considered unofficial. Applicants who are admitted will be required to send an official transcript in a university sealed envelope.

The application fee is $75.00 in US funds. Major credit cards are the accepted form of payment. MIT offers fee waivers to students who meet relevant criteria. For criteria and more information, please visit:  https://oge.mit.edu/graduate-admissions/applications/application-fee-waiver/ .  If you attended PIKSI or another  Undergraduate Diversity Institute in Philosophy , please contact  [email protected]  regarding a fee waiver.

Questions regarding the application process can be sent to  [email protected] .

In response to the challenges of teaching, learning, and assessing academic performance during the global COVID-19 pandemic, MIT has adopted the following principle: MIT’s admissions committees and offices for graduate and professional schools will take the significant disruptions of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 into account when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials as part of their regular practice of performing individualized, holistic reviews of each applicant.

In particular, as we review applications now and in the future, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during the unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruptions, whether those decisions were made by institutions or by individual students. We also expect that the individual experiences of applicants will richly inform applications and, as such, they will be considered with the entirety of a student’s record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a masters program.

No. The philosophy graduate program is a doctoral program only. In the Boston area, Tufts University offers a masters degree in philosophy.

How long is the Ph.D. program?

Five years.

Is a master’s degree required to apply to the PhD program?

A master’s degree is not required. Prospective students may apply to the PhD program direct from their undergraduate studies.

Can I earn a doctoral degree through distance learning?

No. You can give our   MOOCs a try, though.

Do students get financial support from MIT?

Yes. Currently, we can support five entering students each year with tuition plus a 12-month stipend. We can also support graduating fifth-years with a one-year post-doc if they are unable to secure a position elsewhere. In special cases, we are able to support sixth year students with tuition plus a 9-month stipend in place of a post-doc.

Although MIT regulations prohibit us from guaranteeing funding for more than any one year, we fully expect to be able to support students in good standing throughout the entire five-year period of the doctoral program. However, the Department has limited funds for financial aid to graduate students, so we encourage you to apply for  graduate fellowships  from government agencies and foundations.

I am an international applicant. Am I still eligible for financial support from MIT?

Yes. All admitted students, whether or not they are US citizens, are eligible for support.

Does the Ph.D. program have a language requirement?

Where’s information about mit’s placement record, retention data, etc., i uploaded a transcript to the application system. do i have to mail an official transcript.

No, only admitted applicants are required to mail official transcripts.

Can students take classes at Harvard?

Yes. There is also an annual Harvard/MIT graduate philosophy conference. Often Harvard students attend MIT reading groups and vice versa.

Can philosophy Ph.D. students take linguistics classes?

Yes. We also offer a minor in linguistics.

Can you evaluate my chances of admission before I apply?

We do not offer pre-application screening.

Can I visit MIT before I apply, and talk with faculty and students?

Of course. Send an email to any faculty member , who will be happy to arrange some appointments.

The Department of Linguistics and Philosophy — what’s the story?

Classes in linguistics were originally given within the Department of Modern Languages, and a Ph.D. in linguistics was first offered by that Department in 1961-62. In 1965 the Department of Modern Languages became the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics and, in 1969, the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics. Prior to 1964 philosophy was taught in the Department of Humanities. The Philosophy Department was formed when a Ph.D. program in philosophy was established in July 1971. In 1976 the curriculum in foreign languages and literatures became part of the responsibility of the Department of Humanities while the curriculum in linguistics became part of the Department of Philosophy to form the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy.

College of Arts & Sciences

PhD Program

Requirements for the phd.

In order to be admitted to candidacy for the PhD, students complete the following requirements within six (6) semesters from beginning the PhD program.

• Earn 45 credits, distributed as specified below;
• Pass all required comprehensive exams;
• Satisfy the logic requirement;
• Complete the Dissertation Transition Seminar;
• Hold pre-proposal meeting

At least 15 courses (45 credits) are required and are to be distributed as follows:

• Proseminars During their first year of residency in the PhD program, all students are required to pass the Ethics Proseminar and a year-long proseminar covering selected issues that arise in metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of language, and the philosophy of science (LEMMS Proseminar 1 & LEMMS Proseminar 2).
• Be focused on an historical figure(s), movement(s), or period(s)
• Approach its material with a primary learning goal to understand, interpret, reconstruct, and critically evaluate the texts. Whether a particular course satisfies these requirements, and whether it counts as Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, or Modern, will be determined by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with appropriate faculty.
• Advanced Topical Courses Students must take two topically oriented courses at the 8000-level, one in a normative area and one in a non-normative area.
• Taking PHIL-5001, Intermediate Logic, and earning a grade of B or higher;
• Taking and passing an examination administered by the Department on the material covered in PHIL-5001; or
• By receiving a final grade of B+ or higher in an equivalent or more advanced course at another institution. Under (i) above, with approval by the Director of Graduate Studies as well as the faculty who teach PHIL-5001, an equivalent or more advanced course at Georgetown may be substituted for PHIL-5001. Under (iii) above, the Director of Graduate Studies a well as the faculty who teach PHIL-5001 must approve the proposal to certify a course from another institution as equivalent to or more advanced than PHIL-5001. Students who fail to pass the Logic requirement during their first year in the program may have one further opportunity to pass the requirement.
• 4000–4999 Level Courses No more than one fifth (⅕) of the credits required for one’s degree may be earned in courses below the 5000-level. Courses below the 4000-level may not be taken for graduate credit

Timeline for the Ph.D. Program

The timeline below assumes that students are on financial aid. Those who are not should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies and develop a personalized plan of study that is realistic given the student’s other commitments. Additionally, this timeline applies (only) to students who matriculated in the Ph.D. program in or after Fall 2018. Finally, there are variations on this pattern in virtue of alternative funding plans (special or outside fellowships, research assistantships tied to faculty grants) or advanced standing.

• You will take four courses per semester and so complete 8 of the required 15 courses (24 of the required 45 credits).
• Complete eight (8) courses or 24 credits, including the two Proseminars (Ethics and the year-long LEMMS Proseminar); two comprehensive examinations based on the Ethics and LEMMS Proseminars; and the Logic requirement (PHIL-551or its equivalent and PHIL-350 if needed). Students will have a non-service Fellowship during Year 1 (see IV.A.2 below).
• Participate in the non-credit First-Year Seminar, an informal seminar where you will learn about the department’s expectations for graduate students and how to navigate life as a grad student.
• Financial aid : first-year students on financial aid have a non-service “fellowship” year. This means that they are supported to devote themselves full-time to their coursework.
• You will take three courses per semester, and so complete an additional 6 of the required 15 courses (18 of the required 45 credits), for a running total of 14 of the 15 required courses (42 of the required 45 credits).
• Course selection is at your discretion, but you must have a plan to satisfy the requirements in the history of philosophy and the two required systematic courses at the 500+ level, one in normative philosophy, and one in non-normative philosophy. You should consult with the DGS on this plan.
• Financial aid : the second year in the program is a service stipend year. This typically entails serving as a Teaching Assistant for a large introductory course in both semesters. You will be responsible for leading two weekly discussion sections of 22–25 students each, grading your students’ work, holding office hours, attending the course plenary lectures, and other duties as assigned.
• Complete your final course, ensuring that all coursework requirements for the Ph.D. have been completed.
• Participate in the non-credit Third-Year Seminar, where you will begin to think about your dissertation proposal with fellow third-year students, the leader of the seminar, and perhaps with other faculty.
• You must hold a “pre-proposal” or dissertation organization meeting by the end of the third year. In this meeting, you will plan a path toward a formal dissertation proposal with a proposed dissertation committee and mentor.
• Financial aid : service responsibilities resemble those of second-year students, with the additional possibility of serving as a teaching assistant for PHIL-099, Political and Social Thought, the introductory philosophy course for first-year students in the School of Foreign Service. (You may apply for this position during the second year in the program. Three students are chosen each year. The position comes with summer preparation and a summer stipend.)
• You must defend a formal dissertation proposal by the end of the fall semester of the fourth year (your seventh semester in the program). This requires writing a formal proposal according to the regulations of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and defending that proposal in a formal oral defense. Students who do not pass the oral defense may try a second (and final) time during their eighth semester in the program.
• Financial aid : during your fourth year, you will begin to teach your own courses as an instructor of record (a “Teaching Associate”). You will choose a Teaching Mentor, who along with the Department’s Coordinator of Teaching Associates will guide you through the process of designing and teaching courses. There is also substantial teacher training available through the University’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship.
• Financial aid : your fifth year in the program will be a second non-service fellowship year. You will devote yourself entirely to writing your dissertation, with the goal of putting yourself in a position to complete and formally defend the dissertation during the sixth year
• Financial aid : funding is not guaranteed for the sixth year, but it has usually been available to students who have made good progress through the program. If funded, you will teach again as a Teaching Associate, gaining additional valuable experience as an instructor.
• You should defend your doctoral dissertation during this sixth year, as well as prepare for seeking post-doctoral employment.

Years Seven and Eight

• You may, if needed, take a seventh year to complete and defend your dissertation, and it is permissible to apply for an eighth year in the program if necessary.
• However , no financial aid is likely to be available for the seventh and eighth years.

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The online application is usually available starting in early September. But there's no strategic advantage to applying early; we review all our applications at the same time. Just make sure all your materials get to us by January 7 if you are applying for the PhD program.

The application is accessible online. The deadline for PhD admissions is January 7 (or the first business day after that), and the application must be submitted online . There is an application fee . (Some students in special circumstances are eligible for a fee waiver .)

One part of your application is the online form. In addition to the form, you will also submit several kinds of supporting material. 

You will be asked to provide:

A 1-2 page statement of academic purpose, describing past and present work as it relates to your intended field of study, and anything unusual we should know when evaluating your application.

The application will also prompt you to submit an optional personal history statement. The personal history statement is truly optional. If you do feel that there is information relevant to your application, a brief paragraph will normally suffice. It will not be held against you if you choose not to include a personal history statement.

A CV or resume

A writing sample

This should be an example of polished, substantive philosophical writing. It should display your philosophical abilities at their strongest, and will need to manifest analytical skills on a par with students already in our program. It may be the most important part of your application. A reasonable length for this is 20-25 double-spaced pages. Some applicants submit more than one writing sample; this is alright if, for example, they display very different aspects of your philosophical capacities (for example, a paper in philosophical logic and one in ancient philosophy). If they don't, we'll most likely only look at one of the papers submitted. Short 10-page papers of the sort written for a class or a tutorial rarely show us enough of a candidate's ability to be successful, and sending several of these is no better. Applications to our PhD program are intensely competitive. You're best off taking extra time to select your best philosophical work and develop it into a mature, interesting piece of writing.

Sometimes students send us sections of longer pieces of writing; this is ok in principle but what you submit should be self-contained and should be enough on its own for us to reliably evaluate you.

To enable anonymous review, author's name and other identifying information should not be included in the writing sample.

Transcripts

You are strongly encouraged to scan and submit these electronically when you submit your application (with English translations, if needed). Unofficial transcripts are acceptable but if you are admitted, you will have to submit final and official paper copies of your transcripts later.

If your school is in the US, and your GPA is not shown on the transcript, you'll need to calculate it and supply it in the application.

Here are further instructions and FAQs about transcripts.

We ask that you include all of these documents as part of your online application. 

The GRE general test is optional for the upcoming 2023-2024 cycle only. We will consider GRE test scores if they are submitted.

Either the TOEFL or the IELTS is required of all applicants who are not native English speakers or who do not have a bachelor's or master's degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English.

Finally, you'll need to ask several faculty who know you well to submit letters of recommendation to us. We ask for three letters; you can provide up to five if there are special reasons for doing so. Here are further details about letters.

In accordance with GSAS policy, we do not accept letters of recommendation from credentials services, such as Interfolio. Please have your references upload their letters directly to the online application. Additionally, we do not accept any other documents through Interfolio and other services. The statement of academic purpose should be included in your online application and not sent through them. Transcripts and translations should be uploaded to your online application, as well.

Weaker GREs or grades do not decisively exclude a candidate. Coming from a lesser-known school is not much of a handicap, if other parts of the application are strong. Letters from philosophers (or faculty in affiliated departments) are much more useful to us than any other sort of letter. Finally, the writing sample is what you have most control over.

As a matter of policy, we cannot go into further details about what makes an application successful, or how to improve your application.

In order to enroll in the Graduate School of Arts & Science (GSAS), you must have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university of acceptable standing. (In some countries, the equivalent degree is there called a "masters" degree.) It is not formally required that your bachelor's degree have been in philosophy. However, your application won't be successful unless we can see you have a comparable level of preparation.

There is no requirement to have done (what in the US we call) a master's degree—in some places, these are called "MPhil" or "BPhil" or "MLitt" degrees—before applying to our PhD program. You can apply directly to the PhD, and many of our applicants do. However many others, especially those with thinner undergraduate backgrounds in philosophy, have done some master's work.

If you think your background and preparation in philosophy aren't strong enough yet to get you into a competitive PhD program, doing a masters degree can help strengthen your application for the PhD. Not because we're impressed you've done the extra degree, but because it puts you in a position to give us a stronger writing sample, and gives more faculty the opportunity to see you doing advanced work, and write more useful letters of recommendation.

Some students without much formal training in philosophy have been extraordinarily talented at it and have been able to demonstrate this to admissions committees: for example, by writing papers of publishable quality. However, the overwhelming majority of untrained students aren't yet ready to enter competitive PhD programs.

Not at all. We often encourage our own students to do just this. It often gives people better lives, and makes them more ready for grad school when they get to it. At the same time, though, when you do apply we'll want to see that you've actively and recently been doing work of the sort our grad students do. If you've been outside of academia for a while, you'll need to find other ways to do that.

No, I'm sorry, we can't make specific such judgments until we formally review your application. And even if we could, we can't give feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of individual applications.

For these and other international student questions, view the FAQs for international student applicants .

The TOEFL or IELTS test is required of all applicants who are not native English speakers. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived if you will have completed a bachelor or master's degree at an institution where the language of instruction is English. You don't need to do anything to inform the grad school that you're eligible for this waiver; they can determine that from your regular application materials.

For further details, review the GSAS Application Instructions  and the GSAS Testing Requirements FAQs .

The graduate school requires official test scores, sent to them directly from the GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS programs. Have them sent to New York University—GSAS, code 2596. The TOEFL requires you to list a department code; you should select the code that is most appropriate for your field of study. You may also use code 99. However, do not use code 00—we will not receive your test scores if you report 00 as the TOEFL department code. Also, do not leave the field blank. If you do, it will become code 00 and we will not receive your test scores. For IELTS scores, they must be sent directly to New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York ,NY. No code is needed for IELTS.

Often there are constraints on when you'll be able to take the GRE and TOEFL tests. You should schedule them early in the fall. Every year, some students end up scheduling them too late and then email us frantically asking what exceptions we can make for them. There's little we can do. If your test scores won't reach us until (shortly) after the application deadline, then self-report the scores on your application, or email them to us as soon as they are available. However, we may have already set your application aside as incomplete; and we make no promises to go back and reconsider it. Also, the grad school must receive your official test scores by the time we make our final decisions, or we won't be permitted to make you an offer.

We see all of your scores.

Please don't do this. It turns out to be a huge amount of work for us and for the grad school. These are things that DON'T justify sending us any update or new material:

• you accidentally sent us the statement of academic purpose that was addressed to Columbia
• your paper which was under consideration for ... has now been accepted, and you want to update your CV
• you have a newer draft of your writing sample, or you accidentally sent one that left out a few changes

If you have some more compelling reason to update your application, then you can email [email protected] .

GES gets applications to us, and we begin reviewing them, in mid-January. We make no promises whatsoever to include materials submitted late in our review.

Please review your Application Status Page which has a checklist of the various parts of the application and whether we have received them or not.

Philosophy gets over 300 PhD applications each year, and are typically permitted to make fewer than 10 first-round offers, plus a small number of second-round offers, aiming to get an entering class of 4-8 students. This means we accept around 3% or fewer of our applicants. For comparison, Yale Law School's acceptance rate is around 7%, and Harvard Law School's acceptance rate is around 11%.

We aim to make all our admissions decisions by the end of the second full week of March.  Our admissions decision must be finalized with the Graduate School before applicants are informed whether their application was successful, a process which may take up to another week after the decisions have been made.  Graduate School policy does not permit us to answer individual queries about decisions.

If you're worried that an announcement hasn't reached you, the best thing you can do is make sure you update us with changes to your email address. Do so by writing  [email protected] .

There are websites where applicants say what schools they've heard decisions from. Sometimes there are phony reports of NYU decisions on these sites. I don't know why. We will attempt to get our real decisions to you as soon as we can. Decisions are not available by phone.

As stated above, we get many excellent applications and can only extend offers to a small handful of them. Many strong applications are unsuccessful. As a matter of policy, we are not permitted to discuss details regarding individual decisions.

No. The application and all materials submitted to the Graduate School become the property of NYU and will not be returned under any circumstances.

Only your GRE scores (retained for five years) and TOEFL/IELTS scores (retained for two years). Review the FAQ for Re-applying for Admission .

If you are applying for the dual-degree JD/PhD program, you need to apply separately to both NYU Philosophy and NYU Law School. Each program's decisions are made independently, on the basis of their usual standards, and they do not share application materials. The cooperative nature of the program consists in your being able to use certain coursework to satisfy some requirements simultaneously. (Here are more details .) If you're accepted to both programs, we'll gladly discuss this all further, and put you in touch with some other students who have pursued this dual-degree program. As stated above, LSAT scores cannot be substituted for the graduate school's GRE requirement.

Admission to a dual-degree program is contingent on acceptance by both programs. If one does not accept you, the other may at its discretion consider you for admission to that individual program.

Apart from dual-degree programs, GSAS policy permits students to apply for only a single program and degree in a given year. Review the policy around multiple applications .

Exceptions: Students who apply to the Philosophy PhD program and are unsuccessful can ask to be considered for the MA programs in  Bioethics , or the interdisciplinary Center for Experimental Humanities . To arrange this, let Graduate Enrollment Services (GES, they are GSAS's admissions office) know as soon as possible after getting the PhD decision. They will instruct you how to proceed.

You are allowed to apply simultaneously to multiple programs at NYU if they are in different schools, such as GSAS and Steinhardt.

Students tend to take from 5 to 7 years.

All our PhD offers come with the same standard financial aid package. No separate application is required. We will discuss the details with you when we extend an offer.

If you've won an external fellowship, be sure to let us know; this will affect the details of your financial aid.

Typically our students are able to support themselves in modest shared housing on the fellowships we offer. They don't need to take out educational loans. Opportunities for teaching are available and compensation is in addition to the fellowship offer. The terms of the fellowship (as well as student visas for international students) severely constrain your eligibility for other employment.

The university has a subsidized student housing program for first-year PhD students. Details about this will be supplied in your offer letter.

Most US graduate programs, including NYU, have signed the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution.

This promises that admitted students with financial aid offers aren't required to accept the offer before April 15 (or a later date if specified in your offer letter). However, if you're able to make a decision earlier, you are encouraged to do so. This helps students on our waiting list, and helps us better create the incoming class. But it is your privilege to take until the deadline, if you need to.

If you do accept an offer before April 15, you are allowed to cancel the acceptance at any time until April 15.

After April 15, you cannot accept an offer from another school (school #2), without first obtaining a written release from the school you originally accepted (school #1). And school #2 cannot offer you financial aid except conditional on your supplying that written release from school #1.

You can notify us by email of your decision to accept or decline our offer, but you must also follow the instructions in your offer letter, and (if you're accepting) submit a tuition deposit. The details will be spelled out in your offer letter.

In some circumstances this is possible. You have to petition for it, and your reasons for deferring should be academic.

Here are the departmental rules .

We are willing to consider applications from students seeking to transfer from other PhD programs. However, we make offers only to the most exceptional of these; our expectations are much higher than for beginning students.

Our PhD students can get some course credit for graduate-level work done previously (whether in a degree program or not). Generally this will be for up to two courses, and will be subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. Please wait until we've made our admissions offers before asking us to pronounce about your individual circumstances.

Even if you don't get course credit for work done previously, you are welcome to use that work as a seed for work you'd submit here, either for a seminar or for an independent study you arrange with a member of our faculty.

Other local philosophy departments: sure! Sometimes, someone at NYU will have to nominally oversee your participation in the outside course, and approve the grade. But in practice, this doesn't make much difference.

Other departments at NYU: sure, if it's relevant to your philosophical studies. (Otherwise, your fellowship doesn't pay the tuition, and we wouldn't count it towards your degree.) In recent years, our students have attended courses in the Law School, and the linguistics, psychology, math, and physics departments. There are also some programs for language study, in NY or abroad; though this also has to be relevant to your studies, and in practice our students don't have to satisfy a separate language requirement.

One of the requirements of our PhD program is that 9 out of the 11 required courses be taken in the NYU Philosophy department (courses cross-listed in other departments count for these purposes). It's common to audit courses at other departments, even when one doesn't take them for credit.

Our PhD students do coursework for two years and only decide on their dissertation topic during their third year. A dissertation committee is formed at that time. We assign supervisors during your first years in the program, but this is just someone who talks to you about program requirements, problems you're having, and so on. There's no reason for it to be someone who's directly related to your research interests.

There is no general language requirement for the Ph.D. Language proficiency may be required for specialized research in particular areas (e.g., ancient philosophy) or topics (e.g., Kant).

See our placement record .

See our course listings .

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Suggested search, apply to usc philosophy.

Applications to the Graduate School of the University of Southern California are coordinated through the WebAdMIT application system. The Application Deadline is January 6th.

The online graduate admission application system is available here . The system will prompt you to create a user account, and instructions will walk you through the process. It is important to note that you need not complete your application at one sitting; your application will not be complete until you hit “submit”.

If you have difficulties with the online graduate admission application system or have further questions about what is needed for a philosophy application, please contact the department at [email protected] . 

Application Elements

To be complete, your application must contain the components listed below.

NOTE:  The online graduate admission application will say that certain materials must be submitted “directly to the school, academic department or program to which you are applying.” You can and should submit all required items through the online system , however, for example under the heading “Supporting Documents.”

An applicant for admission normally has an undergraduate major in philosophy, but programs may be arranged for promising students who do not. You must submit transcripts for each of your previous academic institutions; these are required by the Graduate School in order to process your enrollment. Your transcript will play some role, but not the most important role, in the admissions decision. The instructions for the online graduate admission application will walk you through this process.

Your personal statement is the primary opportunity that you have in your application to give us a picture of who you are, what motivates you, and what philosophical questions interest you. It is not a request for you to propose a research program, but don’t be afraid of telling us what you find interesting about the philosophical questions which currently interest you most. It should be under two pages in length. Personal statements should be uploaded in connection with your online graduate admission application under the heading of “Supporting Documents.”

All applicants are required to submit a sample of philosophical written work, which should normally be between 12-20 pages in length. It should represent your very best work to date. This is the most important part of your application, so make sure to put your best foot forward. Writing samples should be uploaded in connection with your online graduate admission application under the heading of “Supporting Documents.”

The online graduate admission application contains instructions for requesting letters of recommendation (to be submitted online) from at least three, and no more than six, recommenders who can vouch for your academic and specifically philosophical promise. If for some reason your recommenders prefer to submit their letters on paper, the online graduate admission application contains instructions for how to arrange that, as well. Follow up with your recommenders to make sure that all letters have been submitted by December 31st at the latest.

USC Philosophy does not consider GRE scores as a part of graduate admissions, and so applicants are requested to not submit these scores. And although USC Philosophy does not require the TOEFL in order to consider non-native speakers of English for the program, USC Graduate Admissions requires the TOEFL in order to enroll in the university. USC’s code for the TOEFL is 4852.

Fee Waiver Requests

The Office of Graduate Admissions provides a Fee Waiver request process to assist those in specific categories. Please access the link  here , and note that fee waiver requests must be finalized BEFORE you can submit your application. The Office of Graduate Admissions is closed for the University Holiday from December 19 – January 2. You must allow 3-4 business days for the request to be processed, so our recommendation is that you complete the process no later than December 12th to guarantee that you receive your waiver code prior to the holiday. Late fee requests will not be granted after an application has been submitted.

The Office of Graduate Admissions does not provide fee waivers for international applicants. Please note that the USC School of Philosophy also cannot cover or waive application fees for our international applicants and we can no longer review requests to do so at this time.

Mailing Address USC School of Philosophy Mudd Hall of Philosophy (MHP) Room 113 3709 Trousdale Parkway Los Angeles, CA 90089-0451

Phone  213-740-4084 Fax 213-740-5174 Email [email protected]

Chair  Ralph Wedgwood [email protected]

Vice Chair Alexis Wellwood [email protected]

Director of Graduate Studies Jeff Russell [email protected]

Graduate Admissions Mark Schroeder [email protected] 

Director of Undergraduate Studies Shieva Kleinschmidt [email protected]

Administrators

Academic Program Administrator Natalie Schaad  [email protected]

Office Administrative Assistant Donna Lugo   [email protected]

Office Administrative Assistant Brian Eckert [email protected]

DPhil in Philosophy

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Philosophy is a three- to four-year full-time research programme whereby you undertake a doctoral level research project under the guidance of your supervisor(s). This course is not available in part-time mode of study and is not offered via distance learning.

The primary aim of the faculty’s DPhil in Philosophy is to prepare you for an academic career in philosophy. Each year, the Faculty of Philosophy welcomes students from a range of courses who have already completed substantial graduate work in philosophy. Typically, students who are successfully admitted to the DPhil course have already completed study that is equivalent or nearly equivalent to that required for Oxford’s BPhil in Philosophy course. The faculty’s Graduate Studies Committee recommends progression from Oxford's BPhil in Philosophy to the DPhil course, considering the BPhil offers the opportunity to study a wide range of philosophical topics over two years as well as to focus on a narrower field of research interest (unlike most one-year masters in a specialised subject, as offered elsewhere).

Students may also progress from the faculty's specialised MSt programmes - the MSt in Philosophy of Physics , the MSt in Ancient Philosophy and the MSt in Practical Ethics .

As part of your doctoral research you will produce a substantial 75,000-word thesis. Students proceeding to the DPhil programme via the BPhil will normally write a DPhil thesis which is an expansion of their BPhil thesis and may be able to incorporate the full contents of their 30,000-word BPhil thesis into the 75,000-word DPhil thesis. However, this is not a formal requirement; sometimes the BPhil thesis topic is not suitable for expansion into a DPhil thesis, or you may wish to write your DPhil thesis on a different topic.

You are not required to attend any taught graduate classes as part of your DPhil degree, but you are encouraged to participate in lectures, classes, seminars and other educational opportunities offered throughout the university as relevant to your topic of study. The course has no fieldwork, industrial placement or year abroad element, but you may decide to attend conferences, workshops or research training elsewhere.

You may attend any graduate or undergraduate classes, seminars and lectures in and outside of the Faculty of Philosophy which are of interest to you, provided that those classes, seminars and lectures are open to you.

Each term, many graduate classes and research seminars are organised by faculty members in which graduate students are full and important participants.

Graduates are encouraged to organise their own seminars and reading groups, and they also run two societies: one invites distinguished speakers from the UK and around the world, while the other gives graduates the opportunity to present papers to a graduate audience.

Each year there is an Oxford Graduate Philosophy Conference, in which most graduate philosophy students participate in some way.

The Masters of Letters (MLitt) in Philosophy is awarded on the basis of a thesis of maximum 50,000 words. In practice, applicants are admitted for the MLitt only in exceptional cases, and few students submit a thesis for the MLitt. The MLitt is more often an exit award for DPhil students who fail or withdraw from the DPhil degree but meet the requirements for the MLitt.

Course Outcomes

As a DPhil student, you will research, summarise, present and defend an argument with some of the best scholars in their subject, under the direction of (an) experienced researcher(s), and will extend your skills and experiences.

During the DPhil you will learn new or hone existing intellectual, practical and transferable skills, as follows:

• analyse and clarify an abstract question, grasp and critically compare different approaches to answering it, and develop an approach of your own
• put complex arguments together for and against a position and take them apart
• interpret difficult historical texts produced within a historical context
• construct extensive pieces of writing that provide a clear overview of a subject and a sustained independent argument about it, presented in a lucid, objective and scholarly manner
• demonstrate excellent oral presentation
• have effective time organisation (since you must produce extensive pieces of written work at regular intervals and to tight deadlines)
• sustain intensive work to a deadline over an extended period
• make effective use of libraries, information technology and other sources of information

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of Philosophy and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of Philosophy.

You should have regular one-to-one tuition sessions with your supervisor(s). These will normally happen twice per term but in some terms, especially at the start of the degree and during the final stages of the thesis, the number of sessions may be increased.

You will normally be assigned one supervisor to start with but towards the end of your course, after you have been awarded confirmation of status, it is usual for you to receive a second, additional supervisor, to offer another view on your work as well as to provide another reference for you if required.

You will initially be enrolled as a Probationary Research Student (PRS), unless you have previously completed the BPhil course at Oxford (see below). Normally in the third term after enrolment onto the DPhil as a PRS student, you are required to complete a transfer of status from PRS to full DPhil student status. Two appointed examiners will interview you on:

• your thesis outline, which explains the intended line of argument or contribution to the subject;
• a piece of written work in the area and philosophical style of the proposed thesis which is typically, though not necessarily, a draft chapter of the thesis.

If you progressed from the MSt in Philosophy of Physics course, you are required to write a 20,000-word thesis during your year as a PRS, as your MSt does not have a thesis element.

Normally at the end of the second year after you enrolled, you will be required to apply for confirmation of your DPhil student status. This application will involve an interview by one or two appointed examiners on:

• your thesis outline, comprising both a reasoned statement of the nature of, and some detail on, the proposed thesis together with a provisional table of contents; and
• a piece of written work intended as a part of the thesis, in final or near-final draft.

If you progress from the BPhil, you will normally enter the DPhil without being required to pass a year as a PRS and as a result you will normally apply for confirmation of DPhil status in the third term after enrolment onto the DPhil and, according to the Examination Regulations at time of publication, you will only have six terms (instead of the usual nine terms) of fee liability  for your DPhil.

The doctoral work culminates in a 75,000-word thesis that is defended orally in front of two appointed examiners ( viva voce ).

Graduate destinations

The DPhil in Philosophy's primary aim is to prepare students for an academic career in philosophy. Most DPhil graduates do indeed secure academic posts, as witnessed by the faculty's placement record .

The faculty provides a  placement scheme to help students seeking jobs within philosophy. Users of the placement scheme may ask their referees to send reference letters directly to the faculty where they will be held on file and sent out to universities or other academic institutions at the student’s request. The placement scheme is normally available to alumni until they have secured a tenured post.

The faculty's Placement Officer helps job applicants with the preparation of their CVs, provides advice about the presentation of material in an application dossier, and arranges practice interviews. The Placement Officer also holds a yearly introductory placement seminar, compulsory to those wishing to make use of the placement scheme. Also, students are invited to give talks based on material they propose to use in their writing samples or job talks, with an opportunity for comment and discussion. 

The faculty also runs an email mailing list for members of the placement scheme, which will be used to pass on job tips and news of vacancies.

The faculty runs a teaching scheme, lecturing scheme and a Graduate Teaching Register with the aim of providing teaching experience for those DPhil students who intend to pursue an academic career. In the case of the teaching scheme and Graduate Teaching Register, you will do a certain amount of teaching and marking under the guidance of a college fellow. If you are accepted into the lecturing scheme, you will be allowed to give an undergraduate lecture course of your own choice and design, consisting of four one-hour lectures.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• the BPhil in Philosophy from the University of Oxford with a distinction or near-distinction grade, or an equivalent national or international qualification;  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in philosophy or a closely-related degree which involved substantial engagement with philosophy.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7 or above.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

You are not required to have any publications but these may be an advantage.

Further guidance

Applicants who achieve a distinction in the BPhil in Philosophy , the MSt in Philosophy of Physics , the MSt in Ancient Philosophy or the MSt in Practical Ethics are eligible for progression to the DPhil, provided that the faculty's Graduate Studies Committee is satisfied that their proposed thesis topic and outline indicate that they can be adequately supervised by members of the Philosophy Faculty. Students who pass the BPhil in Philosophy, the MSt in Philosophy of Physics, the MSt in Ancient Philosophy or the MSt in Practical Ethics without a distinction may be admitted to the DPhil at the Committee’s discretion.

All applications are assessed by the faculty's Graduate Studies Committee at the same time, after the application deadline has passed, and offers are made on a strictly comparative basis.

Applicants should not apply with more than one distinct research proposal.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Oxford is one of the world’s great centres for philosophy, and is widely recognised to be amongst the best. In the most recent Philosophical Gourmet Report (2021-22) Oxford University’s Faculty of Philosophy was once again ranked top in the list of Philosophy Faculties in the United Kingdom and still ranked second in the overall ranking of philosophy faculties in the English speaking world. More than 150 professional philosophers work in the University and its colleges, between them covering a vast range of subjects within philosophy, and many are international leaders in their fields. 

Many philosophy subjects at Oxford are ranked highly in the most recent Philosophical Gourmet Report’s breakdown of programmes by speciality (2020-21) , including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical logic, philosophy of language, applied ethics, metaethics and moral psychology, normative ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of law, philosophy of art, philosophy of physics, decision & rational choice, & game theory, ancient philosophy, 18th century early modern philosophy and 20th century continental philosophy.

The Philosophy Centre in the Radcliffe Humanities building on Woodstock Road acts as a focal point for the faculty’s activities and contains, as well as lecturing and teaching space, a graduate study room and a graduate common room. A wireless network runs throughout the Philosophy Centre.

The Philosophy Centre also contains the department's library, with over 25,000 volumes, a collection of approximately 80 periodicals, online access to many philosophical databases, and librarians trained in the specific bibliographic needs of philosophers. Many college libraries also have extensive holdings in philosophy.

The faculty runs a teaching scheme, lecturing scheme and a Graduate Teaching Register with the aim of providing teaching experience for those DPhil students who intend to pursue an academic career. In the case of the teaching scheme and Graduate Teaching Register, you will do a certain amount of teaching and marking under the guidance of a college fellow. If you are accepted into the lecturing scheme, you will be allowed to give an undergraduate lecture course of your own choice and design, consisting of four one-hour lectures. 

Over 150 Oxford academics are employed by or associated with the Faculty of Philosophy, making it one of the largest philosophy departments worldwide. 

The Faculty of Philosophy is widely recognised to be amongst the best philosophy departments in the world, ranked first in the UK and second in the English-speaking world by the most recent  Philosophical Gourmet Report  (2021-22). 

The faculty offers a wide range of graduate classes, seminars and supervisions, providing you with high-quality tuition in philosophy. This includes its flagship course, the  BPhil in Philosophy , which we believe provides the perfect graduate level training for further studies to doctoral level and is usually studied as the first two years of a four- to five-year doctoral program.

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities  for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee has a research and travel fund for graduate students to which students may apply for assistance with, for example, the costs of attending conferences or workshops. BPhil and MSt students may only apply for funding if they are presenting a paper. Probationary Research Students and DPhil students are entitled to apply for funding to attend a workshop, conference, etc, whether or not they are presenting a paper.

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the DPhil in Philosophy:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

Before you apply, you should identify an academic member of staff who is willing to supervise you and has the resources to support your proposed research project. There is no need to contact prospective supervisors directly; details of academic staff, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the department's website.

Please note that it can never be guaranteed that your proposed supervisor will be assigned to you, even if you receive prior informal approval from that supervisor.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) who you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise, leave this field blank.

Referees Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Three academic references are usually required. However, if you have been out of education for a long time, or if you have substantial relevant working experience, then a maximum of one professional reference may replace an academic reference, provided that it speaks to your ability to undertake philosophy studies at graduate level.

Your references should support outstanding academic achievement, great intellectual ability, strong motivation, and independence of thought.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Personal statement and research proposal: Statement of a maximum of 500 words and a proposal of a maximum of 2,000 words

Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.

Personal statement

You should also submit a personal statement explaining your motivation for applying for graduate study at Oxford. Your statement should focus on philosophy, rather than personal, extra-curricular achievements and interests. In your statement, you may wish to consider the following questions:

• why are you applying to this particular programme of study?
• what relevant academic and/or research experience do you have?
• which areas of study within the subject interest you?
• why would you be an excellent candidate for this course?
• how does this course fit in with your future career plans?

Your personal statement should be written in English and be a maximum of 500 words.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your personal statement will be assessed for evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study.

Research proposal

Your research proposal should comprise a detailed outline of your proposed research, covering areas such as the background to the research, methodology, expected results and the contribution to the field of learning. You may wish to make reference to your academic achievements, interests and aspirations and the relevance of the course to your future career development plans.

Your research proposal should be written in English and be a maximum of 2,000 words. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

Your research proposal will be assessed for:

• coherence 
• originality 
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• ability to present a reasoned case in English
• feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (normally three years and a maximum of four years)
• commitment to the subject
• knowledge of research techniques
• capacity for sustained and intense work
• reasoning ability
• ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project, but you should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at the time of your application.

Written work: One essay of 4,000 to a maximum of 5,000 words

You should submit an academic essay on a subject related to your proposed research topic. 

The essay should be typed or word-processed in English and must be clearly marked with your name and the date of composition. The word count does not need to include the end bibliography. Footnotes and in-text referencing are included.

This will be assessed for:

• clarity and accuracy of thought and writing
• intellectual independence
• willingness and ability to reach conclusions by reasoned argument rather than assertion
• a critical and attentive reading of any texts discussed
• understanding of important philosophical ideas and theories
• if required by the topic of the work, appropriate technical skills.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of Philosophy

• Course page  and FAQs on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 276930

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Other courses to consider

You may also wish to consider applying to other courses that are similar or related to this course:

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• Graduate Admissions

Graduate Admissions to the Department of Philosophy will open late summer for the academic year 2024-2025. Deadlines will be December 15, 2023, 10 PM Mountain Time for international applicants and January 3, 2024, 10 PM Mountain Time for domestic applicants. You may apply as instructed below.

Thank you for your interest in graduate study in the Philosophy Department at the University of Colorado Boulder.  You can learn more about each our three graduate programs — Ph.D., M.A., and Bachelor’s–Accelerated Master’s — by clicking on the links to the right.

We expect to enroll a full Ph.D. class (usually 5-6 students) and a full M.A. class (usually 4-8 students) in Fall 2024.  All of our Ph.D. students receive guaranteed funding for at least five years, in the form of TA-ships or graduate-student Instructorships.  And though most of our M.A. students do not receive guaranteed funding, we have in recent years been able to offer some funding each semester to the majority of our M.A. students in the form of TA-ships.   We are GRE test blind for Fall 2024 admissions; we are not requiring GRE scores, nor will the Admissions Committee see any scores that are submitted. (Please note that international applicants may still be required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores. See under "International Applicants", below.)

All applicants are considered for both the Ph.D. and M.A. programs.  

Some resources and information you should know about if you are considering applying to graduate school in philosophy:

• Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Philosophy : Comprehensive advice by Eric Schwitzgebel, philosophy professor at UC Riverside; from 2007 but still relevant and still very helpful;
• The Philosophical Gourmet Report : An influential ranking of graduate programs in philosophy in the English-speaking world; see the speciality rankings in addition to the overall rankings;
• Should You Go to Graduate School in Philosophy? : One discussion of the question with links in the first paragraph to several other discussions.

The Philosophy Department supports the University’s commitment to encouraging diversity and equal educational and employment opportunities throughout the University community. These values are articulated in the University’s   non-discrimination policy , by the   Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance , and by the   Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement .  We welcome applications from all students, but we also   hope to continue to attract and retain members of underrepresented groups in philosophy. To this end, we strongly   encourage women and members of underrepresented groups to apply, and we are offering targeted application-fee waivers (see below for details).

If you have any questions about graduate study in the Philosophy Department at CU Boulder or about your specific circumstances, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Chris Heathwood, at [email protected] .

I want to pursue a PhD in philosophy but I haven’t studied a lot of philosophy formally. Do you have any advice for me?

If you have studied enough philosophy to have good letters of recommendation from philosophy professors and a good writing sample in philosophy, it is possible to be admitted into a good graduate program in philosophy without a BA in philosophy. MA programs are generally easier to get into than PhD programs, and of course can serve as a springboard to them.  

If you don’t have letters of recommendation from philosophers or a good writing sample in philosophy but are determined to study philosophy at the graduate level, one way to overcome this is to take philosophy courses at a nearby university as a non-degree student. Here at CU Boulder, you can even take graduate courses this way (with the permission of the professor). If you take several such courses and do well in them, you may be able to get some letters of recommendation out of it as well as a good writing sample.

If you are near enough to Boulder and want to take a graduate-level course as a non-degree student, reach out to the professor teaching the course by email a few weeks before the start of class, explain to them your background in philosophy, explain your longterm goals in philosophy, including how your taking this course fits in with them, and ask them for their permission to take the course. The actual process for enrolling is explained here: https://ce.colorado.edu/resources/getting-started-visiting-nondegree-student/

If I want to apply, do I first need to reach out to a faculty member and ask them if they are willing to take me on as their PhD student?

No.  Unlike in many European universities, professors in philosophy departments in American universities typically do not individually recruit, admit, or fund students.  Applicants to our PhD program are pooled together, and a committee chooses a small number of the most highly qualified applicants for admission.  Those students do two to three years of coursework, after which time they settle on a PhD advisor.  There is no expectation that applicants have any contact with individual faculty members prior to applying.  

Do you offer application waivers?

Yes, in limited circumstances.  This is explained below. 

Application fee waiver requests are available for four groups of applicants, as listed below. In every case, fee waiver requests must be initiated prior to completing an application. You may apply for a fee waiver starting on October 1st . Domestic applicants must submit their request by December 15 . Requests from international applicants must be received by November 1.

1. Participants in the McNair Scholars program : In order to qualify for this application fee waiver, applicants must upload a verification letter signed by the current campus McNair representative. McNair Scholars should email [email protected] directly for instructions on how to proceed.

2. Participants in the Gates Millennium Scholars program: In order to qualify for this application fee waiver, applicants must upload a verification letter signed by a Gates Millennium Scholars representative. Applicants should email [email protected] directly for instructions on how to proceed.

3. U.S. citizens who meet the following need-based eligibility :

• are currently enrolled in a degree program with no breaks in enrollment from point of entry in a degree-seeking program. In order to qualify for this application fee waiver, applicants must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program in the semester immediately preceding the academic term for which they are applying
• have continuously received need-based financial aid in each term of enrollment in your current program
• have had no breaks in financial support since onset of support

To qualify under this third category, please provide a verification letter on letterhead from your current institution's financial aid office, with an original signature certifying the specific items listed above. If you are unable to obtain a letter from your current institution’s financial aid office, please upload official financial aid award statements from all academic years of enrollment. This material should be sent to Philosophy Graduate Program Assistant Karen Sites ( [email protected] ).

4. Highly qualified international applicants from low-currency countries: International applicants will be considered for a fee waiver if

• they come from a low-currency country ;
• they have strong academic qualifications;
• their scholarly interests are a good fit with the interests of this department.

To qualify under this fourth category, applicants should supply

• the statement of purpose from their application;
• the writing sample from their application;
• a brief account of their reason for requesting a waiver.

This material should be sent to Philosophy Graduate Program Assistant Karen Sites ( [email protected] ).

If your fee waiver request is approved, the fee for applying will be paid directly by the University of Colorado. In that case, it is essential that you not pay the fee yourself. If you pay the fee, reimbursement is not possible .

If your fee waiver request is denied, your application will not be processed until the application fee is paid. 

The Department will consider fee waivers on a rolling basis until the designated funds have been exhausted.

CU has adopted an on-line admissions system. Check out the general instructions for applying and submitting materials .

As part of the application process you will be assigned a username. The username/number you are assigned when you apply becomes your permanent student identification number at CU. If you were ever a student at CU, or if you ever applied to CU in the past, you need to use that same username associated with your name and social security number. Be aware that the process of assigning a username and login credentials takes two to three business days and must be done before you can proceed; for this reason make sure you start your application well before the due date.

Until you have completed and submitted the on-line application, your recommenders will not be notified and you will not be able to check the status of your transcripts, test scores, etc. in the portal. For this reason, you should complete your on-line application as soon as possible.

Changes or updates to your already-submitted application should be sent directly to Admissions at [email protected]

Please note that applications must be complete by the deadline, including recommendations, in order to be fully considered. You should plan ahead accordingly.

Also please note that the application system closes at 10 PM Mountain Time on the due date. Do not plan on submitting late in the day on the due date.

Once you have submitted your application, you will be able to check the status of your application and supplemental documents .

The department invites and encourages applications from minority and women candidates. The department offers fall admission only into the graduate program. The deadline for domestic applications is January 3rd.

Each application requires the following elements:

• online application form (filled out and submitted online)
• $60 application fee (paid online)
• a writing sample (a sample of your philosophical work) (submitted online); the writing sample should be no more than 5,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography.
• 1-2 page personal statement (submitted online) explaining your philosophical background, interests, and goals. We strive to have a diverse, equitable, and inclusive graduate program; thus, you may (but are not required to) also use your personal statement to describe how your educational, professional, or personal experiences have prepared you to contribute to this aim.
• three letters of reference (submitted online)
• scanned unofficial transcripts from each institution of higher learning that you have attended. Uploading Transcripts

All applicants should use the online application portal .

You will first need to register. If you have ever applied for a password-protected account at CU (e.g., you applied last year), you will need to use the same username and password associated with your social security number as before. Fill out the on-line application, and pay the $60 application fee on line. Have three (3) Letters of recommendation sent to us. There are two ways to have letters sent:

• Fill in the names of your recommenders; an email will be sent to them asking them to upload their letters of recommendation for you after you submit your application. For this reason, do not wait until the deadline to submit your application. It is HIGHLY recommended that letters be submitted online in this fashion in order to ensure proper processing.
• If recommenders wish to send their letters by email instead of by uploading their letters, please have them email them to [email protected]

Transcripts should be scanned and uploaded or mailed as per above.

The department invites and encourages applications from minority and women candidates. The department only offers fall admission into the graduate program. The deadline for international applicants is December 15th.

• $80 application fee (paid online)

All applicants should use the  online application portal .

International applicants should  check the requirements for international applicants .

Check here to see if you are required to supply  T OEFL / IELTS scores .

International applicants have an early deadline of December 15th. This deadline is to ensure that application materials have time to be processed for the department. All applicants should use the  online application portal .

You will first need to register. Fill out the on-line application, and pay the $80 application fee for international students on line. Have ETS send your TOEFL (if needed) score to CU Boulder. Upload your writing sample and statement of purpose to the online application website. If for some reason you cannot upload these documents, you must send them to the Office of Admissions (address below). Have three (3) letters of recommendation sent to us. There are two ways to have letters sent:

• Fill in the names of your recommenders; an email will be sent to them asking them to upload their letters of recommendation for you after you submit your application. It is HIGHLY recommended that letters be submitted online in this fashion in order to ensure proper processing.
• If recommenders wish to send their letters by email instead of by uploading their letters, please have them email them to  [email protected]

Upload scans of unofficial transcripts  or send your transcript(s) to the above address. The Office of Admissions will process the materials, and upload the documents for us to see online. If you send us any materials by mail, we will have to forward it to the Office of Admissions. To ensure that materials you send to the Office of Admissions are matched with your application file, print a copy of your application as a cover sheet for the items you mail to the Office of Admissions. Failure to do this can result in delays in processing. Allow sufficient time for mail to be delivered to the United States. Most items typically require 10 days to two weeks from within the United States and even more time when sent from other countries.

For further information or questions about the admissions process, contact:

Karen Sites Graduate Program Coordinator CU Boulder Philosophy Muenzinger D110, 232 UCB Boulder, CO 80309 [email protected] 303-492-3172

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Apply for the Ph.D. in Philosophy Program

Complete the online application administered by the Duke Graduate School . (Although the general Graduate School deadline is earlier, the department will consider all applications completed by December 7, 2023). We consider applications for admission to the fall semester only. Applications are completed and submitted to the Graduate School in the fall of the year preceding the applicant's expected year of entry into the program. 

Required documents and information:

• Academic transcripts
• Letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• GRE scores (Optional)
• Writing sample
• International students also need to submit their TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo English Test score

Writing Sample

The submission of a writing sample (nonreturnable, limited to fewer than 15 pages) is required. Writing samples are to be uploaded to the Graduate School on-line application site, along with general application materials, behind the other documents.  

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Florida State University

FSU | Department of Philosophy

Department of Philosophy

Graduate (ma/phd) admissions, ready to apply.

Click the appropriate link below to find instructions for the application procedure:

• Domestic Applicants
• International Applicants
• Readmission Applicant (enrolled as a degree-seeking graduate student at FSU in the past seven years)

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you submit your application, you will receive an e-mail with a link to your application status page.  The status page contains the modules for uploading your supporting documents and entering the contact information for your letter writers.

We ask that you submit three letters of recommendation, a resume/curriculum vitae, a statement of purpose, copies of your test scores and transcripts, and a writing sample that does not exceed 20 double-spaced, typed pages.  Applicants must submit official test scores and transcripts to the Office of Admissions.

GRE scores are now an optional component of applications to our MA and PhD programs. The department reviews each application holistically, so, for those applicants who choose to submit GRE scores, these are merely one data point among several; they are not used to filter out any applications. And their absence has no negative impact. When GRE scores are not submitted, the applicant will be assessed entirely on the basis of the required materials as far as admission to the graduate program, and departmental funding, are concerned. However, GRE scores may have an impact on funding decisions outside the department’s influence, such as university-wide fellowships.

No, but you do need a background in Philosophy (or the equivalent of a minor in Philosophy, i.e., at least 12 credit hours)

The deadline to ensure full consideration of your application for admission and funding is  January 2nd . However, applications will be accepted until the final application deadline of March 31st.

PhD applicants who wish to be considered for the MA program if not accepted to the PhD program should indicate such interest at the end of their statement of purpose.

All applicants are automatically considered for a teaching assistantship by the department, and any student admitted to the program (either MA or PhD) is typically offered one. A teaching assistantship is a funding award that includes a stipend, a tuition waiver, and health insurance, and requires that the student work as a teaching assistant. In addition, there are some departmental fellowships available, which are offered to exceptional PhD applicants by the department. University fellowships are special financial awards offered by the university. They are competitive, with only a few being offered each year across all disciplines within the university. For a complete list of university fellowships and their requirements, please consult the FSU graduate school fellowships and grants page.

Neither the department nor the university has a minimum score requirement, but a competitive applicant to the PhD program will usually have scores at or above the 90 th percentile (162) on the verbal section and the 65 th percentile (156) on the quantitative. However, the department evaluates applicants using several additional criteria that may outweigh lower GRE scores.

Florida State University's institution code is 5219.

The university requires a minimum GPA of 3.0. Successful applicants will typically have a very strong background in Philosophy, with a GPA of 3.8 or higher

You may send them in one large envelope as long as you have each of your letter-writers seal the envelopes and sign across the seal before you collect the letters. Otherwise, the recommenders should mail their letters separately.

We ask that you do not submit more than three. You can help us keep the application process fair and efficient by submitting the requested number of letters.

We ask that you submit only one writing sample for the same reason we ask you to submit only three letters of recommendation: it helps preserve the fairness and efficiency of the application process.

Please submit only the materials requested, and only in the numbers requested. The Graduate Admissions Committee considers the materials requested to be those most relevant to making admissions decisions.

Yes. University Admissions will not consider your application to be complete until they receive official transcripts from all of your previous institutions.

You should contact [email protected] .

Sometimes your application is complete with the Department of Philosophy, but incomplete with University Admissions. This situation can occur because the Department of Philosophy considers your file complete once we have the information required to make an admissions decision. University Admissions, however, will consider your application incomplete until they have received and processed your application fee and official copies of your transcripts and GRE scores. We cannot officially admit you until your file is complete with University Admissions.

We endeavor to make admissions decisions as early as possible in the calendar year, so we hope to inform applicants about their status by the end of February. We adhere to the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution concerning offers of funding, which sets an April 15 deadline for the acceptance of funding offers.

If you do not find your question or concern answered here, please contact Dr. James "Jack" Justus, Director of Graduate Studies, by e-mail at [email protected] or by completing the inquiry form below.

151 Dodd Hall Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306-1500

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Connect with arts and sciences.

Penn State is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics, not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy, or by state or federal authorities. For more information on diversity programs at Penn State, please visit the website of the  Vice Provost for Educational Equity .

All applications are administered and processed on-line through the Pennsylvania State University Graduate School.  If you are ready to proceed to the application but have NOT read the Graduate School requirements, please visit that website at  http://www.gradschool.psu.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/new-applicants/requirements-for-graduate-admission/ .

If you have read the Graduate School and program requirements and are ready to apply, you may proceed to the application at  http://www.gradschool.psu.edu/index.cfm/apply/ .

The application deadline for the Department of Philosophy is:  11:59 P.M. on   January 1, 2024.

Basic Requirements for Admission Applications:

• Completed Graduate School Application. (fee information is available at  graduate school. )
• All international applicants must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores as proof of English proficiency as described on the Graduate School’s webpage at:   http://gradschool.psu.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/new-applicants/requirements-for-graduate-admission/
• One official transcript from each institution attended.
• Minimum of 3.0 GPA in last two years of undergraduate study.
• Minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to assess academic and professional promise.
• Maximum of one to two pages indicating purpose and intent of undertaking graduate study in philosophy at Penn State.
• Sample of written work.

The following application materials are submitted electronically. To manage and upload your documents, go to:  http://www.gradschool.psu.edu/index.cfm/apply/

• Curriculum Vita 
• Statement of Purpose 
• Writing Sample 
• Official transcript from each institution attended 

In addition, individuals listed in your application as providing a letter of recommendation will be instructed to upload their letter via the Graduate School’s Reference Submission Portal.

The following application materials can be submitted electronically from ETS using Institution Code 2660:

• Graduate Record Examination  (GRE) Aptitude Test Scores.  PLEASE NOTE:  As of December 2018, GRE scores are neither required nor considered for admission to the Ph.D. program. 
• Test of English as a Foreign Language  (TOEFL) examination score 

Although all application materials should be submitted electronically, please use this address if necessary:

Philosophy Graduate Assistant 234 Sparks Building University Park, PA 16802

If applicants have specific questions about the program or the application process, they should contact the  Recruitment Officer  or the  Director of Graduate Studies . Please check the  FAQ page  before calling or emailing.

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Call for Applications: 2024 Cultural Heritage Informatics Grad Fellowship

Graduate Students

The Cultural Heritage Informatics Initiative invites applications for its 2024-2025 Cultural Heritage Informatics Graduate Fellowship program.

Fellowship Details

Hosted and administered by the Department of Anthropology in partnership with LEADR, the Cultural Heritage Informatics Graduate Fellowships offer Michigan State University graduate students the skills to thoughtfully apply digital methods and computational approaches to cultural heritage materials, collections, data, questions, and challenges.

While the fellowship, which spans an academic year, involves workshops, collaborative development work, and technical experimentation, the overall focus is the development (either individually or collaboratively) of a significant and innovative digital cultural heritage project. To support their work, fellows will receive a stipend of $2500 per semester. In addition, fellows will have the opportunity to receive an additional $1000 to expand their project during the summer. While applicants may have previous technical experience, such experience is not required to apply.

Framing Cultural Heritage

The focus of the Cultural Heritage Informatics Graduate Fellowship Program is the application of digital methods and computational approaches within cultural heritage. The program leverages the definition of cultural heritage commonly used by UNESCO to shape our efforts and focus.

Material culture (artifacts and objects, monuments, structures, landscapes, etc) and  intangible cultural attributes (oral traditions, language, ritual, social practices, traditional  knowledge, performing arts, cuisine, etc) of a group, community, or society that are  transmitted intergenerationally, used and maintained in the present, and preserved for  future generations.

Fellowship Projects

The primary goal of the fellowship program is to provide an opportunity for participants to individually or collaboratively develop a significant and innovative digital cultural heritage.

Projects might include (but are certainly not limited to) a mobile application, a digital exhibit, a digital archive, or a collaborative digital publication. The project must also have a significant public component. It is important to note that there is no single mechanism by which fellows will come to these projects. If applicants have an existing idea for a specific project, they are welcome to include that in their application statement. If applicants have an interest in a platform or technology (but no specific project in mind), they are encouraged to include that in their application statement. If fellows do not have a particular project or platform in mind, they will work with members of the Cultural Heritage Informatics Initiative in order to define a suitable project.

Responsibilities

The Cultural Heritage Informatics Grad Fellowship carries the following obligations:

• All CHI Grad Fellows must attend the weekly meeting on Fridays from 1:30-3pm in LEADR (Old Hort 112) .
• All CHI Grad Fellows must be in-residence at LEADR for 10-3 each week on Fridays (part of this time will be dedicated to the fellowship program’s weekly group meeting, while the rest of the time will be dedicated to collaborative/communal work between all of the fellows).
• All CHI Grad Fellows must complete a series of technical tutorials before the beginning of the fellowship in the fall. Failure to complete these prerequisites by 8/23 will result in the fellowship offer being withdrawn
• All CHI Grad Fellows must write at least 1 substantive blog post per month on the CHI Website
• All CHI Grad Fellows must submit a project proposal at the end of the fall semester
• All CHI Grad Fellows much complete and launch their project by the end of the spring semester
• All CHI Grad Fellows must submit all final reporting materials after the launch of their fellowship project

Those students who are not able to meet these obligations should not apply.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to apply for a Cultural Heritage Informatics Graduate Fellowship, applicants: • must be enrolled and be in good academic standing in a graduate program at Michigan State University (either at the Masters or Doctoral level). A primary focus of their work must be cultural heritage (as defined above). • must be enrolled (and remain enrolled) full-time in the year for which they are applying. • must demonstrate positive progress in their graduate programs.

Awards will be made to individuals who demonstrate academic achievement, are committed to a career that embraces the application of digital methods and computational approaches, and show potential to make meaningful contributions in the domain of digital cultural heritage.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete and submit the following materials in order to be considered:

• A cover letter expressing their interest and introducing their motivations for applying.
• A current copy of their CV
• A brief statement (3 pages maximum - double spaced) discussing the applicantʼs professional and scholarly goals, their interests in the application of digital methods in cultural heritage (broadly or specifically), and how the fellowship program will contribute to their professional & scholarly development.
• An unofficial copy of current transcripts

Applications should be submitted using the following form .

Please note, the application submission form requires that all users login with their MSU account. If you encounter a "You need permission" message, make sure you are logged out of your non-MSU google account. Please be sure to read and follow the direction included on the form about file formats and file naming.

Any questions can be directed to Ethan Watrall .

Application Deadline

Completed application package must be received by 5 p.m. (EST) on May 15, 2024.

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UGC announces validity of NET scores for PhD admissions from this year

Previously, many universities conducted individual phd entrance exams, forcing candidates to take multiple tests. this move aligns with the nep 2020. by accepting net scores, candidates will no longer need to appear for multiple exams..

Listen to Story

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that starting from the 2024-25 academic session, scores from the National Eligibility Test (NET) will be accepted for PhD admissions. This decision aims to streamline the admission process, as many universities currently conduct separate entrance exams for PhD candidates. By accepting NET scores, candidates will no longer need to appear for multiple exams.

THE BIFURCATION OF CATEGORIES

According to the official notice, UGC NET qualified candidates will now be eligible for three categories:

-PhD admission with JRF and assistant professor posts;

-PhD admission without JRF but for assistant professor posts;

.at_iframe{width:100%;border:none;}@media(min-width:767px){.at_iframe{height:744px;}} From the academic session 2024-2025, all universities can use NET score for admission to PhD programmes in place of entrance tests conducted by the different universities/HEIs. NTA is working on launching the NET application process for June 2024 session sometime next week. pic.twitter.com/IVzKgu56gB — Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) March 27, 2024

• Part-Time MBA
• Admissions & Tuition Information

Part-Time MBA Admissions & Tuition Information

Weatherhead’s part-time mba philosophy of recruitment.

The Weatherhead School of Management MBA admissions team is committed to recruiting students with diverse perspectives and a range of educational, professional and life experiences. These experiences, along with demonstrated student excellence, enrich the dialogue and teamwork in the classroom. We look for part-time MBA applicants who are committed to advancing their careers while continuing to strengthen the community and businesses in the Greater Cleveland area.

Tuition and Financial Assistance

The current part-time MBA total program tuition for students entering fall 2024 is $77,184. This is based on the current cost-per-credit-hour rate of $1,608. The part-time MBA is 48 credit hours.

Tuition is invoiced by the university once per semester (i.e., fall, spring, summer, etc.). For more detailed information about tuition, financial assistance and partial scholarship opportunities, contact Director of Admissions Steve Scheidt or see the Tuition & Financial Aid page .

How to Apply

To apply to the part-time MBA program at Case Western Reserve University, you’ll need to follow these five steps:

• Create an account or log in to our application system using your username and password to continue your application.
• Complete all required questions.
• Upload the required documents. During the admissions review process, we accept both unofficial documents uploaded to your application or official documents sent to us in official routes. (If you are admitted and choose to matriculate, we’ll need the official documents then, and we’ll send you further instructions).
• Note: If an application remains incomplete, Weatherhead School reserves the right to withdraw or deny the application.
• Complete video essays and vision statement. Link will be emailed after application submission.
• Complete your interview, if offered the opportunity.

Note: Any application that remains incomplete at the end of the admissions period will be withdrawn.

What You Need to Apply

To apply to the part-time MBA program at Case Western Reserve University, you’ll need to submit a variety of information and documents through our online application system .

Online Application Form

In  Weatherhead School’s Part-Time MBA application , we capture your personal, contact, demographic, education and employment information—key elements that will help us get to know you as a candidate.

As part of the application process, you’ll also need to submit a resume and contact information for your two recommenders (see instructions below under “Letters of Recommendation”) and a $100 non-refundable application fee. 

You can complete the online application in one sitting or across multiple; the system will automatically save your progress and you can return when you’re ready to continue and submit.

Please note:  Once you submit your application, we can’t change information in the online form, but you may choose to add supporting materials—such as transcripts and test score reports—at a later date.

Video Essays and Vision Statement

To help us better understand you as a candidate—beyond your transcripts, recommendation letters and resume—you'll have the opportunity to share your lived experiences through video essays and a vision statement. A link will be emailed after your application is submitted and application fee is fulfilled.

Your resume, which is required as part of the application process, should include all work experience, including—for early career applicants—part-time employment, internships and co-op employment.

Unofficial Transcripts, GPA, Grading Scale

You’ll need to submit unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary education (undergraduate or graduate schools) where you have earned a degree. If you received any transfer credit from another university, you also will need to submit separate transcripts from that institution. Please upload your transcripts in the “Academic History” section of the online application.

Your unofficial transcripts must state your cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) or total average score on any numeric scale and include the grading scale.

You only need to submit unofficial transcripts for us to review your application. However, we accept both unofficial documents uploaded to your application or official documents sent to us in official routes.  You do not need to provide official documents unless you are admitted and decide to enroll at Case Western Reserve. If you accept our offer, you will be required to submit your official final transcripts then; we will provide additional instructions at that point. Official transcripts must state the degree is conferred, or you must also submit an official degree certificate from your school stating the above information. 

GMAT/GRE Requirement (Waivers Available)

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) exams or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are required for admission. Applicants choosing to submit test scores must submit (upload) either an unofficial or official exam in the “Standardized Test Reporting” section. We do not have a minimum test score requirement but please visit the class profile page to see the average test scores for the current class in this program.

We only require unofficial exams during the admissions review process. If you are admitted and decide to enroll, you will be required to submit official documents then. Further instructions will be sent by email.

Do not upload your exam or enter your test results unless you are satisfied with your current scores since you will not be able to change this after you submit your application.  If you plan to retake the test in hopes of improving your scores, please wait to upload your final exam. If you do upload a GMAT or GRE and ask us to change it later, your admission decision will be delayed. New or updated test scores will not be accepted after an application has been marked complete.

• GMAT Code: WTJ-F1-17
• GRE Code: 1105.

Submission of standardized test scores can enhance your consideration for admission and for an academic merit scholarship. However, you may request to be considered for a GMAT or GRE submission waiver. Waivers may be granted based upon a variety of factors including but not limited to undergraduate/graduate degree, GPA, individual coursework, work experience, and/or US military experience that demonstrates a high level of achievement and readiness for our graduate program.

While we may grant a waiver, please be aware that some employers will require you to provide a GMAT or GRE during their application process. As a result we strongly recommend you take the GMAT or GRE to keep your options open especially if you are considering consulting or investment banking careers.

Waiver decisions are at the discretion of the admissions office and will be determined by review of the accompanying transcripts, resume/CV or other supplemental materials upon application submission. Review of submitted materials may take five to 10 business days.

Please refer to the information below on how to be considered for a test submission waiver:

• Within the “Standardized Test Reporting” section of the application, indicate in the drop down list “I believe I qualify for a waiver” and follow the prompts. 
• Upon receiving your request to be considered for a test waiver, the operations team will conduct a complete and holistic review of your application materials.
• If you are granted a test waiver, your application checklist will be updated and the admission and merit scholarship decisions will be reliant on all other materials submitted.  A test waiver does not guarantee that you will be admitted.
• If you are not granted a waiver, you will be notified a test score is required for admission.

Letters of Recommendation

As part of submitting your application, you’ll be required to enter the names, relationship and contact information of two recommenders. We reserve the right to contact your recommenders directly if we need more information about you as a candidate for this program.

$100 Application Fee (Non-Refundable)

Applicants are prompted to pay a non-refundable $100 fee when they submit their application. 

Additional Application Requirements for International Applicants

Course-by-Course Evaluation

Applicants who earned (or are in the process of earning) post-secondary degrees from universities outside of the United States are required to have a course-by-course evaluation of all of their post-secondary transcripts by  World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or SpanTran or receive a transcript evaluation waiver. Applicants can waive the evaluation if they meet one of the following conditions:

• The unofficial transcripts state the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) or total average score on any numeric scale. This must also include the grading scale used to calculate it.
• Applicants can submit an official GPA certificate issued by their university stating the cumulative GPA or total average score on any numeric scale (examples: 88/100, 3.5/4.0, 3.8/5, 7/10) with the grading scale used to calculate the GPA.

If applicants cannot meet one of the above conditions, a WES course-by-course evaluation report is required to complete your Master of Healthcare Management application.

When ordering your transcript evaluation, you do not have to pay to express mail the report to us. Simply request that a copy be sent electronically to Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University by selecting our school in their drop down box. We will also accept unofficial or student copies that are uploaded to the application.

For more information, contact:

World Education Services, Inc. PO Box 5087 Bowling Green Station New York, NY 10274-5087 USA 202.331.2925 Fax: 212.739.6100 [email protected] 

The Weatherhead admissions team reserves the right to require additional verification of transcripts, grading scales or official certificates that are uploaded to your application. If documents are not authentic or inaccurate, we will deny admission.

English Proficiency Requirement

 If your native language is not English, you must submit an English language exam. We accept the unofficial TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE during the admissions review process. Test results are valid for two years from the date of the exam.

Waivers are extended to non-native English speaking applicants who meet one of the following criteria (except PhD and MPOD programs; please read the program’s application requirements for specific waiver conditions):

• Four years of undergraduate/graduate studies (combined) where English is the primary language of instruction. If English is not an official language in your country, the transcript must state that English was the primary language of instruction.
• Three years of full-time work experience in a country where English is an official language.

Note: Offers of admission are not binding until your official test scores have been verified. Additionally, the preceding waiver policy applies only to master’s programs; for PhD programs, the applicant must meet the requirements of the Office of Graduate Studies and the specific department to which they are applying.

Part Time MBA 2024 Enrollment

Apply now to begin in fall 2024. Financial aid, GMAT/GRE waivers, and application fee waivers are available.

Note: An offer of admission cannot be issued if an application package remains incomplete. If an application remains incomplete, Weatherhead School reserves the right to withdraw or deny the application. After the final round deadline applications will continue to be accepted and reviewed as space in the cohort remains available.

View the general part-time MBA curriculum .

Meet the Team

The Weatherhead School of Management Graduate Admissions Office is here to help you through every step of the application process. If you have any questions after perusing the program pages or application instructions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the appropriate admissions contact below.

Stephen Scheidt

Director of Admissions Senior Recruiter Weatherhead School of Management

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 216.368.6208

Application and Enrollment Coordinator Weatherhead School of Management

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 216.368.0935

IEC PROFILE: Hanna Stotland Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Industry Podcast

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Hanna Stotland, who flunked out of high school, got a G.E.D., and went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Since 1999, she has been an independent admissions consultant specializing in educational crisis management, including Title IX, substance abuse and mental illness. Her recent professional presentations include conferences of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the Higher Education Consultants Association, nine regional ACACs, and Families Advocating for Campus Equality. She has also been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, CBS News, PBS, and WNYC. Find Hanna at https://hannastotland.com or [email protected]. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

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UGC approves use of NET scores for PhD admissions starting 2024-25 academic session

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