University of Pennsylvania

Applying for Graduate Study in Philosophy

Thinking about applying? There are several things to consider. We think the Penn program is a good place to do graduate work. Whether it will suit you depends on your interests and desires. As indicated in the graduate brochure, the program is strong in history of philosophy (ancient, medieval, early modern, Kant, 19th century, early analytic), areas of metaphysics and epistemology (including philosophy of mind and philosophy of science), and moral, political, and legal philosophy. We also offer training in other fields, including aesthetics, logic, and cognitive science, and several joint degree programs (M.D./Ph.D., J.D./Ph.D., and J.D./M.A.). You can get a sense of what the faculty works on by looking at the areas of interest on the faculty list and consulting their information pages. From another perspective, you can see the range of research topics students pursue here by looking at the dissertation topics of our current doctoral students and recent graduates. You may also want to consider our placement record, and get a sense of the Department's history. For a review of program requirements and aid packages, consult the graduate brochure.

After considering how the program fits your interests, you may want to apply. You can receive more information by writing the Graduate Coordinator for Philosophy, Ernestine Williams: ernestin@sas.upenn.edu. You can apply online You will need to send transcripts and a writing sample on paper (and have recommendations sent, as well as test scores). The deadline for application is December 15, and we encourage you to submit your application a few weeks earlier if possible. We do not consider applications outside the December 15 cycle.

In recent years, the philosophy program has received from 100 to 140 applications per year, and made offers of admission to anywhere from 11 to 15 students, with a target incoming class of 5 or 6. The GRE scores of admitted students have averaged in the upper 600s. Our total enrollment is around 30 students, about 20% international, 40% women, 5% minority.

If your application for doctoral work is successful, you will receive a generous offer of financial aid. Our five-year aid package offers two and one-half years of fellowship support without teaching or other duties (though first-year students help monitor the library), and two and one-half years of service as a teaching fellow or assistant. (The aid package is adjusted for joint-degree programs.) Doctoral study is full-time.

If you receive an offer of admission and aid, it will come in February or March, and you will need to decide by April 15. The period after you receive the offer is the time to visit the campus to meet the faculty and current students. The Department will notify you of travel funds that may be available to cover at least part of the expense of a visit.

If you have further questions that are not answered in the graduate brochure, please e-mail ernestin@sas.upenn.edu, or write Ernestine Williams, Graduate Coordinator for Philosophy, 236 Logan Hall, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6304. International students should consult the Office of International Programs (OIP). Additional links to information on graduate study at Penn are provided below.

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Last Modified Apr 2007.