Admission Information

The Graduate Program in Philosophy at Penn State is highly competitive.  However, the Department is committed to fully funding every student it accepts through to the PhD.  Decisions about admissions and the awarding of assistantships and fellowships are made on the basis of careful comparative evaluation of the credentials submitted by the applicants.  These credentials must show that the candidates have done superior work in their previous studies, and that they have the capacity to complete successfully a program of graduate work at Penn State.  Applicants typically have had an undergraduate major in philosophy, but this is not required and students may be admitted with limited undergraduate work in philosophy if their work generally gives evidence of high intellectual ability.  All applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test scores.

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 through the Pennsylvania State University Graduate School. Applications are available at: http://gradsch.psu.edu/portal/.

The application deadline for the Department of Philosophy is: January 2 , 2009.

Basic Requirements for Admission Applications

  1. Completed Graduate School Application.
  2. Application fee is $45; all applications must be made online through the graduate school.
  3. All international applicants whose first language is not English or who have not received baccalaureate or master's degrees from an institution in which the language of instruction is English must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 20 on the speaking section for the internet-based test. Alternately, the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) will be accepted. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.
  4. All applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test scores.
  5. Two official transcripts from each institution attended.
  6. Minimum of 3.0 GPA in last two years of undergraduate study.
  7. Minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to assess academic and professional promise.
  8. Maximum of one to two pages indicating purpose and intent of undertaking graduate study in philosophy at Penn State.
  9. Sample of written work.

Application materials should be sent to:

Graduate Secretary
Department of Philosophy
234 Sparks Building
University Park PA 16802

If applicants have specific questions about the program or the application process, they should contact the Department's Graduate Secretary at (814) 865-6397 or email the Recruitment Officer or the Director of Graduate Studies. Please check the FAQ page before calling or emailing.

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