Graduate Admissions

The most important parts of your application are the writing sample and the statement of purpose. If your academic background, letters of reference, and/or GRE scores mark you as a serious applicant, you can expect your writing sample and statement of purpose to be read carefully. The writing sample is our best clue as to your philosophical abilities. The area of philosophy that you write about is much less important than that you demonstrate the ability to think clearly and rigorously.  Your statement of purpose should explain your academic interests and why you think that they would best be served by our philosophy department.

No. 

GRE scores are optional.  We know that there are people who do not perform well on such tests, for various reasons, and who would still make excellent philosophers. Nevertheless, good GRE scores may be taken into consideration.

The College of Arts & Sciences requires a TOEFL score of at least 90 or IELTS of at least 6.5. 

We expect that students be fluent in English when they arrive, to get the most out of the program.  In assessing an applicant's English ability, we take into consideration test scores, writing samples, statements of purpose, and recommendaton letters.

Yes. Three letters of recommendation may be submitted through the online application. Additional letters of recommendation can be added by the department; please email the Philosophy department administrator all the contact information listed for recommenders on the online application and then have your recommender email their letter to the Philosophy department administrator.

Yes.  Fee waiver requests should be addressed to the Arts & Sciences Office of Graduate Studies at artscigradadmissions@wustl.edu.

No. You can submit unofficial transcripts when you apply.  If admission is offered, we then require the official versions of all transcripts.

Yes. All students admitted to our programs are offered an Arts & Sciences Fellowship that provides a stipend, tuition remission, and subsidized health insurance. 

We also provide some funds for travel to conferences.

WashU offers several special fellowships for qualified graduate students, and because these awards bring with them additional funding and opportunities, all applicants are encouraged to consider their eligibility.

• The Olin-Chancellor's Fellowships
• The McDonnell International Scholars Academy

Not necessarily. We look primarily for philosophical aptitude. Most applicants who have a stronger background in philosophy have an easier time giving evidence of their philosophical aptitude, and we do advise those who have not studied much philosophy to look into terminal master's programs. But we welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds, and we have accepted students who show great promise in philosophy despite a relatively weak background in the field.

No.  However,  applicants must demonstrate a strong competence in and aptitude for philosophy.  Students with strong backgrounds in any academic discipline are invited to apply

No.  However, our PhD students can earn an MA after completing certain requirements.

No.  However, waivers of course requirements may be granted in certain cases. 

We do not participate in any formal dual or joint degree program.  It is possible to pursue multiple graduate degrees at WashU by applying (not necessarily simultaneously) to multiple graduate programs.

In general, students who pursue multiple graduate degrees with us do not work full-time on both degrees simultaneously, but rather are (say) enrolled in one program for one academic year and then enrolled in the other program the following year, and so on.

Our PhD students can take courses in other disciplines, including Classics; Law; Political Science, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.  These courses may count both toward both the Philosophy or PNP PhD and toward another program's requirements for a graduate certificate (which does not require separately applying) or a degree (which does).

To receive a degree from philosophy, you have to apply to one of our PhD programs and be admitted.

However, students in other WashU programs are welcome to take graduate courses in Philosophy, subject to the published prerequisites. 

All of the faculty and graduate students in the PNP Program are also in the Philosophy Department, and philosophy students who are not in the PNP program are welcome not just in the courses offered by PNP faculty but also in PNP colloquia and such. We expect our PNP students to be interested in philosophical matters outside of PNP, and we expect our philosophy students outside of PNP to be interested in matters inside of PNP. These things said, one admissions committee handles the decisions for both the "regular program" and the PNP program, and that committee typically admits into the regular program students who are likely to write dissertations with faculty outside of PNP, as this provides balance to our student body and to our faculty's workloads.

In March of each year, we invite all applicants to whom we have made offers to campus. Of course, we cover the travel, housing, and dining expenses.