Graduate Admission

Application deadline for entering the PhD program in Fall 2024: January 2, 2024.

Application deadline for entering the MA program in Fall 2024: June 3, 2024.

All supporting materials must be uploaded by the application deadline, including transcripts, personal statement, writing sample, and letters of recommendation. See below.

• Students entering the PhD program must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Students entering the MA program must have a minimum GPA of 3.0

All applications must include the following materials and must be uploaded by the relevant deadline above.

• Completed application form.
• Electronic copies of transcripts of all previous undergraduate or graduate coursework. Only admitted applicants will be required to submit official transcripts.
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from professors who have taught you philosophy (though other letters will be accepted). Once you submit your application for final review, your recommenders will receive an automated email requesting that they upload their recommendation letter. Please note that your recommenders should upload their letters by the relevant deadline. You should submit your application much earlier than the deadline so as to give your recommenders time to submit.
• A personal statement of 500 to 750 words, double-spaced. Please include a description of your background in philosophy and the areas of philosophy that interest you
  
• A writing sample of your philosophical work that is 3,000 to 6,000 words (about 10 to 20 double-spaced pages).
• GRE scores are not required.
  

International Applicants will include all of the above, plus:

1. International Applicant Financial Statement.

2. Results of the TOEFL (test of English as a Foreign Language) for international applicants whose native language is not English.

Please be sure to review all requirements for International Student Admission on the UB Graduate School website.

• Applicants whose native language is not English must establish proficiency by means of the TOEFL examination. For international students who are already in the US to complete a degree program, TOEFL is automatically waived.
• The minimum scores required for each of the forms of the exam are: 
  (1)  555 for the paper based test (TOEFL PBT);
  (2)  213 for the computer based test (TOEFL CBT);
  (3)   79 for the Internet based test (TOEFL IBT).
• If you are a currently unable to take IELTS, PTE or TOEFL due to cancellations related to COVID-19, please contact the current Director of Graduate Studies in the Philosophy Department (see Department Contact below).