Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
Program information
| Department/School | Philosophy |
|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
| Admit term(s) |
Fall (September - December) |
| Application and document submission deadline(s) |
February 1 (for admission in September) |
| Delivery mode | On-campus |
| Program type | Master's, Research |
| Length of program | 12 months (full-time)* |
| Registration option(s) | Full-time, Part-time |
| Study option(s) | Thesis, Coursework |
| Research field(s) - Graduate research fields are used to better define a student’s research concentration |
Ethics and Political Philosophy Language, Logic and Metaphysics Mind and Cognitive Science Philosophy of Science and Mathematics |
Watch the How to apply to Waterloo graduate studies video
Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.
What does it take to get in?
Minimum admission requirements
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The average required for admission to the Master of Arts (MA) in Philosophy program is 78%.
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The typical background for MA students is a four-year Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.
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Applicants with a three-year general BA in Philosophy may also apply and may be accepted as “qualifying” students who will take a qualifying program that normally includes a minimum of eight specified undergraduate courses over a minimum of two terms. Completion of a qualifying program does not automatically entitle students to proceed towards the MA. Students who wish to enter the MA program after completing a qualifying program must apply again in the normal way.
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Applicants with a 4-year Honours Bachelor’s in another field who have a philosophy minor or significant philosophy background are encouraged to apply. Applicants should keep in mind that reference letters from philosophy professors are strongly preferred. Depending on the amount of philosophy background, these applicants may be admitted either as regular students or as “transitional” students. A transitional student will normally be required to complete selected graduate or undergraduate courses, to be specified in writing at the time the student is recommended for admission, in addition to the usual requirements of the MA program. A transitional student is admitted directly into the MA program and is eligible for funding.
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Applicants with a 4-year Honours Bachelor’s in another field who have only some philosophy background may also apply and may be accepted as “qualifying” students who will take a qualifying program that normally includes a minimum of eight specified undergraduate courses over a minimum of two terms. Completion of a qualifying program does not automatically entitle students to proceed towards the MA. Students who wish to enter the MA program after completing a qualifying program must apply again in the normal way.
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
Application material
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- Statements answering the questions below (at most 250 words for each answer):
- Question 1: Please provide a brief statement of interest that outlines the areas of philosophy you hope to pursue in the program.
- Question 2: Please explain why the University of Waterloo's Department of Philosophy is a good place to pursue such a project, and why your background makes you well suited to pursue it successfully.
- Review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completing this form
- Statements answering the questions below (at most 250 words for each answer):
- Transcript(s)
- From previous institutions.
- At the time of applying, an unofficial transcript is fine; if and when a student is enrolled they will be asked to submit official copies.
- Writing sample
- A philosophy paper of around 2500 words is desirable; longer and shorter papers are acceptable too, but please don't send anything longer than 5,000 words.
- References
- Three academic references are required
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable.
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TOEFL 100 (writing 26, speaking 26), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0)
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How much will it cost?
- Use the student budget calculator to estimate your cost and resources
- Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
- Review the study and living costs
- Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students
What can you expect at Waterloo?
- Review the degree requirements on the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
- Check out profiles of current graduate students to learn about their experience at Waterloo
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the Department of Philosophy graduate students
- Check out the Waterloo campus and city tours
- Review the Department of Philosophy website to see information about supervisors, research areas, news, and events
This program page is effective September 2023; it will be updated annually. Any changes to the program page following this date will be indicated with a notation. *Edited December 2023
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