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 | Doctoral, Research |
| Length of program | 48 months (full-time) |
| Registration option(s) | Full-time, Part-time |
| Study option(s) | Thesis |
| 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
What does it take to get in?
Minimum admission requirements
- The average required for admission to the PhD in Applied Philosophy program is 80%.
- The typical background for Applied Philosophy PhD students is a Master of Arts (MA) in Philosophy.
- Applicants with a Master’s in a related discipline are encouraged to apply. Depending on the amount of philosophy background, these applicants may be admitted to the PhD in Applied Philosophy program or may be admitted to the MA in Philosophy program. (A separate application to the MA program is not required.)
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
Application material
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- Statements answering the questions below (at most 300 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. Include an explanation of your interests in applied philosophy, and what kind of placement you hope to engage in.
- 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. Include any work or volunteer experience relevant to your interests in applied philosophy.
- Review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completing this form
- Statements answering the questions below (at most 300 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, one of which may be from a referee outside of academic philosophy
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable.
-
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.
We strive to provide you with the necessary information on each of our program pages. Was there something you found helpful? Was there anything missing? Share your thoughts.