Philosophy - PhD at Waterloo

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

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

The average required for admission to the PhD in Philosophy program is 80%.
The typical background for 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 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
  - 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
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.
- TOEFL 100 (writing 26, speaking 26), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0)

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.

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