Overview

We are a relatively large department with diverse philosophical interests, and we take pride in providing a rigorous and nurturing environment for graduate study in Philosophy. Our PhD program emphasizes both theory and history and represents a variety of philosophical traditions. In addition, we participate in dual JD/MA and JD/PhD programs with the Georgetown University Law Center and dual MD/MA and MD/PhD programs with the Georgetown University Medical School. Students wishing to pursue these programs must apply and be admitted to both Philosophy and the professional school. The Department does not offer a free-standing MA program.

We offer a small number of assistantships (usually five or six per year) to students admitted to the PhD program. Assistantships provide tuition remissions, living stipends, and health insurance, and require service as a teaching assistant or teaching associate. Assistantships are guaranteed for a total of five years for awardees in good standing, but the Department will normally extend assistantship support to students in good standing beyond five years if necessary. Students admitted without financial support can apply for assistantships in later years.

Application Deadlines

Fall 2015: Dec. 15, 2014 (PhD program)
Fall 2015: Jan. 1, 2015 (MD/MA and JD/MA programs)

Please read the complete admissions information found on the Graduate School website. The Department requires all applications to be submitted electronically. Applications must include:

  1. Graduate Record Examination (General Test) scores
  2. Official undergraduate and graduate transcript(s) from all tertiary instritutions you have attended
  3. Three letters of recommendation
  4. A personal statement from the applicant
  5. TOEFL, required for non-native English speakers who do not have an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution in which the primary language of instruction is English. You must have a score of 600 (paper test) or 100 (Internet-based test) or higher
  6. An application fee
  7. One sample of written work in philosophy, which should show evidence of the ability to do original work in Philosophy. It should not be more than about 6000 words
  8. An abstract of the writing sample.
  9. A brief resume or curriculum vitae, with educational record, employment history, honors, GPAs, GRE scores

Please note: All application materials must be sent directly to the Graduate School, not to the Philosophy Department.

If you have further questions, you may contact William Blattner, Director of Graduate Admissions.

Apply Online

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has an online application that you complete and submit using a secure online form processed by ApplyYourself. If you are ready to apply, please use this APPLY ONLINE link to proceed directly to the online application.

Please read all Application Procedures and instructions carefully before beginning the application. For information on technical support, confirmation of the application submission, and dual program submission, please read below.

Reapplying to the Same Program (formerly Application Reactivation)

If you have previously applied to the Georgetown Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and would like to apply again, use the APPLY ONLINE link to create a new account and submit another online application. When asked, indicate that you have applied before. (Our application reactivation process has changed. We are no longer using the Application Reactivation form. You must submit a new application.)

If you are reapplying to the same program no more than twelve months after your original application date, we will transfer to your new application any transcripts and test scores received in support of your previous application. You must indicate that you are reapplying by selecting the checkbox in the Graduate Program Information section of the online application. If you have taken any courses after your original application, you should submit a new transcript(s) to reflect this fact.

New letters of recommendation should be submitted online. We will not use recommendations submitted with a previous application unless they are resubmitted. The new recommendations should mention your activities and other changes in your status since the previous application. The new application will be compared with those in the new applicant pool.

Technical Support

Application information is not available to Georgetown University until you officially submit your online application. If you have any questions or difficulties while completing the online form, please click on the button on the top right corner of each page in the online application (“Technical Support”) and an e-mail message detailing your exact location in the online application will be generated. Provide details of your problem for the ApplyYourself technicians. The response is generally quick and helpful.

If you are logged into the application, you can send an e-mail to ApplyYourself at i-support@applyyourself.com. Make sure to provide complete information to them — your full name, your online user number PIN, the program to which you are applying, your complete contact information (address, telephone, and e-mail), and a full description of the problem encountered.

Confirmation of Application Submission

Once you have completed your online application, and you have clicked on the “Submit” button, you will receive an automatic confirmation of your application submission from Georgetown University. Prior to submission, you should print a copy of your complete application for your records. The application is not viewable by Georgetown University until you click the “Submit” button.

Submission of a Dual Program Application

Applicants selecting approved dual programs or multiple programs can use one single electronic application form. Those applicants who wish to apply to more than one department, including applicants to dual degree programs, must pay an application fee and submit separate transcripts to each department to which application is being made. You will be able to make your program selections for dual or multiple programs in the program selection section of the online application.

TOEFL (Foreign Applicants English Language Proficiency Requirement)

Foreign applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. Proficiency can be demonstrated by the receipt of a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university in another country where English is the primary language of instruction. All other non-native speakers must achieve a minimum score of 600 (paper-based test) or 100 (internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This test should be taken in time to allow the results to be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions by the appropriate application deadline.

For information concerning the time and place where the TOEFL is given, applicants should contact:

TOEFL
The Educational Testing Service (ETS)
P.O. Box 6155
Princeton, NJ 08541-6155
Telephone: 609-771-7100
Internet: http://www.toefl.org/ (new window)
Georgetown University Graduate School ETS Code: 5244