Skip to main content
Loading

Graduate Programs Admission Requirements

Below are the admissions requirements for the Department of Philosophy for domestic and international applicants. For international applicants, be sure to visit the websites for the Graduate School and International Student Services for a full list of admissions requirements.

Domestic Applicants

Applicants are expected to have done good work in philosophy at the undergraduate level. They should have completed work equivalent to that required by Purdue's Department of Philosophy of its undergraduate majors, including a good background in the history of philosophy and at least one course in symbolic logic. They also should have a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language. Qualified applicants lacking some of these prerequisites may be admitted with the requirement that they take enough additional work during their first and second semesters in residence to fulfill these prerequisites.

Doctoral Degree Program

Below are the minimum requirements for both domestic and international students applying to a graduate degree in the Department of Philosophy.

  • Undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average: 3.4 or equivalent required.
  • Master's Degree Completion: Not required. 
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Scores are not required, but may be submitted optionally.

International Applicants

In addition to meeting the same requirements as domestic students, international applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit valid scores for one of the following three tests for English proficiency: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic. To be valid for admission, English proficiency test scores must be received by Purdue directly from the testing organization and must be no more than two years old at the time the recommendation for admission is received at the Graduate School (normally about two months after the January 6th admission deadline). For the Ph.D. program, the minimum scores required for admission are an overall score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT or an overall band score of 7.0 on the IELTS. For the M.A. in Philosophy for International Students, the minimum scores required for admission are an overall score of 80 on the TOEFL iBT or an overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS. Please note that the Department of Philosophy only offers the M.A. in Philosophy for International Students; it does not offer a regular M.A. degree in philosophy.

 

Links of Interest for International Students:

 


International Students and Scholars Office

International Programs Office

Student Organizations

Graduate Student Housing