GRADUATE ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
APPLICANTS FOR FALL 2008

Applicants can view the status of their materials online at http://www.gradadmissions.ucla.edu/newapp/ by clicking "Application Status".

Please note that due to the high volume of materials received your application status may not be immediately updated. It is likely that you will see your materials listed very shortly.

The Philosophy department at UCLA admits graduate students for the PhD program only, entering in Fall Quarter. Each year we receive many times more applications for admission than the number of students we can grant admission to. (Our entering class usually consists of 7 students.) Students interested in graduate work in philosophy should apply to more than one school to increase their chances of admission. The Department restricts its graduate admissions enrollment to students whose records and credentials give evidence of capacity and resolve to do superior work in philosophy at the graduate level. A substantial background in philosophy is desirable, but we recognize that many students acquire their interest in graduate study in philosophy without having completed the equivalent of an undergraduate major in the field. An exceptionally promising student with such a background may be admitted subject to the condition of strengthening his or her preparation in the deficient area as soon as possible. Applications from women and members of minority groups are strongly encouraged.

The application process consists of two steps.

Step 1: You need to submit an online application and fees to the Graduate Division. The Graduate Division will provide you with additional forms to fill out. Access the Graduate Division admissions website to implement and get information on their procedure: [link]

Step 2: You should send or have sent the following supplemental materials directly to the Philosophy department, addressed to:

 

 

 The Graduate Counselor - Admissions
Department of Philosophy
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1451		  
 

1. Two official transcripts from each institution attended. (Unofficial copies are not acceptable).
2. Three letters of recommendation. (Use the letter of recommendation forms from the Graduate Division website.)
3. A brief statement of purpose. (1-2 pages)
4. A sample of your written work. (You should submit no more than two short papers.  No paper should be longer than 20 pages. Please do not submit samples not in English).
5. Official scores from the aptitude portion of the GRE.
(The advanced test in philosophy is not required . We will not accept GRE scores older than 5 years).
6. Applicants who are not native speakers of English should submit official TOEFL scores. (We require a minimum score of 560 on the paper and pencil test, 220 on the computer-based test, or 87 on the internet-based test (TOEFL), or Overall Band Score of 7.0 (IELTS)).
To be eligible for a teaching assistantship at UCLA, applicants whose first language is not English must take the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and pass it with a score of 200. The TSE is administered by the Educational Testing Service at the TOEFL centers in the applicant's home country. Additional information for foreign applicants can be found here.

(A separate Departmental application is no longer required.)

  

The deadline for receipt of the application and all supporting materials is JANUARY 10, 2008. (Applications not complete by the deadline cannot be guaranteed full consideration.) Please note: The University will be closed from Dec. 22, 2007 through Jan. 1, 2008. The department will process mail received during the holiday closure the second week of January.

The GRE should be taken no later than the DECEMBER test date. Transcripts from domestic institutions should be requested at least one month in advance; those who have studied at foreign universities should consult the "Application for Graduate Admission" for specific information required on their transcripts from those schools.

Specific program requirements can be found here. The UCLA GENERAL CATALOG 2005-2007 is available online here. Paper copies are also available through the UCLA STORE by calling (310) 825-6064 and asking for "Mail Outs".

We also strongly encourage you to apply for extramural funding. The following websites feature links to fellowship databases and other useful information:
Funding for Entering Graduate Students 
Funding for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars  


Applicants frequently ask for statistical data about the program. This information can be found at http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/progprofile/profile.asp.
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