Application Procedure
For any graduate course involving Philosophy, applications and all supporting material must arrive at the Graduate Admissions and Funding Office by the closing date, for admission in the following October. The deadline for candidates applying for entry in October 2012 has now passed. Applications for October 2013 entry will open in September 2012 and the deadline will be 4th January 2013 (tbc). Applicants are not interviewed and late applications will not be considered.
Candidates must be accepted by the Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee (‘PGSC’) and then by a college. You can state a college preference on your application form or, if you have no particular preference, the Graduate Admissions and Funding (GAF) Office can assign a college for you. Stating a college preference or letting the the GAF Office assign you a college will not affect how we assess your application. It is not necessary to apply to the college of a particular teacher by whom you hope to be supervised. Your supervisor will be appointed by the PGSC, and will not necessarily be a member of the college which admits you. For further information about choosing a college please consult the College Guide.
In addition to the application form (available from the Graduate Admissions Office; details below) and other materials, applicants are required to submit the following written work:
- Applicants for admission as a Probationary Research Student – an essay of between 4,500 and 5,000 words on a subject related to their proposed research topic.
- Applicants for admission to the BPhil or MSt – two recent essays on different philosophical topics, not of a primarily expository nature, between 2,000 and 2,500 words each. Either or both essays may be part of a longer work, but, if so, a section of not more than 2,500 words must be unambiguously identified for particular consideration by the assessors.
- Applicants for admission to the MSt in Ancient Philosophy – two recent essays on topics within philosophy, not of a primarily expository nature, between 2,000 and 2,500 words each. As is the case for the BPhil, either or both essays could be part of a longer work, but, if so, a section of not more than 2,500 words must be unambiguously identified for particular consideration by the assessors.
- Applicants for admission to the MSt in Philosophy of Physics – two recent essays on topics within either physics or philosophy, not of a primarily expository nature, between 2,000 and 2,500 words each. Either or both essays may be part of a longer work, but, if so, a section of not more than 2,500 words must be unambiguously identified for particular consideration by the assessors.
- All work submitted must be typed, and in English; it must be clearly marked with the applicant's name and the date of composition. Applicants are advised that submissions which fail to observe these requirements are liable to be returned to the applicant for revision (if time permits) or (if time is insufficient) rejected forthwith.
Applications are assessed by the PGSC as a gathered field, and offers are made on a strictly comparative basis. In the applicant's academic record, evidence is sought of success in study at university level generally: extensive and successful study of some main areas of philosophy where relevant, successful study of any special branches of philosophy or other disciplines, a prior background in which is required for the particular work proposed in the application.
The letters of reference should support such an interpretation of the academic record and also give evidence of the candidate's intellectual potential and aptitude for postgraduate study in philosophy.
The candidate's plans for study or research should be coherent and realistic and there should be a suitable supervisor for them at Oxford.
The written work will be assessed by the evidence that it gives of:
- clarity and accuracy of thought and writing; intellectual independence;
- willingness and ability to reach conclusions by reasoned argument rather than assertion;
- a critical and attentive reading of any texts discussed;
- understanding of at least some important philosophical ideas and theories; and
- if required by the topic of the work, appropriate technical skills.
We receive approximately 330 applications each year and admit about 40-50 students in total across all degrees. The applications come from all over the world and every university and our intake reflects this. Please also refer to the English Language Requirements section of the Prospectus. Please note, for all graduate Philosophy degrees candidates must meet the higher level of English language ability.
Part-time or long distance study is not available. The online application form and other application information are available from the Graduate Admissions and Funding Office. Please note, paper applications are only acceptable in exceptional cases where it is not possible for you to apply online.
Graduate Admissions and Funding contact details:
Graduate Admissions and Funding Office
University Offices
Wellington Square
Oxford OX1 2JD
E-Mail: graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 270059
Fax: +44 (0) 1865 270049
The deadline for candidates applying for entry in October 2012 has now passed. Late applications will not be considered. Applications for October 2013 entry will open in September 2012 and the deadline will be 4th January 2013 (tbc).
Successful applicants will be notified of their offer of admission by early March. An Open Day for all admitted students will be held at the Philosophy Centre in mid-March.
Enquiries
If you have any queries regarding graduate courses or admissions in Philosophy, please contact the Academic Administrator for Graduate Studies.