Is the GRE Exam Required for Application
- No, the GRE is neither required nor optional and will not be reviewed by the Admission Committee.
Do I need to have majored in Philosophy in order to apply for your MA Program?
- No, we recognize that many outstanding applicants may have come to philosophy later in their undergraduate career and not majored in philosophy. However, applicants who do not have the equivalent of a philosophy minor and who have not previously taken upper division philosophy courses may lack the relevant background knowledge to be competitive and take advantage of our program.
How long should my statement of purpose be?
- Your statement of purpose should not exceed two double-spaced pages.
How long should my writing sample be?
- Writing samples from successful applicants tend to be between 12-20 pages long. Shorter than this, and you run the risk of not adequately displaying the depth of your philosophical talents. Longer than this and the admissions committee may not have the time to fully evaluate the strengths of your paper.
What is the minimum GPA to apply?
- To be considered for admission, applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or the equivalent. Most competitive applicants, however, have a GPA above 3.5.
How many letters of recommendation are required?
- We require three letters of recommendation.
I do not have three philosophy instructors to ask for recommendation letters. Can I ask instructors in other fields/supervisors/bosses/counselors/etc. to write a recommendation letter for me?
- The purpose of recommendation letters is for someone familiar with your philosophical skills and talents to speak directly about those skills, so letters from philosophy instructors are usually of the most value. However, letters from instructors in other fields sometimes can attest to related skills and may be useful if you are unable to procure three philosophy letters. Non-academic letters, however, are rarely beneficial.
I do not have a philosophy writing sample. May I submit a writing sample on another topic?
- If an applicant has not written a philosophy paper of sufficient quality and depth to serve as a writing sample, it is unlikely that their application will be competitive.
I am an international student. Do I need to submit an English language proficiency test, and if so, what are the minimum scores for admission?
- Colorado State University requires that international applicants from countries where the official language of their country is not solely English and who have not recently earned a degree at a university in the United States provide English Proficiency Test Scores. For more information on CSU’s requirements and a list of countries whose citizens are exempt from this requirement, please see https://graduateschool.colostate.edu/english-proficiency.
- For those who are required to submit English Proficiency Test Scores, the Philosophy Department has a higher required minimum than the Graduate School. To be considered for admissions, applicants must meet one of the following English Proficiency Test Scores:
- TOEFL iBT score of 100, with a minimum of 25 in each subsection.
- IELTS score of 7, with a minimum speaking and listening score of 7.5 each and minimum reading and writing score of 7 each.
- PTE score of 72, with a minimum of 76 each for speaking and listening and 68 each for reading, and writing.
- The Duolingo English test cannot be used to satisfy Philosophy Department English proficiency requirements.
I have another post-graduate degree. May I apply to your Philosophy MA Program?
- We welcome applicants who have advanced degrees in other fields, particularly if they can articulate the ways in which their background strengthens their candidacy.
- In general, we do not admit students who already have a postgraduate degree in philosophy.
How do I get an application a fee waiver?
Can I submit some/all of my application material directly to the Philosophy Department?
When can I apply and what are the application deadlines?
- The Philosophy Department only admits students for the Fall semester of each year. The application portal opens in September and all application material must be received by February 1 of the spring before the desired start date.
Should I secure a faculty advisor before applying?
- Selection of advisor happens at the end of the first year in the program.
Is there a separate application for Funding/Graduate Teaching Assistantship?
- No, all applicants are automatically considered for Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) positions, and no separate application is necessary.
How many students do you admit each year?
- We generally admit 6-7 MA students each fall.
Can I upload Unofficial Transcripts when Applying, and then Send Official Transcripts if Admitted
What are the Financial Details for the Philosophy MA Program?
- Funded students will receive tuition remission covering 100% of tuition and fees. For the 2025-2026 academic year, Graduate Teaching Assistantships include a stipend of $1,922 per month for the 9-month academic year ($17,298 per year). For more information on benefits, see the following website: https://graduateschool.colostate.edu/financial/assistantships/
What Faculty Supervise MA Students?
- MA students may request thesis supervision from members of our graduate faculty with research appointments. These faculty currently include: Andre Archie, Moti Gorin, Idris Hamid, Eirik Harris, Jeff Kasser, Andrew Lopez, Matt MacKenzie, Katie McShane, Collin Rice, Domenica Romagni, Ken Shockley, Beth Tropman, and Dustin Tucker.
- Graduate students may take 400-level courses or complete independent studies with some of our teaching faculty, including Ashby Butnor, Paul DiRado, and Nathalie Morasch. However, our teaching faculty do not serve on MA committees.