Graduate Program

Meet the department's graduate students.

The Philosophy Department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale offers a wide range of advanced courses in the major areas within the field leading to the M.A. and/or Ph.D. degrees. (To open this link, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, it can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com.) Students are offered a diversified curriculum not dominated by one school of thought or method of approach. The broad range of specializations represented by the faculty expose students to a variety of aspects of philosophy and at the same time permits them to concentrate on their own particular area(s) of interest.

The depth and breadth of the program can be discerned from exploring the readings for both the Master's and Doctoral examinations. The Comprehensive Examinations required for the completion of the Master's degree will consist of questions drawn from the Comprehensive Examination Reading List, covering ancient, medieval, modern and nineteenth century philosophy. Doctoral candidates who have completed coursework will take two Preminary Examinations (Metaphysics/Epistemology and Value Fields) based on the Preliminary Examination Reading List.

Graduate-level courses in such allied fields as the natural and social sciences, the arts, linguistics and law offer supplements to the philosophy curriculum. Graduate courses in philosophy may be used as a minor in programs leading to the Master of Arts or Master of Sciences in Education degrees. Students who do not plan to continue work in philosophy beyond the Master's degree level are encouraged to elect a graduate minor or to combine philosophy with another subject in a 40-hour double major. (For more information, see the Graduate Catalog or contact the Graduate School)

All graduate students in philosophy are expected to have some supervised experience in teaching basic work in the field, either through regular teaching assistantships or through special assignments. Opportunities for intern experience at area Junior or Community colleges are also made available.

The program's admissions policy may be found in the Graduate Catalog. Information about financial assistance and tuition and fees may be obtained from the Graduate School. Also, there is a list of sources for funding outside the department located there.

The following is a list of the requirements for the graduate application:

Application (we are now accepting only the online version)
Official Transcripts from 'all' the universities, colleges, junior colleges, etc. that the student has attended. Especially if the student is applying for a fellowship - we need them to be as up to date as possible.
Three letters of recommendation (we do not require any specific form, but ask that they be on letterhead and sent under separate seal)
Writing Sample
Personal Statement (try to be succinct)
GRE scores are generally required, though the applicant may request the Director of Graduate Studies to waive them if special reasons apply. GRE's are necessary, however, if the applicant wishes to be considered for a Fellowship or Assistantship.
$50.00 processing fee (check or money order made out to Southern Illinois University)
International Students must also supply: TOEFL (550 or better - 220 computer based) Financial Statement
Special Note: If you have, or expect to have when you begin classes, a Master's Degree, you will be applying to the Ph.D. program. If you have, or expect to have a Bachelor's degree, you will be applying to the Master's program. While we certainly hope that you will wish to stay to get your Ph.D., applying for the Ph.D. without a Master's Degree just creates confusion. Aso, if you are applying for Fellowships, remember this applies to those as well.

Anytime you wish to know the status of your application, you need only return to the site where you filled out the online application. As information is received in the department, it is logged in there, by the Academic Secretary.

A lot of people call and send emails, requesting information on specific deadlines for application to the program. Here is what you need to know regarding said:

Unless you are applying for a Fellowship (see Financial Aid, below), or an Assistantship, you need not have all your application material in until mid to late Spring (for Fall semester) or mid Fall (for Spring semester).
If you ARE applying for either of these, you need to have your information in to the department (for Fellowships) by no later than the end of December or (for Assistantships) no later than the end of January. While Fellowships are granted for the Fall Semester, the decisions as to who will recieve them is made early in the Spring Semester. There are no Fellowships offered any other time of year. If you are beginning in the Spring, it is unlikely that there will be Assistantships available either.
GRE scores are recommended, but you need only take the GRE if you plan to apply for either a Fellowship or an Assistantship.

ALL MATERIAL
is to be sent to the following Address:

Academic Secretary
Department of Philosophy
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
980 Faner Drive, Mail Code 4505
Carbondale, Illinois 62901

If you have any other questions, contact the Academic Secretary at

Phone: 618.536-6641
E-mail - phildept@siu.edu

For more information from a Student's View Point E-mail President of the Graduate Students in Philosophy

For information on Financial Aid, contact the Graduate School

For information on Assistantships available outside the department, go to this page: http://www.siu.edu/gradschl/gaposting.htm

For information about Federal Work Study, go to this page: http://www.siu.edu/~fao/jobs/brochures/fwsbrochure.pdf

For available FWS positions, go to this page: http://www.siu.edu/~fao/jobs/fwsjobs.htm