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| This page contains information about applying to and obtaining financial aid for the graduate program in philosophy. |
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You must apply to both the Graduate School and the Department of Philosophy. The Graduate School application is available online from the Graduate School Web site. The Department of Philosophy application form (pdf) is available for download here, or you may request an application by mail by writing to: Committee on Admissions and Aid Applicants for admission or aid must submit the departmental application form and supporting information including scores from the GRE General Test, transcripts, statement of purpose, a writing sample, and three letters of recommendation. Students interested in D.O.V.E. or MacArthur Fellowships should include a statement expressing their interest. Students interested in the MacArthur Fellowship should also contact the MacArthur Program. Applications together with all supporting materials must be received by January 7. The Philosophy Department generally admits students only for the fall semester. Financial Aid OverviewThe Department of Philosophy offers students in its PhD program a five-year financial aid package with an entry stipend of approximately $12,800 per academic year (the 2007-2008 half-time teaching assistantship figure) plus tuition and health care benefits. Students must be in good academic standing in the program to receive the aid. Teaching or research assistantships or fellowships (or a combination of them) provide the stipend. The tuition benefit covers the cost of tuition for up to 14 credits per semester. The health care benefit pays for the medical and dental insurance for an academic year. In addition to the assistantships and departmental fellowships, MacArthur Scholar fellowships, various fellowships administered by the Graduate School, and others fill out the financial aid package. Following the first year, students in good standing will receive $5,000 of summer research funding. Following their second year, students in good standing will receive $2,500 in summer research funding. Teaching AssistantshipsThe teaching assistantship is the most common form of support for our graduate students. First-year students typically hold a quarter-time teaching assistantship and a quarter-time departmental fellowship in their first semester. They then hold a half-time teaching assistantship in their second semester. From the second year on, students who are teaching assistants usually hold half-time appointments. In their capacity as assistants, half-time teaching assistants work approximately 20 hours per week during the term of appointment. Students in their first several years of the program who are teaching assistants conduct discussion sections in an introductory course taught by an instructor or serve as graders for a more advanced course. Fourth- or fifth-year students with teaching assistantship appointments generally teach their own introductory-level philosophy courses in the evening through University College. Some students are appointed as research assistants to assist individual faculty members with, for example, a book publication or grant research. By agreement with the Philosophy Department, the Center for Bioethics supports one philosophy student every year with a research assistantship. FellowshipsThe Department of Philosophy provides some fellowship support from its own resources. In addition, the Department nominates prospective and continuing graduate students for the Graduate School and other fellowships listed below. In 2005-2006, those fellowships generally provided a stipend of $16,000 plus tuition and health care benefits. Philosophy graduate students have been very successful in the competition for these awards. Graduate School Fellowships — These fellowships are intended for recruiting outstanding new students to the University's graduate programs. Prospective students must be nominated by their chosen major field early in the spring semester. D.O.V.E. (Diversity of Views and Experiences) Fellowship — Ten fellowships are awarded annually by the Graduate School to first year graduate students from underrepresented groups (U.S. citizens and permanent residents). Prospective students must be nominated by their chosen major field early in the spring semester. MacArthur Scholars Fellowships — The MacArthur Program is an interdisciplinary program that promotes graduate study and research on issues of peace, global change, social power, and justice. The program provides fellowships for students in their first and fourth years, while the Department provides support in the form of assistantships for the other years. Contact the Director, MacArthur Program, University of Minnesota, 214 Social Sciences Bldg., 267 19th Ave. So., Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-624-0832). Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships — These fellowships are available to Ph.D. candidates who have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation. Candidates must be nominated by their graduate program. |
Website questions or comments: pwhanks@umn.edu |
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