Graduate Admissions
Graduate Admissions
The Department of Philosophy offers both spring and fall admissions cycles. Currently, the Department is accepting applications for next fall.
- October 1st 2024: final (hard) deadline for international students to apply for SP25 matriculation. (Information about documents and deadlines for international applicants here.)
- November 1st 2024: final (hard) deadline for national/domestic students to apply for SP25 matriculation.
Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, which means that it is better to submit an application sooner rather than later. (Deadlines for CSULB Graduate Programs are also listed on the Office of Graduate Studies pages.)
Application fee waivers are available for eligible applicants.
Note: California is extending the AY24–25 Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) priority submission deadline to May 2nd 2024.
The application process has two parts.
First, apply to the University. To do so, submit the following:
1. a Cal State Apply application (check eligibility for an application fee waiver)
2. all official transcripts to Admissions/Enrollment Services (international applicants should contact CIE)
Second, apply to the Department. To do so, submit the following:
3. a copy of the Cal State Apply application form
4. a curriculum vita or résumé
5. a statement of purpose
6. a writing sample
7. a minimum of two letters of recommendation
The former two items should be completed as earlier as possible. These latter five items should simply just be e-mailed as .pdf attachments to the Director of the Graduate Program, Prof. Max Rosenkrantz. (Do not send physical paper copies by post.)
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens are encouraged to submit a Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) at their earliest convenience by or before the priority deadline. Normally, the priority deadline is on or around March 1st for the following academic year. FAFSA eligibility is important and necessary when applying for a variety of fellowships, research assistantships, and federal work/study positions. FAFSA-eligible students who receive the State University Grant (SUG) may have up to 100% of the tuition for the MA degree covered. For additional information, visit the program’s funding page or the university’s Office of Financial Aid. Eligible students may also submit a California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
International Applicants
The Center for International Education (CIE) is the primary unit on campus that assists international applicants with everything from application to immigration to graduation. Before beginning, international applicants should contact CIE with any questions about the application process. Note that CIE has earlier application deadlines for international students (usually April 1st and October 1st). For questions about the English language requirement, and whether it may be waived, contact CIE.
Transcripts
For the last half decade, Cal State Long Beach has been receiving >100,000 applications for each academic year (e.g., see here and here). Processing all of these transcripts takes an enormous amount of time. Consequently, it is in each applicant's interests to complete the first part of the application process as early as possible, and, in particular, to have transcripts sent immediately. Applicants submitting electronic transcripts from U. S. institutions may submit them to <ES-IDPTrans@csulb.edu>
Recommendations
Letters of recommendation should be e-mailed from the letter writer's university account directly to the Graduate Advisor. Whenever possible, letters should be properly signed, and composed on university or official letterhead. Letters of recommendation are securely held in strict confidence per university regulations. By default, students are assumed to have waived their rights to access.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
The Department does not require the GRE for admission. However, applicants may still submit their scores at their discretion. Stronger scores may help students secure admission and funding, ceteris paribus. (The ETS institution code for Cal State Long Beach is 4389, and the sub-code for Philosophy is 2804.)
Please visit the GRE website to learn more about the exam, including how to prepare and how to register. Students interested in GRE preparation workshops may e-mail the CSULB Graduate Center to learn more about its low-cost prep course. Fee reduction opportunities for the GRE exist for individuals with financial need and for national programs in the United States that work with underrepresented groups. Please visit the GRE Fee Reduction Program for more information.
Vitae, Statements, Writing Samples
Curricula vitae vary widely in style and formatting, but allow students to provide additional information about their academic experiences. Statements of purpose are approximately one to two pages (500–1000 words). We are keen to hear why you want to study Philosophy at the graduate level, what you want to study in particular and with whom, and what you are aspiring to do. Writing samples vary in length, but are typically at least 12–15 pages. The department puts heavy emphasis on writing samples in its evaluation, and so applicants should take care to ensure that they are well-composed and proofread. Ultimately, the department wants to see the work that best represents the applicant's skills in argumentation, analysis, precision, and scholarship.
General Considerations
Applicants must, in addition to satisfying the University requirements, have an academic background that provides evidence of philosophical promise in order to be admitted. Such evidence may include strong GRE scores, a significantly high GPA over the last two years, advanced or honors coursework, or demonstrations of research ability or scholarly commitment. Applicants need not have majored in Philosophy; high quality students from various backgrounds are encouraged to apply. However, admission is competitive, and each applicant is evaluated on the merits of her or his own application. In some cases, the Department may recommend or require additional coursework in Philosophy prior to advancement to candidacy.
Conditionally Classified and Classified Status
All admitted students enter the program with conditionally classified status, and must enroll in the Department’s proseminar in the first semester in which it is offered. Normally, students achieve classified status upon satisfying two conditions: passing the proseminar, and passing the basic qualifying exam.
Area/Unit Deficiencies
Many applicants have a prior program of study that includes more than 15 units of upper-division Philosophy courses. Applicants whose records and transcripts to date do not demonstrate this amount of upper-division coursework may still be admitted if their records evince a high level of academic performance. Such applicants may still have some deficiencies in their background knowledge of Philosophy, however. Typically, these are one of two sorts: (1) unit deficiencies, or (2) area deficiencies. Applicants have unit deficiencies if the number of units in Philosophy is insufficient to succeed in the program. Applicants have area deficiencies if they have not yet demonstrated proficiency in a diverse range of core areas, such as coursework covering the logical, theoretical, practical, or historical areas of philosophy. (Grades of ‘A’ or ‘B’ earned in upper-division courses in those areas are sufficient for such demonstration.) Courses taken to rectify a deficiency do not count toward the minimum unit requirement for the MA degree. Students who anticipate being admitted with deficiencies should contact the Graduate Advisor early in the admissions process and upon beginning the MA program in order to plan their program of study.