Deadline for Application
January 1

On This Page:
Admission Requirements
How to Apply (with links to forms)

This page provides general information about admission to the PhD program in philosophy at the University of Memphis. This page is intended as a helpful supplement to the Graduate Bulletin (catalog), which takes precedence in any case of conflict. Students should be familiar with the policies and regulations set forth in the Graduate Bulletin.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students are admitted in the fall semester each year. Admission is very competitive. The following prerequisites must be met to be considered for admission to the PhD program in philosophy.

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. A minimum of a 2.5 quality point average on a scale of 4.0.
3. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the last five years. (See note on  "GRE Scores" below.)
4. At least 18 semester hours in undergraduate philosophy courses including the following courses or their equivalent: introduction to philosophy, ethics, elementary logic, intermediate logic, history of ancient philosophy, and history of modern philosophy. (See note on  "Lacking Courses" below.)

GRE Scores: Students applying to the Department of Philosophy graduate programs must take the GRE and submit their scores with their application. There is no minimum score requirement. GRE scores are used as just one part of the overall assessment of a candidate's likely prospects for graduate study.  Factors other than the GRE scores are particularly important for the Department's admission decisions. The writing sample, letters of recommendation, the student's GPA generally and specifically in philosophy courses, and the statement of purpose are weighted more heavily than the GRE scores since we have found that these other components of an application are more reliable indicators of a student's readiness for graduate study in philosophy.

Lacking Courses: Students lacking any of the required undergraduate courses may be admitted to the program on the condition that the course is taken without graduate credit at the earliest opportunity.

How To Apply

The application process has two components:

1. application to the Philosophy Department

2. application to Graduate School

We recommend that you print this page and follow  the checklists below to ensure that all required materials are submitted.

Philosophy Department Application

To apply for graduate studies in philosophy, please submit the following items directly to the Philosophy Department:

These items should be mailed to

Director of Graduate Admissions
Department of Philosophy
The University of Memphis
327 Clement Hall
Memphis, TN 38152

Graduate School Application

To apply to Graduate School, please visit the Graduate School web site for current, detailed information about deadlines and requirements. The following materials must be submitted directly to Graduate School (not to the Philosophy Department):

The issuing institutions or testing agencies should mail official transcripts and GRE scores to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
101 Wilder Tower
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152