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PHILOSOPHY: what to do to get into the best possible uni for masters?

Hi
I'm currently taking BA philosophy and have already decided that I would like to continue studying it for masters and PHD. What are things I can do to get into the best university possible right now? For example, are there places where I can send in essays, where I can get a bit of useful recognition if they are good?

Any suggestions welcome

Reply 1

tenjon

8

Get as high a first as you can.

Reply 2

Angelil

19

Aim for magazines and lower-end journals if you're hell bent on publishing something, as it's extremely difficult to publish generally. Most PhD students have trouble publishing, and for some journals, such as the Shakespeare Review (can't speak for philosophy specifically I'm afraid), you basically have to be a top lecturer even to get a look in.

While of course aim for a first, you should know that even getting a 2.1 doesn't bar you from postgraduate courses at the most prestigious universities *points to postgraduate destination in sig despite recently received 2.1*

Reply 3

Gwai

1

Get the best results you can, and be nice to the people you're going to ask for references.

Reply 4

the_alba

12

And look at the sticky thread at the top of the postgrad forum...

Reply 5

Alan Smithee

BPhil @ Oxford is the best philosophy degree in the world.

Reply 6

fuglyduckling

2

Angelil

While of course aim for a first, you should know that even getting a 2.1 doesn't bar you from postgraduate courses at the most prestigious universities *points to postgraduate destination in sig despite recently received 2.1*

Out of curiosity, what do you think it was that helped you get in for the MSt? (I'm thinking of doing it.) Was it your reference and written work submitted or have you attended loads of conferences/published stuff/done something else extra special? :smile:

Reply 7

Calvin

14

Pernell Whitaker

BPhil @ Oxford is the best philosophy degree in the world.

I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer :P

Good references, good grades, good knowledge of your topic you intend to focus on. Other than that... find somebody with good connections at the university you want to go to who can hook you up?

Reply 8

Angelil

19

fuglyduckling

Out of curiosity, what do you think it was that helped you get in for the MSt? (I'm thinking of doing it.) Was it your reference and written work submitted or have you attended loads of conferences/published stuff/done something else extra special? :smile:

Soooo difficult to tell! Loads of things may have contributed to it, I think:
1) The fact that they said a 'high 2.1' was required and stupidly didn't specify a number between 65 and 70, plus the fact that my transcript was so difficult to follow (the guy looking at my transcript admitted over the phone that he didn't understand it and that basically all he could see was that I got a 2.1)...
2) Good references possibly (I made sure I got people who really liked me + who had a lot of clout to do my references, including one guy who's an internationally renowned classicist who told my tutor he was impressed by me the first time he met me in my first year...ugh, that sounds so boastful. My apologies :redface:

).
3) Very careful choices of what pieces of work to send - I sent a piece that got me a 75 in the second year and a piece that I presented at a conference at Exeter in my first year.
4) I emphasised the fact that I'd been hobnobbing at academic conferences since I was 17 and generally being a bit of a geek (ugh again...sorry :p:

). I didn't mention that earlier, actually - going to academic conferences as an undergrad, even if you barely understand a word that's said there, probably looks quite good when applying for postgrad.
5) I have published, but only in internal journals at Exeter and in one very little-known national journal that's mainly for teachers in schools rather than for university academics.

They didn't interview me so that's basically what they had to go on. Oh, and you have to write a personal statement, of course.

Reply 9

Alan Smithee

Calvin

I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer :P

Haha!

Reply 10

Alan Smithee

Angelil

Soooo difficult to tell! Loads of things may have contributed to it, I think:
1) The fact that they said a 'high 2.1' was required and stupidly didn't specify a number between 65 and 70, plus the fact that my transcript was so difficult to follow (the guy looking at my transcript admitted over the phone that he didn't understand it and that basically all he could see was that I got a 2.1)...
2) Good references possibly (I made sure I got people who really liked me + who had a lot of clout to do my references, including one guy who's an internationally renowned classicist who told my tutor he was impressed by me the first time he met me in my first year...ugh, that sounds so boastful. My apologies :redface:

).
3) Very careful choices of what pieces of work to send - I sent a piece that got me a 75 in the second year and a piece that I presented at a conference at Exeter in my first year.
4) I emphasised the fact that I'd been hobnobbing at academic conferences since I was 17 and generally being a bit of a geek (ugh again...sorry :p:

). I didn't mention that earlier, actually - going to academic conferences as an undergrad, even if you barely understand a word that's said there, probably looks quite good when applying for postgrad.
5) I have published, but only in internal journals at Exeter and in one very little-known national journal that's mainly for teachers in schools rather than for university academics.

They didn't interview me so that's basically what they had to go on. Oh, and you have to write a personal statement, of course.

You forgot to mention (in your humility, no doubt) that probably about 20 people applied for 25 places.

Reply 11

Angelil

19

Stats for my course:
Average number of applications per year 65
Average numbers admitted per year 15

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/caz/phil.shtml

So no, actually, you'd be wrong.

Reply 12

Alan Smithee

Angelil

Stats for my course:
Average number of applications per year 65
Average numbers admitted per year 15

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/caz/phil.shtml

So no, actually, you'd be wrong.

Must have been a bad year.

Thanks

Angelil

Thanks

Sorry.

Reply 15

coldfish

12

Whilst I loathe to give advice to a potential adversary in the battle-to-the-death for places at graduate philosophy courses, but perhaps you could try submitting to the BUPS (British Undergraduate Philosophy Society) journal?
I'm considering having a go at it, though it's faintly terrifying.