- Why Philosophy?
- Programs of Study
- Advising
- Courses
- Activities and Opportunities
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- Meteorite - Undergraduate Journal
- Journals, Conferences & Summer Programs
- Study Abroad
- Prizes
Note: The most up-to-date info & additional info on each opportunity can be found by visiting their respective websites.
Philosophy Programs for Undergraduates
COMPASS at Michigan
COMPASS at Michigan is a workshop for students considering graduate school in philosophy. It brings together students from diverse backgrounds for a weekend of philosophical discussion, networking, and mentoring. The workshop takes place at the University of Michigan's Department of Philosophy in Ann Arbor. Advanced undergraduates and M.A. students (first and second year), including recent graduates, are eligible to apply. It is typically held in late September or early October. Travel, room and board, and food are all covered by Michigan's philosophy department.
Program Dates: TBD
Application Deadline: TBD
The Colorado Summer Seminar in Philosophy
The Colorado Summer Seminar in Philosophy, held at the University of Colorado Boulder, is intended for outstanding advanced undergraduates who are considering graduate school in philosophy. The aim is to introduce students to the atmosphere of a graduate-level seminar, giving them a chance to explore their philosophical abilities and interests before they commit to a graduate program. The seminar is team-taught by ten or more faculty members and class sessions are supplemented by a variety of extracurricular events, including talks on additional subjects and workshops on such topics as women in philosophy and how to apply to graduate school. Enrollment will be limited to 20 students. The readings will be philosophically sophisticated, and students will be expected to participate extensively. Applicants should have done substantial work in philosophy, including exposure to contemporary analytic methods.
Program Dates: June 9th - 28th, 2024
Application Deadline: March 1st, 2024
Brown Summer Immersion Program in Philosophy
SIPP@Brown welcomes applications from students currently in their junior or senior year of undergraduate studies who are interested in pursuing a career in philosophy and who identify with a traditionally underrepresented group in the field. The two-week program features intensive courses and workshops to provide an engaging philosophical learning experience and help students prepare for graduate school in philosophy. Room and board and tuition are paid, and participants also receive a stipend. Additionally, students will be awarded a fee waiver that they can use for most of their graduate school applications if they wish to continue studying philosophy.
Program Dates: June 24 - July 5
Application Deadline: April 15
Hamilton College Summer Program in Philosophy
This program brings together creative teachers, ambitious undergraduates, and engaging graduate students, for three concurrent, innovative, two-week courses in philosophy. Students gain experience with new approaches to philosophy, working with outstanding philosophy teachers and a diverse group of students chosen for their desire to learn together. All students in the program participate fully in all three courses. Classes meet daily, Monday through Friday. Evenings contain both structured activities and unstructured time to study and relax with other undergraduate philosophers. In addition to coursework, the HCSPiP provides a one-day Adirondack trip, a July 4 celebration, and other activities, all imbued with the natural interests of our participants in philosophy. Room and board, tuition, and (most) airfare costs are paid, and participants also recieve a stipend.
Program Dates: June 23-July 9
Application Deadline: March 11
Rutgers Summer Institute for Diversity in Philosophy
This seven day program is designed to introduce undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to the various areas of specialization within the discipline of philosophy, give students a better idea of what graduate studies in philosophy is about, and explore various views about what it means to be a professional philosopher. Up to fifteen students will be given the opportunity to interact in formal and informal settings with a group of talented graduate students and distinguished faculty members from a number of universities. Eligible students must demonstrate how their experiences and background foster greater diversity in the discipline of philosophy and be full-time students in a college or university in the United States (preference will be given to sophomores and juniors, though others are eligible.) Interested students must be in good academic standing and be interested in philosophy as a career. Travel, room and board, and tuition are all paid, and a stipend is also included.
Program Dates: July 7th-July 13th, 2024
Application Deadline: April 26th, 2024
PIKSI @ Penn State’s Rock Ethics Institute
PIKSI-Rock (Philosophy in an Inclusive Key) is a week-long summer institute held at the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State University Park. PIKSI-Rock brings together a cohort of undergraduate students from groups underrepresented in the discipline of philosophy in order to support them in their pursuit of future study in the field of philosophy. While at the PIKSI-Rock institute, they participate in seminars with prominent and up-and-coming philosophers from similarly marginalized backgrounds, attend public talks, engage in networking and mentoring opportunities, and develop sustaining connections that will support them throughout a career in philosophy. All expenses are paid, and all admitted students are given a stipend.
Program Dates: June 2–12, 2024
Application Deadline: February 18, 2024
Carnegie Mellon University Summer School in Logic and Formal Epistemology
This summer school in logic and formal epistemology is for promising undergraduates in philosophy, mathematics, computer science, linguistics, economics, and other sciences. During this three-week, intensive program, we introduce a small group of approximately 25 promising students to cross-disciplinary fields of research at an early stage in their career, forging lasting links between these disciplines along with friendships and professional contacts. Topics change from year to year, with daily sessions taught by CMU Philosophy faculty members and guest lectures sometimes offered by other professionals, grad students, and even summer school alumni. Tuition and housing are covered by CMU.
Program Dates: 3 weeks in June (exact dates TBD)
Application Deadline: February 14, 2024
Cornell Prelaw Summer Program in Paris
The 4-credit course students take at this program, LAW 4031: Introduction to the Global Study of Law, is taught entirely by faculty from Cornell. It is designed to introduce advanced prelaw students to key topics in the study and practice of law, within a global context. This program is open to rising seniors or highly qualified rising juniors from any college or university (except Cornell) who are considering a career in law. Note that the estimated cost (meals, airfare, and books included) is ~$10,000. There are some scholarships available, however, which you can read more about here.
Program Dates: June 22-July 13, 2024 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: February 23, 2024
The Mayo Clinic 2024 Summer Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Ethics Research
The 10-week summer program places each student with a faculty mentor to work on a particular research project for the summer. In addition, students participate in a summer bioethics curriculum, which includes educational sessions on research methods and career development meetings with program faculty. Students are expected to dedicate 40 hours a week to a combination of research and educational activities. Compensation is provided.
Program Start Date: Late May or Early June
Application Deadline: January 22, 2024, 11:59pm CST
The Mayo Clinic 2024-2025 Post-Baccalaureate Research Program
The post-baccalaureate program includes many of the same elements as the clinic’s Summer Undergraduate Program, as well as a mentored “gap year” experience for students who work as research assistants on empirical bioethics projects. Compensation is provided.
Application Deadline: February 12, 2024, 11:59pm CST
Journals and Conferences for Undergraduates
IMPORTANT: If you submit your paper to a journal, you cannot submit that same paper to another journal unless it is denied.
Trachtenberg Bioethics Essay Contest
We invite current undergraduates in any US or Canadian college or university to enter. Three essays will be selected with awards of $1,000, $750, and $250 for first, second, and third place, respectively. Essays must respond to ONE of the following topics: 1. Does controlled organ donation after circulatory death violate the dead donor rule, and should it be permitted? 2. What are potential harms to groups or populations in “big data” biomedical research such as genomic, machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) studies? Should human subjects research regulations be revised to account for those harms? 3. What do you envision as the ideal role of community members on hospital bioethics committees?
Submission Deadline: May 13th, 2024
Brown University Undergraduate Philosophy Journal
Founded in 1998, Noēsis is the journal of undergraduate philosophy at the University of Toronto, and we are currently accepting papers for its We accept papers in all areas of philosophy, so long as they are written by undergraduate students and no more than 5,000 words in length. We primarily look for two qualities when evaluating papers: originality and clarity. Papers published in Noēsis contribute something new to the discipline, whether that be a new objection, argument, theory, exegesis, and so on.
Submission Deadline: December 23rd, 2023 11:59 PM EST
Publication Date: Spring 2024
University of Toronto Undergraduate Philosophy Journal
Founded in 1998, Noēsis is the journal of undergraduate philosophy at the University of Toronto, and we are currently accepting papers for its We accept papers in all areas of philosophy, so long as they are written by undergraduate students and no more than 5,000 words in length. We primarily look for two qualities when evaluating papers: originality and clarity. Papers published in Noēsis contribute something new to the discipline, whether that be a new objection, argument, theory, exegesis, and so on.
Submission Deadline: December 21st, 2023
Publication Date: Spring 2024
Yale University Undergraduate Philosophy Journal
The Yale Philosophy Review is a journal of philosophy and literature that publishes writing by undergraduates. In addition to papers of academic philosophy, we publish short stories, poems, book reviews, and more exotic forms of narrative that speak to philosophical questions. Our theme, Puzzle & Paradox, is intended to inspire, rather than constrain, our authors. Although we expect all submissions to touch on the theme in some way, we encourage authors to be liberal and innovative in their interpretations of it. Authors may want to tackle a specific paradox, puzzle, or open problem in philosophy, discuss the value or nature of puzzle and paradox as concepts, or go in an entirely different direction.
Submission Deadline: December 22nd, 2023, rolling submissions allowed (see submission guide for more details)
University of Minnesota Undergraduate Philosophy Journal and Conference
We're looking for excellent undergraduate papers from any philosophical tradition and discipline. Selections will be made based on originality, engagement with the source material, depth of argument, maturity of vocabulary, clarity, conciseness, and accessibility of thoughts and language. We welcome submissions from diverse philosophical backgrounds and on a broad variety of topics. Paper length should be between 3000 and 6000 words (12 to 24 pages), and submissions should include a 100-200 word abstract.
Journal Deadline: January 1st, 2024 (priority deadline) & February 15th, 2024 (final deadline)
Conference Deadline: January 1st, 2024
Conference Date: Mid-to-late Spring
The Johns Hopkins University Undergraduate Philosophy Conference & Journal
Prometheus is an international undergraduate philosophy journal published by students at Johns Hopkins University. The purpose of the journal is to promote the philosophical discourse of the highest standard by offering students an opportunity to engage in open discussion, to participate in an academic conference and in the production and publication of an academic journal, and to establish a community of aspiring philosophers. To submit, fill out the following form. Each spring, Prometheus also hosts the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Philosophy Conference for undergraduates from around the world to share their research. We plan to hold the conference in person. All submissions will be automatically considered for acceptance to the conference as well as to the journal. To submit, fill out this form.
Submission Deadline: January 5th, 2024, 11:59 PM EST
Publication Date: Summer 2024
Conference Date: Saturday, April 13th, 2024
University of Idaho Undergraduate Philosophy Journal
The Hemlock from the University of Idaho is in search of original philosophical papers authored by current undergraduates. Our journal is open to papers from all branches of philosophy. We aim to publish essays that can be read and understood by a general audience, so please keep technicality to a minimum.authored by current undergraduates. Selected papers will appear in the journal’s nineteenth volume.
Submission Deadline: January 15th, 2024
The Colorado College Undergraduate Philosophy Journal
The link above contains a call for papers for Anamnesis, an undergraduate journal of philosophy at Colorado College. We are receiving submissions for our 2023-24 edition of the journal and are excited to read philosophically grounded and rigorous papers from both philosophy students and non-philosophy students alike. There is no theme for this year's edition -- we hope that this will encourage a wide variety of submissions tackling all sorts of issues. We are eager to explore diverse perspectives and innovative ideas that challenge conventional thought and contribute to the ongoing dialogue in the world of philosophy. In contrast to highly specialized graduate-level philosophy journals, we hope to publish accessible yet rigorous contributions to the discipline.
Submission Deadline: February 1st, 2024
The Pacific University Undergraduate Conference
The Pacific University Undergraduate Philosophy Conference is an annual, two-day conference held each spring, attracting students from across the country and internationally. Since 1997, more than 1,600 students from over 350 schools have participated in our conference. Papers are required to be of philosophical content, but there are no specific restrictions on subject matter within the arena of philosophical discussion itself. Selected papers from the conference will be published as a special issue of the International Journal for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities.
Conference Dates: April 28th-29th, 2024
Submission Deadline: February 1st, 2024
Eastern Michigan University's Undergraduate Philosophy Journal & Conference
Acta Cogitata is dedicated to providing a venue for undergraduate authors of original philosophical papers to have their work reviewed and, possibly, published. Publication acknowledges the work of outstanding undergraduate authors, rewards their efforts, and provides a home for some thought-provoking projects. Acta Cogitata's authors retain the copyright so that they may continue to develop their projects. The journal accepts papers from all areas of philosophy and seeks to promote philosophical discourse in any area where such discourse may be illuminating. It is published annually, in late October or early November.
Conference Dates: TBD
Submission Deadline: TBD
The Midsouth Undergraduate Philosophy Conference
The Memphis Undergraduate Philosophy Circle announces its annual undergraduate conference. Keeping with the vast tradition of philosophy, we accept papers on all topics, new traditions and old. Given the broad field of topics, we encourage everyone who participates to have an open mind and a desire to learn about the ideas and interests of fellow undergraduate philosophers. The undergraduate conference will be held at Rhodes College, in conjunction with the Midsouth Philosophy Conference, giving undergraduates the opportunity to participate in the larger philosophical community. The Pacific University Undergraduate Philosophy Conference is an annual, two-day conference held each spring, attracting students from across the country and internationally. Since 1997, more than 1,600 students from over 350 schools have participated in our conference.
Conference Dates: April 12th-13th, 2024
Submission Deadline: March 1st, 2024
Northwestern University Community for Human Rights (NUCHR) Conference
NUCHR has opened applications for its 21st annual conference titled 'Embodying Autonomy: Liberating the Physical Self'. Human rights begin within ourselves -- within the very bodies we inhabit. Today, the politics of the body are at the forefront of discussions surrounding the liberation of marginalized communities. This moment prompts us to ponder: To what extent should the state dictate our bodily choices? What can liberation movements teach us about the profound significance and politics inherent to our bodies? The event will feature two keynote speakers, two though-provoking panels, a hands-on workshop, enlightening site visits, and more.
Conference Dates: February 23rd, 2024 through February 25th, 2024
Application Deadline: October 29th, 2023 at 11:59 pm CDT
Mudd Center for Ethics Undergraduate Conference & Journal
The Roger Mudd Center for Ethics at Washington and Lee University is pleased to invite undergraduate submissions to the yearly Mudd Ethics Conference and Mudd Journal of Ethics. The Mudd Center values diverse topics in ethics that engage an interdisciplinary audience in questions about values and human well-being. Authors whose work is selected will have their work published in a peer-reviewed publication and will present their paper to colleagues at a virtual conference.
Conference Date: February 17th, 2024
Submission Deadline: December 20th, 2023
University of Sheffield Undergraduate Philosophy Journal & Conference
We are very pleased to announce that we are now accepting submissions for the Spring 2023 edition of PhilonoUS, The University of Sheffield's undergraduate philosophy journal! Students from any university worldwide, in any department, at any level of undergraduate study (or those who've already graduated but still have work they're proud of from their undergraduate degree), are invited to submit their work they've written on topics of philosophy. If you have written an essay, either as part of your university course or in your spare time, we encourage you to submit it to be considered for publication. We are accepting submissions relating to any area of philosophy, but papers which argue for an original claim are preferable. We are also accepting book reviews.
Submission Deadline: March 3rd, 2024 (17:00 London Time)
Brandeis University Undergraduate Philosophy Journal & Conference
We are Simpliciter, a new undergraduate journal of philosophy at Brandeis University located in Waltham, Massachusetts. We aim to recognize excellent works of philosophy produced by undergraduates and are currently accepting submissions for our inaugural edition, to be published in the spring of 2024. We will consider papers that make novel contributions to fields such as aesthetics, epistemology, ethics, metaphysics, political philosophy, and more, across a variety of philosophical traditions. While our journal is necessarily selective, a larger number of submissions may be accepted to speak at our conference and discuss philosophy with other accepted authors.
Conference Dates: Spring or Summer of 2024
Submission Deadline: January 7th, 2024
If you are a Michigan undergraduate seeking travel funding to attend any of these (or similar) philosophy events, the department can help. Submit a request for travel funding with this form and contact phil-ug-coord@umich.edu with any questions.
