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What can I do with a Major in...

• What can I do with a Major in Philosophy?
• What can I do with a Major in Religious Studies?

How do I prepare a Writing Sample for a Graduate School Application?

Please see the UCSD Summer Program for Women in Philosophy Session on Preparing a Writing Sample with Amy Berg and speak to a faculty member about your interest in graduate school if you haven't already.

See below for Scholarships, Essay Prizes, and Summer Institutes in Philosophy

Ian Moore Memorial Scholarships

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies is pleased to announce the availability of one or more scholarships supported by the Ian Moore Philosophy Fund. Because it is dependent on return on investment, the exact amount of support available varies from year to year. In recent years the scholarship award has been $2,334. An awardee is eligible for renewal. We invite all eligible students to apply.

The Ian Moore Memorial Scholarship was established by Mr. and Mrs. Craig Moore in memory of their son who died in an accident shortly after the successful completion of his undergraduate studies in Philosophy in 1996.

The scholarship, which is not based on need, is to go to an undergraduate student majoring in Philosophy who shows academic promise. The agreement describing the scholarship defines “academic promise” as typified by a student who may not have the highest GPA or class standing, but who has shown a love and appreciation for the study of Philosophy and has the desire to pursue the subject matter to higher educational levels.

• The applicant must submit a letter to the Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies expressing interest in being considered for the award and stating his or her interest in pursuing a higher level of education after a bachelor’s degree.
• The applicant must submit an unofficial transcript.
• The applicant must submit an accompanying essay of approximately 1000 words (four double-spaced typed pages) addressing the following question: What idea, problem or figure in philosophy has most provoked you to think thus far and why?
• The finalists may be invited to a brief interview/discussion with the faculty. 

Wing-Chun Wong Essay Prize

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of Towson University is proud to announce the Wing-Chun Wong Essay Prize. The Prize was established to honor the legacy of Dr. Wong by his family and will continue to be awarded annually. Dr. Wong taught in the Department until his untimely death in the Summer of 2001. His area of expertise was in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. He also had interests in the philosophy of science, philosophy of mathematics, logic, metaphysics, and Chinese Buddhist idealism. He was admired by students and his colleagues for his devotion to teaching.

The competition is open to all philosophy majors. Students are invited to submit a sample of their best scholarly work on any philosophical topic. Work should be submitted to Professor Suk Choi at the address at the bottom of this page. The recipient of the Prize will be determined by a committee of faculty members in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. The paper submitted should have a minimum of 2500 words.

The deadline for submissions is around April each year and the recipient will be announced around May of each year. The recipient will receive a monetary award as credit on their Towson University account. 

The 2022-2023 Wing-Chun Wong Prize due date will be April 1, 2023. The awardee will be announced on May 1, 2023. 

Paul Theodore Pojman, Ph.D. Essay Prize

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies is pleased to announce the Paul Theodore Pojman, Ph.D. Essay Prize established in honor of Dr. Pojman by his family. The prize will be awarded annually to a student(s) enrolled in a course(s) in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department. Applicants must meet the following Minimum Eligibility Criteria.

• Full-time students, who have at least two terms remaining before graduation.
• Enrolled or previously enrolled in at least one course in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.
• The student prize recipient(s) is (are) chosen based on the best essay submitted on a topic formerly taught or valued by Professor Paul Theodore Pojman. The Program Director and/or a committee of his/her selection will decide the winner.

Students are invited to submit their essays by a date in the fall semester of each year, and the recipient will be announced around December of each year. The recipient will receive a monetary award paid as credit on their Towson University account. 

Walt Fuchs Essay Prize

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of Towson University is pleased to announce the Dr. Wolfgang Fuchs Memorial Essay Prize. The Prize was established in the honor of Dr. Wolfgang (“Walt”) Fuchs and will be awarded annually. Dr. Fuchs taught in the Department for over 40 years (1969-2013). He was a devoted teacher and scholar and will be missed by the many people whose lives he impacted.

Students are invited to submit a sample of their best scholarly work on any philosophical topic. The recipient of the Prize will be determined by a committee of faculty members in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. The paper submitted should have a minimum of 1500 words.

The deadline for submissions is around April each year and the recipient will be announced later that month. The recipient will receive a monetary award paid as credit on their Towson University account, and will present his or her paper to faculty and students at the Philosophy Forum during the Spring semester.

The competition is open to any current Towson University student not graduating in May of the same year, so long as their submitted paper was written as a result of taking a philosophy course at Towson University.

Past recipients of the Walt Fuchs Essay Prize are as follows:

2015 Yisrael Turniansky

2016 Kiarra Caesar

2017 Shelby Clipp

2018 Nic Koski

Summer Institutes for Potential Graduate Students From Groups Underrepresented in Philosophy

Philosophy in an Inclusive Key

Rutgers Summer Institute for Diversity in Philosophy

Summer Immersion Program in Philosophy at Brown University

More information can be found here

Contact Information

Regarding any of the above, papers should be sent or inquiries addressed to:

Dr. Robert Tappan, Department Chair
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Towson University
8000 York Road
Towson, MD 21252