Re: Postgrad. Entry

I was going to suggest Sheffield actually, but only because I applied there. Perhaps I should leave this group soon since I'll be a post grad in October. I don't know whether you got your information from the Philosophical Gourmet Report, if not, you shoulg google it. I think that one of the things to get right is the research proposal. Make it specific (and feasible) and "good" (I'll leave that part up to you), but also make sure that in addition to being a good idea, it is something that is in line with the research someone there is doing. Not being there yet I don't know how committed you are to what you write, but I'm planning to keep pretty close to it anyway. People tend to be more liberal with what they say they will research for the dreaded funding applications. My thesis proposal was something Blackburn is interested in, and he's supervising it, so that's great!

Oxford does seem to be in a level above all the other departments in the UK, at least in terms of the bredth of tutors' research. Still, this might be because of the sheer number of people there (also 50, compared to under 15 in Cambridge). Remember that your thesis will be supervised by only one person (although I guess the more the merrier), so look for big people elsewhere. But I think the best thing to do is just to apply to loads (I did about 6 I think), after all it doesn't cost anything, it's not America after all. After all, you might not get in everywhere. I didn't!

On 24 Aug 2006 17:03:40 +0100, djf500@york.ac.uk <djf500@york.ac.uk> wrote:

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Hi,

I'm thinking of applying to do a master's in Philosophy after this year.
I've looked at a few on departmental web-pages, and alot seem to say 'high
2:1 or first' as an entry requirement. I'm assuming that the number alone
is not enough to get into the top departments - precisely how bullet proof
do you have to be to get into what I think of as the top group? (in a vague
order from what i've read)...

Oxford, London, Cambridge, Edinbrugh, St. Andrews, Warwick, Bristol,
Durham, Nottingham...

Perhaps everyone on this list is in the same position as me regarding this
question (completely ignorant) or perhaps not...any help would be, well,
helpful. Even if noone knows about the 'bullet proof' question, perhaps
people could comment on whether they think i've generally got the 'top
group' sorted. Whether York should be in that group is probably
controversial, but *I* don't like the structure of the MA, so i'm not
staying. If it helps, I plan on focussing on epistemology, and the obvious
detours into language,metaphysics etc.

Cheers,
Daniel

P.S. Maybe Sheffield should be included on the list, but i've been to
Sheffield and didn't like the city.

P.P.S. Not having had *any* final results back yet, I don't want to suggest
that i'll get the formal requirement - that'd *well* arrogant. Don't count
your chickens until (operating under the correct sortal) you've got them
etc...

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