Undergraduate Opportunities
Philosophy undergraduates can take advantage of summer study programs and other research funding opportunities, many of which are aimed especially at women and minority students. Information about some of these events can be found here.
Opportunities Heading link
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Research Funding at UIC
The next cycle of LAS Undergrad Research Initiative funding has been announced. It is possible to get LASURI funding for a SENIOR THESIS PROJECT (where the PHIL 390 could be in EITHER fall 2019 or spring 2020). This would require you to apply to LASURI by their March 15, 2019 deadline. You would of course also go through the department’s Senior Thesis application process (some of the steps in which overlap with LASURIs). Ideally you would keep this in mind or even do both applications together (i.e. do the Department one early.) For further info on LASURI eligibility and program requirements, please see the LASURI website. For the Phil Senior Thesis application process see here.
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Summer Diversity Institutes
Philosophy in an Inclusive Key Summer Institutes (PIKSI)
The two PIKSI programs are affiliated with one another but operate autonomously. The are funded in large part by grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the APA, as well as their host institutions.
PIKSI-Boston
PIKSI-Boston, founded in 2015, is held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is also supported by the University of Massachusetts Boston.
- Dates: June 20 – June 27, 2019
- Location: Cambridge, MA
- Application Information
Applications were due January 31, 2019. The two PIKSI institutes use a shared application process. Applicants must complete an online application and submit a transcript and writing sample, and each must have a faculty sponsor. Undergraduates and recent graduates from underrepresented groups such as women, African Americans, Chicano/as and Latino/as, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, LGBTQA persons, economically disadvantaged communities, and people with disabilities are urged to apply. - About the Institute
PIKSI summer institutes are designed to encourage undergraduates from underrepresented groups to consider future study of philosophy. Transportation and lodging are provided; stipends are awarded to all.
See the PIKSI-Boston site for more information.
PIKSI-Rock
PIKSI-Rock, founded in 2006, is held at the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State University.
- Dates: June 17 – June 28, 2019
- Location: State College, PA
- Application Information
Applications were due January 31, 2019. The two PIKSI institutes use a shared application process. Applicants must complete an online application and submit a transcript and writing sample, and each must have a faculty sponsor. Undergraduate women or men from underrepresented groups such as African Americans, Chicano/as and Latino/as, Native Americans, Asian Americans, LGBTQA persons, economically disadvantaged communities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. - About the Institute
PIKSI summer institutes are designed to encourage undergraduates from underrepresented groups to consider future study of philosophy. Transportation and lodging are provided; stipends are awarded to all.
See the PIKSI-Rock site for more information.
Rutgers Summer Institute for Diversity in Philosophy
Now in its 20th year, the institute founded by Prof. Howard McGary is held at Rutgers University.
- Dates: July 21 – July 26, 2019
- Location: New Brunswick, NJ
- Application Information
The application form is now open and due April 22, 2019. 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. - About the Institute
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. The institute provides travel, room and board, and a stipend. See the Rutgers Summer Institute site for more information.
Summer Immersion Program in Philosophy at Brown University
SIPP at Brown began in 2015. It is hosted and supported by Brown University.
- Dates: July 21 – August 3, 2019
- Location: Providence, RI
- Application Information
Applications were due March 1, 2019. Students currently in their junior year of undergraduate studies who are interested in pursuing a career in philosophy and who identify with a traditionally underrepresented group in the field are invited to apply. (These groups include women, students of color, and disabled persons.) SIPP will also take applications from students who are in their senior year, or who already have a degree, as long as they have not yet applied to graduate school. Applicants must complete an application form and provide a transcript and writing sample. - About the Institute
SIPP@Brown is a two week residential program. Students attend two daily seminars and participated in regular evening activities arranged by the Brown Department of Philosophy. Admitted students are housed in Brown University dorms and receive a stipend and travel costs. See the SIPP site for more information.
UCSD Summer Program for Women in Philosophy
The UCSD Summer Program for Women in Philosophy held its first institute in 2014. It is hosted and supported by the University of California at San Diego.
- Dates: July 22 – August 2, 2019
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Application Information
Applications were due March 1, 2019. Participants must be women who are US or Canadian citizens and enrolled in an accredited 4-year college or university. Preference is given to students in their junior year, but sophomores are also eligible. While academic ability and philosophical promise are the main criteria for selection, the selection committee will also give some weight to applicants who come from colleges or universities with smaller or more limited resources, and also applicants who have encountered factors that present hardships to their pursuit of higher education (including financial and cultural factors). - About the Institute
The two-week program features two intensive courses and a variety of workshops, all geared towards providing an engaging philosophical learning experience and preparation for applying to graduate school in philosophy. Participants will be provided with housing and meals, will have transportation costs covered, will have all course and workshop materials provided, and will receive a stipend. See the SPWP site for more information.
You may also want to visit the APA’s page on Undergraduate Diversity Institutes in Philosophy.
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Undergraduate Journals and Conferences
Great Lakes Philosophy Conference: Ethics Today and Tomorrow call for submissionsA Priori (Brown’s undergrad phil journal) call for submissions