Tri-Campus Undergraduate Writing Prizes: Spinoza and Hypatia Awards

Beginning in the fall of 2024, the Department of Philosophy will award two new undergraduate essay prizes: the Spinoza Award (for students in their first two years of undergraduate study) and the Hypatia Award (for students in advanced years of their undergraduate degree).

We are now accepting submissions from students on all three University of Toronto campuses until October 11, 2024. Please submit your work to Petra Dreiser by 11:59 PM EST on Friday, October 11, 2024.

Spinoza Award

  • best philosophy essay by an undergraduate with at most 10.0 completed course credits (any program) at the time of submission
  • open to students from all three University campuses
  • essays may be pieces previously handed in for coursework or work written independently
  • prize amount: $2,250
  • deadline: 11:59 PM EST, Friday, October 11, 2024

Hypatia Award

  • best philosophy essay by a senior Philosophy undergraduate student who is enrolled in a Philosophy program and has completed at least 3.0 Philosophy course credits at the time of submission
  • students may be a major, minor, or specialist in Philosophy (including the Bioethics programs on the St. George campus)
  • open to students from all three University campuses
  • essays may be pieces previously handed in for coursework or work written independently
  • prize amount: $2,250
  • deadline: 11:59 PM EST, Friday, October 11, 2024

Information needed at time of submission

(for either award)

  • student’s full name
  • student number
  • student’s degree program (indicating major/minor/specialist)
  • if submitting for the Hypatia Award, the number of philosophy credits at the time of submission (no matter when the paper was written); if submitting for the Spinoza Award, the number of total credits at the time of submission (no matter when the paper was written)
  • student’s current year of study
  • student’s campus
  • IF the paper was submitted for coursework previously, the course number and title; otherwise, just an indication that the essay was written independently
  • essay title
  • name of the award to which the student is submitting
  • student’s written consent that their essay be submitted to TurnItIn by the Department of Philosophy

Please submit your essay to Petra Dreiser by October 11, 2024 and mention in the subject line of your message the name of the prize for which you wish to be considered. For questions about the prize, please contact Petra Dreiser.