If I am applying for a passport, do I need to have my *specific* departure date?

I am planning for an international trip in October 2011, but I'm trying to take care of as much detail as possible now. I haven't purchased my ticket yet, so I have no definite departure and/or return date. Do I need these things before I can submit my passport application, or are the month and year sufficient?|||No you don't need a valid flight ticket for the passport application. Just enter any date in column 19 of the passport application like 10012011. U.S. passport office asks for this information so that they can produce the passports based on the departure dates of the applicants during periods of high demands..|||In the US, no.