Graduate Admissions

Calendar

Priority Dates

  • Fall Semester: February 15
  • Spring Semester: September 15
  • Summer Semester: January 31
Applications may be accepted after the published priority date for each term, but for guaranteed consideration please submit the application and other required materials by the priority date. Because we process applications as they arrive, applicants—especially those hoping for funding as PhD students—are encouraged to submit their materials as early as possible. Applications will not be reviewed until all required materials have been received.

Overview

The Department of English considers four criteria when assessing the applications of prospective MA, PhD, and non-degree seeking students:

  • GPA from undergraduate and/or graduate coursework
  • Writing sample
  • Letters of recommendation
  • GRE scores are optional

All criteria are considered together, that is, holistically. Although no single factor will eliminate a prospective student from consideration, only those candidates who meet the appropriate standards listed below for at least three of the four criteria can be admitted unconditionally.

In addition to these criteria and other admission requirements set by the Graduate Office, the Department of English requires all international students to have speaking, reading, and writing proficiency in English.

The application process is competitive and funding is limited; we cannot guarantee that all qualified applicants can be admitted into our MA or PhD programs.

For more information, including a link to the online application portal, please visit (for domestic students) or (for international students).

MA APPLICANTS AND NON-DEGREE SEEKING STUDENTS

A minimum GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate work, with a minimum of 3.4 in the English major or upper-level English courses. Students without an English major must have at least 12 hours of upper-level coursework in English. 

A writing sample of 10 to 15 pages that demonstrates a sophisticated prose style and the ability to construct complex arguments. Email the writing sample to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Three letters of recommendation that attest to the prospective student's intellectual and scholarly potential. At least two of these should be from former professors. Recommenders should email letters directly to the Director of Graduate Studies.

PHD PROGRAM

A minimum GPA of 3.5 in the student's MA in English or a very closely related field. (If the MA is not in English, we will consider the undergraduate GPA as well as that of the MA. Moreover, if the MA is not in a very closely related field, the prospective student will be admitted to the MA program in English, not the PhD program.)

For the GRE, a minimum score of 156 on the verbal section and a minimum score of 4.5 on the analytic writing section. We do not consider the math scores. We do not require the English subject test. GRE scores must be from the last 5 years.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GRE requirement is waived through Summer 2024.

A writing sample of 15 to 20 pages that demonstrates a sophisticated prose style, the ability to engage in intellectually rigorous modes of analysis, and a strong knowledge of rhetoric, composition studies, literary studies, cultural studies, and/or interdisciplinary critical theory. Email the writing sample to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Three letters of recommendation that attest to the student's intellectual and scholarly potential. At least two of these must be from former professors; at least one must be a professor from the student's MA program. Recommenders should email letters directly to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Support for PhD Students

Email Dr. Justin Lerberg