At the time of application, students must submit the following documents to the Master of Arts Program, Department of English:

1. A three- to five-page application essay that addresses the student's background in English, reasons for applying to Master of Arts program, specific area(s) of interest, learning goals, and professional objectives.
2. A recent sample (from within the past five years) of the applicant's academic or professional writing. (NOTE: If no samples are available, the applicant should address why in the application essay.)
3. Two letters of recommendation from faculty who know the applicant's academic work (or professional writing, when appropriate).
4. Official test scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test. (The English subject test is not required.)
5. Official transcripts for all prior coursework. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is expected. Admission to the program is based upon the evaluation of the entire application packet in conjunction with the applicant's undergraduate GPA. An applicant who is weak in one area may, at the discretion of the department, be required to take additional coursework at the undergraduate level.

Under-Prepared Students / Admission for Students without an Undergraduate Degree in English (or related Discipline):

An applicant who does not have sufficient undergraduate experience in English, at the discretion of the department, may be required to take up to 9 credits of additional coursework at the undergraduate level. These preparatory courses do not count toward the MA degree and must be passed with a grade of B or better.

International Students

According to the UAA Admission Requirements for Master's Degrees, applicants whose native language is not English must submit official Toefl (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores, and the department reserves the right to require TOEFL scores above the University requirement for graduate admission.

Application Deadlines

Students may apply at any time. However, in order to ensure consideration for all financial aid opportunities for the Fall semester, it is strongly recommended that eligible students apply for admission to the university no later than July 1 and have all required documents for admission to the program submitted by August 1; for the Spring semester, no later than November 1 for application to the university and December 1 for all required documents for admission to the program.

Teaching Assistantships

Applicants to the graduate program who are also interested in a teaching assistantship should contact the Department of English for an application packet. Students selected for teaching or research assistantships are required (1) to attend all training, informational, and evaluation sessions and (2) to meet the academic and professional standards set by faculty members. If these requirements are not met, students risk forfeiting their assistantships.

Candidacy Requirements

No more than two-thirds of the credits applied to the degree may have been completed prior to the submission of a candidacy application. In addition, the student must complete a departmental requirement before advancing to candidacy:

1. Complete ENGL A602, ENGL A687, and ENGL 689;
2. Complete and have approved a suitable Thesis Proposal; and
3. Pass the department's Graduate Qualifying Examination. This exam, taken when the student has completed no fewer than 15 and no more than 24 credits toward the degree, demonstrates the student's disciplinary writing skill and preparation to write a successful thesis.

Contact

For more information about the English department's graduate programs,
please contact Dr. Dan Kline, Graduate Program Director.