Department of English
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Admissions

General Information

The Department of English welcomes applications for the MA and PhD programs in several areas of study. Students wanting the MA can seek admission to pursue a concentration in British and American literature, comparative literature, creative writing, or linguistics. Students wanting the PhD may apply in the general areas of American or British literature, creative writing, comparative literature, or linguistics. For students applying in January 2012, we expect to offer approximately $100,000 in competitive scholarships and fellowships.

We review applications once each year, immediately after our January 15 application deadline. Note: with the deadline falling over a holiday weekend, the admissions period for 2012 will be extended to January 17.  Students admitted after that application review typically begin classes during the fall semester, though occasional exceptions are made for students wishing to begin study in the summer. Fall semester begins with an orientation that familiarizes students with our academic procedures and policies and gives them a chance to meet faculty and each other. Note: we do not admit students in the Spring semester.  When applying to the Graduate School, do not select Spring 2012 as your admissions date.

All students admitted to the graduate program are automatically considered, too, for department and university scholarships and fellowships as well as other forms of financial assistance. They are also invited to visit the Department of English at our expense during our annual Recruitment Weekend.

How to Apply

Applying to the graduate program in English is a two-step process. All applicants must complete the general application to the Graduate School and pay the fee that accompanies that application. GRE scores and official transcripts should also be sent to the Graduate School. All applicants must also complete the application to the department of English, which includes the application form, a statement of purpose, a writing sample, and three recommendation letters. Both applications and all supporting documents must be received by January 17, 2012.

For the Graduate School:

For the English Department:

  • Read and complete the department's Application Materials and submit all documents to the Director of Graduate Studies

  • MA application form

  • PhD application form

We support electronic submission of the Department's application materials, according to the instructions provided on each form. To complete your Department application, select the M.A. or Ph.D. application above and save it to your computer. Complete the form according to the instructions provided, then email your materials as attachments to english.gradadvisor@ttu.edu.

Admissions Requirements

The Department of English reviews all applications holistically, evaluating every aspect of a candidate's application file. Applicants are neither ruled out nor admitted solely on the basis of GRE scores, GPA, or other quantitative factors. Probable success in graduate work, as indicated by all available evidence, is the final criterion for admission.

Still, on average, successful applications to the M.A. program in English usually show the following:

  • B.A. in English, or a B.A. in a related field plus a minimum of 12 hours of advanced undergraduate coursework in English

  • 3.75 GPA in all undergraduate English courses

  • scores of 550 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE General Exam, and a score of 5.0 on the writing portion

On average, successful applications to the Ph.D. program in English typically show the following:

  • an M.A. in English, an M.F.A. in English or Creative Writing, or an M.A. or M.F.A. in a related field plus a minimum of 12 hours of graduate coursework in English

  • a 3.85 GPA in all graduate English courses

  • scores of 600 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE General Exam, and a score of 5.0 on the writing portion

 

Important Notes

  • Our next deadline is January 17, 2012 for students wishing to begin study in Summer or Fall 2012.

  • The application forms (available at left) have been updated and are ready to download for 2012 applicants.

  • We require the GRE General Examination but not the Subject Test. Prospective applicants should take the GRE early enough for official scores to arrive by the application deadline.  The new GRE scoring system is available here.