Admission
to the master's
degree
Students who wish to be admitted into the English M.A. program apply to the English Department'’s Graduate Admissions Committee (GAC), composed of two faculty who evaluate applications and notify applicants of their status.
Students may take up to 12 hours of appropriate graduate credits before
full admission to the program; acceptance of these credits toward the
degree depends on the GAC's analysis of the application.
In addition to completing the UIS application for graduate study, all students applying to the program need to complete the English Master's degree application.
The following are required for application:
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in English
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.50 overall and 2.75 in English (on a 4.0 scale)
- General GRE exam scores sent to the University of Illinois at Springfield
- Personal letter of application to the GAC, explaining applicant’s background and educational objectives
- Writing sample which represents the applicant's ability to analyze literature
- Two letters of recommendation sent to the GAC, written by faculty or other persons who can attest to the applicant's writing and critical thinking abilities and potential for successful graduate study in English
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in a field other than English
- Successful completion of ENG 311 with a grade of B or better
- Successful completion of at least 12 hours of other coursework in English beyond
freshman composition, including at least one course each in British and American literature
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale)
- General GRE exam scores sent to the University of Illinois at Springfield
- Personal letter of application to the GAC, explaining applicant’s background and educational objectives
- Writing sample which represents the applicant's writing and critical thinking abilities
- Two letters of recommendation sent to the GAC, written by faculty or other persons who can attest to the applicant's writing and critical thinking abilities and potential for successful graduate study in English
International applicants
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale)
- TOEFL exam score of at least 600
- General GRE exam scores sent to the University of Illinois at Springfield
- Successful completion of ENG 311 with a grade of B or better
- Successful completion of at least 12 hours of other coursework in English beyond
freshman composition, including at least one course each in British and American literature
- Personal letter of application to the GAC, explaining applicant’s background and educational objectives
- Writing sample which represents the applicant's writing and critical thinking abilities
- Two letters of recommendation sent to the GAC, written by faculty or other persons who can attest to the applicant's writing and critical thinking abilities and potential for successful graduate study in English
Applicants with an M.A. in English
- General GRE exam scores
- Personal letter of application to the GAC, explaining applicant’s background and educational objectives, and how the emphasis of the proposed second M.A. in English differs from the first
- Writing sample which represents the applicant's ability to analyze literature or, if appropriate, to write creatively
- Two letters of recommendation sent to the GAC
The GAC will evaluate each application individually, and, under normal circumstances, no student will be denied admission on the basis of a single element or criterion. If the GAC decides that provisional or probationary admission is appropriate, it will specify the nature of its reservations and recommend specific courses or other requirements that be completed or satisfied before a student can be fully admitted into the graduate program.
Back to top
