Applying for the Master’s Degree in English
Are you an international applicant? You will need to 1) complete the graduate admission checklist and 2) submit a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (internet-based)
After completing Step One, return to your MyEIU account and fill out the MA in English Application, which includes the following requirements:
1) Personal Information
2) References: Make sure that you double-check the accuracy of the email addresses of your two recommenders. Click “I waive any rights to inspect this recommendation.” Notify your recommenders that they will receive an automated email once you submit your application.
3) Attachments:
- statement of purpose (no more than 1000 words) that explains your reasons for undertaking graduate study, your academic preparation, your interests and goals
- résumé/CV
- critical writing sample (no more than 30 pages in length): Submit a writing sample that shows us your ability to think and write critically. Essays may address a subject related to English studies or any other academic/professional area in which you have research and writing experience. Students interested in the Creative Writing concentration are strongly encouraged to submit a second creative writing sample.
4) Other Information: For “Concentration,” select Literary Studies, Literary Studies with Creative Writing Emphasis, or Composition/Rhetoric. Check “Certificate Programs” if you are interested in earning the Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Writing.
5) Submit: Don’t forget to hit “submit” after you are finished!
If you need to pause and return to complete your application, you may click the red link: “MA in English INCOMPLETE.”
MyEIU will let you know when your admission file is completed. Once it is complete, the Graduate School and English Department will review your material and be in contact with you soon.
Applying for a Graduate Assistantship
As you complete the MyEIU application process, you will be asked if you want to be considered for a graduate assistantship. There are no additional requirements to complete; you are just notifying us of your intent, and your material will be further reviewed by the English Department's Graduate Studies Committee.
Please note: Awarding graduate assistantships is a separate review process from being admitted to the department.
While you may enroll in the graduate program at any time throughout the year, graduate assistantships are usually awarded in early March for the next academic year.
DEADLINE: If you wish to be considered for a graduate assistantship for academic year 2018–19, you must have your application file completed by March 9, 2018.
What is a Graduate Assistantship in the English Department?
Graduate assistantships available through the English Department are awarded on a competitive basis. As a graduate assistant, your tuition (though not fees) will be waived and you will receive a monthly stipend. (As of September 2018, stipends were $890 per month.) In addition, summer tuition is also waived for graduate assistants in case you wish to continue your studies through the summer term.
In addition to financial aid, graduate assistantships provide valuable training and experience. Assistants tutor in the University’s Writing Center, assist with Writing across the Curriculum, and/or serve as editorial or research assistants. Assistants who complete the required sequence of training in composition pedagogy may apply to teach first-year writing courses.
You can also find general information about graduate assistantships at Eastern on the Graduate School's website.
