Admission to the MA in English requires a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States (or foreign equivalent) as defined by the Council of Higher Education, with at least a 3.00 undergraduate GPA. See Admission Requirements for Master's Degrees at the beginning of this chapter for additional prerequisites. Complete application packets are due by June 15 for fall enrollment and November 1 for spring enrollment. TA/RA applications are due to the department by April 1 (for fall semester).

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 transcripts for all prior coursework.

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 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.

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.

Applicants to the graduate program who are also interested in an 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.