"Every seminar—without exception—revealed to me a new part of myself; I credit Grand Valley’s amazing English faculty in large part for this phenomenon." Ann Hayward (2010)
Graduate Admissions
University Requirements
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education
- Submission of all required admission materials, including:
- Completed graduate application for admission
- $30 nonrefundable application fee (waived if you have previously applied to Grand Valley and paid the fee)
- Official copies of transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended. Transcripts must be sent from those institutions directly to the GVSU Admissions Office. NOTE: We do not require official transcripts from Grand Valley
- Test scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) for applicants whose native language is not English. The following minimum scores are expected: TOEFL is 80, IELTS is 6.5, and MELAB is 77.
Master of Arts in English Program Requirements
Requirements for consideration of admission into the program are as follows:
- A completed graduate application
- A writing sample. The ideal writing sample will reflect the applicant's ability to produce a fully-developed literary-critical argument, including close reading, analytical thinking, and fluent writing. Although applicants usually submit a paper of at least 8-10 pages demonstrating an effective use of scholarly sources, the writing sample need not meet this description at all points for the application to be considered
- A brief statement of purpose, which should be approximately 250 to 500 words explaining your academic preparation, interest in this program, and professional goals
- A maximum of 9 graduate credits earned prior to graduate admission may apply to degree requirements.
Deadlines: The English M.A program has a rolling admissions process, so applications will be reviewed as received. However, to be guaranteed consideration for a specific semester, applications must be received by the following dates:
No later than March 15th for Spring/Summer Semester
No later than July 15th for Fall Semester
No later than November 15th for Winter Semester