English :: Graduate Admissions :: University of Memphis

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Graduate Admissions

Thank you for your interest in the Graduate Programs in the English Department. We are excited to review your materials and consider you for our program. Application for English graduate admission is made directly to the Graduate School, with supplementary materials submitted to the Department of English if required.

If you have questions about the admission process for the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, please contact Sarah Ellis in the Graduate Office at smellis@memphis.edu, (901) 678-1448. For information about the admission process for the MFA program, please contact Courtney Santo at cmsanto@memphis.edu.

Please keep in mind that your application process is not complete until the Department reviews all materials after they are processed by the Graduate School. You may receive a notice of acceptance from the Graduate School, however, this is only a notice that you have met the University's requirements for graduate school. The English Department will issue a separate announcement if you have been admitted to our Ph.D. or MFA program.

All Students (M.A., MFA, Ph.D. and Certificate)

To begin, all students (M.A., MFA, Ph.D. and certificate) must complete and submit the appropriate online application along with the non-refundable application fee. You can also find application information by clicking on the Apply Now button found at the left of all University of Memphis webpages.

In addition to the electronic application, all students are required to submit:

Official transcripts showing a bachelor's degree awarded by an accredited college or university with an acceptable GPA
Official transcripts from any other college or university attended, including all graduate courses
Official GRE scores as directed by the online application
Completed ETS Personal Potential Index (PPI) Evaluation Report. For more information about the PPI, see the Graduate School's Application Information.

These materials may be mailed to the Office of Graduate Admissions, The University of Memphis, 101 Wilder Tower, Memphis, TN 38152-3370.

MFA Students

In addition to the application materials outlined above, MFA students are required to submit:

Unofficial copy of transcripts of all academic work
Print copy of the completed Graduate School application summary (previously completed online)
Unofficial copies of GRE scores
Cover letter stating which genre you are applying for and whether you will be applying for an assistantship. Please note if you have fulfilled the 18 credit hours of graduate-level English courses required to teach in the Department of English. This letter is purely administrative, so please be direct and provide the requesteded information. Put your writing energy into the statement of intent.
Detailed statement of intent (two to three pages in length)
Writing sample consisting of at least twenty pages of fiction, ten poems or twenty-five pages of nonfiction.
Three letters of recommendation. These must be in sealed envelopes with each recommender's signature over the seal.
Application for Graduate Assistantship, if interested

All materials should be submitted to the Creative Writing Program Administrator, University of Memphis, Department of English, Patterson Hall, Memphis, TN, 38152.

Ph.D. Students

In addition to the application materials outlined above, Ph.D. students are required to submit:

Cover letter stating which concentration you are applying for and whether you will be applying for an assistantship. Please note if you have fulfilled the 18 credit hours of graduate-level English courses required to teach in the Department of English.
Detailed statement of purpose (two to three pages)
Writing sample demonstrating your best academic work
Two letters of recommendation. These must be in sealed envelopes with each recommender's signature over the seal.
Application for Graduate Assistantship, if interested

These materials should be submitted to the English Graduate Office, University of Memphis, Department of English, Patterson Hall 425, Memphis, TN, 38152.