Admissions Requirements
Degree-seeking Students | Non-degree-seeking students | Deadlines
Applicants are expected to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and a 3.0 in the major. Applicants using the GRE should have scores of at least 500 on the verbal and quantitative sections and at least a 4 on the writing assessment section. Applicants using the MAT should have a 45 or higher.
An applicant who fails to meet these minimum requirements or who has an inadequate undergraduate background in English may be accepted as a provisional student. These applicants should contact the graduate advisor for advice about his or her application.
All degree-seeking applicants must:
1. Submit a completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee of $45.
2. Submit an official copy of a transcript from each institution of higher learning attended, including documentation of graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. The transcript(s) should be sent directly from the institution(s) attended to the Graduate School Office at the College of Charleston.
3. Submit at least two letters of recommendation from former professors or immediate supervisors in recent employment. Each referee should be as specific as possible in addressing the applicant's motivation and ability to successfully complete a graduate degree.
4. Submit a two-page statement about educational goals and interest in a graduate program in English.
5. Submit a writing sample that demonstrates an ability to perform literary analysis and conduct research. Typically, this requirement can be met by submitting a research paper prepared for an advanced undergraduate English course.
6. Submit an official copy of scores from the general test of the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test. Applicants who do not have a degree in English are also required to take the GRE advanced test in literature. The test(s) must have been taken during the past five years.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor degree though not necessarily in English. There are no specific criteria for non-degree applicants: each case will be considered individually by the graduate director. Applicants must
1. Submit a completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee of $45.
2. Submit one official copy of a transcript from each institution of higher learning attended, including documentation of graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. The transcript(s) should be sent directly from the institution(s) attended to the Graduate School Office at the College of Charleston.
Non-degree students may be permitted to earn up to 12 semester hours of credit. Non-degree students seeking more than 12 semester hours of graduate courses in English must formally apply to be accepted as a degree-seeking student or must obtain written permission from the Joint Program Committee to continue enrollment in a non-degree status.
The Joint Program Committee will consider complete applications for the regular degree program on the following dates:
* May 1st for fall semester;
* November 1st for the spring semester; and
* April 1st for the summer sessions.
Applications will be considered year round for non-degree, provisional, and transient students.