Master of Arts in English

The Master of Arts degree in English introduces students to advanced teaching and scholarly research in literature and language. The MA is designed to broaden students intellectual interests and, thus, encourages them to explore a wide variety of literary periods and rhetorical issues. It prepares students for continued graduate study at the doctoral level, but also for work in a variety of other roles: public history and professional writing, arts and educational administration, grant writing and fundraising, publishing (digital and traditional), and other forms of public humanities work.

The Program offers three concentrations for the MA: Literature, Rhetoric and Composition, and English Studies.

2.7 (on a grading scale with 4.0=A, approximately a B- average) on the last two years of Bachelor's coursework, 3.0 on all previous graduate work (approximately a B average). An applicant was awarded a Master's degree at an accredited college/university in the United States and has been in residence in the United States continuously prior to application to SIU (not out of the country for more than one calendar year). You have a minimum of 60 graded (A, B, C) hours of recent coursework completed at an accredited college / university in the United States with continuous residence in the United States prior to application at SIU. Pass / Fail, Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory, or Proficiency credit is not acceptable. The English language requirement may be met by submitting: 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, 80 on the internet-based TOEFL, 6.5 on the IELTS
The application will ask you to submit a CV, statement of purpose, writing sample, and three letters of recommendation, in addition to transcripts and other basic academic information. Please consult the following documents for advice on application materials, statements of purpose, and writing samples.

Statement of Purpose Guidelines
Writing Sample Guidelines
While GRE scores (general or subject tests) are not required for admission to the MA, MFA, or PhD programs, students are still encouraged to submit these scores. The minimum GPA for admission to SIU Carbondale's Graduate School is 2.7 (of 4.0).