Undergraduate Application

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Graduate Application: Literature, Creative Writing, or Linguistics

The Department of English welcomes applications for MA and PhD degrees in Literature, Linguistics, or Creative Writing. TTU and the English Department offers approximately $100,000 in competitive scholarships and fellowships each year. All students admitted to the onsite graduate program are automatically considered for teaching assistantships, tuition waivers, scholarships, and fellowships.

Application Deadlines

ONSITE MA, MFA, and PhD in ENGLISH (top candidates funded through teaching positions)

• The application deadline for students wishing to begin the PhD in English is January 11.
• The application deadline for students wishing to begin the MFA  in English is January 11.
• The application deadline for students wishing to begin the MA in English is January 11.

ONLINE MA in ENGLISH

• The application deadline for students wishing to begin the online MA English program in the Fall semester is May 20.
• The application deadline for students wishing to begin the online MA English program in the Spring semester is November 1.
• The application deadline for students wishing to begin the online MA English program in the Summer semester is March 29.

What to Include in Your Application:

• Curriculum Vitae/Resume
• 700-word statement of purpose outlining your interest in our graduate program
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Writing Sample
  • MA: 8-10 page (or longer) critical writing sample
  • MFA: 15-20 page creative writing sample; 8-10 page (or longer) critical writing sample (optional)
  • PhD: 8-10 page (or longer) critical writing sample and 15-20 page creative writing sample

Recommendation for Successful Applications

Admission to one of our graduate programs is based on a holistic assessment of your application materials. We look for applicants who show great promise for completing the requirements for the degree and whose interests correspond with the program's strengths. We look for writing samples that exhibit strong critical analysis, well-focused statements of academic purpose, and strong letters of recommendation that speak to an applicant's critical analysis and writing skills.

Please note: An MA in English, an MFA in English or Creative Writing, or an MA or MFA in a related field plus a minimum of 12 hours of graduate coursework in English is strongly recommended when applying to our doctoral program.  We do not admit applicants with a bachelor's degree directly into our doctoral program.

Applying for the online MA in English? View tips for a successful application!

If you have any questions concerning the materials and documents you submit to the Graduate School, please email graduate.admissions@ttu.edu for assistance.

Graduate Application: Technical Communication & Rhetoric

The program offers four graduate degrees: Master of Arts in Technical Communication (on-campus and online) and Doctor of Philosophy in Technical Communication and Rhetoric (on-campus and online). Application procedures are virtually identical across these four degrees. Where there are differences, they will be noted below. The GRE is not required for any program.

Deadline for Onsite and Online Doctoral Program

• Application portal opens in October and closes on January 10th of the application year

The TCR Graduate Program reviews applications for the Doctoral program only once a year for Fall admission. Start your application early and have it completed before the holidays to avoid any delays. Applications completed after the deadline will not be considered. 

Only successful applicants for the onsite doctoral program are eligible for teaching assistantships. Funding is not available for online students. 

Deadline for Onsite Masters Program

• Application portal opens in October and closes on January 10th of the application year

The TCR Graduate Program reviews applications for the onsite Masters program only once a year for Fall admission. Start your application early and have it completed before the holidays to avoid any delays. Applications completed after the deadline will not be considered.

All successful applicants are eligible for teaching assistantships.

Deadlines for Online Masters Program

• November 1 for Spring 2025 enrollment
• March 29 for Summer 2025 enrollment
• May 20 for Fall 2025 enrollment

Teaching assistantships are not available for successful applicants in the online program. 

What to Include in Your Application:

• Unofficial transcript of all previous college work
• Completed application form for a Graduate Degree Program
• Current resume/vita
• Statement of Interest/Letter of Intent in graduate study and career goals
• Writing sample
• Three letters of reference
• Distance Learning Agreement (if applying to online program)

Recommendation for Successful Applications

All applicant packages are evaluated holistically, which is to say that every piece of the application package contributes to the applicant's overall desirability. Specifically, we are looking for applications that contain synergistic arguments for the applicant's good fit with the program and its objectives.

If you have any questions concerning the materials and documents you submit to the Graduate School, please email graduate.admissions@ttu.edu for assistance. For program inquiries, please email the program director. 

Detailed Application Requirements

When the technical communication faculty looks over your application materials, your writing sample, statement of intent, and letters of reference have a huge impact on the way we perceive you. 

Writing Sample

The writing sample gives us a chance to see the way you think, organize information, and produce essays and documents. It also indicates your fluency with the English language and gives us a clue as to your experience with writing, editing, and revision. We prefer to have an analytical or critical writing sample, as these genres reveal a lot about the writer and help us make our admissions decision. Maximum length in all cases is 10-20 pages (or 2000-4000 words).

• For master's students only, if you do not have such a document, a more functional writing sample will suffice (report, proposal, manual, or tutorial, to name a few examples.) 
• For doctoral students, this sample should be a graduate course paper or the equivalent that demonstrates your ability to develop a thesis using research and analysis.

Statement of Intent

This statement, which identifies your goals for graduate study, should be approximately 500-1000 words long and should indicate the reasons for your interest in graduate study and explain your career objectives.

• For doctoral students, if you can define your research interests for the dissertation, please do so.

Letters of Reference

You are responsible for requesting the letters of reference. The letters should address your likelihood of success in graduate school and beyond.

• For doctoral students, "success" will usually have to do with your initiative, your capability to produce scholarship, and your ability to think analytically.
• For those of you applying to online degree programs, these letters should provide evidence of your ability to work independently.
• For those of you applying for teaching positions, your letters should discuss your experience and/or potential for teaching.

Workplace Experience (MATC)

Experience in the field is a good predictor of success in the program. Although we have not established a minimum amount of workplace experience, we prefer for applicants to have at least two years' experience in some form of professional communication, which should be indicated either on your program application or in an enclosed resume.

Distance Learning Agreement (Online Applicants)

All online program applicants need to sign and return our Distance Learning Agreement, which indicates that you understand our requirements for technology, time, and honor. Instructorships are not available for online students at this time.

Taking a Break from Studies (Online PhD)

We have not established a minimum amount of time between your master's coursework and your application to this program, but we prefer for applicants to have at least two years' distance from their most recent formal graduate work. Please note that this hiatus is not a requirement, but a preference, and the program will hold no bias for or against applicants based on their most recent graduate work.

Employer Commitment Letter (Online PhD)

This letter of commitment from your employer explicitly acknowledging that class and May workshop attendance is obligatory. This letter must be signed and on company letterhead. Your employer should indicate in this letter that they:

• Support your efforts to complete the program
• Acknowledge the program will require you to attend online classes one or two weekday evenings during normal semesters, and also to attend mandatory two-week seminars in May of each year
• Agree to give you the time and space needed to attend classes, seminars, or any other required TCR activities. The idea, of course, is that you and your employer need to be on the same page regarding this lengthy endeavor.

Teaching Appointments (On-Campus Applicants)

On campus Doctoral students are usually awarded graduate part-time instructorships (GPTI positions) to begin with their first semester. MATC students are usually offered MA apprentice positions to begin with their first semester. Both the instructorship and the apprenticeship includes a waiver of most tuition and fees. The stipend in 2022-2023 for graduate students falls between $14,500 (MA students) and $20,000 (PhD students).

Apprentices will participate in the first-year composition program. Most GPTIs teach first-year composition, but some who have completed the course in teaching technical communication teach our sophomore-level ENGL 2311, Introduction to Technical Communication. Some advanced doctoral students in English teach sophomore literature or creative writing, depending on qualifications, though students in TCR would probably not have these assignments. Writing Center positions are also possible. The usual teaching load is 20 hours per week in each long term.