Department of EnglishPhD in English

Application Requirements

Application Deadline for Fall 2027 Admission: TBD

• Unofficial transcript of all previous college work (Bachelor's degree and Master's degree* required)
• Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• 8-10 page (or longer) critical writing sample for all applicants
• For Creative Writing emphasis students only: a creative writing sample (15-20 pages)
• 700-word statement of purpose outlining your interest in our graduate program
• 3 letters of recommendation. (Recommenders send their letters directly through the TTU Graduate School application portal via a prompt generated by the system.)

*Master's degree or MFA must be "in hand" and official transcripts submitted to TTU Graduate School before start of fall semester.

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.