Prerequisites for Admission to the M.A. or Ph.D. Program

(Beyond the usual requirements of the Graduate School.)

Undergraduate Degree
Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree or a recognized foreign equivalent, either with a major in a language-literature field or with substantial literary studies.

Languages
All applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English and in one language other than English, and a working knowledge of a third language. Ph.D. applicants should have completed at least three years’ study of their first foreign language, and two of their second. M.A. applicants should have completed at least three years of their first foreign language and one year of their second. Knowledge of classical languages is encouraged.

An entering M.A. or Ph.D. student who does not show language competence by previous study may demonstrate competence in the first and second languages by coursework, as specified in the program’s “Statement of Procedure.”

Grade Point Average
The applicant should have a grade point average equivalent to at least 3.000 out of possible 4.000.

Examinations
Applicants are required to have taken the Graduate Record Examination before applying, or to take it at the earliest opportunity thereafter. Non-native speakers of English who are not U.S. citizens are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.

Written Work
Applicants are required to submit directly to the department a sample of their written work with their application. This should demonstrate critical handling of literary material, preferably including non-English texts. The paper need not be written in English. Essays written in a language other than English should be accompanied by an English translation done by the candidate.