Graduate Admissions

All interested applicants for the graduate program in English are encouraged to arrange a phone or in-person meeting prior to applying to learn more about your degree options. For the master's in English, contact the English Graduate Coordinator, Andrew Richmond. For the M.F.A. in fiction or poetry, contact the Creative Writing Coordinator, Professor Jeff Mock

Admissions procedures for the master's in English and the M.F.A. in creative writing are different; please review the requirements below.

English M.A. / M.S. Admissions Procedures

Deadline and Eligibility 

The priority application deadline for the fall semester is May 1 and for the spring semester December 1, although we continue to accept applications on a rolling basis until the official university closing date. (See the Graduate Admissions page for final submission dates).

Applicants to the M.A. or M.S. in English must (a) meet the university’s general Graduate Admissions requirements, (b) have completed a minimum of 18 undergraduate credits in English and/or equivalent work in related Humanities disciplines with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher, and (c) have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Please Note: Interested applicants who do not meet the pre-requisite or GPA requirements are encouraged to contact the Graduate Coordinator to discuss additional options for admission to the program, including opportunities to complete courses in literary analysis in preparation for applying. Such applicants should plan to begin their graduate study in a Fall semester.

Application Materials

(1) Begin your electronic application through the Graduate Admissions Portal, which requires:

  • Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which should be from an academic reference
  • All official university transcripts (students who completed undergraduate or non-matriculated graduate coursework at SCSU do not need to submit SCSU transcripts)

(2) With the electronic application, all applicants to the English M.A. or M.S. must also submit:

  • A 500-word statement of purpose explaining why you want to enter the English graduate degree program. Please explain clearly to the Graduate Committee your area(s) of interest in English studies, your academic background, and your future career or professional goals.
  • A 5-page writing sample of academic or professional non-fiction prose (ideally written for an upper-level college English class) 

(3) Submission of GRE or Miller's Analogy Test Results with your application is optional.

Additional Information for English M.A. / M.S. Applicants (Transfer Credits, Etc.)

For questions on how to transfer graduate credits or register as a part-time, non-matriculated student, see the English Graduate Handbook and FAQ page at the English Department page of Inside Southern.

M.F.A. in Creative Writing Admissions Procedures

Deadline and Eligibility

Admission to the M.F.A. program is competitive, with roughly six poets and six fiction writers admitted each year. We consider applications year-round.  For applicants wishing to be considered for funding, applications are due by March 1. Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received, and applicants will be notified within six weeks of submission of a completed application. (See the Graduate Admissions page for final submission dates.)

Application Materials

(1) Begin your electronic application through the Graduate Admissions Portal, which requires:

  • Three letters of recommendation, (submitted in accordance with the Graduate School instructions on the Online Graduate Application platform; any physical letter of recommendation mailed to the processing center — rather than uploaded or emailed — should be sealed and signed by the recommender across the flap of the envelope). At least one of these letters should be from a person familiar with you as a writer and also with you as a student.
  • All official university transcripts (students who completed undergraduate or non-matriculated graduate coursework at SCSU do not need to submit SCSU transcripts)

(2) With the electronic application, all applicants to the M.F.A. in creative writing must also submit:

  • A 1,000-word statement of purpose in which you explain why you are interested in pursuing graduate studies in creative writing, and discuss yourself as a writer. You may wish to make reference to professional, academic and/or personal interests, as well as future goals.
  • A sample of your creative work in the genre to which you are applying (minimum 15 pages, maximum 25 pages, of fiction; or 10 pages of poetry)

Additional Information for English M.F.A Applicants (Transfer Credits, Etc.)

If you are a transfer student from another M.F.A. program and are accepted into Southern's M.F.A. program, you may transfer up to 12 credits toward Southern's M.F.A. program, provided those 12 credits of course work were completed within the prior six years, with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0. Of those 12 credits, a maximum of two workshop courses may be transferred as elective credits; final decisions about credit transfer are determined by the M.F.A. Admissions Committee.  

If you are currently enrolled as a graduate student in Southern's M.A. or M.S. program and are accepted to transfer into the M.F.A. program, you should contact M.F.A. Program Administrator Jeff Mock to discuss how your credits will transfer. A maximum of two workshop courses may be transferred; final decisions about credit transfer are determined by the M.F.A. Admissions Committee.

If you have already graduated from Southern's M.A. or M.S. program and wish to apply to the M.F.A. program, your M.A. or M.S. credits will not transfer to credits toward the M.F.A. program; rather, you will design a 30-credit course of M.F.A. study with an M.F.A. faculty member instead of the traditional 48-credit course of study. A maximum of two workshop courses may be transferred; final decisions about credit-transfer are determined by the M.F.A. Admissions Committee.