Incomplete applications will not be considered; applicants are responsible for assuring that all materials have been received.

To Apply
Prospective applicants should visit the web site of The Graduate School for information about the application process:   http://www.jmu.edu/grad

Applicants must apply online at: https://www.applyweb.com/apply/jmug/index.html

Follow the instructions on that site for submitting all application materials (GRE scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement, writing sample, resume, etc.).  Questions about the online application process should be directed to the Graduate School at:  grad_programs@jmu.edu or by telephone 540.568.6131.

An online recommendation form is provided, however, the English Department strongly encourages applicants to ask references to include a detailed letter in addition to the form.  Letters should address the applicant’s preparation; motivation; maturity; reading, writing, and analytical skills; and particular areas of strength and weakness. Letters of recommendation may be uploaded to the online application site or, if the recommender prefers, sent directly to the Graduate Coordinator at the following address.
            Dr. Dabney A. Bankert
            Graduate Coordinator
            Department of English
            206 Keezell Hall, MSC 1801
            James Madison University
            Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Prospective applicants are welcome to communicate directly with the Graduate Coordinator of the Department of English.  In certain cases, an interview with the Graduate Coordinator and/or the Graduate Studies Committee may also be requested.

Required Materials
•Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs
•Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE). We do not require the GRE subject examination in English.
 •At least two letters of recommendation from faculty familiar with the applicant’s academic performance and potential for graduate work.  Additional letters may be sent if relevant to a candidate’s application.  If an applicant has been out of school for some time, he or she should contact the Graduate Coordinator for advice about appropriate recommenders.
•A substantial academic writing sample of at least 6 pages, with 10 pages preferred, showing the applicant’s best work.
•A statement of approximately 500 words articulating the applicant’s specific research interests, academic training, goals for graduate study, and career aspirations, as well as the applicant’s reasons for applying to the JMU Department of English graduate program.

Recommended Materials
•A resume is strongly recommended.
▪Any additional materials that provide the Graduate Committee with information about an applicant’s suitability and preparation for graduate study.

Evaluation Measures
The Graduate Committee considers the overall strength of an application rather than focusing on fixed requirements.  The committee reads and evaluates all completed applications.  We consider all available material to help us judge whether a student is prepared for and capable of successful work on the graduate level and we stress the importance of a solid personal statement that is specific and focused as well as a writing sample that demonstrates strong intellectual and interpretive capabilities, facility with literary research, and excellent writing skills.

In addition to satisfying all admission requirements of the JMU Graduate School, applicants must meet the requirements of the English Department, which include the following:

▪a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in English courses is recommended.

▪satisfactory scores on the verbal and writing portions of the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE).  While we have not established minimum scores, recent applicants and matriculated students have scored between 550-790 (verbal) and 4.5-6.0 (writing). 

▪at least 15 credit hours in upper-division English courses showing some breadth of study are recommended.  The Committee may favorably acknowledge more diverse backgrounds (such as a concentration in creative writing, an English minor, or another major in the humanities), but may specify provisions for admittance (such as additional prerequisite undergraduate courses), to assure that the student is adequately prepared for graduate seminars.

▪a writing sample that demonstrates strong intellectual and interpretive capabilities, facility with literary research, and excellent writing skills.

▪a personal statement that details the applicant’s specific research interests, academic training, goals for graduate study, and career aspirations, as well as the applicant’s reasons for applying to the JMU Department of English graduate program.  We recommend that applicants seek guidance on how to write effective personal statements from faculty at his or her home institution.

Application Deadlines
Admission is offered for fall semester only, however, students may discuss with the Graduate Coordinator the possibility of taking a seminar in the spring semester as a non-degree candidate.  Students may transfer such seminars into the graduate program if they receive a grade of B or better in the seminar and are admitted into the program.  For the 2008-2009 academic year, complete applications must be received by February 1 to be given full consideration.  Please note that in order to be considered for a Graduate Assistantship, all application materials and the Assistantship Application must be submitted by February 1 as well.  The Assistantship Application is available as part of the online application process.  

Note:  Students must achieve unconditional status before applying for admission to candidacy.  See the Graduate Catalog for all matters relating to a change of status.

Admission Classifications

•Unconditional admission is without reservation and indicates that an applicant has met all the entry criteria of The Graduate School and of the Department of English.

•Conditional admission indicates that an applicant has met all the entry criteria of The Graduate School, but the Department of English has identified specific conditions that must be met before the applicant attains unconditional admission status.  After the applicant addresses the provisions of the conditional acceptance, he or she may write a request to the Graduate Director, who decides if the applicant has met the provisions for acceptance into the graduate program. 

•Provisional Admission indicates a probationary status; applicants who have not met all of the requirements of the Department of English Graduate Program may be granted provisional status as prospective candidates for a degree.  Removal of provisional conditions, which will be specified in the applicant’s provisional admission letter, should be the student’s first objective.  Provisional admission may be warranted if the previous academic record is weak, prerequisite coursework is insufficient, or the applicant has majored in another field and has not yet clearly demonstrated abilities in the proposed new field.  Once the provisional conditions are met, the applicant should send a written request for a change to unconditional status to the Graduate Director.

Transfer Credits
A maximum of 9 hours required for the degree is allowed as transfer credit in English from the graduate program of another accredited college or university, subjet to the approval of the Director of the Graduate Program, the English Department Head and the Dean of The Graduate School.  Students who wish to receive graduate credit for courses taken prior to entering a JMU graduate program must submit requests to the Department of English Graduate Coordinator prior to or during the first semester of enrollment.  The Approval of Transfer Credit form is available online at: http://www.jmu.edu/grad/current/forms.shtml.

A grade of “B” or better must be earned in courses requested for transfer credit.  Courses taken for pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory grades will not be accepted for transfer graduate credit.   It is the student’s responsibility to furnish evidence that any course presented for transfer credit is applicable to a comparable degree at the accredited institution where the course was taken.  For specific details see the Transfer Credit section of the James Madison University Graduate Catalog

Foreign Language Requirement
A reading knowledge of a foreign language is required for the M.A. in English.  Students should try to meet the foreign language requirement during the first year of graduate study.  Proof of competency can be established in one of the following ways:

•The completion of the third year of college-level foreign language courses—that is, 6 credit hours of 300-level college work in a foreign language (excluding literature courses devoted to works in translation).  Students must achieve a B average in 300-level courses.

•Translating a foreign language text under a specified time limit and with the use of a dictionary.  The Graduate Coordinator will administer the exam and the translation will be read and evaluated (Pass/No Pass) by qualified faculty in the Departments of English or Foreign Languages and Literatures.  A student may retake the examination in a language as many times as necessary to achieve a passing score, however, a different text will be used on each occasion.

•Proof of competency by other means.  A student seeking certification of a reading knowledge of a foreign language by other means must obtain approval of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Department Head.

The Graduate School:  http://www.jmu.edu/grad/