PhD & MA GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Information below is for Fall 2010 Applicants. Applications for Fall 2010 will be available online in October 2009.
When completing the online application, please include your field of interest on the top of the personal statement from the following rubrics: Medieval Literature, Renaissance Literature, 17th Century Literature, 18th Century Literature, 19th Century Literature, 20th Century Literature, American Literature, British Literature, African-American Literature, Poetry & Poetics, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Film. So, for example, a student interested in 18th Century British Literature and Poetic Theory would place the following words on the top of their personal statement: "18th Century Literature, British Literature, Poetry and Poetics". Your personal statement will give the specifics, but this general field of interest helps with the initial filing process.
The application fee is $70. We do not have paper applications--all applications are submitted online.
Any technical issues with the ApplyYourself Application should be addressed to Technical Support on the ApplyYourself application system and not with the Graduate English Department.
Applications are accepted only for full-time work in the M.A. or Ph.D. programs beginning in the Fall semester. We do not offer part-time programs and we do not offer Spring admission. Ph.D. applicants with an M.A. will have an opportunity to transfer a limited number of their M.A. credits once they have been accepted to the program. These credit transfers will need to be approved by the Graduate Chair and the Dean.
The Graduate English Department does not conduct interviews for prospective students nor do we send out information regarding our program to prospective students. All information can be found online. We do not have hard copies of the application or brochures for the program.
A critical writing sample on of approximately 20 pages in length is also required of both Ph.D. and M.A. students. The writing sample should be one paper and must match your interest/concentration. Two papers that add up to 20 pages are acceptable, though it is more favorable to have one 20-page paper. Font size, line spacing, and font style do not matter. Please make sure your name is on each page. Writing Samples should be sent directly to the Graduate English Department: University of Pennsylvania, Graduate English Department, 3340 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
GRE General Test is required of all applicants. The GRE Subject Test in Literature is recommended. Your application will not be looked at negatively if you do not have the Subject tests, it can only help you. There is no minimum GRE score requirement. The GRE School Code for the University of Pennsylvania is 2926. We do not have a department code. GRE scores will be sent directly to us if you use that code.
Three letters of recommendation, writing samples, and official Transcripts and GRE scores should be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Department: University of Pennsylvania, Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences Admissions, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 322A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228. Do not e-mail the department if you send your information to the Graduate English Department as both Graduate Admissions and Graduate English Departments copy all information received.
Admissions questions that are not answered by this web page should be directed to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Department at (215) 573-5816.
The Graduate School of Arts and Science Web link is: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/GAS/
The Submatriculation Application webpage for SAS is located here: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/GAS/home/apply/app_forms.html
The SAS Application Wavier is located here: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/GAS/Payment.pdf
The Ph.D. Program
The Graduate Group in English offers a flexible five-year Ph.D. program that combines broad coverage of English and American literature with concentrations shaped by student interests. We have students focusing on historical periods, genres, or authors; devising interdisciplinary programs; or concentrating in feminism, cultural studies, postcolonialism, literary theory, or African American literature. Students typically elect a wide range of courses during the first two years and then begin to specialize in the third year. In the fourth and fifth years they write their dissertations.
The Master of Arts Program
We offer a terminal Masters program which can normally be completed in one year. This is a challenging degree program, well-suited for students who want to undertake graduate-level study in the discipline with a first-rate graduate faculty, but who are not ready to make the five- or six-year commitment required for a Ph.D. M.A. students must complete eight graduate courses, one of which is an upper-level seminar, and pass one language exam.
The Dual Master's Degree Program in English and Education
Information regarding the Program can be found here: Dual Master's Degree Program.
Please contact the Graduate School of Education for more details.
The Thouron Fellowship
NOTE TO APPLICANTS FROM THE UK - We encourage UK applicants to apply for a Thouron Fellowship. The Thouron is a 1-2 year fellowship that pays for a Masters degree. Fellows who are admitted to our Ph.D. program may then continue with fellowship support from Penn. Note that the Thouron deadline is in November. Information and application materials are available on the Thouron.org website.
