michigan state university phd in english

PhD Application Instructions

To be admitted to the Ph.D. program on regular status, an applicant must have:

• A master’s degree in English or in an appropriate cognate area.
• An academic record that reflects graduate work of high quality.
• Met the foreign language requirement for admission on regular status to the MSU Master of Arts degree program.
• Completed all of the requirements for the MSU Master of Arts degree program.
• Students who are admitted to the doctoral degree program in English before they have satisfied the requirements referenced in items 3 and 4 above must do so before they may take comprehensive examinations. Credits in courses that are used to satisfy these requirements may not be used to satisfy the requirements for the doctoral degree

We accept applications for admission to the Masters or the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in English starting on  October 1  until  December 15 . Admission is for the following fall semester. We do not accept applicants for spring admission.

To be considered for admission either to the Masters or the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in English, an applicant must complete an online application  (Domestic Student Application or International Student Application)  (Code 1017 for MA and 0647 for PhD) by  December 15 .

In this online system, you must upload the following:

Please note: we no longer require any GRE scores.

• A writing sample that reflects aptitude for critical and scholarly writing (approximately 20 – 25 pages).
• A personal statement (750 – 1000 words), in which you narrate how you arrived at your decision to pursue a graduate degree in English at Michigan State University. Describe how your personal background, experience, history, and any challenges you have encountered have informed this decision.
• An academic statement (750 – 1000 words), including a description of the  Field(s)  and/or  Cross-Field(s) Areas of Inquiry  you wish to pursue in the Department of English at Michigan State University.
• A curriculum vita.
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty acquainted with your scholarly work and qualified to comment upon your suitability for graduate study. When you create your profile for the online application, you will be asked to submit the contact information of your three recommenders. They will then automatically receive a link with information on how to upload their letters to the system. Be sure to create your profile well in advance of the  December 15 deadline , so that your recommenders can send their letters before that deadline, as well.

*Supplemental materials such as writing sample and academic/personal statement may be added under the type “other” in the portal materials upload section which will appear after application payment is made.

Applicants must also send hard copies or electronic versions of the following materials (address below):

• Official transcripts. Scanned copies or copies uploaded by the applicant are considered unofficial. Transcripts must be original and sent directly from the issuing institution via mail or email ( [email protected] ) to be considered official. International students must provide hard copy transcripts. Note: We may use unofficial transcripts to make an admission decision. If admitted, official transcripts will be required.
• *International Students Only: TOEFL or IELTS scores. Language proficiency requirements: https://grad.msu.edu/english-language-competency .

Mailing Address:

Michigan State University Office of Admissions Attn: Graduate Admissions 426 Auditorium Rd, Room 250 East Lansing, MI 48824 

Please direct general inquiries or questions about the program to Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, Professor Kinitra Brooks ( [email protected] ).

Please direct questions regarding the receipt or status of your application materials or application system questions to Academic Coordinator, Marina Valli ( [email protected] ). 

Graduate Degree

English - doctor of philosophy, college of arts and letters, department of english, graduate study.

To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in English, an applicant must:

• Submit a writing sample, written at the master's level, that reflects the candidate's critical and scholarly abilities.

To be admitted to the program on regular status, an applicant must have:

• A master's degree in English or in an appropriate cognate area.
• An academic record that reflects graduate work of high quality.
• Met the foreign language requirement for admission on regular status to the Michigan State University Master of Arts degree program.
• Students currently enrolled in the Master of Arts degree program must have completed all of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in Literature in English.

Students who are admitted to the doctoral degree program in English before they have satisfied the requirements referenced in items 3. and 4. above must do so before they may take the comprehensive examinations.  Credits in courses that are used to satisfy these requirements may not be used to satisfy the requirements for the doctoral degree.

To be admitted on an accelerated basis to the doctoral degree program in English, after one year of Master of Arts course work, students must:

• Be enrolled in the Michigan State University Department of English Master of Arts program in Literature in English.
• Submit a statement of purpose of 750-1000 words describing the student’s specific area of interest(s) and desired area(s) of emphasis.
• Submit two letters from faculty members who support their application for accelerated admission.
• Completed a minimum of five courses at Michigan State University, including at least one of the required courses and two seminars in literature from different periods.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in English

The student must:

• Complete all of the following courses within the first four semesters of enrollment in the program (7 credits): ENG    800    Studies in Race, Gender, and the Human   3 ENG    802    Literary Criticism and Theory                       3 ENG    820    Professionalization Seminar                        1 Students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Film Studies may substitute FLM 800 Methods in Film Studies for ENG 802 above.
• Complete an additional 18 credits of graduate course work in English or related fields with attention to issues of criticism and theory, literary and cultural history, and multinational or global literary traditions with a grade-point average of at least 3.5. This course work must include a course that covers literature before 1800 and one course that covers literature after 1800.  Not more than 3 credits of independent study may be used to satisfy this requirement. All required course work must be completed before students may enroll in dissertation research credits. Any exceptions must be approved by the graduate chairperson.
• Demonstrate advanced reading proficiency at the college-level in any language other than English through completion of course work in the language at the 400-level or above, or by passing an advanced reading comprehension and translation exam.
• Demonstrate second-year proficiency at the college-level in two languages other than English through completion of course work through the 200-level, or by passing an examination of reading comprehension.
• Pass the doctoral comprehensive examination.
• Pass an oral examination on the comprehensive examination.
• Complete requirements 1. through 3. above and have a grade-point average of at least 3.5 in all graduate course work before beginning work on the dissertation. Students must complete 24 credits of English 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research.
• Pass a pre-dissertation examination that consists of an oral presentation based on a written proposal of the dissertation.
• Pass a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

Academic Standards

A student who fails the comprehensive examinations, the oral examination, or the final oral examination in defense of the dissertation may repeat that examination only once.

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Apply to a Graduate Program at MSU

BEFORE you complete this application,  please contact the department or school that interests you to learn about program requirements. The  Department and Program Directory  with links to graduate study majors is available on the web at  http://grad.msu.edu/departments/ . For general information, consult the Academic Programs catalog ( https://reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/ ).

Admission decisions are made by the graduate department/program. However, your admission to the University is not official until it has been approved by the Office of Admissions. The Office of Admissions will send out official offer letters through the Student Portal. Admission decisions are made after a departmental review of your academic records, test scores (where required), recommendations, qualifications and experience, and proposed program of study.

Since graduate education involves personalized instruction, consideration is also given to the availability of space in the chosen academic program. Michigan State University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and affirmative action. The University complies with all federal and state laws and regulations relating to these principles.

Start your Graduate Application Here

Once you've submitted an application for admission, you will receive a confirmation email. You should then log into the student portal to see the status of your application and upload any needed documents.

Programs with Different Applications

Applicants for the following Master's programs must complete a different application:

• MS in Healthcare Management  
• MS in Management, Strategy and Leadership
• MS in Supply Chain Management  

Graduate Application fees

Application information.

Michigan State University has a decentralized graduate admissions process.  Applicants should contact the department/program of their interest to find out program requirements, deadline dates, admissions procedures, etc. BEFORE filling out an application.

A directory with contact information can be found at  Department and Program Directory .

A listing of interdisciplinary programs can be found on our  Interdisciplinary Programs page .

You may submit up to two (2) applications to different graduate majors in the SAME semester. Each must be accompanied by a full set of documents as required by MSU and the individual graduate programs. Each application requires payment of the application fee.

Michigan State University reserves the right to make changes in its programs, policies, rules, regulations, procedures, fees, tuition, housing rates, organizational structure, and faculty and staff through the appropriate university processes. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as is possible in the event of such changes.

Application Status

Admission decisions are made by the graduate department/program. However, your admission to the University is not official until it has been approved by the Office of Admissions.  The Office of Admissions will send out official offer letters.

If you wish to check the status of your application, please log into the  Student Admissions Portal  or contact your  department .

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Office of Admissions

Graduate applicants

Michigan State University has a decentralized graduate admissions process. Applicants should contact the department/program of their interest to find out program requirements, deadline dates and admissions procedures before filling out an application. A department and program directory is available to find appropriate contact information. A listing of interdisciplinary programs can be found on the interdisciplinary programs page .

Graduate degrees

Admission to a graduate degree program (DMA, EdS, MA, MFA, MM, MS, PhD) begins with the completion of the graduate student application for admission, submission of the application fee, and any additional requirements as determined by the college or department of the major. This same department reviews the application and determines the final admission decision. You may submit up to two (2) applications to different graduate majors in the same semester. Each must be accompanied by a full set of documents as required by MSU and the individual graduate programs. Each application requires payment of the application fee.

Start a graduate application

Graduate certificates

Students applying to one of the Graduate Certificate programs should complete a Graduate Certificate application.

Start a graduate certificate application

Professional degrees

To apply for a professional degree program (such as DNP, DO, DVM, MBA, MD, JD), you will need to complete the appropriate application for admission. Unlike general graduate applications, most professional degrees have a separate application and specific requirements through their corresponding college. The only exceptions to this are the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) and the MBA, which can be applied to through the general graduate application.

Apply for a professional degree

• MD from the College of Human Medicine
• DO from the College of Osteopathic Medicine
• DVM from the College of Veterinary Medicine
• DNP from the College of Nursing
• MBA from the Broad College of Business
• JD from the MSU College of Law

The college that offers the program will review your application and make the final admission decision.

In Memoriam: Ok-Sook Park

Studying linguistics languages & cultures for the global & digital age.

We are an interdisciplinary department that focuses on three areas: linguistics, l anguage learning and teaching, and  cultural studies. Our programs are national leaders in teaching, research, and outreach.

Field-Leading Research

Faculty research explores cutting-edge questions in a wide-range of disciplines, employs a diverse set of methods, and is closely linked to educational goals and student experiences in the classroom.

Focus on Education

We emphasize student learning, from first-year undergraduates through advanced doctoral candidates, with a focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and cross-cultural understanding.

Community Engagement

Our teaching and research make languages and issues of language and culture accessible to the greater Mid-Michigan region and reflect a continuing concern for the local, national and global community.

Degree opportunities

Linguistics

Minor, ba, ma, phd.

Our Linguistics programs focus on areas of core areas of theory, in experimental and field research, and in particular languages. 

Second Language Studies

The SLS Ph.D. Degree Program is for researchers and teacher-researchers interested in second language acquisition (SLA) and applied linguistics.

In our Masters of Arts program students gain an understanding of the principles of the field as they prepare to develop their careers in the field of language learning and teaching.

Our program provides a nationally competitive program that equips students with excellent communicative skills necessary to engage within a globally expanding Arabic-speaking community.

Our program emphasizes language competence and a rich knowledge of Chinese culture and society through proficiency-oriented, communicative, situational, and study-abroad activities. 

minor, BA, MA, PHD

Our degree programs provide a solid grounding in the core disciplinary areas of literature, culture, and language studies through teaching and research opportunities.

The goal of the Japanese program is to equip students with functional proficiency in the language as well as cultural familiarity and knowledge about Japan.

Our program in Russian at MSU is designed to help you develop proficiency in the Russian language, literature, and culture through study abroad and internships.

Indian & South Asian

The Minor in Indian and South Asian Studies will equip students with linguistic and cultural proficiency focused on India and South Asia.

This program equips students with linguistic proficiency in the Korean language and cultural literacy about Korea and its place in the world. 

The Minor in Indian and South Asian Languages and Cultures will equip students with linguistic and cultural proficiency focused on India and South Asia.

$2.5M Grant Furthers Teaching of Less Commonly Taught Languages

Michigan State University was awarded a four-year, $2.5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support further development in the research and teaching of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs), with an emphasis on Indigenous languages.

What Influences Dialects?

What influences our dialects in different regions of the United States? Associate Professor Suzanne Evans Wagner studies the social meaning of language with the goal of understanding what motivates us to talk the way we do over time.

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“I am often praised for my editing ability and clear explanations, not only in the context of language but also in the context of machine learning theory/implementation lectures and demonstrations. I owe these skills to my degrees at MSU.”

2011 BA Japanese and Linguistics Alumnus

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