English

Requirements listed in this section are in addition to general Graduate Council requirements stated in the GENERAL INFORMATION section of the Graduate Bulletin.

For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor\'s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. International applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the internet-based test; or a minimum composite score of 6.5 on the IELTS.

International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have received a baccalaureate or a graduate degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales.

Applicants should have a junior/senior grade-point average of 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale), although exceptions may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests. Scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Aptitude Tests (verbal and quantitative) are required for admission. Applicants must also submit three letters of recommendation, a writing sample indicating their ability to do analytical or original work, and a statement of their professional goals.

For admission, M.A. students should have strong backgrounds in English courses: 18 credits beyond freshman composition are a minimum, but the department prefers at least 24 credits.

For admission into the M.F.A. program, students must have a baccalaureate degree (with substantial work in English), a portfolio of publishable student writing, and the intention to pursue a career as a professional writer.

To be considered for the doctoral program, students must have completed an M.A. in English, M.F.A. or its equivalent. The records of potential students should indicate promise of superior work in doctoral study.