A master's degree in English, or equivalent, with at least an A- average. Depending on their background, applicants may be asked to complete coursework in addition to the PhD program requirements.

Applicants will normally hold a master's degree in English (or the equivalent) with at least an A- average (10 GPA). Possession of the minimum entrance standing is not in itself, however, an assurance of admission into the program. All applications will be considered carefully by the Graduate Committee. Successful applicants judged to be deficient in preparation may be asked to complete course work over and above the regular PhD program requirements.

Each application package consists of not only the application form but also four sets of documents: transcripts (unofficial copies may be submitted at the time of applying), 3 letters of reference, a statement of interest, and an academic writing sample. If an application package received by the department is missing any one of these documents, the Graduate Committee will not consider the applicant for admission. The statement of interest and the academic writing sample must observe the following criteria.

TOEFL iBT (including iBT Home Edition) - 86 (20 in reading and listening, 22 in speaking and writing)
IELTS (Academic) - 6.5 IELTS (minimum 6.0 in each band)