Application Process
The Department of English is now accepting applications for admission for Fall 2025. The application deadline is December 15, 2024.
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The Graduate School’s online application system will collect information about your educational background, transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, writing samples, application fee, and an application for a teaching assistantship if you choose to apply for one.
International applicants also need to follow the application requirement guidelines of UWM’s Center for International Education.
When you request a letter of recommendation, your recommender receives an email with a link to upload their letter directly to UWM.
If you feel you might qualify for an Advanced Opportunity Fellowship and plan to apply, please contact the plan coordinator as early as possible.
To begin your application, choose your degree and program of interest.
UWM Graduate Admission Application
- Application Form
- Reason Statement
Also called a “Personal Statement,” it should be a substantive outline of your research interests, qualifications, and plans for graduate study. - Unofficial Transcripts
Upload unofficial transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended. If accepted, you will be required to submit official transcripts in order to enroll. - Three Letters of Recommendation
- Writing Sample(s)
Follow the instructions in each concentration’s application regarding writing samples. If you are applying for a Teaching Assistantship your program may require an additional writing sample. - Application Fee
Specific Requirements for Each Plan
Literature and Cultural Theory
All applicants must provide: An academic writing sample of 10-20 pages. For those simultaneously applying for a graduate teaching position, you should also be prepared to provide: An additional 10-20 page academic writing sample; A one-page teaching statement.
Rhetoric, Professional Writing, and Community Engagement
All applicants must provide: An academic writing sample of 10-20 pages. For those simultaneously applying for a graduate teaching position, you should also be prepared to provide: An additional 10-20 page academic writing sample; A one-page teaching statement. We recommend at least one of your letters of recommendation speaks to your teaching experience or potential teaching ability.
Creative Writing
All applicants must provide: An academic writing sample of 10-20 pages, and a creative writing sample of up to 30 pages of fiction or non-fiction or 10 pages of poetry. Any applicant who wishes to may also provide a Curriculum Vita. Those simultaneously applying for a graduate teaching position should also provide an additional 10-20-page academic writing sample and a one-page teaching statement. We recommend that at least one of your letters of recommendation speak to your teaching experience or potential teaching ability.
Media, Cinema, and Digital Studies
All applicants must provide: An academic writing sample of 10-20 pages. For those simultaneously applying for a graduate teaching position, you should also provide an additional 10-20 page academic writing sample and a one-page teaching statement.
MLIS/MA Coordinated Degree
Students applying to the MLIS/MA coordinated degree program submit the materials above, and must also meet the admission requirements of the School of Information in the College of Community Engagement & Professions.
Non-Degree Admissions
In some circumstances, students can apply for Non-Degree Candidate Admission to take courses for graduate credit without pursuing a degree. For example, students who need to demonstrate the ability to perform graduate level work or who need to remedy a course deficiency may apply for non-degree admission. Students applying for non-degree admissions should complete the Graduate School Application, and should indicate in their application’s Reasons Statement which particular course or courses they intend to take and a justification for why they need to take each one. In addition, non-degree applicants should provide unofficial copies of transcripts from previous colleges or universities, and a ten-page writing sample of work relevant to the proposed area of study. Applicants are encouraged to contact course instructors as early as possible to discuss the possibility of enrolling in the course.
Questions or problems? Please contact the English Graduate Studies Office: gradeng@uwm.edu