Application & Admissions Information
Admissions Deadlines
Students seeking admission to graduate programs in Linguistics/TESOL are encouraged to apply early in the Spring semester for admission in the following Fall. Please review the following important dates.
Admission Deadlines
| Due Date | Deadline For... | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 15th | Deadline for applicants who wish to be considered for a Master's fellowship of Graduate Dean's Fellowship | Although GRE scores are NOT required for admission, GRE scores are required in order to be considered for fellowships. |
| February 1st | Deadline for applicants who wish for priority consideration in the first round of funding for Graduate Teaching Assistantships | Applicants must submit a personal statement. applicants may wish to submit an additional writing sample for consideration for a teaching position (particularly in the writing program). |
| April 25th | Deadline for applicants who wish to be considered in the final round of funding for Graduate Teaching Assistantships | Applicants must submit a personal statement. Applicants may wish to submit an additional writing sample for consideration for teaching position (particularly in the writing program). |
| July 25th | Final deadline for applicants who seek admission without funding | International students requiring a visa should apply as early as possible to allow time for additional paperwork and visa processing. Students missing the final deadline may be considered for admission in a future semester. |
To apply, go to the Graduate School Website or go directly to the Online Application.
The following documents must be submitted by all applicants. They may be submitted online:
- Application form
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- $65 application fee
- Transcripts of all college work
The following additional documents must be submitted by international applicants. They may be submitted online:
- TOEFL or IELTS documented score (required of all non-native speakers of English)
- Photocopy of passport identification page
- Financial Statement Form
**Students may optionally submit their GRE scores if they wish to be considered for a University Fellowship.
Admissions Requirements
Undergraduate GPA
Applicants for admission to either degree program, in addition to meeting the requirements for admission to the Graduate School, are expected to have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0). Applicants with GPAs below 3.0 may be granted conditional admission. However, students admitted on a conditional basis must earn a graduate GPA of 3.0 after the first 12 hours of letter-graded course work; failure to do so will result in the student being dropped from the program.
Foreign Language Requirement
All students who are native speakers of English must have completed at least one semester of study of a foreign language within the preceding five years (excluding high school) and have achieved a grade of B or better. Those students who have achieved proficiency in a foreign language by means other than graded academic study must demonstrate that they have achieved a minimum level of novice-mid as defined in the proficiency guidelines published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Students may also fulfill this requirement by taking one semester of a foreign language with a grade of B or better while they are enrolled in their MA program. In recognition of their experience in learning English, international students who have learned English as a second or foreign language are exempt from this requirement.
Application Fee
A non-refundable application fee of $65.00 USD must be submitted with the admission application. This fee may be paid with a credit card through our online application process. There is also an option to pay by check or money order when applying online
TOEFL / IELTS
International student applicants who are not native speakers of English must achieve a score of at least 90 (internet based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 7.0 or greater on the IELTS. If a student does not have an admissible TOEFL or IELTS score, admission to the Graduate School may be processed as a conditional admission. The conditional admission is not automatic, but is based on the entire, complete application and is contingent on space in the program. A student given a conditional admission must complete our intensive English program (Center for English as a Second Language: CESL) before beginning the MA program. All required CESL classes, including GSE (Graduate Student English), must be passed with a minimum score of 80% and students must achieve a 530 (PBT) on the TOEFL before beginning the graduate degree program.