Application Priority Deadlines
Deadline dates for applications and receipt of all required application materials are:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 1 | Fall Admission |
| November 1 | Spring Admission |
| April 1 | Summer Admission |
Review of applications will continue after these priority deadlines, but students accepted after these deadlines may have to defer enrollment til the next semester.
Application Materials Required for the MA with a Major in English
Applicants for the MA with a major in English must submit all of the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:
Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama 36265-1602
- Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
- Non-refundable $35.00 application processing fee.
- Official transcripts from the baccalaureate degree awarding institution and all transcripts from institutions where post-baccalaureate work has been completed. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from an institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
- Three Graduate Reference Forms completed by individuals who can provide qualitative assessment of the applicant’s potential for success in graduate coursework. Reference forms will be submitted electronically. Instructions for submission will be sent through email to the applicant upon submission of the online graduate application.
- International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.
- The Department of English may request a writing sample as part of the application review process.
Admission Requirements for the MA with a Major in English
In addition to meeting general admission requirements of the Graduate School, applicants for the MA with a major in English must have an undergraduate minor in English or its equivalent, as determined by the head of the English Department.
Unconditional Admission
- Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.00 (on a 4.00 grade point scale) are eligible for unconditional admission.
Conditional Admission
- Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.00 may be conditionally admitted with the recommendation of the graduate faculty in the applicant’s major and approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.
Applicants who are granted conditional admission must achieve a GPA of at least 3.00 on the first 12 graduate hours attempted. Failure to meet these conditions will result in the student being dropped from graduate studies.
Minimum Requirements for the MA with a Major in English
An overall 3.00 GPA is required on all coursework attempted for the master’s degree. Transfer credit cannot be used to raise the GPA to the required 3.00.
Non-Thesis Option
Total of 30 graduate semester hours in approved English courses, including EH 501 Introduction to Graduate Study in English (3), which English MA students must successfully complete within their first 15 hours of graduate English study, and three semester hours in Shakespeare at either the undergraduate or graduate level.
Thesis Option
Total of 30 graduate semester hours. Minimum of 24 hours in approved English courses, including EH 501 Introduction to Graduate Study in English (3), which English MA students must successfully complete within their first 15 hours of graduate English study, and three semester hours in Shakespeare at either the undergraduate or graduate level, and six hours of thesis.
Thesis students should contact the Graduate School to receive an orientation to the thesis process prior to enrolling in the first three semester hours of thesis, 599. This orientation can be completed either in person or via email. The purpose of the orientation is to provide the thesis student with information concerning required forms, due dates, and to answer any questions concerning thesis options and/or procedure. For further information concerning this orientation, please contact Ashlee Hanvey, ahanvey@jsu.edu, 321 Angle Hall, (256) 782-5764. See Thesis Options and Procedures in this catalog for more information.
Upon advisement, students may be required to demonstrate foreign language proficiency when a chosen program of study requires translation skills.
Graduation and Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive exam is required for this degree; please see the graduate advisor for full details. For students choosing the Thesis Option, the thesis defense serves as the comprehensive exam. All students must apply for graduation by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.