Admission Requirements
Admissions
The MA program in Rhetoric and Composition admits an average of 7 students per year. Most students apply for and are admitted for the fall semester, although some students join the program in the spring or summer semesters. While our application deadlines are flexible and we review applications throughout the year, we do encourage students to submit materials by the application deadlines specified by the Graduate College: June 15th* for the fall semester and November 1st* for the spring semester. However, students seeking assistantships (Instructional or Teaching Assistantships) must meet very specific deadlines—program materials and IA/TA application materials must be submitted by January 31st for the following academic year if students plan to apply for assistantships.
* International students have earlier deadlines: June 1st for the fall and October 1st for the spring.
For general program questions, please contact marc@txstate.edu. For questions about IA/TA applications or admission to the MARC program or Graduate College, please contact Flore Chevaillier at fc@txstate.edu.
In reviewing applications for admission, faculty assess applicants’ writing abilities, academic interests and career goals, academic record, and what is generally known as “program fit"—how well your interests and goals mesh with faculty expertise, interests, and program vision.
Applicants seeking admission to the MA major in Rhetoric and Composition (MARC) must meet standard Graduate College requirements and have earned a GPA of at least 3.0 in 12 hours or more of undergraduate English courses. In addition, applicants need at least a 2.75 overall GPA in their last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework. We do not require GRE scores. Applicants must submit the following directly to The Graduate College with an electronic application, completed online, found at the Graduate College’s Application Website. Be sure to apply with the appropriate semester application. You will need:
- official transcripts from each college or university attended, sent directly from the institutions
- a $55.00 nonrefundable application fee ($90 for international students) and payment in the form of a check or money order, payable to Texas State University in US currency
- three (3) letters of recommendation submitted by the letter writers addressing the applicant’s potential for graduate study in rhetoric and composition and, if the applicant is applying for a graduate assistantship, his or her potential as a writing instructor, including experience teaching, tutoring, or editing (applicants should enter the names and contact information for references into the appropriate tool.) Recommenders will then receive a communication from Texas State University asking them to write a letter of recommendation for the applicant and will be given a unique link to upload the letter directly to the Graduate College
- a statement of purpose (no longer than two single-spaced pages) discussing the applicant’s reasons for applying to the MARC program--applicants are encouraged to discuss their future career and/or academic aspirations; research and teaching interests; relevant background, including paid or non-paid writing, tutoring, or teaching experience; and other information that will help the committee assess their suitability for the program
- at least two nonfiction documents totaling a minimum of 15 double-spaced pages (at least one of these documents should be an academic research paper written for an undergraduate or graduate course)
- a cover letter explaining when and for whom the submitted documents (item 5) were written and discussing why they have been included as representative work
If you need assistance or help with your application, please contact the Graduate College at gradcollege@txstate.edu or call 512-245-2581.