Generally, to be considered for admission to the Graduate Program in English, applicants must:

• have completed a four-year college course of study and hold a baccalaureate degree in English (or a closely related field) from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association, or shall have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined by appropriate campus authorities;

• be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended;

• have attained a grade point average of at least 3.2 (A = 4.0) in their English major.

Applicants who meet the above conditions but whose undergraduate degrees are in fields other than English can apply for admission to the graduate program in English. Such students, however, must complete a 36-unit program of upper division prerequisites (which might include courses previously taken) prior to beginning their graduate work. For more on the 36-unit requirement for non-English B.A. students seeking an M.A. degree in English, click here.

Please note that admission to the Graduate Program in English is competitive and meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission.

Under special circumstances, students who do not meet the department’s minimum requirements might be considered for admission. The Graduate Admissions Committee might consider the following additional criteria when reviewing applications from students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement: GRE scores, the student's undergraduate institution, and specific courses completed at the undergraduate and graduate level.

How to Apply 

Applying for admission to the Graduate Program in English requires two separate applications. The applicant must

• Apply for admission to graduate study at Cal State L.A. by either completing and submitting a paper application (available on campus) or by completing and submitting an online application through CSUMentor. As part of the application for admission to graduate study, the applicant must request that official copies of all required transcripts be mailed directly to the Cal State L.A. Office of University Admissions from the institution(s) attended.

• Apply for admission to the Master of Arts program in the Department of English by completing a Departmental Application for Admission and submitting it along with the following required documents:

1. Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.

2. A writing sample: Please submit an analytical essay on a literary topic. The writing sample should be an essay written for a previous undergraduate (or graduate) course, not original work written for the purpose of applying to the program. While the sample should be at least five pages, please note that no special consideration will be given to longer papers. (Students who were not English or literature majors can substitute an analytical, critical, or research paper on a non-literary topic.)

Notification of Decision

Applying to the Graduate Program in English requires two separate applications: one for admission to graduate study at the CSU and one for admission to the Master of Arts degree program in English. To enroll in the Master of Arts degree program, both applications must be approved.

Applicants will be notified whether they have been admitted to graduate status at Cal State L.A. by the Cal State L.A. Office of Admissions. Applicants will be notified whether they have been admitted to the Graduate Program in English by the Department of English. Generally, an applicant will receive notification from the Cal State L.A. Office of Admissions first, followed by notification from the Department of English. Regardless of the order of notification, an applicant is admitted to the Graduate Program in English only by the Department of English.