Admissions - Frequently asked questions

Introduction | FAQ

Which elements of the GRE test do you require?
How can I find out when/where the GRE will be offered?
What is the minimum GRE score required for admission to your department?
If I apply as a non-degree student, do I still need to take the GRE?
Do I need an MA to apply for your PhD program?
I have a degree in a field other than English. Can I still apply to your program?
If I am already an MA student at UIC, do I need to reapply for admission to the PhD program?
How many students do you admit each year?
To whom should my letters of recommendation be addressed?
Where can I find more information on applying to the Graduate College?
Do I need to make an appointment with an advisor before I apply?
How strict are your application deadlines?
How soon can I expect a decision on my application?
What non-degree options for admissions do you provide?
What is the average course load per semester in your program?
Can you explain your program's Teaching Assistantships?
Does UIC provide childcare? Housing? Insurance?
What percentage of your graduates move on to success as faculty in the field?
Can you list some recent dissertations completed by your graduates?
How do I find details regarding courses, program requirements, and assistantships?
How can I find information on financing, health care, and other non-academic aspects of graduate education?

Which elements of the GRE test do you require?
We require only the GRE general test for all of our degrees in the English Department (except the TESOL Program). The subject test is not required for any English graduate degree. We also require that GRE test scores be no more than five years old. If you are applying for admission in Fall 2008, you must have taken the test(s) in 2003 or more recently. The Institution Code for reporting official scores is 1851.

How can I find out when/where the GRE will be offered?
Visit the ETS homepage and click on GRE. There you will find information on how to register for the GRE.

What is the minimum GRE score required for admission to your department?
We do not have a minimum required GRE score for admission. While all parts of the application are crucial, the strength of an application to our graduate program is determined by an applicant's statement of purpose and writing sample(s). These parts of the application are scrutinized by the entire admissions review committee. The writing sample should represent your very best work; the statement of purpose should be as clear as possible, describing your writing vividly, while also discussing your intellectual interests and career goals.

If I apply as a non-degree student, do I still need to take the GRE?
If you are applying as Non-degree English, then yes. Applicants to the PhD and MA, as well as Non-degree English students must have GRE scores no more than five years old. Please visit our Non-degree Options page for more information about non-degree requirements.

Do I need an MA to apply for your PhD program?
Yes. We do not offer direct admission to an MA/PhD program. If you do not already have a MA or a MFA, please apply to the MA program.

I have a degree in a field other than English. Can I still apply to your program?
Yes. We do accept applications from prospective students who have degrees in other fields, but we do place all applications in equal competition, and students with English degrees are often better aligned with our program goals than those who have degrees in other fields. Those students who do have degrees in other fields should consider taking non-degree courses in English through an accredited college or university in order to better position themselves to apply; current undergraduates completing a degree in a field other than English should explore options for taking English electives through their current school.

If I am already an MA student at UIC, do I need to reapply for admission to the PhD program?
PhD candidates currently enrolled at UIC in the Master's program DO NOT need to apply to the Graduate College for admission. (If admitted, those students need to petition for a change of program.) We do strongly urge current MA students to submit a new and complete application to the English department, however. The application should represent the student's best work to date, and should account for recent progress in the graduate program.

How many students do you admit each year?
The number of MA and PhD applicants varies each year, but we generally accept fewer than 20% of those students applying to each program.

To whom should my letters of recommendation be addressed?
They should be addressed to the "Director of Graduate Studies."
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of English (MC 162)
University of Illinois at Chicago
601 S. Morgan St.
Chicago, IL 60607-7120

International applicants should have their referees use the Letter of Recommendation cover sheet. All other applicants should have their referees send narrative letters of recommendation directly to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Where can I find more information on applying to the Graduate College?
The Graduate College website has information on the application process, academic calendar, forms and useful links.

Do I need to make an appointment with an advisor before I apply?
No. In fact, due to the high number of applications we receive every year, we would prefer to offer office appointments only to those students who have questions that we cannot answer by phone or through email. Anyone who wishes to make an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies or Graduate Coordinator should call or email for arrangements. Current contact information is available on the English Graduate Studies web page.

How strict are your application deadlines?
Due to the high number of applications every year, the deadlines are very strict. The admission review committee needs time to examine each application carefully to make the most thorough evaluation possible. For example, if the PhD application deadline is January 1, then materials must have already been received by the Office of Graduate Studies. The Graduate College may have later deadlines for the paperwork it requires, but that does not change the deadlines for English Department materials.

How soon can I expect a decision on my application?
While there is no official decision date, students applying for the PhD program can expect a decision by the first week of March. Students applying for the MA program can expect a decision by the third week of March.

What non-degree options for admissions do you provide?
Please visit our Non-degree Options page to see what options are available for students under non-degree status.

What is the average course load per semester in your program?
A graduate course is generally weighted for four credit hours. The average course load per semester is twelve hours for students fulfilling core requirements without Teaching Assistantships and eight for those who do hold Teaching Assistantships; a load of eight hours is typical for PhD students doing dissertation work.

Can you explain your program's Teaching Assistantships?
Our program offers Teaching Assistantships to all accepted PhD applicants and some qualified MA applicants. We support our PhD students through six years of funding after the MA, contingent upon sufficient progress through the program. Many students finish the degree in a shorter length of time; however, it's generally best to anticipate spending at least four years on the degree. The length of time is inseparable from specific terms of support. Our standard package for PhD students is about $14,000 per year stipend, plus tuition remission, and a teaching load of three classes a year (2-1) after the first year (in which you take a teaching practicum and then teach two classes). For more information, please visit our funding page.

Does UIC provide childcare? Housing? Insurance?
The university's programs are detailed in the "Living" and "Working" sections of the UIC web page.

What percentage of your graduates move on to success as faculty in the field?
Our department grants, on average, twelve doctoral degrees in a year, though that number may vary significantly from year to year. In an average graduating cohort of twelve, six may move immediately into full-time academic employment. Two of those may achieve tenure-track positions right away, while another two may take positions which transition quickly to tenure-track positions. Other graduates may move into post-doctoral work, fellowships, or non-tenure-track teaching positions. Many focus on their careers as creative writers. Recent MA and PhD graduates have taken positions at such institutions as Arizona State University, Boston College, Notre Dame, Temple University, and the University of Iowa. If you want more information on English Department placement, please visit our placement pages.

Can you list some recent dissertations completed by your graduates?
Karen Dwyer: The Smoker and Other Stories
Janice Lively: A Dress for Dorothy Dandridge
Ivelisse Rodriguez: I Just Want to Be a Woman
Bridget Tsemo Harris (Winner of the Outstanding Thesis Award, Graduate College, University of Illinois at Chicago): Confronting an "Unwashed" Democracy: African-American Literature at the Turn of the Century

How do I find details regarding courses, program requirements, and assistantships?
Please download our Graduate Program Handbook.

How can I find information on financing, health care, and other non-academic aspects of graduate education?
You can find many questions answered by visiting our helpful links for
graduate students.