Masters Application

Required Application Materials

All applicants to the graduate program in English, including those who completed an undergraduate degree at Cal Poly, must submit the following to the Office of Admissions:

a quarter-specific, online graduate application (link opens in new window); most students apply to begin the graduate program in fall quarter
a $55 nonrefundable application fee (see the online application form)
certified (original, sealed) transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended

Be sure to paste a personal statement into the space provided in the online application form (link opens in new window); this is an important element of every graduate application. The transcripts should be forwarded from the relevant institutions to the following address: Cal Poly / Admissions Office / San Luis Obispo, CA / 93407.

You should simultaneously arrange to have the following sent to the English department’s Graduate Director:

three confidential letters of recommendation composed by university faculty or others familiar with your academic background and potential for success in a rigorous, literature-based M.A. program. Letters should be signed, sealed, and either mailed by the faculty members themselves or forwarded by a university placement service.
a writing sample demonstrating your skills at literary analysis. Please do not send a piece of creative writing or journalistic article.
GRE scores are not required, and will not be considered in the review process if sent.

The writing sample and letters of recommendation should be mailed to the following address: Dr. Paul R. Marchbanks / Director of Graduate Studies / English Department / Cal Poly / San Luis Obispo, CA / 93407-0322.

Competitive Applications

Most successful applicants will have emerged from undergraduate work with an English concentration and at least a 3.0 G.P.A. Accomplished students and professionals who have not earned a B.A. in English from an undergraduate program with a strong literature component may be considered for conditional admission. Conditionally admitted students customarily take six 300- and 400-level literature courses recommended by the Graduate Director during the first stage of their studies at Cal Poly. Such students will require two additional quarters (beyond the normal two years) to complete coursework for the M.A. degree.

Applicants who have completed post-baccalaureate coursework at another institution should be aware that while this additional preparation will strengthen their applications, only courses taken at Cal Poly will be counted towards the Cal Poly M.A. in English. We do not accept transfer credits.

Though each year the department considers applications on a rolling basis, accepting application materials for fall quarter admission up through July 1, applicants who submit their materials between January and March improve their chances of acceptance. Applicants should also be aware that because the admissions process takes time, waiting till the deadline to submit your materials decreases the likelihood that you will be fully admitted and cleared to register for courses by the time registration begins for the quarter you are to enter the program.

After an online application has been submitted, requests to change the targeted quarter of admission can usually be accommodated, but will require: 1) the endorsement of the Graduate Director, 2) a written request to the Associate Director of Admission (Cindy Bennet Thompson) in Admissions, and 3) the submission of an additional application fee.

Application Deadlines

Fall Term: application forms for fall term must be completed online by July 1, and hard copies of all supplementary materials (transcripts addressed to the Admission Office; writing samples and letters of recommendation addressed to the Graduate Director) must be stamped and sent by August 1.
Winter Term: application forms for fall term must be completed online by November 1, and hard copies of all supplementary materials (transcripts addressed to the Admission Office; writing samples and letters of recommendation addressed to the Graduate Director) must be stamped and sent by December 1.
Spring Term: application forms for fall term must be completed online by February 1, and hard copies of all supplementary materials (transcripts addressed to the Admission Office; writing samples and letters of recommendation addressed to the Graduate Director) must be stamped and sent by March 1.
Verify above dates w/ Admissions

Tuition and Residency Status

The campus Admissions Office determines the residency status of all new and returning students for nonresident tuition purposes. Residency status hinges on age, physical presence, intent, and financial independence. A student who fails to submit adequate information to establish a right to classification as a California resident—even if s/he has lived in California for a full year—is classified as a non-resident.

To hasten the date when you can be classified as a California resident, students from other states should immediately register their motor vehicle, obtain a driver’s license, and register to vote upon moving to the state. Other actions that will later bolster your case for residency include: filing a resident or nonresident state personal income tax return, establishing a permanent residence in California, and maintaining an active bank account with a California branch.

For additional information about the application process, see pages 66-68 of the “Admissions” section at the online Cal Poly catalog.

Financial Aid

Students interested in applying for federal aid, state aid, and Cal Poly Scholarships must complete the FAFSA every year. The FAFSA can be completed between January and June each year, but the priority filing deadline is usually the very beginning of March.

File your FAFSA application, apply for a pin. Fill out the FAFSA online using your pin to sign electronically, and have a parent sign if you are a dependent student. For more information, go to Cal Poly financial aid and fafsa.