The statement of Interest should include 1000 words that describe the applicant's reasons for pursuing graduate studies, educational and professional objectives, and any other information that may aid the CMU English admission decision. Applicants are asked to please include full name on each page of the statement.

For those applying for a Masters or Ph.D. in Literary and Cultural Studies:

• Please identify the proposed field(s) of study and any subfield(s) that would enhance study.  For example, the statement could address interests in Early Modern British literature and culture, with subfields in gender and sexuality studies.

• Please narrate preparation for the proposed field(s) and subfield(s) of study.  This narrative might include coursework, seminar papers, theses, conference experiences, etc.

• Describe how the program supports the proposed course of study; what strengths speak to these interests? With which faculty does the applicant envision working?

• Please provide a narrative of your academic background and preparation for study in Professional Writing, including coursework, thesis work, internships, research experience, extracurricular activities, and professional experience.
• Please outline your general career interests, and describe how the MAPW program can support you in achieving your professional goals.

Applicants are asked to provide a current outline of education, research experience, work experience, publications, scholarships awarded, prizes and honors received, society memberships, and extracurricular activities. 

Telling your story is an essential component in working toward a fulfilling career path. Your story will be conveyed in many ways, both written and verbal, and is a great way to form a positive first impression to potential recruiters, graduate schools and other connections.

Resume Resources from the CMU Career & Professional Development Center: 

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Applicants are asked to provide three (3) letters, at least two of which should be from faculty or recent employers who can attest to the quality of your academic and professional abilities. Letters are requested by you from within the online system; recommenders receive an email with detailed instructions for uploading a letter directly to the system. 

All letters are due by the application deadline. Please give faculty advance notice (3-4 weeks) for recommendation letters and provide all application deadlines at once. The more organized everyone is the better.

Applicants are asked to provide unofficial transcripts from any undergraduate or graduate institution attended. These documents should be uploaded with the application. If the department recommends an applicant be admitted, said applicant will then be asked to submit official transcripts. Only upon receipt of official transcripts will the admission be official.

Mail official transcripts to:
Carnegie Mellon University
Dept. of English, Graduate Programs
5000 Forbes Ave, Baker Hall 259
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Official electronic transcripts can be emailed to: 
Jen Loughran, Assistant Director of Graduate Programs

• Ph.D. and M.A. in Literary and Cultural Studies: 1 sample, no page limit, and double spaced

• Ph.D. and M.A. in Rhetoric: 1 sample, 10 pages or less, and double spaced

• M.A. in Professional Writing: 3-4 writing samples, no page limit, and double spaced
  
  

What do we look for in writing samples? 

• Critical thinking skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Make sure the writing sample matches your expressed field or subfield of interest. 
• LCS and Rhetoric: Chose a writing sample that demonstrates your engagement with current academic discourse and scholarly research.

• TOEFL: a minimum score of 25 on each of the 4 subtests, for an overall minimum score of 102. Use Institution Code 2074.
• IELTS: a minimum score of 7.5 on each of the 4 subtests. Choose “Carnegie Mellon University – Office of Undergraduate Admission" as the recipient for your score report.
• Duolingo: a minimum overall score of 130 with the following subscore minimums: Literacy: 115 / Conversation: 120 / Comprehension: 125 /Production: 110. Use Institution Code 2074.
• Cambridge English Assessment: a 191 overall score with subscores of 191 and above.

• You are a native speaker of English (English is your mother tongue), OR
• You have earned a Bachelors or Masters degree in English, Literature, Rhetoric, Technical/Professional Writing, Communication, Composition, or other closely adjacent fields from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States with a GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or above.

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• up to 10 pages
  

• No

• Include the introduction and the conclusion of the original and then as much of the body of the text following the introduction as you can while remaining under the 10-page limit. 
  

• Rhetoric: 
  • A paper that illustrates your best writing, particularly demonstrating your ability to present a sustained and coherent argument with a thesis and supporting reasons and evidence. These features are central to the kind of academic writing our MA and PhD students in the Rhetoric program are regularly asked to produce.
  • A paper that includes concepts/theories from rhetoric or rhetoric-adjacent disciplines (communication studies, writing and composition studies, linguistics, etc.). These kinds of papers provide us with an opportunity to assess your disciplinary interests and understanding. We recognize that not all applicants will have had the opportunity to write about Rhetoric-specific subject matter; therefore, this is not a requirement. Papers from non-Rhetoric courses make perfectly acceptable writing samples. 
• Literary & Cultural Studies:
  • A paper that illustrates your best writing, particularly demonstrating your ability to present a sustained and coherent argument with a thesis and supporting reasons and evidence. These features are central to the kind of academic writing our MA and PhD students in the Rhetoric program are regularly asked to produce.
  • A paper that illustrates your best writing, particularly demonstrating your ability to present a sustained and coherent argument with a thesis and supporting reasons and evidence. These features are central to the kind of academic writing our MA and PhD students in the LCS program are regularly asked to produce.
• MAPW
  • We are interested in writing samples in both professional and academic genres. You may include samples of short, informative pieces (e.g. a brief news article), but you should also include at least one sample of a sustained argument where you present and analyze evidence to support a claim.

• Rhetoric and Literary & Cultural Studies:
  • A clearly stated thesis
  • Relevant and sufficient reasons and evidence to support the thesis
  • Fundamentals of accessible writing
    • Clarity
    • Coherence
    • Concision
  • Appropriate use of disciplinary concepts and methods (whatever the discipline may be)
  • Sophistication of engagement with ideas
    
• MAPW
  • We will be looking for your ability to effectively address your audience and meet the conventions of the genre in which you are writing. Additionally, we will look for your ability to develop an evidence-based argument, and your ability to write prose that is organized, clear, and coherent.