MA & PhD Program Application Process
Application Deadline
The Department of Writing Studies is moving to an every-other-year admissions model for both our MA and PhD programs. As part of this transition, our application process will pause for the 2026–2027 cycle.
We are excited about what this change means for our community! Admitting cohorts every two years allows us to provide more robust advising and curricular offerings, expand our professional development support, and offer stronger funding packages, fellowship, and assistantship opportunities.
We look forward to accepting applications in Fall 2027 and welcoming a new cohort of students. Please consider applying in Fall 2027!
Please check back in late Fall for updated information on our Fall 2027 application deadline.
Before You Apply
Research Our Programs and the Application Process
Learn more about our MA and PhD programs by exploring the Research Programs section of this website. In addition, we encourage you to review our WRTC Admissions FAQ and the Graduate School's Prospective Student Toolkit. The Graduate School Diversity Office offers helpful information for prospective students, including admissions and application consultations.
Register for an Information Session
We invite you to attend one of our free, virtual WRTC information sessions! We hold information sessions on Zoom in the fall before the application deadline. Program faculty and staff will answer your questions about coursework, the application process, career development, and more.
Select Your Degree
MA applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree before beginning the WRTC program. PhD applicants must have completed a master’s degree before beginning the WRTC program. The master’s degree should be in a related discipline such as rhetoric, technical and professional communication, English, or communication studies.
In the fall of their second year, MA students making satisfactory progress are invited to apply to the WRTC PhD program. MA courses transfer to the PhD upon admission.
Understand the Program Funding Opportunities
Review the program funding opportunities. All WRTC applicants are automatically considered for funding. There is not a separate funding application.
Contact Us with Questions!
We strive for transparency in our program requirements and admissions process. If you have questions about our programs or how to apply, please email [email protected].
Application Review and Timeline
As part of our commitment to an equitable and inclusive admissions process, we review your application materials holistically. We consider the following when reviewing your application materials:
- the alignment between your expressed interests and the focus of the program;
- strong academic preparation for graduate-level studies and potential for growth;
- scholarly and professional potential; and
- diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.
We do not require GRE scores, nor will we review GRE scores if they are submitted. We also do not have a minimum required GPA.
Please check back in late Fall for updated information on our Fall 2027 application deadline.
Questions or Access Requests?
Please contact [email protected] with any questions or access requests.
Application Requirements
The Graduate School must receive all of the following materials before your application will be considered. To ensure a consistent and equitable review process, we only review the materials listed below. Any additional materials will be redacted from the application prior to review. Start your application now!
When you start your online application through the Graduate School, you will first select your intended program. Using the drop-down options, select:
- Campus: “University of Minnesota - Twin Cities”
- College/School: “Liberal Arts”
- Program: “Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication MA” OR “Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication PhD”
Next, complete the required application sections:
- Term Selection
- Biographical Information
- Contact Information
- Personal Background
- U of M Affiliation
- Academic History
- Employment
- Writing Studies
GRE scores are neither required nor considered for the MA and PhD programs. We recommend reviewing the Graduate School’s admissions guide for additional application information.
You must upload an unofficial transcript (or equivalent academic record) from each undergraduate and graduate institution that you previously attended. Copies of diplomas are not accepted as unofficial transcripts. See important information about unofficial transcripts from the Graduate School.
The University of Minnesota will only request official transcripts from students who are accepted and matriculate into a graduate program. Please do not mail paper copies of your transcripts.
Upload your unofficial transcripts in the Academic History section of the online application.
In no more than 500 words, articulate your academic and career goals. The goal of this statement is to give the faculty a clear sense of who you are, what your goals are, and why you think the University of Minnesota is the best place for you to pursue your graduate education. Consider the following questions (note: you do not need to answer all):
- Why do you want to study rhetoric, writing studies, and/or technical communication at a graduate level?
- Why have you chosen to apply to the University of Minnesota? What about our program is exciting to you and why? Which faculty do you see yourself working with most closely and why? (It may be helpful to review Writing Studies faculty profiles.)
- What are your core areas of research/teaching interest within the field? What do you anticipate will be the focus of your research/scholarly projects? E.g. What kinds of questions, problems, or topics do you want to pursue?
- What experiences, training, or education have prepared you to succeed in graduate-level work in rhetoric, writing studies, and/or technical communication?
- What are your long-term professional goals and how will the WRTC program help you pursue those goals?
The primary audience of this statement is the WRTC graduate faculty.
Upload your Statement of Purpose in the Materials section of the online application. Read more about the Statement of Purpose in our Admissions FAQ.
Diversity of views and experiences is fundamental to the University's mission, and the University's faculty, staff and students share responsibility for the collective achievement of this goal.
In no more than 500 words, in what ways would you advance equity, access, inclusion, and justice in your research, teaching, and graduate studies?
Upload your Diversity of Views and Experiences (DOVE) Statement in the Materials section of the online application. Read more about the DOVE Statement in our Admissions FAQ.
The Extenuating Circumstances statement is an optional component of our application process and is not applicable to all applicants. This is a space to share factors that might contextualize your application. For example, an applicant might address challenges that affected their grades.
If applicable, upload your Extenuating Circumstances Statement in the Materials section of the online application. Read more about the Extenuating Circumstances Statement in our Admissions FAQ.
Please provide a current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. The document should include any academic awards or honors that you have received.
Upload your CV or resume in the Materials section of the online application.
We require two samples of your academic or professional writing. We accept a wide range of genres for the writing samples and understand that applicants have diverse backgrounds and experiences. However, at least one sample must demonstrate your ability to carry out research and construct an argument based on research. The second sample may include link(s) to other media such as graphics, photographs, slides, artwork, audio, or videotape. Overall, we encourage applicants to select samples that they believe best showcase their writing proficiency.
While not required, it is helpful to include a brief contextual paragraph for each sample that explains the sample’s purpose and situates the sample in your broader academic and professional experiences. This paragraph should be included within each writing sample document.
Each sample should be 20 pages or fewer in length. We do not have specified formatting requirements; please format each sample according to its genre conventions. We recommend combining your two samples into one PDF when uploading to the online application system.
Upload your writing samples in the Materials section of the online application.
Request three letters of recommendation through the online application system. Recommendations from faculty are highly encouraged, although letters written by employers are also accepted. We strongly recommend one letter come from your advisor, a major professor, or department chair who can speak to your academic experience and potential, specifically for our program. We also recommend that recommendation letters are submitted on letterhead as PDF attachments.
We encourage you to communicate the recommendation letter submission deadline (January 5) directly to your recommenders. The online application system does not include the deadline information in their request messages.
See important information about letters of recommendation from the Graduate School and read more about letters of recommendation in our Admissions FAQ.
The Graduate School has specific English language proficiency requirements for submitting a graduate program application. Note that employment as a teaching assistant (TA) or graduate instructor (GI) also has requirements for demonstrating English proficiency. Applicants for whom English is their first language and are from this list of countries are exempt from demonstrating English language proficiency for teaching.
Given that many WRTC students work as TAs or GIs, we recommend reviewing both requirements when choosing to take an English proficiency test (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS). Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at [email protected] with additional questions about English language proficiency requirements.
The Graduate School provides information on current application fees.
We know that the application fee can be an obstacle to applying to a graduate program. In certain cases, we may be able to help you find a fee waiver. Please email Allie Cooperman, the Graduate Programs Coordinator, at [email protected] for more information.
This invitation is open to all applicants.