EMU Graduate Studies in English

Graduate Studies in English > Prospective Students > Application and Admission > Categories of Admission

Categories of Admission

The three possible categories of admission are degree, conditional, and non-degree, which are described below.

Degree Admission
Degree admission is granted to students who meet the department's grade point requirement of 3.0 and who have an undergraduate major or minor in the area of concentration specified in the application.

Conditional Admission
There are four conditional admission statuses:

Condition 1 admission is for students who have deficiencies in their undergraduate preparation—students, for example, who have degrees in fields other than English and/or who have taken fewer than 24 credit hours of undergraduate English. Students admitted with this condition may be asked to complete undergraduate courses before enrolling in any graduate courses.
Condition 2 admission is for students who have not yet earned their bachelor’s degree (e.g., students who apply before winter or spring graduation for fall admission). These students simply need to provide a transcript that demonstrates that they have completed their undergraduate degree.
Condition 3 admission is for students who are nonnative speakers of English and who score below the Graduate School and/or department minimum on the English proficiency examination(s). These students must take a placement test prior to starting classes at EMU. ESL classes will be recommended based on the student’s performance on the placement test.
Condition 4 admission is for students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement (3.0) and/or who graduated from a non-accredited institution. These students typically must complete nine to 12 credit hours in good academic standing before being granted regular admissions status. Students with this admission status do not qualify for financial aid or a graduate assistantship until the condition is removed.

Students admitted conditionally are given degree status when they have fulfilled the requirements specified on the admission recommendation form.

Non-degree Admission
Non-degree admission allows students to take courses for self improvement or to demonstrate potential for success in the graduate program. Students in this category must get permission from a departmental graduate advisor before registering for any graduate classes.

Students who enroll as non-degree and who decide to earn a degree must transfer to degree admission status before completing 10 credit hours of applicable courses. Courses taken in this admission category do not automatically apply to the degree, so students should talk with an advisor about appropriate courses.

Department of English Language and Literature
612 Pray-Harrold | Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Phone: (734) 487-4220 | Fax: (734) 483-9744