MA - Master of Arts

Overview

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures offers graduate students the opportunity to take classes from experts in the fields of pedagogy, linguistics, culture, and literature. Our alumni have gone on to personally and professionally rewarding positions in education, business, social and health services, and academia.

Our degree program is flexible and allows students to design their own plans of study according to their interests. Seminars are conveniently scheduled during the late afternoon and evening to accommodate in-service teachers and other professionals. Check here for a sample of the graduate courses offered. Other options available to students include study abroad through departmental programs in Canada, France, Germany, Mexico and Spain; Teacher Certification after additional coursework (usually taken simultaneously with M.A. seminars) and student teaching; and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Certification. Full-time students often apply for and receive graduate assistantships, which provide a monthly stipend and a full tuition waiver. Other financial assistance is available in the form of scholarships and tuition waivers for qualified students.

Bloomington-Normal in Central Illinois, home to Illinois State University, is a thriving community. Uptown Normal, immediately adjacent to campus, features restaurants, pubs, cafés with free Wi-Fi, shops and boutiques, the Amtrak train station, and a beautiful Children's Discovery Museum. There is ample parking, and for those who enjoy bike-riding and jogging, the multi-purpose Constitution Trail may be accessed nearby. Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis provide great weekend getaways. For more information check the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Requirements for Application

Admission to the Master's Program in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures normally requires a grade-point average of at least 3.0  (out of 4.0) for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work and an undergraduate major in the intended language (French, German, Spanish); however, promising students may be admitted with the stipulation that they take "deficiency" courses (these will not apply to the 33 credits necessary for the M.A. degree).

Applications are accepted for either the fall or spring semesters. Although promising applications are reviewed throughout the year, we recommend submitting your application by November 1st for spring and March 1st for fall in order to maximize opportunities for graduate assistantships, financial aid, and housing.

Send your completed application, fee, and undergraduate transcripts to the Office of Admissions (for application and address click on the link above). Please arrange to have two letters of recommendation sent directly to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, attn: Graduate Program. Letters should address your academic training, language ability, and potential to succeed at graduate study; at least one should preferably be written by a professor or instructor familiar with your academic work.

Also, for full consideration, please submit the following directly to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, attn: Graduate Program:

• a personal statement (written in English or the target language), in which you describe your background in language and culture, your academic experience, your goals, and reasons for seeking to pursue graduate study.
• a photocopy of a graded paper in the target language written for an advanced undergraduate course in literature, linguistics, or cultural studies. If you cannot provide a graded paper, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies for alternatives.

NOTE: If your intended area of study is German, please contact Professor Andrew Weeks at the email address above or at 309 438-7120 for advisement prior to applying.

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