Admission Requirements

Students with a bachelor's degree in any field will be considered for admission. For admission, a student must also present the following:

• A strong record of previous academic achievement.
• Relevant course work in creative writing or experience with creating writing gained on the job or through endeavors such as publishing original work and/or participating in a writers' circle or group.

To apply, please submit the following:

• A completed application.
• Official transcripts detailing course work from all colleges and universities you have attended. If you send transcripts directly to DePaul, they must be in a sealed envelope with the official registrar's stamp across the envelope flap.
• A résumé that summarizes your education and relevant experience.
• A reflective essay, from 500 to 750 words long, describing your objectives in applying to DePaul's MA in Writing and Publishing program and your plans for the future. The admissions committee takes this statement seriously, so please be as specific as possible about how and why this program would help you reach your creative and professional goals.
• A portfolio (approximately 25 pages) of representative creative writing. You may submit creative nonfiction (including narrative or feature journalism), fiction, poetry, or a combination. If you are submitting poetry, please ensure that at least half of your portfolio contains samples of your prose writing. 
  
• A $40 domestic application fee, $75 international application fee.
  
• Two letters of recommendation
• Students applying for graduate assistantships must submit two letters of recommendation attesting to the candidate's ability to succeed in graduate study.
• International students should also see International Admission. We follow the LAS Graduate College's requirements for English proficiency. Visit this page to see the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores you must meet for admission to our graduate program.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

We accept applications all year round, and students may begin their studies in any academic term. We strongly suggest that students submit their applications eight to ten weeks prior to the quarter in which they wish to begin their studies (late June for fall entry, late October for winter entry, mid-January for spring entry). Those students who wish to apply for graduate assistantships should submit their application materials no later than January 15 prior to the academic year for which they wish to receive an assistantship.

ALL application materials should be sent to the following address:

Office of Graduate Admission
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
2400 N. Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614

Application materials can also be emailed to the Office of Graduate Admission at lasgrad@depaul.edu.  Colleges and universities that provide official electronic transcripts services should send transcripts to Gradtranscripts@depaul.edu.  Please make sure your name is on all documents. Letters of recommendation must be emailed directly from the recommender as an attached pdf document on letterhead with the recommender's signature.

Learn more about Graduate Admission.

Ready to apply?

If you need assistance to complete your application and/or have questions, contact the LAS Graduate Admission office at (773) 325-7315 or lasgrad@depaul.edu.