School of Arts, Sciences & Business: Graduate Admissions
To be considered for admission to a graduate program at Notre Dame, a new applicant must must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4-point scale.
Admission Requirements
1. Application
Application materials should be submitted to:
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Theresa Hall 001
4701 North Charles St.
Baltimore, Maryland 21210
2. Official Transcript(s)
Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate coursework should be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office. Official e-transcripts are accepted if sent directly from the school attended to processing@ndm.edu.
Students with degrees from universities outside of the United States should submit an official course by course evaluated transcript. Learn more at World Education Services (WES).
Note: Students with a graduate degree from a foreign university are not automatically admitted. They may be invited to take one or more of the admissions tests in order to advance their candidacy for admission, especially programs with an admissions cap.
3. Essay
1. Required: Personal Statement (500–750 words)
The MA in English Literature program is centered around seminar-style learning and participatory dialogue. We are a community of readers, writers, and thinkers who engage deeply with literature and its interpretation—exploring how texts function within their historical, cultural, and theoretical contexts. Please share how you envision engaging in this kind of collaborative, conversation-driven environment by addressing one or more of the following:
What motivates you to pursue graduate study in English literature at this stage in your academic or professional life?
What do you hope to achieve through the MA in English program, both intellectually and in terms of your broader academic, professional, or personal goals?
What unique perspectives, experiences, or contributions would you bring to our literary community?
Are there particular literary periods, authors, questions, or themes that especially interest you?
2. Optional: Writing Sample (1,000–2,500 words)
If available, please submit a sample of academic writing that demonstrates your skills in literary analysis or analytical writing. This sample should reflect your ability to engage critically with texts, construct and support an argument, and write with clarity and purpose. While not required, a writing sample can help us better understand your readiness for graduate-level coursework in English literature.
Alumnae Applicants
Alumnae of the University are exempt from providing transcripts, unless they attended another institution after completing their degree at Notre Dame.
Transfer Students
Students with graduate level work completed at another university are eligible to transfer up to six credits.