Applicants to the doctoral program in rhetoric must meet the general University requirements for admission to the Graduate School as delineated in the Graduate Catalog. In conjunction with the general requirements, applicants to the doctoral program must present a combined score of 850 or higher on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE. The minimal GPA requirement of a 3.0 average on all upper-level and graduate hours as well as the minimal GRE requirement must be met prior to admission.  Applications for admission are available through the Graduate School at TWU.

Upon receipt in the Graduate School, each application to the rhetoric program is first screened by the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. Those failing to meet the minimum requirements are notified of denial of admission. Those meeting the minimum requirements are then further evaluated by the Chairman of the Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Languages in consultation with members of the Graduate Studies Committee. After this review, the Department recommends to the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research (1) that applicants be admitted without conditions, or (2) that applicants be admitted with the imposition of certain prerequisites determined by the Chair and members of the Graduate Studies Committee, or (3) that applicants be denied admission if the applicants in any way fail to meet requirements essential to pursue graduate studies. Failure to meet the prerequisites for admission results in students' removal from the program.

University Requirements

TWU General Requirements

ü      Bachelor's degree from a recognized college, regarded as standard by a regional or general accrediting agency, or an equivalent degree from a foreign university or college

ü      Official transcript showing a B average on all upper-division and graduate work taken previously. Exceptions: Applications reflecting less than a B average will be considered upon special recommendation of a departmental graduate faculty member to the Dean of the Graduate School

ü      For unconditional admission, sufficient and satisfactory undergraduate preparation in the major field. Additional preparation may be required by provisional admission

ü      U.S. citizenship or appropriate immigration forms. Application deadlines for all international students or nonimmigrant visas are April 1 for the fall semester, August 1 for the spring semester, and January 1 for any summer session

ü      An official report of acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). For the Ph.D. degree, a minimum combined score of 850 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE is required

ü      Timely filing of appropriate application forms from the Admissions Office, the Dean of the Graduate School, or the Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Languages. The completed application, GRE score report, and official transcript from each college attended should be returned to the Office of the Registrar thirty days before obtaining registration for the session for which admission is sought

ü      Departmental recommendation for admission to degree study, stated as either unconditional or provisional

Rhetoric Program Requirements

ü      Bachelor's degree in English from an accredited institution, or equivalent degree for a foreign institution, or baccalaureate in related field plus credit hours in English equivalent to an undergraduate major in English

ü      Graduate Record Examination: A minimum score of 850 on Verbal and Quantitative sections of GRE

ü      Grade Point Average: 3.00 on all previous upper-division and graduate work

ü      Transcripts: Official transcripts from all previous institutions attended

ü      Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): For international students; minimum score of 600.

ü      Test of Spoken English (TSE): 250 minimum score for international students seeking teaching assistantships

ü      Three letters of recommendation

ü      Professional writing sample (critical essay)

ü      Personal interview for teaching assistantships.

ü      Back to top

ü      Admission Status

Admission Status

The student will receive from the Graduate School a statement specifying either UNCONDITIONAL or PROVISIONAL admission to the doctoral program. Upon notification of admission, the applicant should confer with the Chair of the Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Languages or the graduate coordinator, preferably by interview, but, if necessary, by correspondence, in order to become acquainted with specific departmental regulations.

Unconditional Admission: To be admitted unconditionally to any doctoral program, the applicant must satisfy the following requirements:

ü      Grade point average of 3.00 on the last sixty undergraduate hours; and

ü      Minimum score of 850 on the combined Verbal and Quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination.

Provisional Admission

Applicants not qualifying for full admission may be granted provisional admission status. A student admitted to TWU with less than a B average is regularly given Provisional Admission, conditioned upon maintenance of a B average during the first twelve hours of graduate study. Once the conditions for full admission have been met, the student should petition the Graduate School through the department for advancement to Unconditional Admission. Failure to meet conditions of admission results in the student’s removal from a degree program.

Provisional status based on deficient GPA must be removed by the completion of four graduate courses (twelve credit hours) including nine credit hours in the student's major area, with a minimum grade point average of 3.00. A course with a grade of C or below will not count toward degree requirements (but it will affect the GPA). Failure to remove provisional admission status after completing twelve graduate hours will result in suspension from further graduate study in a degree program for six years. With departmental approval, an applicant's academic record may be supplemented by additional evidence, such as work experience, suggesting the ability to succeed in advanced course work.

Requirements for advancement from provisional to unconditional admission status is clearly stated on the departmental recommendation, with a time recommended for completion of the requirements. As soon as a student has satisfied the requirements, the advisor notifies the Graduate School and requests a "Change of Status" for the student.

Denial of Admission

Application to graduate study may be denied if the grade point average of the applicant is too low, if the student lacks aptitude for a particular program, or is the applicant fails in any other way to meet the minimal requirements established by the Graduate Council.

Change of Admission Status

"Change of Status" is stamped on a copy of the admission letter. Copies are sent to the student and the department. When a student has met all requirements specified for a provisional admission, the advisor sends a memo to the Dean of the Graduate School requesting that the student be advanced to Unconditional Admission. A student may not be admitted to candidacy for a degree prior to Unconditional Admission. Note: As soon as prerequisites are met, the student must notify the advisor or the chair of the department.

Transfer Credits

Transfer of doctoral hours applies to courses taken beyond the M.A. degree. For the doctoral degree, up to twelve hours may be transferred, including courses taken through the Federation of North Texas Area Universities. Credits from another university cannot transfer if they are older than five years unless permitted through a waiver approved by the Dean of the Graduate School and originating with a request from the department. Waivers can apply only to courses whose content would not be affected by lapse of time.