Application Deadline
January 15
The priority deadline for funding consideration is January 15. The final admissions deadline is June 1. Admission is contingent upon finding a faculty member prepared to act as an advisor for your research.
It is important to note that you will be notified about funding decisions on average four weeks after you have been accepted into the program.
Related undergraduate or graduate study
To pursue an MSLA applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in a related field, a BLA, or an MLA.
All materials must be received by the program's deadline. The program’s review process takes between four and six weeks once the application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Materials required for all applicants
- Complete University of Minnesota Graduate School Application.
- Unofficial transcripts of all college or university coursework.
- Personal statement of your academic and professional goals for the degree desired (1–2 pages).
- Diversity statement (1–2 pages; make the statement relevant for the Diversity of View and Experience Fellowship if applying).
- Three letters of recommendation, preferably two written by faculty members who are familiar with your academic work.
- Portfolio (see portfolio requirements for more details).
- Application fee of $75. International students pay $95.
Portfolio requirements
Your portfolio must be:
- In 8.5 x 11 PDF format (no slides, printed, or loose materials will be accepted).
- Submitted before the admissions deadline.
- Include your name and contact information.
- Uploaded to ISSUU.COM (create free publisher account).
- Please use your complete name to register at ISSUU as this generates the weblink to your portfolio.
For applicants who are non-native English speakers
- TOEFL or IELTS scores submitted in PDF file format to the University of Minnesota (school code: 6874)
- Please note that the exam date should be within two years of the graduate program start date.
- For more testing options and details, view the Graduate School English Language Proficiency guidelines.
- Minimum accepted TOEFL scores are:
- Total Score: 79
- Writing Subscore: 21
- Reading Subscore: 19
- Minimum accepted IELTS scores are:
- Total Score: 6.5
- Writing Subscore: 6.5
- Reading Subscore: 6.5
NOTE: If you will earn or have earned an undergraduate degree in the United States you do not need to submit English language test scores.
GRE scores
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE scores) are not required for the MSLA program, but many scholarships require GRE scores (school code is 6874).
You will be notified about funding decisions on average four weeks after you have been accepted into the program.
The majority of our graduate students receive some form of financial support. Graduate assistantships in teaching and research are available based on your expertise and the needs of the department. Assistantship offers are made after you have been accepted into the program. A limited number of departmental and university-wide fellowships are available, and awards are made on a competitive basis. Grant-based funding is also available to support research and creative scholarship and to attend conferences to present scholarship.