Department of
Asian Languages &
Literatures
453 Folwell Hall
9 Pleasant St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

E-mail: all@umn.edu

Applying

The Asian Literatures, Cultures, and Media (ALCM) program will begin accepting applications in Fall 2007 for the 2008-09 academic year. This will be a small, highly selective graduate program, and we expect to offer multiple-year funding packages to all admitted students. Funding will consist of a combination of graduate fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.

Please note that only applications from students seeking the Ph.D. degree will be considered, although applicants are not required to have taken graduate coursework before entering the program. All admitted students are expected to begin their course of study in Fall Semester 2008.

Although we hope to expand our program during the coming years, at present we are only considering applicants who wish to advance their language skills in Chinese, Japanese, or Hindi/Urdu (or another South Asian language in which our graduate faculty have expertise).

Certain application materials are required by the Graduate School, while others should be sent directly to ALCM Graduate Studies Committee, Department of Asian Languages and Literatures. Note that the Graduate School now requires all applicants to use the online application process. In the case of materials (academic transcripts, test scores, essays) that must be mailed to both the Graduate School and the ALCM Graduate Studies Committee, originals should be sent to the Graduate School and photocopies may be sent to the ALCM Graduate Studies Committee. Application materials that are to be sent to the Graduate School directly should arrive no later than January 10, 2008. Materials to be sent to the department directly should arrive no later than January 2, 2008.

Items to be sent to

The Graduate School
University of Minnesota
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

  1. Completed application forms. (To be completed online.)
  2. Official transcripts from all previous colleges or universities attended, including graduate programs.
  3. Personal statement. (See below for a description. This is required by ACLM; a copy should be sent to The Graduate School.)
  4. Application fee ($55 for US citizens and permanent residents; $75 for others)
  5. For international applicants, official IELTS or TOEFL scores. Official scores for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are preferred, but if that test is unavailable, scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) will be accepted. Please note that we will not admit any students whose test scores are below the minimum levels determined by the Graduate School.

Items to be sent to

ALCM Graduate Studies Committee
Dept. of Asian Languages and Literatures
453 Folwell Hall
9 Pleasant St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

  1. Completed ALCM application form.
  2. Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, including any graduate schools. Photocopies acceptable.
  3. Three letters of recommendation from people who can judge your academic performance and your promise as a graduate student. No form is required for the letter, but the recommender should use institutional letterhead and send the letter directly to the Graduate Studies Committee. Or the letter may be sent by an official placement service. Letters sent by the applicant are not acceptable.
  4. Personal statement. The personal statement is an essay in which you discuss your intellectual interests and relevant experiences. The Graduate Studies Committee will pay special attention to: (1) your specific intellectual interests, (2) why you have chosen to apply to our particular program, and (3) compatibility between your interests and our program’s strengths. Please keep your statement to under 5 pages.
  5. Writing sample. Please send a copy of one paper that in your view best represents your academic interests and ability. There are no length guidelines for this paper, but if it was written in a language other than English, please write a 5-6 page English-language summary of the main arguments and attach it to your paper.
  6. GRE scores. Official scores from the general tests of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores from a GRE taken within the last five years are required. To report GRE scores, please indicate category 2601 "Asian Languages" from the Department Code List in the GRE Information Bulletin on your Registration Form if you are registering to take the exam for the first time, or on the Additional Score Report Request Form if you already have taken the GRE.
  7. For international applicants, IELTS or TOEFL scores. Photocopies of scores for International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or, if this test is unavailable, scores for Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Admission Requirements

As noted above, applications will be accepted for the Ph.D. degree only. The M.A. is offered as an exit degree or interim credential. A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited U.S. institution (or its foreign equivalent) is required for admission. Students entering with an M.A. in a related field will have the appropriate number of credits and courses applied to their program of study (as determined by the Director of Graduate Studies). Applicants are expected to have a strong academic record from a relevant humanities or social science discipline and at least three years of college-level study in the proposed language of concentration, or a demonstration of comparable linguistic proficiency.

Since this program offers wide-ranging, often interdisciplinary, courses of study and several languages of concentration, the Graduate Admissions Committee will carefully judge each applicant's preparation in terms of communication skills, knowledge of subject matter, experience, and background in the proposed language of concentration. In general, admissions decisions are based on three criteria:

  1. the quality of the applicant's previous work and training, as evidenced in the written materials submitted to us;
  2. the relation between the applicant's stated interests and the particular strengths of our faculty;
  3. the ways in which the applicant's work would bring strength and diversity to our program.

The number of admitted students will be limited in order to ensure a close working relationship between graduate students and program faculty. We expect approximately four students to enter the program in any given year. Admission will therefore be highly competitive, and not all applicants with strong academic records can be accepted.