+ General Information + Admission + Course Listing + Course Descriptions

Admission Requirements

Students must complete an Application for Graduate Admission, including all required application materials, by the by the end of the first week of classes of the preceding academic term. Students may enroll provisionally before being notified of their acceptance into the MAA in Written Communication.

Application materials required for the MAA in Written Communication are:

• Letter of intent that summarizes the skills, experiences, and competencies students can bring to the program. Students should also explain why they are applying to this program, which of the two options (Writing Studies or Technical Communication) the student intends to enroll in, and what their goals are for their work in the program. The letter should also discuss the portfolio materials (see below), explaining the audience, context, and purpose for which they were written.
• Curriculum Vitae or resume.
• Portfolio, 10 to 15 pages total length, that includes two or three writing samples. Students applying for the Writing Studies option should include at least one academic paper. Students applying for the Technical Communication option should include at least one example of workplace writing. Students in both options are encouraged to prepare a portfolio that shows the range and quality of their writing.
• Undergraduate G.P.A. of at least 3.0, as indicated on undergraduate transcript submitted to the Graduate School.
• Three letters of reference from professors, supervisors, or other suitably qualified personnel. These may sent directly to the address below.

Conditional Admission

Students whose undergraduate G.P.A. does not meet the minimum of 3.0, but who meet all other admission requirements for the program, may be conditionally admitted to the MAA in Written Communication. Upon successful completion of their first nine hours of graduate study with a G.P.A of 3.0 or higher, students will be fully admitted into the program.

We prefer that students send application materials for the MAA in Written Communication as email attachments to kadkins@missouriwestern.edu.

Application materials and letters of recommendation may also be sent to this address:

Department of English, Foreign Languages and Journalism
Graduate Admissions
Missouri Western State University
4525 Downs Dr.
St. Joseph, MO 64507