Gradate Application Writing Sample Requirements
Department of Comparative Literature
Please provide an example of your scholarly writing, normally a seminar paper, approximately 5000 words, in English. Choose an essay that reflects your best literary-critical or analytic work. It should not be a sample of creative writing. Although not required, you may additionally provide a short example of your writing in a language other than English.
Department of French and Italian
Please submit 2 samples of 20 pages each, one in English and the other in French or Italian, demonstrating the applicant's skills at literary analysis of French or Italian texts. While these academic research papers best demonstrate applicants' skills at the tasks we stress in this program, if students would like to add a (short) writing sample using literary critical skills in another genre, they are welcome to do so.
Department of German Studies
Submit a critical or analytic sample of scholarly writing, approximately 5000 words, in either German or English. Choose a sample that reflects your best scholarly work. The writing sample should not be a sample of creative writing. The writing sample and letters of recommendation should indicate your preparedness for conducting scholarship in German Studies, and why your interests in German Studies would be best served in a program such as ours.
Department of Iberian and Latin American Cultures
Please submit 2 samples of 20 pages each, one in English and the other in Spanish, demonstrating the applicant's skills as a literary critic.
Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures
Please submit a sample of about 20 pages in English, demonstrating the applicant's skills at literary analysis of Slavic texts. If students would like to submit an additional short writing sample in Russian or another relevant language, they should feel free to do so. While research papers best demonstrate applicants' skills at the tasks we stress in this program, if students would like to add a (short) writing sample using literary critical skills in another genre, they are welcome to do so.