Applications for the the 2021-2022 Academic Year can be found here.

Application Fee Waivers

The application fee is also automatically waived for domestic applicants who participate in eligible, University-approved programs. Other prospective applicants may request a fee waiver when submitting their application, no later than three days before the application deadline. Applicants will be notified by email regarding the outcome of their request and should not submit their application until receiving notification about their waiver. All fee waiver information can be found within the program application.

A personal statement should not exceed 2 typewritten single-spaced pages.

Applicants may determine whether they have completed sufficient coursework in their academic area of interest by emailing a copy of their transcript(s) and a list of previous courses they believe meet the coursework requirements to the appropriate faculty director for a preliminary review: [email protected].

Applicants should choose three (3) people who know them well to write on their behalf for admission. 

Applicants for the MAT in English must submit a writing sample, no more than 5 typewritten single-spaced pages, in addition to their personal statement.

To upload, navigate to the "Personal Statement" section of the application. Below the file upload button for the personal statement is a file upload button for the writing sample (above the "Resume" portion).  

Official language proficiency exam scores should be sent directly to Brown's Graduate School, however exam scores may not be required in some instances. Check here for the Graduate School's criteria.

Those unable to take the exams this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, can submit a waiver within the application no later than 14 days before the application deadline. Following the application deadline, the applicant's interview with the program will be used to assess language proficiency. 

The MAT program awards both need and merit-based scholarships, with the majority of funds dedicated to need-based awards. All applicants will be considered automatically for limited merit-based funds. Applicants are encouraged to apply for a need-based scholarship by completing the MAT Institutional Aid form and submitting it with their application, and FAFSA including Section Four on Parental Income. (FAFSA is also the basis for loan eligibility, should students need to borrow additional funds). 

Instructions

To financial aid documents, go to "Financial Information" on the left-hand menu in the application. Under "Program-Based Scholarships," upload the completed MAT Institutional Aid Form, and if needed, the Special Circumstances form. 

Although graduate students are considered independent for most types of federal aid, the MAT program does not recognize the status of the independent student in the awarding of institutional need-based scholarships, regardless of age, marital status, or the number of years in which they have been self-supporting. The policy ensures that institutional funds are allocated to students who have demonstrated limited family resources. Parental information may be waived in exceptional circumstances. The Parental Waiver form is intended primarily for people who don't have any kind of relationship with one or more parents and will therefore have no type of support at all-- financial, emotional, etc. Those interested in petitioning to exclude parental information should upload the Parental Waiver form with their application as a "supplemental form" and contact Caitlin Scott or Diane Silva Pimentel for more information. Applicants whose FAFSA information may be inaccurate (for example, due to the loss of employment, or other recent changes in financial circumstances that would make past financial information inaccurate), can fill out the Special Circumstances form in addition to the MAT Institutional Aid form. 

If you have questions regarding sensitive financial information, please contact the Graduate School's financial aid office at [email protected] or (401) 863-2721.

Please see below for each content area's required background and coursework for admission. If you have questions about your previous coursework or would like a transcript analysis, please identify which 8-10 courses on your transcript meet the requirements of the desired content area and send a copy of your transcript to Laura Snyder for English, Indira Gil for math, Diane Silva Pimentel for science, and John Palella for social studies.

English applicants should have a Bachelor's Degree with a major in English or substantial study in a related area of study. Applicants whose areas of study are Comparative Literature, American Studies, African American Studies, Ethnic Studies, Creative Writing or Composition are encouraged to speak with Laura Snyder to inquire about whether their courses meet certification requirements.

Transcript Requirements for English — 
A minimum of 8 courses (or 30 units) in English or related areas is required for admission and should include work in the following: 

• Theories of writing or theories of teaching writing 
• Critical theory 
• Literature of the Western canon, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, and the English romantic poets 
• American literature 
• American ethnic literature 
• Modern and contemporary literature 
• Literature in translation or world literature 
• Poetry 
• Drama 
• Linguistics, focusing on the structure of language and social influences on language development and use 
• Media studies

Mathematics applicants should have a Bachelor's Degree with a major in mathematics or have substantial study in related areas. Those with related majors should contact Indira Gil to inquire about whether their courses meet certification requirements.

Transcript Requirements for Mathematics —
Applicants should have completed a minimum of 8 courses (or 30 units) in mathematics which include:

• Linear algebra
• Differential equations
• Statistics
• Geometry
• Calculus

Science applicants should have a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in biology, chemistry, physics/engineering or substantial study in related areas. Those with related majors should contact Diane Silva Pimentel to inquire about whether their courses meet certification requirements.

Transcript Requirements for Biology — 
Applicants should have completed a minimum of 8 courses (or 30 units) before entering the program which include foundations in:

• Botany 
• Zoology 
• Physiology 
• Genetics 
• Ecology

Transcript Requirements for Chemistry — 
Applicants should have completed a minimum of 8 courses (or 30 units) before entering the program which include:

• Organic chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Analytical chemistry
• Physical chemistry
• Biochemistry

Transcript Requirements for Physics/Engineering — 
Applicants should have completed a minimum of 8 courses (or 30 units) before entering the program which include:

• Mechanics 
• Electricity and Magnetism 
• Optics 
• Properties of Matter
• Thermodynamics

Social Studies applicants should have a Bachelor's Degree with a major in history or a social science field (excluding psychology) or substantial study in related areas. Those with related majors should contact John Palella to inquire about whether their courses meet certification requirements.

Transcript Requirements for Social Studies —
Applicants should have completed a minimum of 9 courses (or 36 units) distributed in multiple areas of social studies. While applicants are not required to have distinct courses in every area, coursework must provide evidence for a breadth of knowledge that encompasses these areas: 

• American history 
• Western civilization 
• Non-Western civilization 
• European history
• Anthropology 
• Economics 
• Geography 
• Political science 
• Sociology
• Ethnic Studies