Admission Requirements

• A completed graduate study application form (Apply online now for free!).
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and official undergraduate transcripts from all institutions attended.
• Official transcript(s) from any institution(s) in which post baccalaureate or graduate course work was completed.
• Two letters of recommendation written by appropriate professionals.
• A current resume.
• Writing sample of fiction that must be 10 double-spaced pages. It should be no longer, though it can be part of larger work and not complete in itself. If you do select a part of a longer work, we strongly recommend that you give the beginning of the work, the first ten pages, and not a selection from later in the manuscript. This material will be reviewed for its author's overall potential as a writer of popular fiction - specifically such criteria as story sense, character development, realistic dialogue, plot development, originality, basic grammar and mechanics, and overall interest for the reader.

• Personal statement answering the following questions. Give no more than a paragraph for each. Be aware that if you are accepted into the program you will be asked to share this document with your advisor.
  • Summarize your experience writing.
  • Describe the nature of your intended novel-length project and identify its genre.
  • What background do you have in your chosen genre?
  • The program demands a large amount of self-discipline and productive work habits (length requirements, deadlines, much reading and writing). How do you plan to handle this load?
  • Are there any other factors (past experience, specialized knowledge) that would affect your chance of being successful in genre writing?
• For romance writers interested in applying for Harlequin’s Diverse Voices Scholarship, please tell us how this scholarship will help you share your own diverse or own voices stories with a wider audience.

Most items can be uploaded to the online application. You can also email them to the Graduate and Adult Studies Office: gadmit@setonhill.edu.

Scholarships

You don't have to fill out a separate application to be considered for a Seton Hill scholarship. We award merit scholarships based on the information provided in your Seton Hill application file.