Letters of Recommendation

[hoomahn]

I'm sure this is a stupid question but I want to make sure. For Grad school applications, do the admission departments only want to see letters of rec from teachers? Could I use a boss even if my work wasn't related to English and Literature (the grad department I'm applying to)?

[Eigen]

It's not recommended.

In addition, it's better if all of your rec-writers have PhDs.

[runonsentence]

Have you been out of school for a long time? It would make more sense to use a professional reference if you're someone who's been out of school for 10 years and will have trouble finding 3 writers who remember you well from your undergrad days.

But it'd be best, like Eigen says, to find professors with PhDs. The committee wants to know how well you're prepared to do graduate work, and the estimation of someone who has gone through grad school and/or works with grads will obviously have the most authority when providing a testimonial on your behalf.