Is it possible to enroll in a graduate program completely unrelated to one's undergraduate degree? Additionally, in my case, my undergraduate degree (computer science) is from outside the USA, and I'm applying to graduate programs (in English Literature) within the USA. Will this be a problem?
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I've known teachers at my college that had a BS in Literature, and a PHD in Computer Linguistics, so it is not that farfetched to pursue such tracks. Just know how to "sell" your application and there shouldn't be a reason for them to reject you. – Ricardo Segovia Jan 25 '13 at 18:08
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You should definitely apply. I have seen many cases where individuals with degrees in tangentially related fields not only are accepted to, but excel in, graduate programs in different fields.
Do note, though, that if you're applying to be a PhD, it's expected that you'll be doing research in the new field, and you'll have to demonstrate to the application committee that you're up to the task. You may have to be creative about this, given that your background is very different from what they're used to seeing; consider emphasizing any possible applications of computer science to literature (ngrams, maybe?) or anything else which may strengthen your application.
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