can you get a phd in linguistics

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Ph.D. in Linguistics

Ph.D. in Linguistics (General Linguistics Track) 

Note that the required courses and language requirement differ between the curriculum instituted Sept. 2018 and the prior curriculum. All other requirements are the same.

1A. Required courses (30 credits): Curriculum instituted Sept. 2018 

One graduate-level course in each of the following sub-disciplines:

• Syntax: LING 507 “Syntactic Theory I”
• Sociolinguistics: LING 532 “Sociolinguistics I”
• Language Processing and Development: LING 541 or 542 (“Language Processing and development I or II”)
• Phonology LING 552 (“Phonology II”)
• Phonetics LING 550 (“Introduction to Linguistic Phonetics”)
• Semantics LING 479 or 579 ("Semantic Theory I or II")

1B. Required courses (35 credits): Prior to Sept. 2018 

• LING 507 ("Syntax I")
• LING 508 ("Syntax II")
• LING 532 ("Sociolinguistics I")
• LING 551 ("Phonology I")
• LING 552 ("Phonology II")
• LING 550 or 553 ("Phonetics I or II")
• LING 578 or 579 ("Semantics I or II")

If a student has taken an equivalent course elsewhere, the requirement to take this course can be waived. The waiver needs to approved by the faculty in the relevant area and the GPC. Such waivers do not change the total number of credits required by the Graduate School for graduation.

2. Credits of study:

Additional courses for a minimum of 90 credits (27 of which are LING 800) to be determined by specialization and consultation with the advisory committee.

3A. Language knowledge requirement: Curriculum instituted Sept. 2018

General Linguistics Track students must satisfy one natural language requirement for the PhD. The choice of the language needs to be approved by the student’s advisory committee. The language requirement may be satisfied in one of the following three ways:

• One year of study at the university or community college level. Students who are language instructors in other UW departments can use their language teaching experience to satisfy one language requirement.
• A major research project that involves significant primary data collection that includes substantial structural analysis and results in a major paper such as a generals paper.

3B. Language knowledge requirement: Prior to   Sept. 2018

General Linguistics Track students must satisfy two natural language requirements for the PhD. Those may be satisfied in the following ways:

• Translation exam to demonstrate the ability to read linguistic literature in a foreign language; only one of the two language requirements for the PhD can be satisfied through the translation exam.

4. Colloquium conference talks:

Two papers delivered at a colloquium or conference.

5. Constitution of PhD committee:

By the end of the second year of study.

6. Generals Papers:

Two generals papers in different areas (normally 10cr LING 600). What counts as a different area is determined and needs to be approved by the student's committee.

7. General Examination:

An oral examination, in which the candidate is questioned on the two papers. The oral examination may not be scheduled until the committee has read the two papers and approved them as passing.

8. Dissertation Prospectus:

Within 6 months of the oral examination, the student will present a formal dissertation proposal to the subset of PhD committee members who constitute the reading committee, along with a proposed calendar for completion of the dissertation.

9. Final Exam:

A Final Exam on the dissertation attended by the candidate’s Supervisory Committee and open to others interested.

10. Dissertation:

A dissertation suitable for publication.

11. ABD (all but dissertation) requirement:

All degree requirements except for the dissertation and the two colloquia must be completed before the General Exam.

Ph.D. in Linguistics (Computational Linguistics Track)

The requirements for students on the computational linguistics track will meet all the same requirements as students in other specializations except :

1. Required courses:

• 2 syntax courses from among: LING 566, 507, 508
• 2 phonetics/phonology courses from among: LING 550, 551, 552, 553
• 1 semantics course from among: 578, 579
• 1 sociolinguistics course from among: LING 532, 533
• 3 Computational Linguistics courses from among: 567, 570, 571, 572, 573

3. Language knowledge requirement:

Students in Computational Linguistics must fulfill only one language requirement, but may not use a translation exam to do so. The language must be typologically substantially distinct from the student's native language; for example, a native English-speaking student would need to select a non-Indo-European language. Please refer to Language Requirements for details.

6. Generals papers:

Same as for the General Linguistics program except a Master’s thesis completed as part of the CLMS program may count as one of the two generals papers.

How to make the CLMS to PhD transition

M.A. in Linguistics

The M.A. is not required as a prerequisite to Ph.D. study.  Students enrolled in the PhD program may get an MA degree when they pass the general exam and file a request for an MA degree with the graduate school.  Students who have taken all the required courses for the PhD CompLing track may analogously file a request for an MS degree with the Graduate School, under either model A or B below. Students who would like to get an MS degree have to get their advisor's approval before filing an official request with the Graduate School.

A. Non-thesis model:

The Generals papers and Exam constitute the capstone project necessary for a master’s degree (or the student may complete the thesis model below).

B. Thesis model: 

• Required courses: Same as the required courses in PhD General Linguistics Track. 
• Language requirement: Same as the language requirement in PhD General Linguistics Track. 
• Thesis:  A thesis, written under the supervision of a Linguistics faculty member, and accepted by a second faculty reader. Normally the work is completed in 10 credits of LING 700.

Remarks on Graduate School Requirements

Students are advised to become familiar with Graduate School requirements, as well as those described on this website. If there are any questions, the student should contact the Graduate School, the Graduate Program Coordinator or the chair of the Supervisory Committee. Once admitted to the program, students should make it a regular practice to see the Graduate Program Coordinator about their progress at least once a year. All graduate students must be either registered or officially on leave. Failure to register or go on leave is interpreted as resignation from the Graduate School. Information on the Graduate School is available at http://www.grad.washington.edu . If you have any further questions or comments please contact us at [email protected]

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Ph.D. Programs

The Department of Linguistics offers four concentrations leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Linguistics (see list below). No matter the concentration, our faculty work closely with students, guiding their research and supporting their passions.

• Applied Linguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Theoretical Linguistics

Applicants to the Ph.D. program are encouraged to identify prospective research advisors, at least one of whom should be in the concentration to which they apply.

After entering the program, Ph.D. students may elect to add a minor in a second one of these concentrations [new policy effective Spring 2023].

An interdisciplinary (second) concentration in Cognitive Science is also available to Ph.D. students.

Master’s in Passing

If, in their course of the Ph.D. program, a doctoral student meets all of the requirements of a M.S. degree in Linguistics, he or she may apply to receive a “Master’s in Passing.” Please consult section IV.D.3 of the Graduate School Bulletin for full details about the “in passing” or “terminal” Master’s degree.

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PhD in Linguistics

These are the new requirements implemented beginning in August 2019; for the old requirements, please click here .

A Brief Description of the PhD Program

The PhD program in Linguistics allows a high degree of flexibility and specialization, and is designed to encourage students to advance quickly to producing original research. Students may choose any of several standard areas of specialization, or design their own specialization with the help of their faculty advisor.

The PhD program in Linguistics consists of three stages, which correspond to the three Graduate College doctoral degree stages (see chapter 6 in the Graduate College Handbook ). The entire PhD program in Linguistics is intended to take 5 or 6 years: 2 years for Stage 1, and 3 or 4 years for Stages 2 and 3.

Stage 1 , which should be completed in two years, consists of 40 hours of graduate coursework, and the Stage 1 qualifying examination ; at the completion of Stage 1, students are eligible to receive a MA in Linguistics.

Stage 2 consists of 64 hours of graduate coursework, the Stage 2 qualifying examination , and the preliminary examination .

Stage 3 consists of the final defense and dissertation deposit.

Entry Requirements for the PhD Program

Students may be admitted to the PhD program in Linguistics with or without a prior master’s degree in linguistics or a related field. Depending on the student’s prior preparation, they may be admitted either into Stage 1 of the PhD or into Stage 2 of the PhD. Students who have completed a master’s degree in linguistics or a closely related field may be considered for admission to Stage 2 of the PhD program. Students without an approved prior master’s degree will only be considered for admission to Stage 1 of the PhD program. For admission to Stage 1 of the PhD program, undergraduate preparation should include the study of at least one foreign language; a course equivalent to LING 400 (Introduction to Linguistic Structure); and a broad background in the humanities, social sciences, and/or mathematics. 

Students admitted to Stage 1 must complete 40 credit hours in the areas listed below, maintain a GPA of 3.5 or better in all core courses, maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better overall, and earn a grade of High Pass on the Stage 1 qualifying examination in order to advance to Stage 2. Students who complete Stage 1 with a GPA of 3.0 or better overall, and who earn a grade of either Pass or High Pass on the Stage 1 qualifying examination, are eligible t o receive an MA in Linguistics.

Students who are admitted directly to Stage 2, but lack any of the core courses required for Stage 1, must complete Stage 1 requirements immediately on entry into the program; the courses will not count toward the 64 hours required for Stage 2 of the PhD.

How to Apply

Follow this link to information about applying to the PhD program; click here to start your graduate application.

Academic Advising

All students should choose a faculty member to serve as their academic advisor. New students are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies until a different advisor is chosen. Consult often with your advisor about course selection, research projects, publications, conference presentations, and any other academic issue. You may change advisors at any time. Once you reach the stage of writing your dissertation, your academic advisor serves as your Director of Dissertation Research. Typically (though not necessarily), your advisor also serves as chair of your Prelim Examination and Final Examination Committees. To select or change an advisor, fill out the electronic advisor agreement form . Your advisor should be a tenure-track or tenured faculty member at the University of Illinois.

PhD Program Requirements: Stage 1

40 graduate credit hours are required for Stage 1 of the PhD in Linguistics. Credit hours which have already been applied to another degree do not count toward this total; nor do preparatory courses taken as a condition on admission. It is normally possible to complete Stage 1 in two years. Note: core courses for Stage 1 are under bullets A and B below; all other courses are non-core courses.

A. The following courses are required (12 hours):

• LING 501: Syntax I
• LING 502: Phonology I
• LING 507: Formal Semantics I

B. Choose at least one course each from two of the following four areas (8 hours):

• LING 450: Sociolinguistics I
• LING 406: Intro to Computational Linguistics Note: LING 402 (Tools & Technology in Speech and Language Processing) needs to be taken as a pre-requisite to LING 406 for students without a computational background
• LING 425: Introduction to Psycholinguistics
• LING 426: Child and Adult Language Acquisition
• LING 489: Theoretical Foundations of SLA

C. Choose at least one course  in quantitative and/or qualitative research methods (4 hours):

• LING 403: Introduction to Field Methods
• LING 413: Corpus Linguistics
• LING 514: Design and Methodology in Linguistic Research
• LING 516: Field Methods
• A section of LING 490 on statistics or methodology for language research (subject to SEEC approval)
• A section of LING 591 on statistics or methodology for language research (subject to SEEC approval)
• A relevant course from another unit, such as Educational Psychology, Psychology, Anthropology, or Communications, with approval from the Student Examination and Evaluation Committee (SEEC); please click here to see a list of methods courses from other units that can satisfy the methods requirement.

D. Practicum and independent study are required (4 hours):

• LING 504: Practicum (2 hours)
• LING 590: Special Topics in Linguistics (2 hours)

E. Three elective courses are required (12 hours):

• These may be any LING courses at the 400-level or above, or non-LING courses approved by the student's advisor.

F. Language Requirement:

• For students who are native speakers of a language other than English, English satisfies this requirement.
• For students who are native speakers of English, demonstrated 4 th -level proficiency is required, which can be achieved by (a) completion of four semesters of college study (or four years of high school study), or equivalent, within 5 years of matriculation; or (b) corresponding placement on an Illinois foreign language placement test.
• Language courses can be taken Credit-No Credit (CR/NC) here at UIUC to satisfy the requirement. 

G. Stage 1 Qualifying Examination:

• Students first work closely with a faculty member to prepare an original research paper. The paper must be submitted to the department during the Spring semester of the student's second year (the deadline is set by the Student Examination and Evaluation Committee, and is usually the first day of the Spring semester), and the oral exam must take place before the end of the Spring semester.
• Qualifying papers must be supervised by a tenure-line faculty member with a non-zero appointment in Linguistics. For any questions about qualifying paper supervision, students should contact the Director of Graduate Studies.
• The examination itself consists of an oral presentation of the research paper before a committee of faculty members, who may ask questions concerning the research, the written paper, and the presentation.
• High Pass : the student is eligible to proceed to Stage 2 of the PhD, as well as to earn a MA in Linguistics , provided all other requirements are met.
• Pass: the student is NOT eligible to proceed to Stage 2 of the PhD, but the student IS eligible to earn a MA in Linguistics , provided all other requirements are met. The student has to leave the program with a terminal MA.
• Fail : the student is NOT eligible to proceed to Stage 2 of the PhD, and NOT eligible to earn a MA; the student is dismissed from the program with no degree.

H. Minimum GPA requirements

• Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA across all courses, and a minimum 3.5 GPA across all core courses (listed under Point A and Point B above) in order to be eligible to proceed to Stage 2.
• Students who maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA across all courses are eligible to earn a MA in Linguistics , provided all other MA requirements are satisfied.

PhD Program Requirements: Stage 2

64 graduate credit hours are required for Stage 2 of the PhD in Linguistics. For students admitted directly to Stage 2 of the PhD, credit hours which have already been applied to another degree do not count toward this total; nor do preparatory courses taken as a condition on admission. The requirements below are in effect for all students entering the program in Fall Semester 2019 or later.

A. Choose at least one upper-level course in one of the following areas (4 hours):

• LING 541: Syntax II
• LING 581: Topics in Syntactic Theory
• relevant section of an advanced seminar or other course, with SEEC approval
• LING 542: Phonology II
• LING 520: Acoustic Phonetics
• LING 522: Articulatory Phonetics
• LING 582: Topics in Phonological Theory
• LING 547: Formal Semantics II
• LING 551: Pragmatics

B. Choose at least one upper-level course in one of the following areas (4 hours):

• LING 550 (Sociolinguistics II)
• LING 587 (Topics in Sociolinguistics)
• LING 506 (Topics in Computational Linguistics)
• LING 525 (Psycholinguistics)
• LING 529 (Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism)
• relevant section of LING 588 (Seminar in Second Language Learning)
• relevant section of LING 560 (Seminar in Bilingualism)
• LING 584 (Theories in Second Language Acquisition)
• relevant section of Ling 588 (Seminar in Second Language Learning)

C. Elective courses (12 hours)

• Students must complete at least 12 hours of graduate courses (400-level or higher) in Linguistics or related fields. These courses should reflect the student’s interests and professional goals, and should be selected in consultation with the advisor.

D. Research/Project/Independent Study Hours (12 hours)

• Students must complete at least 12 credit hours of LING 590: Special Topics in Linguistics, or of another independent research course approved by the advisor.

E. Language Requirement:

• Students must demonstrate knowledge of the structure of a language that is not their native tongue nor the same language that satisfied the foreign language requirement for Stage 1 of the PhD, or (in the case of students admitted directly to Stage 2) of the prior approved master's degree.
• This requirement may be satisfied through (a) 2 nd -level proficiency in the language, obtained through two semesters of college-level study, or equivalent; (b) 2 nd -level placement on an Illinois foreign language placement test; (c) completion of a course on the structure of the language; (d) completion of LING 516: Field Methods; or (e) a demonstration that the language is the focus of the student’s doctoral research.
• One of the languages with which the student is familiar (this may be the student’s native language, or the language used to satisfy one of the language requirements) must be a non-European or a non-Indo-European language.

F. Stage 2 Qualifying Examination:

• Students first work closely with a faculty member to prepare an original research paper. The paper may be in the same or a different area than the paper submitted for the Stage 1 qualifying examination , and it may be supervised by the same or a different faculty member. The Stage 2 paper must differ from the Stage 1 paper in terms of research topic, research questions, and/or research methods.
• For students who proceeded to Stage 2 from Stage 1, the Stage 2 paper must be submitted to the department during the Spring semester of the student's third year (the deadline is set by the Student Examination and Evaluation Committee, and is usually the first day of the Spring semester), and the oral exam must take place before the end of the Spring semester.
• For students who entered the program at Stage 2, the Stage 2 paper must be submitted to the department during the Spring semester of the student's second year (the deadline is set by the Student Examination and Evaluation Committee, and is usually the first day of the Spring semester), and the oral exam must take place before the end of the Spring semester.
• Pass : the student is eligible to proceed to the thesis proposal stage.
• Rewrite : the student is given a timeline to rewrite and resubmit the paper. Only one rewrite is permitted. The possible grades for a rewritten qualifying paper are Pass (proceed to the thesis proposal stage) or Fail (dismissal from the program).

G. Minimum GPA requirements

• Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in all courses in order to be eligible to proceed to Stage 3.

H. Thesis Hours Required (32 hours)

Students must complete at least 32 credit hours of LING 599: Thesis Research. Enrollment in LING 599 is not normally allowed before the semester in which the student expects to complete the Preliminary Examination.

I. Preliminary Examination

All students must pass the Preliminary Examination, normally in the fourth year of the PhD program for students who entered at Stage 1, or in the third year of the PhD program for students who entered directly into Stage 2.

• To take the Preliminary Examination, first finish all your course requirements. Work closely with your advisor to prepare a written dissertation proposal. Assemble your examination committee, bearing in mind the policies on committee membership set by the Graduate College (see https://grad.illinois.edu/thesis/submitting-doctoral-committee-requests for more information). Submit your written proposal to your committee at least two weeks before the oral examination, which may be scheduled through the  Graduate Student Services Office  of the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics (please fill out the scheduling form at  https://slcl.illinois.edu/resources/graduate-student-services/graduate-student-exams ). You will also need to file a petition to form your prelim exam committee through the Graduate College Petition Portal .
• The examination consists of an oral presentation of the dissertation proposal before the committee. The committee may ask questions about the proposed research, the written proposal, or the presentation.

PhD Program Requirements: Stage 3

Students complete all Stage 2 program requirements before proceedings to Stage 3.

A. Final Examination/Dissertation Defense

All students must write a dissertation and successfully defend its thesis in an oral examination. Familiarize yourself early in the process with the  Graduate College policies and procedures regarding dissertations .

• The Final Examination committee is normally (but not necessarily) identical to the Preliminary Examination committee. If it is different, please bear in mind the policies on committee membership set by the Graduate College (see https://grad.illinois.edu/thesis/submitting-doctoral-committee-requests for more information).  Work closely with your advisor and other committee members to be sure the dissertation is satisfactory before arranging for the Final Examination. The completed dissertation must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the examination, which may be scheduled through the  Graduate Student Services Office  of the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics (please fill out the scheduling form found at https://slcl.illinois.edu/resources/graduate-student-services/graduate-student-exams ). You will also need to file a petition to form your prelim exam committee through the Graduate College Petition Portal .
• The Final Examination consists of an oral presentation of the dissertation and defense of its thesis before the committee. The committee may ask questions about the research, the written dissertation, or the presentation.

B. Dissertation Deposit

Following successful completion the defense, make any revisions requested to the dissertation by the committee, and secure the approval of your advisor. Make sure the dissertation conforms to the  Graduate College formatting policies . Deposit the dissertation according to  the procedure set by the Graduate College .

Applying credit from other institutions

Students who enter the program with previous graduate work in Linguistics from another institution may petition to transfer course credit to the University of Illinois. Transfer of credit is not possible if the courses have already been counted towards a degree at any other institution. Transfer must be requested through the  SLCL Graduate Student Services office .

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PhD in Linguistics

• MA in Linguistics
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Aims of the PhD

Human language is a multifaceted phenomenon. It is simultaneously a property of individual minds and of whole speech communities, and thus both internal and external to us. It both shapes and is shaped by our societies over time. It is a combination of sound (or sign), which has physical properties that can be measured, and meaning, which does not. Accordingly, becoming a linguistic researcher involves mastering a variety of methods, both quantitative and qualitative. The PhD in Linguistics at BU aims to produce scholars who are versatile enough to be experts in both of these aspects of linguistic inquiry, yet skilled enough to do cutting-edge research in a particular subfield of the discipline. We offer a solid grounding in a range of research methods, including field methods, quantitative methods, and computational methods.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a PhD in Linguistics will demonstrate:

• broad knowledge of the discipline
• deeper knowledge in a specialized area or subfield
• ability to carry out a significant piece of independent research (which implies knowledge of and ability to use research methodologies in order to complete the research)

Prerequisites

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required to apply.

Entering students are expected to have completed introductory classes in: 

• phonetics/phonology (e.g., GRS LX 601)
• syntax (e.g., GRS LX 621)
• semantics/pragmatics (e.g., GRS LX 631)

Students who do not have sufficient background in linguistics must complete additional coursework to fulfill the above prerequisites prior to entry or during the first year. Note: if completed at BU, GRS LX 601, 621, and 631 will not count toward the PhD course requirements.

Admissions & Funding

The deadline for application to enter the program in Fall 2023 is January 6, 2023.  Information about the graduate admissions process ( including the application process and requirements ) is available at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) website:

We anticipate being able to admit about five students per year. All admitted students will receive full coverage of tuition costs plus a fellowship for five years. For further information about funding, consult the GRS website above.

Requirements

Course requirements.

The PhD requires successful completion of 64 credits at the graduate level, including three core courses: 

• GRS LX 703 Phonological Analysis
• GRS LX 722 Intermediate Syntax
• GRS LX 732 Intermediate Semantics

Six additional courses from the four areas below, with two courses each in two of the areas, and one course each in the remaining two areas:

• advanced phonetics, phonology, or morphology (e.g., GRS LX 706)
• advanced syntax, semantics, or pragmatics (e.g., GRS LX 723, 736)
• linguistic research methodology
• language acquisition or socio-historical linguistics

A 4-credit graduate proseminar sequence (GRS LX 801 & 802) is typically taken in the second year.

Finally, six additional courses (including up to 8 credits of directed study) are taken in Linguistics or related fields that comprise a specialization , which will generally be in the area of the dissertation. These courses will be decided upon by the student in conjunction with their advisor, whose approval is required.

Language Requirement

The PhD requires demonstration of graduate-level reading proficiency in two foreign languages (one of which may be English, for non-native speakers) by the end of the third year of enrollment.

These proficiencies can be demonstrated through any of:

• a language examination
• successful completion of a non-credit graduate-level foreign language reading course offered at BU
• the equivalent of two years of undergraduate study of the language at BU (or successful completion of any higher-level language course taught in the language)

Graduate-level foreign language reading courses offered at BU include:

• GRS LF 621 Reading French for Graduate Students
• GRS LG 621 Reading German for Graduate Students
• GRS LI 621 Reading Italian for Graduate Students
• GRS LS 621 Reading Spanish for Graduate Students

Qualifying Examinations

To advance to candidacy, students must satisfactorily complete and defend two substantial research papers in different areas of the field (the first by the end of the fourth semester, the second by the end of the sixth semester of enrollment).

Each Qualifying Paper (QP) will be planned and carried out under the supervision of a Linguistics faculty member with expertise appropriate to the relevant project and, upon completion, will be defended orally and approved by an examining committee, composed of the first and second reader as well as a third faculty member determined by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in consultation with the student.

A brief proposal for each QP must be submitted, with signed approval of a first and second reader (who have been approved by the DGS and who have agreed to advise the student on the proposed project), by October 15 of the academic year in which the project is to be completed. For the second QP, a topic approval form, in which the student explains how the second QP differs from their first QP, must also be submitted, in advance of the proposal approval form.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

PhD candidates will demonstrate their abilities for independent study in a dissertation representing original research or creative scholarship.

A prospectus for the dissertation must be completed and approved by the readers, the DGS, and the Department Chair.

Candidates must undergo a final oral examination in which they defend their dissertation as a valuable contribution to knowledge in their field and demonstrate a mastery of their field of specialization in relation to their dissertation.

All portions of the dissertation and final oral examination must be completed as outlined in the GRS general requirements for the PhD degree:

Director of Graduate Studies

Co-Directors of Graduate Admissions

Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, PHD

On this page:.

At a Glance: program details

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

The PhD program in linguistics and applied linguistics focuses on the scientific study of human language and the application of that study to the human condition.

Students in this program select a research specialization in formal linguistics, applied linguistics or some combination within these fields of study.

The curriculum provides professional training in linguistics and applied linguistics with focused research in several linguistic subfields, including syntax, semantics, phonetics, phonology, pragmatics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, language contact and change, language planning, Indigenous American linguistics, language documentation and revitalization, second language acquisition, second language teaching and learning, teaching English to speakers of other languages, global Englishes and computer-assisted language learning.

The doctoral program in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics focuses on the study of human language and the application of that study to the human condition.  Students in this program will choose a research specialization which can be formal linguistics, applied linguistics, or some combination of these areas.  The curriculum will provide training in linguistics and applied linguistics with focused research in several areas such as phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.  Second language acquisition and second language teaching and learning, TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages), language contact and change, including World Englishes, are also research possibilities in addition to sociolinguistics, language planning, discourse analysis, language and cognition.

Matthew Prior , Director

Kira Assad, Program Manager

Faculty in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

Doctoral Examinations

Doctoral Procedures and Timeline

Teaching Assistantships

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a foreign language exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (18 credit hours) APL 555 Disciplinary Discourses (3) APL 601 Introduction to Applied Linguistics (3) LIN 511 Phonetics and Phonology (3) LIN 514 Syntax (3) LIN 515 American English (3) or LIN 516 Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis (3) LIN 655 Advanced Disciplinary Discourses in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics (3)

Electives and Research (33 credit hours) LIN 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Specialization (21 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) LIN 799 or APL 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, then 30 credit hours is made up of additional electives and research coursework which must include LIN 510, if they have not previously taken it or its equivalent.

Students must demonstrate evidence of competent knowledge of a natural language other than modern English, to be selected by the student and subject to the approval of the chair of the dissertation committee. The language requirement must be completed before the student is eligible to take the doctoral examinations. This requirement may be met by any of the following:

• earning a "B" or higher (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in a 400- or 500-level course in an appropriate (approved) language
• demonstrating comparable proficiency by taking a language examination, administered by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student's supervisory committee
• demonstrating native-speaker proficiency, as determined by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student's supervisory committee
• earning a "B" or higher (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in both ENG 530 Old English and ENG 531 Old English Literature or the equivalent of each
• holding a bachelor's degree in an approved foreign language
• having fulfilled a foreign language requirement toward a previously awarded master's degree that was completed within five years of the semester for which the student was admitted to the doctoral program
• two years (four semesters) of successfully completed college-level coursework (no more than six years prior to admission to the degree program) at least at the 100 and 200 levels with a "C" or better for languages which the School of International Letters and Cultures does not offer or does not offer above the 200 level

The foreign language requirement must be in a language approved by the student's doctoral supervisory committee.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample relevant to the field
• statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency. More information about English proficiency requirements can be found the school website . Please note that official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The well-considered one- to two-page statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, proposed research specialization, any secondary field of interest and why the applicant wishes to pursue a PhD in linguistics and applied linguistics at Arizona State University. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Independent research expertise: Students will be able to design and carry out an original research study in their discipline and subdisciplines.
• Scholarly writing expertise: Students will demonstrate the ability to produce written scholarly work at a level expected by the profession and consistent with the degree program.
• Critical analysis expertise: Students will demonstrate the ability to explain, synthesize and critique existing scholarship in their research area.

Career Opportunities

Graduates with research expertise in linguistics and applied linguistics work in a variety of professional contexts, such as academia, government, business, health care, legal settings, publishing, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.

Career examples include:

• computer-assisted language learning expert
• data analyst
• forensic linguist
• language policy or documentation expert
• language program director or coordinator
• language researcher
• linguistic consultant
• program and curriculum developer
• teacher trainer
• university professor

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

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Department of Linguistics

Ph.d. program.

The main components of the Linguistics Ph.D. program are as follows:

• Course Requirements
• Language Requirement
• Generals Papers
• Dissertation
• Extra Funding Availability

All requirements, including two generals papers, should ideally be completed by the end of the third year, but in no case later than the end of the fourth. The dissertation prospectus is due on October 15 of the fall term of the fourth year. Failure to meet program requirements in a timely fashion may result in termination of candidacy. 

First-year students are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) until they select a major field from the regular departmental faculty. Thereafter, progress toward completion of the Ph.D. requirements continues to be monitored by the DGS, but primary responsibility for overseeing study shifts to the major advisor. Students are free to change their major advisor at any time. By the end of the second year they should also select a co-advisor, who serves as a secondary advisor and faculty mentor.

Harvard Linguistics Graduate Student Handbook

Progress to the Degree (updated 7/1/2015)

A B+ average must be maintained in each year of graduate study. Grades below B- cannot be counted toward departmental requirements; two grades below B- in required courses will result in termination of candidacy. Ordinarily, a grade of Incomplete can only be converted into a letter grade if the work is made up before the end of the following term. No grade of Incomplete can be used to satisfy a departmental requirement.   No two programs of study are alike, but students should typically plan to complete the requirements for the degree according to the timetable below. Departures from this schedule must be approved by the main advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.   Years G1 and G2: Course requirements are satisfied. By the end of the G2 year, the first generals paper should be well underway.   Year G3: Teaching duties begin. The first generals paper should be defended before the end of the fall term, and the second generals paper by the end of the spring term.   Year G4: Teaching duties continue. A thesis prospectus, naming a dissertation committee, is due on October 15 of the fall term; the committee must be chaired or co-chaired by a member of the Department of Linguistics and must include at least two members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Dissertation Completion Fellowship applications are due at midyear.   Year G5: The thesis is completed and defended in the spring.

A.M. Degree  (updated 7/1/2015)

Graduate students who have completed two years of residence, who have fulfilled all the course requirements and language requirements for the Ph.D., and who have successfully defended one Generals paper, are eligible to petition for a Master’s (A.M.) degree.  

Note that there is no master’s program in Linguistics.                     

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Course Descriptions

Full course descriptions, fall 2024 courses are subject to change, fall 2024 courses, fall 2024 course schedule, fall 2024 asl course schedule, american sign language (asl) at harvard.

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Linguistics, PhD

The Ph.D. program in Linguistics at Penn embraces a wide range of theoretical specializations and methodologies. What unites them is a commitment to careful and explicit formal analysis of the human capacity for learning and using language.

The core of our program is the formal generative tradition, but we encourage the cross-fertilization that results from the confrontation of empirical and theoretical perspectives on language structure. By our close collaboration with other programs (such as computer science and psychology) we promote an awareness of the broad view of language that interdisciplinary study induces. In addition to broad training, students are offered and expected to master the methods and results of their chosen areas of concentration in linguistics as a prerequisite to fruitful engagement in dialogue with others, both within and outside the program.

For more information: https://www.ling.upenn.edu/graduate/

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs .

Required Courses

The total course units required for graduation is 20. A minimum of 12 course units must be taken at the University of Pennsylvania.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program in linguistics is designed with the interdisciplinary research goals of the department in mind.

Our curriculum aims to combine the best features of the knowledge-intensive model that is common in the humanities and the skills-intensive apprenticeship model that is more common in the physical and life sciences. The course requirements provide more flexibility than most linguistics programs, allowing students to acquire the broad training that is most appropriate to individual goals. Course loads are designed to leave time for students to become involved in original research at an early stage of the program. Many students continue to pursue research in multiple areas through their dissertation, and it is common for students to be co-advised by multiple faculty members.

Application

Join a community where new ideas develop in conversation, stimulated by the steady activity of our labs and research groups, frequent student meetings with faculty and regular talks by local and invited scholars.  Discover how to apply.

Our internationally recognized Ph.D. program combines current theoretical research in phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics with state-of-the-art experimental research in psycholinguistics, first language acquisition, language processing, neurolinguistics and computational linguistics. Explore our curriculum.

• Living Here

Our area also offers special resources for linguists. It is home to speakers of countless languages from around the world and home base to many national research agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Linguistic Society of America.  Learn more about living here.

Who to Contact

William idsardi.

Professor, Linguistics

Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science

CLaME: Max Planck • NYU Center for Language Music and Emotion

1401 A Marie Mount Hall College Park MD, 20742

Related Links

• The Application Process
• Ph.D. Curriculum
• Ph.D. Courses
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• About the University of Maryland

Linguistics

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You will experience a unique range and depth of Harvard’s offerings in related fields, especially ancient and modern languages and the growing Mind Brain Behavior Initiative.

You will have the flexibility to customize your program to prepare you for post-graduate success in an academic or non-academic role. You can access a wide range of Harvard resources including the Widener Library, which contains a matchless linguistic and philological collection supplemented by a special non-circulating collection accessible only to linguistics students and faculty.

Examples of theses and dissertations by graduates include “An Experimental Pragmatic Investigation of Depictive Co-Speech Gestures,” “Interpreting Questions with Non-Exhaustive Answers,” “Nominal Arguments and Language Variation,” and “Phrasing is Key: The Syntax and Prosody of Focus in Georgian.”

Graduates of the program have secured academic positions at Rutgers University; University of California, Berkeley; University of Vienna; and the University of Hawaii. Others hold jobs with companies such as Amazon, Google, and Grammarly.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Linguistics , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Historical Linguistics | Linguistic Theory | Unspecified

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Linguistics .

Academic Background

Applicants typically have a previous background in linguistics, a mature interest in the field, and a strong language background.

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be no more than 100 pages.

Personal Statement

Not Accepted

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional

Theses and Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Linguistics

See list of Linguistics faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

PhD in Linguistics

The PhD in linguistics is intended for students who wish to pursue an academic career in research and teaching of linguistics. Students complete coursework in all major subfields of linguistics and work closely with an advisor to design an individualized plan of study beyond these core courses that allows them to achieve depth and specialization in a chosen subfield.

We offer 5 years of financial aid to PhD students in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, instructor positions, and fellowships.

Requirements 

• MA coursework
• Advanced level courses covering core areas of language structure (phonology & syntax) (6 credits), a second semester course in field methods (4 credits), and at least three 5xxx or 8xxx-level Topics or Seminar courses in linguistics, to be determined in consultation with your advisor
• 9 credits in a related field and 24 thesis credits
• Students will need to pass preliminary written and oral exams, as well as complete and defend their dissertation

Students must demonstrate competence (the equivalent of two or more years of study) in one language other than English. Competence can be demonstrated in a number of ways including: transcripts showing the highest level of language courses completed, results of a placement test, and native speaker status.

College Resources for Graduate Students

Visit CLA’s website for graduate students to learn about collegiate funding opportunities, student support, career services, and more.

Student Services      Career Services     Funding & Support

Linguistics

Doctor of philosophy in linguistics.

The Doctor of Philosophy program in linguistics requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. A minimum of 18 hours must be advanced coursework. Students must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.00. The highly selective program provides students with a strong foundation in theoretical linguistics and helps them develop the skills they will need to explore the close relationship between linguistics and related disciplines.

Listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree; for more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy in linguistics, visit the UI General Catalog .

Important Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 15th

Students applying to the Ph.D. program must have a Master's in linguistics from the University of Iowa or its equivalent in coursework. Admission to the Ph.D. depends, in part, on the availability of a faculty member to serve as the student's advisor. Applicants should submit official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work, names and contact information for three individuals competent to judge their potential for graduate work and who have agreed to write letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, written evidence of the ability to do advanced work in linguistics, and answers to a short list of questions from the Linguistics Department. Applicants from non-English speaking countries must also submit TOEFL scores. Entering students in linguistics whose first language is not English are also evaluated for English proficiency by the English as a Second Language staff upon arrival on campus and are required to take any ESL courses recommended as a result of the evaluation.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the  Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College  on the Graduate College website. For more information, see the  Graduate Admissions Process  page.

Comprehensive Examination

To pass the comprehensive examination for the Ph.D., a student must submit two papers of publishable quality and present each orally at a departmental colloquium. One of the papers must be in phonology or syntax and the other in an area of the student's choosing, which may be the proposed dissertation area but must be distinct from the area of the first paper.

Dissertation

In the semester following the comprehensive examination, but no later than the sixth semester of enrollment in the Ph.D. program, a student presents a dissertation prospectus to the dissertation committee. The dissertation prospectus consists of a formal statement of the dissertation topic and proposed research program which is defended by the student before the dissertation committee; the dissertation committee must approve the prospectus in order for the student to proceed with the dissertation.

The dissertation is a major research work on a topic chosen by the student and approved by the dissertation committee. After the dissertation committee reads and approves the dissertation, it is defended orally by the student in a public defense. A copy of the dissertation must be available to the faculty at least two weeks prior to the defense.

PhD in Linguistics (General Catalog)

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

Yale Linguistics

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Graduate studies.

Our PhD program takes a distinctively integrative and interdisciplinary approach in investigating the systems of knowledge that comprise our linguistic competence. Students are exposed to different methodological approaches, while receiving firm grounding in the traditional domains of linguistics.

Our faculty supports our graduate students in their pursuit of academic and non-academic positions. We regularly offer workshops on professional skills and the job market application process. Most of our PhD students graduate in 5 to 8 years, with an average of 6.5 years. As of March 2019, a bout two thirds of our graduates from the last 10 years have jobs in academia (66% of those have long-term appointments, and the remaining 33% have postdocs and temporary positions). Of the remaining one third who do not have a teaching or research academic position, half of the rest have industry jobs related to linguistics (at companies such as Google); others have a variety of jobs, including academic administration and educational outreach.

PhD students work closely with a faculty adviser to develop their dissertation project, but all faculty in the department provide mentorship to some degree. The Yale GSAS Guide to Advising Processes for Faculty and Students provides good guidelines for mentoring relationships from the student and faculty point of view. 

PhD students in the program are provided financial support for up to 6 years of study, consisting of full tuition, stipend support, and comprehensive health care coverage. The department and university also provide financial support for travel to conferences and workshops. Generous funding for fieldwork and other overseas research is available through Yale’s MacMillan Center .

Interested students can find more information on applying to the program on our website.

Director of Graduate Studies

Any questions about the graduate program can be directed to the DGS, Jim Wood, at jim.wood@yale.edu

• Department of Linguistics >
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PhD in Linguistics

Dawei Jin, presenting a conference paper (now an Assistant Professor Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China)

The mission of the department’s PhD program is to train students to do research in linguistics and produce research that reflects the values and the mission of the department as a whole, to prepare them for academic jobs at teaching universities, liberal arts colleges, or major research universities and for jobs outside of academia. Our goal is to ensure that all of our students have at the end of their study an academic or industry position that requires a PhD in Linguistics. Our doctoral degree track focuses on breadth and empirical/experimental methodologies. Students receive training in traditional disciplines such as syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonetics and phonology, and they may also receive substantial training in other areas, such as language typology, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, and historical and contact linguistics. All of our students are required to take at least two semesters of Methods classes, which include courses in Field Methods, Quantitative Methods and Statistics, Corpus Linguistics and Computational Linguistics. Our students are also encouraged to explore interdisciplinary research within the UB Center for Cognitive Science , and many of our students receive extensive training in Cognitive Science through collaborations with the Psychology or Computer Science departments. 

PhD Funding

Join a community of scholars and researchers working together to solve pressing global problems. 

We are committed to recruiting the very best PhD students and preparing doctoral students for career success. UB features:

• World-class faculty experts  mentor PhD students in a dynamic research and learning environment. Students can focus on their research and scholarship alongside renowned faculty while preparing for the careers and professions that await them after graduation.
• A city on the rise.  Buffalo, N.Y. offers affordable housing, arts, culture and community. Learn more about Buffalo .

PhD Funding Opportunities

• UB’s stipend levels are competitive among public Association of American Universities (AAU) member institutions.
• Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program : To be eligible for a Schomburg Fellowship, candidates must demonstrate high academic achievement and have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education. The Schomburg Fellowship is intended to support high-achieving doctoral students. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible.
• Presidential Fellowships:  To be eligible for Presidential Fellowships, candidates must meet the criteria listed on the Presidential Fellowship page. Both domestic and international students are eligible, if they meet these criteria. For any questions regarding funding for academic year 2025–2026, contact the director of graduate studies or department chair.

Application Deadlines

December 15:  All PhD applicants wishing to be considered for financial support

March 1:  All other international PhD applicants

April 1:  All other domestic PhD applicants

Online Application

Phd program metrics, degree requirements.

For most students with no transfer credits from other institutions, the categories in the table above should account for 48 of the 72 credits required for the Ph.D. The remaining 24 credits can be Independent Study, thesis/dissertation guidance or up to 12 credits from other UB departments. (Students in the Cognitive Science track and those earning a concurrent M.S. in Computational Linguistics may be permitted to take additional courses in other departments in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.)

*Students should consult the Director of Graduate Studies to determine which Methods courses are more appropriate given their intended specializations.

Areas of Specialization

PhD students are required to take four courses in their main specialty (including relevant core and methods courses), and are expected to choose their two methods courses in accordance with their specialization. Students need not choose their area of specialization early in their graduate career; faculty only expect that students take these four courses by the time they finish their course work (i.e., complete their 72 credit hours).

Students admitted to the PhD track who decide, during the first or second year, that they no longer wish to pursue a PhD, may instead complete the course requirements for the MA specialization and take the MA exam.

Specializations and Applicable Courses

This list of courses is intended only as a guideline, and additional classes may be added to these lists upon approval by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). Please also note that some courses are more frequently taught than others. Students should contact the DGS to inquire about future course scheduling. 

*Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics are highly interdisciplinary and may involve substantial work in other departments.

Qualifying Paper

The qualifying paper (QP) is required of students who have been admitted to the Doctoral program in the Department of Linguistics. It must be completed before the student can pass on to Phase 2 of the program (i.e., the phase during which students conduct their PhD thesis research). The QP is intended to give the student experience in carrying out a research project that goes beyond what is normally required of a course paper; however the project certainly can evolve out of a course paper. The paper should have the format of a journal submission, and be between 9,000 and 12,000 words in length.

Early in their second year of graduate study, the student should choose a faculty member who will advise the student while he or she is working on the QP. (The faculty member may be, but does not have to be, the same faculty who will direct the student’s dissertation.) The role of the advisor is to guide the student as he or she is carrying out the research and the writing. The student, together with the advisor, select a second committee member (or “reader”), who will read and comment on the QP.

Once the QP has been approved by the advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies will assign a third committee member (or “reader”), and the other members of the QP committee will then read the QP and provide feedback or simply approve the paper if no additional revisions are necessary. When the committee has approved the QP, the three faculty sign the approval form. Students return the form to the Director of Graduate Study after all three faculty have signed the form, and (s)he will also sign it. Finally, the form is sent to the graduate secretary, so that (s)he can enter the information into our student database and file the form in the student’s file.

Students are required to make an oral presentation of their QP research at the end of their fifth semester (at the latest), and to finish their QP by the end of the sixth semester (at the latest). Upon completion of a student’s QP, the faculty as a whole will either determine whether (s)he should passed onto Phase 2 of the PhD program. In the event a student is not passed onto the P.D phase of the program, (s)he will earn a terminal MA and will leave the program.

Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal is not intended to be a paper in the same sense as the QP. Rather, the dissertation proposal should be viewed as a very long abstract. It should include a statement of the topic (or hypothesis/claim); the context for the research (Why should other linguists be interested in the research? How does it fit into previous research?); the methodology and nature of the data or evidence that the student hopes to collect or find; and, perhaps, a preview of the conclusions the student hopes to present or the contribution the dissertation will make. Generally, the proposal should not be any longer than 20 pages; however the dissertation advisor ultimately determines the form of the proposal.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

The proposal defense is simply a meeting of the committee members and the student to ensure that everyone is clear about the nature of the topic, the scope of the research, and the methodology. Typically, no one “fails” a proposal defense, since the primary goal is to clarify and comment on the research before the research begins. The student should be aware, however, that the proposal defense may result in significant changes in the research plan.

Once the proposal defense has taken place, the committee members sign the form, the form is returned to the Director of Graduate Studies to sign, and finally the form is sent to the Assistant to the Chair.

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Graduate Programs

Our graduate programs provide a unique environment where linguistic theory, multiple methodologies, and computational research not only coexist, but interact in a highly synergistic fashion.  

Our focus is on the Ph.D. degree.  The department occasionally admits students already enrolled at Stanford for the M.A. degree. Ph.D. students in other departments at Stanford may also apply for the Ph.D. Minor. 

Doctoral Program

Our Ph.D. program emphasizes rigorous theoretical work that has at its base a firm empirical foundation in language data.

Ph.D. Minor

Our Ph.D. Minor allows Ph.D. students in other Stanford departments to develop a solid grounding in linguistics that can complement and enhance their studies and research in their home department.

M.A. for Stanford Graduate Students

We offer an MA degree for Stanford graduate students which develops students' knowledge of linguistics, preparing them for a professional career or doctoral study in linguistics or related disciplines.

Coterminal M.A. Program

Our Coterminal M.A. Program develops students' knowledge of linguistics, preparing them for a professional career or doctoral study in linguistics or related disciplines.

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Division
• College of Liberal and Professional Studies

• Ph.D. Program Application
• Graduate Program

This page provides details about the procedure for applying to the graduate Linguistics program at the University of Pennsylvania. Please read it thoroughly before submitting an application. If any questions remain unanswered, contact [email protected] .

Degree Program

Deadlines and fees, required materials, evaluation criteria, financial aid, campus visits, contact information.

Note that the term "graduate group" at Penn refers to an entity that administers graduate study, and may or may not be tightly connected to a specific academic "department". The Graduate Group in Linguistics includes all the faculty of the Linguistics Department as well as many faculty who conduct linguistic research but are affiliated with other departments (such as psychology and computer science).

The Graduate Group in Linguistics normally admits only students intending to complete the requirements for the Ph.D. Strong applicants seeking an M.A. will be considered if they bring outside funding for their studies and are a good match to the interests of the faculty. We do not admit students for part-time or online study. Students are encouraged to complete the Ph.D. program in five years; for recent graduates, the time to completion is typically five or six years.

If your main research interest lies in applied linguistics, second language acquisition, or language teaching, contact the School of Education , especially under the category educational linguistics or TESOL ; the Graduate Group in Linguistics at Penn does not consider applications from students with a primary focus in these areas.

Note that we do not offer any kind of "conditional acceptance", which some applicants ask about, and that the application process and financial aid offers are the same for domestic and international applicants.  All applications are considered as a group after December 1st, mainly during January and early February.

The application deadline is December 1st , for matriculation in the fall semester of the following year; you may begin an application after October 1st. Ph.D. applications are considered only on this schedule. We do not have admissions for the spring semester. 

Applicants must ensure that their complete materials — including transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and supporting documents — are submitted by this date in order to be considered for financial aid from or through the university. Please do not email or telephone the Graduate Division or the Linguistics Department to confirm that your application is complete; we will contact you if any materials are missing.

The application fee is $90.00. Payments must be made by credit card.

The University is uses  ApplyWeb  for online applications, and all materials are handled electronically. Instructions, forms, and a link to the online application are located at  https://www.sas.upenn.edu/graduate-division/prospective-students/application-information

The Graduate Group in Linguistics requires the following materials as part of the applications. Each is discussed in more detail below.

• Academic transcripts of undergraduate courses and grades, and any previous graduate work.
• TOEFL score for non-native speakers of English.
• A personal statement of your academic goals.
• Recommendations from at least three professors or others familiar with your academic abilities.
• A writing sample and other supporting materials.

You will be notified in early January if there are any materials missing from your application.

The same application is used by applicants from either the U.S. or abroad. An admissions committee within the Graduate Group makes decisions regarding admission and financial aid, with the approval of the Graduate Dean. The Office of the Graduate Division of Arts and Sciences generates the official acceptance letter.

The application and all materials submitted to the Admissions Office become the property of the University of Pennsylvania.

Your application must include an unofficial transcript from the institution(s) where you did previous academic work at the undergraduate or graduate level. The transcripts should be scanned and submitted electronically with your application. If you are admitted to the program, you will be required to confirm the information by sending an official copy of the transcript before matriculating.

After a year in the program, students may be eligible to transfer up to eight course credits completed prior to admission. Approval will be at the discretion of the Graduate Group.

The GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is no longer considered for admission to our program, so students should not send them as part of their applications.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for non-native speakers of English. For details, see http://www.toefl.org . Anyone who has received a bachelor's degree or higher from an English-speaking university or who will receive their degree before starting graduate school is exempt from this requirement.

This year we are accepting four tests of English-language proficiency:

• TOEFL iBT Test (in person)
• TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition
• TOEFL ITP Plus for China
• Duolingo English Test [ site ]

The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) , telephone 609-921-9000. All scores must be officially submitted to the Graduate Division by the testing agency. The codes that you will need to know are University of Pennsylvania: 2926 and Linguistics: 2903 (or, in the two-digit iBT system, 04). We do not accept scores older than two years.

Applicants are expected to have a score of at least 100 on the internet-based test (iBT). The ITP Plus China test must have a score of at least 627. For the Duolingo exam, the minimum is 125.

We also accept the IELTS , but the University is not set up to receive the scores electronically. A score of 7.0 or better is expected. Include a copy of your official scores as an upload in your application. Please do not send hard-copies to the department.

Personal Statement

In the personal statement, all Ph.D. applications within the Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences should address the following:

• Please describe how your background and academic experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and led you to apply to Penn. Your essay should detail your specific research interests and intellectual goals within your chosen field. Please provide information about your educational trajectory, intellectual curiosity and academic ambitions. If you have overcome adversity and/or experienced limited access to resources or opportunities in your field of study, please feel free to share how that has affected the course of your education. We are interested in your lived experiences and how your particular perspective might contribute to the inclusive and dynamic learning community that Penn values and strives to create.

The personal statement prompt just given is standardized across the Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences. Here is some additional guidance from our specific graduate program. Your personal statement is an important part of your application. The admissions committee looks not only at the general background and qualifications of the applicants, but also at the fit between your specific goals and interests, and the kind of research conducted by the members of the graduate group. A length of two or three pages is usually appropriate.

The most successful statement will demonstrate that you understand the kinds of work conducted by members of the faculty with interests related to yours, and why Penn is a particularly appropriate place for you to study. You should be clear about your goals; it is acceptable to have wide interests or not to be entirely focused yet, but you should show that you understand what it means to pursue advanced study in the areas of interest that you identify. Personal anecdotes about how you became interested in linguistics, or childhood experiences with language, do not generally contribute to the effectiveness of the statement.

The personal statement is the place to describe your past training in linguistics or in related areas. We welcome applications from those with limited formal training in the field, but in such cases it is especially important to demonstrate your understanding of what graduate work in linguistics will entail, and to emphasize aspects of your educational background that will contribute to your success. We do not normally expect a resume or CV, but if your work or educational history is complex or multifaceted, you might wish to include one.

When you are asked to specify your area of concentration, please choose from among these categories: syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, phonology, phonetics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, historical linguistics, evolution. If you are interested in computational linguistics, you can specify that in your personal statement, but here you should indicate the field in which you would apply computational analysis.

In our program, applicants are not expected to work out arrangements with individual faculty members before applying. The application is made to the graduate group as a whole, and students who matriculate in the program are assigned appropriate advisors after they arrive. Nevertheless, it is entirely sensible to identify how your research interests relate to those of specific faculty at Penn.

Recommendations

You will need letters of recommendation from three professors or others who are qualified to comment on your academic ability and background. The most effective letters come from those who have worked with you closely, especially on independent research, and who are familiar enough with the field of linguistics to understand what abilities are most relevant.

When you include the email addresses of your recommenders in the online application, each will automatically receive an email with an attached recommendation form. This email will allow the recommender to submit a letter electronically. Once the recommender submits the letter, it will be attached to the online application.

Writing Sample

A writing sample, such as a substantial term paper or thesis from previous undergraduate or graduate work, is necessary for the faculty to assess your research experience. If you only have work from another field, please select a paper that shows the sort of research skills relevant to linguistics. The document should be converted to pdf format and uploaded to the CollegeNet site.

That site limits the size of the files to 500 KB, so if necessary include an excerpt from a longer document. You may, in addition, provide in your personal statement a link to the full document (in pdf form) that you have posted elsewhere on the web.

We evaluate applicants holistically , taking into careful consideration the full picture of how each applicant’s unique experiences have prepared them for success in graduate school. Here are some skills and traits that we look for in highly competitive applications to our program:

Academic preparedness . The applicant demonstrates academic preparation and skills, including strong writing skills, that equip them well for graduate coursework and research in linguistics. Their academic work so far suggests potential for innovation and original thinking. 

Research experience . The applicant has taken advantage of relevant research opportunities available to them, given their background and previous opportunities. They have a realistic perspective on how to conduct a research project, along with a strong ability to work independently and problem-solve.

Fit with our department. The applicant understands what linguistics is and what kinds of research areas our department specializes in. The applicant's interests overlap with the interests of at least one, and ideally multiple, faculty members. Their research statement articulates why they are excited to join our unique intellectual community.

Commitment and adaptability . The applicant demonstrates resilience in overcoming obstacles and adapting creatively to new information and events. They demonstrate the ability and willingness to work hard and steadily towards long-term goals.

Contributions to inclusive community . The applicant stands to contribute to a diverse learning environment in linguistics through their life experiences, educational background (e.g. non-traditional paths) and/or the ability to articulate the barriers facing a variety of different groups in linguistics. They value making our department community inclusive and making linguistics accessible both within and outside the university.

Collaboration and organizational experience . The applicant demonstrates maturity through clear communication, ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, strong organizational skills, and ability to multitask. They will make positive contributions to the department’s community and activities.

Under normal circumstances – when a student does not have outside funding – all students who are offered admission to the Ph.D. program are also offered a five-year Benjamin Franklin fellowship. The annual stipend for the 12-month period starting Fall 2023 is $40,500. Please see the Graduate Division for more details.

As noted above, the deadline for applications is December 1st. Students to whom the graduate group decides to offer admission will be invited to visit the University, usually on a day in late February; notifications of admission therefore can be expected by the middle of that month. Due to processing time, unsuccessful applicants may not receive official notice until late February or early March.

The Linguistics Ph.D. program begins in the Fall semester, which starts in late August (see the academic calendar ). There is no provision for students to begin in the Spring semester.

The School of Arts and Sciences allows candidates to defer admission for up to one year. Fellowship awards may not, however, be deferred; the application must be reactivated the next year for new consideration for a fellowship.

If you would like to come and sit in on classes or meet Linguistics graduate students or faculty, please contact [email protected] . Visitors are encouraged to reach out directly to those faculty with whom they would like to meet.

See also the online map and directions .

The Graduate Division oversees the application process:

Graduate Division School of Arts and Sciences University of Pennsylvania 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 322A Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228

Telephone: 215-898-7444

The Linguistics Department administers the affairs of the Graduate Group in Linguistics:

Linguistics Department University of Pennsylvania 3401-C Walnut Street, suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 215-898-6046

What are you looking for?

Ph.d. in linguistics program, doctor of philosophy in linguistics.

Students pursuing the Ph.D. in Linguistics are required to complete a minimum of 60 units of course work beyond the baccalaureate. Students are also required to take three 600-level seminars in Linguistics and a minimum of 4 units of 794 Doctoral Dissertation.

Course Requirements

Semester one LING 530 – Generative Syntax (3 units) LING 531a – Phonology (3 units)

Students should also enroll in two or three additional courses selected in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee or the faculty advisor.

Semesters two through six

The following three courses must be completed by the end of a student’s sixth semester of graduate study.

LING 534 – Logic and the Theory of Meaning (3 units) LING 576 – Psycholinguistics (3 units) LING 580 – General Phonetics (3 units)

Screening Procedure

Before a doctoral guidance committee can be established for applicants to the Ph.D. program, a student must pass a screening procedure. This procedure consists of a review of the student’s graduate work at USC by the Linguistics department faculty.

The review will be based on the following criteria: course work completed, including grades and papers; faculty recommendations; and evaluation of both the M.A. research paper and a Ph.D. screening paper.

The M.A. research and Ph.D. screening papers must be in two different sub areas of linguistics, for example: syntax and psycholinguistics; or phonology and semantics; or sociolinguistics and typology.

The M.A. research paper must be completed and defended prior to the end of the fourth semester of graduate study, and the Ph.D. screening paper must be completed and defended prior to the end of the sixth semester. The set of courses leading to the M.A. research paper and the Ph.D. screening paper are determined through recommendation of the screening committee and approval of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Qualifying Examination

The examination qualifying a student for candidacy for the Ph.D. degree is comprehensive in nature, partly written and partly oral. The successful completion of the qualifying procedure is represented by the approval by the guidance committee of the student’s dissertation prospectus and oral defense. The oral defense has to take place by the end of the 8th semester.

Dissertation

The final stage of the program is the submission and defense of a dissertation that makes an original and substantial contribution to its field of study. Refer to the  Graduate School  for the policies and procedures governing the submission of a dissertation.

Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (Specialization in East Asian Linguistics)

Students interested in East Asian linguistics take the Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics with a specialization in East Asian linguistics. In addition to all requirements for the PhD in linguistics, students are required to write research papers on topics relating to East Asian languages for four courses or 15 units during their PhD studies.  One of the two screening papers, the prospectus associated with the qualifying examination and the doctoral dissertation must also deal with at least one East Asian language. Students must additionally take LING 794a Doctoral Dissertation, LING 794b Doctoral Dissertation.

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Home / Graduate / Ph.D. Program

Ph.D. Program

Completion of the PhD in five years requires progress in several categories outlined below. For additional details, consult the PhD Program Handbook .

Outline of PhD career in Linguistics

First Year:   Core courses in phonetics, phonology, psycholinguistics, semantics, syntax, and field or experimental methods; language exam (spring quarter).

Courses Students complete a minimum of thirteen courses (65 units). In the first year, students take a core sequence of courses in phonetics, phonology, psycholinguistics, semantics, syntax, and field or experimental methods. By the end of the second year, most of the required coursework (including in addition a research seminar and seminars in three distinct areas) has normally been completed.

Languages Reading competence in one foreign language is demonstrated by examination, ideally early in the graduate career. The function of the exam is to test reading comprehension at a level which will allow effective use of the language in reading linguistic material.

Second Year:   Research seminar and seminar courses; defense of first qualifying paper.

Qualifying Papers Students complete two qualifying papers (QPs) in distinct areas. Each QP represents an in-depth theoretical investigation into some natural language phenomenon, and is defended before a committee composed of three faculty members. QPs often lead to conference presentations or journal publications. It is expected that the first QP be successfully defended in the second year, and the second QP in the third year.

Third Year:  Seminar courses; defense of second qualifying paper; qualifying exam.

Qualifying exam Following successful completion of the two QPs, students must pass the qualifying exam (QE). This exam is the occasion on which a student demonstrates that she has achieved the level of competence and research-ability in a given area that is required for successful dissertation-level research. The QE is based on a substantial research paper written by the student (often a revised QP) and defended before a committee consisting of four members (three from within the department, one from without). Upon successful completion of this step, the student becomes a candidate for the degree.

Fourth Year:  Dissertation-related research. Fifth Year: Dissertation writing; dissertation defense

Dissertation The final requirement for the PhD degree is the presentation and public defense of a dissertation representing a significant contribution in some area of theoretical linguistic research. Prior to the writing of the thesis, the candidate prepares and defends a dissertation prospectus, which maps out the principal lines of research to be pursued.

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PhD in Linguistics

Educating the next generation of scholars in theoretical linguistics..

One of the world’s top PhD programs in theoretical linguistics, UMass linguistics prepares a small number of students to become high-quality researchers and teachers.

The program normally lasts five years, and students may concentrate their work in any of the following areas: syntax, semantics, phonology, phonetics, psycholinguistics, language acquisition, morphology, and optimality theory. Additionally, students often work with other UMass programs offering courses related to the study of natural language, such as philosophy, computer science, communication disorders, psychology, foreign languages, and mathematics.

Our students conduct individual creative research early in their graduate careers, working very closely with faculty. They must successfully write and defend two general papers and a “breadth” paper before beginning dissertation work. Additionally, every student must acquire some teaching experience, either through faculty/student team teaching or by being responsible for teaching a section of one of our introductory courses.

Upon graduation, our students are well-prepared to become professors in theoretical linguistics at universities around the world.

Related offerings

Students interested in our PhD in Linguistics may also be interested in these other offerings.

• Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics
• Minor in Linguistics
• Certificate in American English Linguistics
• Certificate in Cognitive Science
• Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Featured faculty

Joe Pater is the department chair and a professor of linguistics.

Linguistics

Explore the many complex facets of human language at one of the world’s top linguistics programs.

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of Linguistics

Doctoral program.

The Department of Linguistics at the University of Connecticut is a leading center for theoretical research in generative grammar, as well as for experimental research on child language acquisition, and is recognized as a ‘Program of National Distinction’ in the University.

The Department offers graduate training leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics, and is noted both for its high standards in graduate teaching, and for considerable success in job placement. UConn alumni have been hired at Harvard University, University of Maryland, Cornell University, Yale University, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Toronto, University College London, University of London (SOAS), and the Centre for Advanced Study in Theoretical Linguistics in Tromsø (among others).

Currently the Department comprises eleven regular faculty members, three professors emeriti, and thirteen additional faculty members involved in our teaching and research activities. We have approximately 35 doctoral students and numerous visiting scholars from around the world.

Doctoral students at UConn engage in original research throughout their graduate program, and are well represented both as co-authors and as sole authors, at major national and international conferences and in publications in professional journals. The faculty’s strong record of obtaining research grants also provides significant research opportunities for our doctoral students. Opportunities for interdisciplinary projects are available, including a Graduate Certificate  in Cognitive Science . Resources for experimental research in child language acquisition include the excellent facilities at the University’s Child Development Laboratories, as well as the department’s own laboratories.

The Ph.D. program consists of the following components:

• Coursework (see the UConn Graduate Course Catalog )
• General examination (two papers with oral examinations)
• Dissertation prospectus
• Dissertation and final examination (defense)

Student progress is monitored by an advisory committee, selected by the student. Most students in the department hold Graduate Assistantships, either Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships or both. Graduate Assistants at UConn are represented by the Graduate Employee Union .

Here is a concise overview of important procedures, deadlines, and other information. For detailed degree requirements see the Grad Handbook .