Linguistics

The department offers programs leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics. The theoretical core of the programs is in phonology and syntax. The M.A. degree provides a broad education in linguistics which serves as a base for further study in linguistics or related disciplines. If a student chooses the TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) focus in conjunction with the M.A., then the degree prepares students for a career in teaching English to nonnative speakers overseas and at colleges and universities in the United States.

The number of credit hours for the M.A. varies between 30 and 37 depending on whether the degree is with thesis (30-37) or without thesis (37). All students must have a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit to receive the degree, regardless of prior preparation. All students are required to take the 22 hours that comprise the core curriculum, including:

• Articulatory and Acoustic Phonetics (3005)
• Proseminar: Morphosyntax (5000)
• Introduction to Syntax (5010)
• Syntactic Theory (6010)
• Introduction to Phonology (5020)
• Phonological Theory (6020)
• Generative Second Language Acquisition (6080)
• Linguistic Field Methods (5040), Linguistic Structures (6040), or Language Universals and Linguistics Typology (6050)

Students writing a thesis must take a minimum of 9 semester hours of elective coursework, approved in consultation with the advisor. Nonthesis M.A. students may choose a 9-hour focus area consisting of a series of related courses or may take the M.A. in general linguistics, which requires 9 semester hours of elective credit.

If a focus area is chosen, it is decided upon by students in conjunction with their advisor. The focus area can be in TESL, syntax, phonology, computational linguistics, psycholinguistics, computer science, a language area (Asian, classical Germanic, Romance, Slavic) or a particular language within a language area, theory of second language acquisition, and others.

The TESL focus area consists of:

• The Structure of English (4040)
• Methods of TESL (4050)
• Practicum in TESL (5070)

Students who have had one or more of these courses may substitute an approved elective in consultation with their advisors.

In consultation with their advisor, students may choose two focus areas or a focus area and a thesis. However, these combinations will generally result in a degree completed in five or six semesters of full-time study rather than four.

It is possible to take the M.A. curriculum on a part-time basis, that is, taking fewer than 9 hours of classes per semester. However, students wishing to do so should devise a timetable with their advisor. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that students taking the comprehensive examination after studying part-time review the less recent core course material (Phonological Theory or Syntactic Theory) by auditing the current course.

The thesis is a paper of potentially publishable quality on an area of research undertaken by the student. Students work closely with their advisor and thesis committee members on the selection of a topic for the thesis and the writing of a thesis prospectus, which must be approved by the department faculty. After the thesis is completed, and approved by the advisor and committee, the student defends it in an oral examination before the committee. All faculty are invited to attend the thesis defense. A copy of the thesis should be made available to the faculty a minimum of one week prior to the defense. 

Requirements

• A U.S. bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree from another country as determined by the Office of Admissions
• A minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00, or foreign equivalent as determined by the Office of Admissions.
• You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).
• A statement of purpose
• Answers to supplemental questions from the Linguistics department
• Three letters of recommendation
• A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts uploaded on your Admissions Profile. If you are admitted, official transcripts will be required before your enrollment.
• Your official GRE scores from Educational Testing Service (the University's institutional code is 6681).
• Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement.
• A score of 550 or higher on the TOEFL paper-based (PBT) version of the test, or a score of 81 or higher on the Internet-based version of the test (iBT).
• A total IELTS score of 7.0, with no subscore less than 6.0.

Scholarships

• Global Education