StudyQA — PhD: Linguistics — Seoul National University

Photos of university / #seoul.national.university

Description Contents Requirements Funding

The SNU linguistics department has nine full-time faculty members who are experts in several different areas of linguistics.

Three faculty members, Ju-won Kim, Jae-il Kwon, and Seungjae Lee, are experts in Altaic linguistics and the history of Korean grammar. Ju-won Kim is especially interested in the research on endangered languages. He has done a lot of Altaic language fieldwork in Mongol, Uzbekistan, and China.

The department has one faculty member for each of the following traditional core areas of linguistics: phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics. Ho-Young Lee is mainly concerned with articulatory phonetics. He is also interested in devising orthographies for those who do not have their own writing system. He recently invented one for Cia-Cia by modifying the Korean orthographic system, Hangeul. Heejeong Ko, Seungho Nam and Jongho Jun are generative linguists, majoring in syntax, semantics and phonology, respectively. Heejeong Ko is interested in formal and experimental syntax, syntax-semantics interface, and language acquisition. Seungho Nam’s research interest includes quantification, polarity, spatial expressions and lexical semantic structure in generative framework. Jongho Jun is mainly concerned with phonetically-based phonology. He is also interested in morphology learning, the perception and production of non-native sounds and the architecture of Optimality Theory.

The two remaining faculty members are experts in computational linguistics. Minhwa Chung obtained a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering and he is mainly interested in spoken language processing. Hyopil Shin obtained a MA degree in computer science and a Ph.D. degree in linguistics. He is mainly interested in natural language processing.

PhD students are required to take 36 credits (12 courses) at the graduate level, plus 12 credits (4 courses) of Reading and Research (논문연구) under the tutelage of their supervising professor.
The complete list of courses offered by the Department of Linguistics is given below.
All courses are taught in Korean, unless otherwise noted.

Studies in Phonetics 1
Studies in Phonetics 2
Studies in Phonology 1
Studies in Phonology 2
Studies in Syntax 1
Studies in Syntax 2
Studies in Semantics 1
Studies in Semantics 2
Studies in Historical Comparative Linguistics 1
Studies in Historical Comparative Linguistics 2
Studies in Experimental Phonetics 1
Studies in Experimental Phonetics 2
Studies in Altaic Linguistics 1
Studies in Altaic Linguistics 2
Studies in Indo-European Linguistics 1
Studies in Indo-European Linguistics 2
Computational Linguistics 1
Computational Linguistics 2
Seminar in Phonetics
Seminar in Pnonology
Seminar in Syntax &Semantics 1
Seminar in Syntax &Semantics 2
Seminar in Historical Comparative Linguistics 1
Seminar in Historical Comparative Linguistics 2
Seminar in Individual Languages 1
Seminar in Individual Languages 2
Seminar in Linguistic Theory
Studies in Sociolinguistcs
Mathematical Background for Linguistics
Studies in Pragmatics
Studies in Dialectology
Studies in History of Linguistics
Studies in Psycholinguistics
Studies in Morphology
Studies in Linguistic Typology
Studies in Spoken Language Processing 1
Studies in Spoken Language Processing 2
Seminar in Spoken Language Processing

Online application
Test Subjects

2.1.1) Language exam

             Foreign students need to write one of the language exams. You do not need to write both the foreign language exam and the Korean exam.

             - Foreign language exam

             Choose one of Spanish, French, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and German. This test involves translation of the foreign language into Korean or English.

            - Korean exam

            This test is conducted by the Korean language & literature department at SNU.

2.1.2) Major exam

            Choose 1 question out of 1 section; choose 3 sections out of 4 sections; you cannot choose more than 2 questions from one section

             – Phonetics/Phonology

           – Semantics/Syntax

           – Historical linguistics

            - Computational linguistics/ Spoken language processing

2.2) Cutline

           For Ph.D students, 70 out of 100 in both the foreign language exam & the major exam

2.3) Requirements for the exam

Ph.D – Complete at least 2 semesters & earn at least 12 credits

           You should take the foreign language exam before you finish the course work. This means that you cannot take the exam once you register as a researcher who has finished his/her course work and is working on the thesis.

2.4) English test

          TEPS or TOEFL scores must be submitted within 2 years from taking the test. The cutline scores are 701 and above (TEPS), 240 and above (CBT), 94 and above(IBT)

           If you applied to this department with a TEPS score above 701 (or equivalent), you do not need to take the test again. Native English speakers do not need to submit English test scores.

2.5) Substitute courses

          You are exempt from the Korean language exam if you take two courses, ‘Understanding Korean & Korean culture 1 & 2′ offered in the Korean literature and language department. You need to receive a grade of ‘S’ in order to pass.

          *These courses are not included in the course work credits required for graduation.
Delaying the examination of a thesis

Ph.D students should submit their thesis within 6 years of completing one’s course work. If this is not possible, you need to submit a form that seeks approval of a thesis submission delay. Once your application is approved, you can extend the submission/examination of your thesis up to 4 semesters.
Personal Statement and Study Plan
Letter of Recommendation
Counselor Reference
Official High School Transcript and Graduation Certificate
A Copy of the Applicant’s Passport
Certificate of Facts concerning the Entry and Exit
Portfolio, Records of Achievement, etc.
Agreement for Verification of Academic Record

If you wish to apply for the scholarship program, please fill out the scholarship application form every semester. Application period:

During November(1st semester)
During May(2nd semester)

International Student Scholarship

GPA requirement: 3.0 GPA or higher (average of the previous semester)
Funding: Tuition and fees (partial or fully funded)
Eligibility: International student in the government-funded (government-invited) scholarship, international student
(self-funded), Korean student living overseas and studying in Korea (undergraduate and graduate course)

Lecture/Research Scholarship

GPA requirement: 3.3 GPA or higher (average of the previous semester; excluding new students)
Eligibility: Graduate student recommended by the advising professor; an annual income of less than KRW 12 million
Working condition: 10 or more hours a week (40 hours/month)
Responsibility: Assist the lectures by the professor, general electives and research; help students with their course; manage assignments; manage laboratory; fulfill administrative duties for the undergraduate course, etc.
Funding: Current student: Fully funded tuition and fees and monthly scholarship;
Research student: Monthly scholarship
Termination: If on leave of absence, disciplinary action or determined to be unqualified for other reasons

Core TA Scholarship

Eligibility: Returning graduate student and research student
Funding: Type A – Tuition (partially funded) and monthly research aid / Type B – Half of the monthly research aid
Duration: 1st semester : March – August (6 months) /
2nd semester: September – February of the following year (6 months)
Responsibility: Attend the assigned lecture; supervise discussion; check assignments; focus on Laboratory
sessions/Experiment/Practice courses; assist practice, etc.

SNU Foundation Scholarship

GPA requirement: 3.3 GPA or higher (average of the previous semester)
Funding: Tuition and fees (partially or fully funded)
Feature: Scholarship funded by some 200 funds created by Seoul National University Foundation

The following is the scholarship programs offered for graduate applicants. Students may apply for the programs before or during the admission application period. The annual announcement will be posted on this websitehttp://en.snu.ac.kr/apply/info.

Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students (GSFS)

Eligibility

Asian students, excluding Japanese and Chinese nationals, who wish to study one of the designated graduate programs
* The programs eligible for this scholarship are subject to change, and different by applicants’ nationalities. The eligible programs list is announced every semester.

Number of Recipients

Approximately 20

Subsidies

Tuition fee: full tuition exemption for a maximum of 4 semesters
Living expenses: 500,000 KRW per month (different according to recipients’ majors)

Application Period

During admission period for international students every semester

Selection Procedure

Applicants who submit admission application to SNU’s Office of Admissions ⇒ applicants submit scholarship application to SNU’s Office of International Affairs ⇒ Selection made by respective Colleges/Schools based on the admission documents ⇒ decision noticed

Contact

SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-2519, intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr

Silk-Road Scholarship

Eligibility

Applicants from the countries in the ‘Silk-Road’ area who want to study humanities or social sciences, including Korean language, history, culture, politics, and economics

Number of Recipients

About 5 new graduate students

Subsidies

Tuition fee: full tuition fee exemption for a maximum of 4 semesters
Living expenses: maximum of 600,000 KRW per month for 4 semesters
Airfare: maximum of 1 million KRW for one economy round trip
Korean language training fee: fee exemption at the Language Education Institute

Application Period

During admission period for international students every Fall semester

Selection Procedure

Applicants who submit admission application to SNU’s Office of Admissions ⇒ applicants submit scholarship application to SNU’s Office of International Affairs ⇒ Selection made by respective Colleges/Schools based on the admission documents ⇒ decision noticed

Contact

SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-2519, intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr

Overseas Koreans Scholarship

Eligibility

Overseas Korean students who wish to take graduate degrees at SNU

Subsidies

Full tuition exemption
Living expenses: 800,000 KRW per month for 4 semesters
Insurance fees: approximately 30,000 per month
Settlement expenses aid upon initial arrival: 500,000 KRW (one-time payment)
Airfare for one economy round trip
Language training expenses: for 2 semesters

Application Period

March and September

Selection Procedure

Applicants submit applications to Korean embassies in their countries ⇒ the embassies make the first selection ⇒ the Overseas Koreans Foundation make the second selection

Contact

SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-2519, intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr

Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP)

Eligibility

International students applying for SNU’s graduate programs

Number of Recipients

Subsidies

Full tuition fee: tuition exemption for 4 semesters for master’s program and 6 semesters for Ph. D program
Living expenses: 900,000 KRW per month
Airfare: one economy round trip
Korean language training fee: for one year
* Korean language training is mandatory and when the student does not achieve TOPIK grade 3 within a year, she/he is not eligible to enter the degree program
Others: medical insurance, research fund, thesis printing fees, settlement and returning expenses

Application Period

February

Selection Procedure

※ Applicants choose one of the following application methods.

University Recommendation Program: applicants submit applications to SNU’s Office of Admission ⇒ the National Institute for International Education make the selection
Embassy Recommendation Program: applications submit applications to Korean Embassies in their countries ⇒ the National Institute for International Education make the selection

Contact