StudyQA — PhD: Linguistics — State University of New York at Buffalo (Page 14)

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The University at Buffalo's Linguistics Department offers a comprehensive program covering the major areas of linguistics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and discourse/pragmatics. Our faculty focuses on the interface between language and cognition, empirically grounded linguistic theory, and both cross-linguistic studies and in-depth studies of individual languages other than English.

Our graduate program training focuses on breadth and empirical/experimental methodologies. Students receive training in traditional disciplines such as syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonetics, and phonology, but they receive substantial training in other areas, such as language typology, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, and historical and contact linguistics. All our students are required to take at least two semesters of Methods classes that 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 Center for Cognitive Science, and many of our students receive extensive training in Cognitive Science through collaborations with the Psychology or Computer Science department.

Ph.D. student are required to successfully complete 72 credit hours, as indicated below.

Core courses

Syntax 1 (LIN515); Phonology 1 (LIN532); Phonetics (LIN531); Semantics 1 (LIN538); an advanced Syntax course (currently, Typology and Universals, Role and Reference Grammar, or Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar); Semantics 2 (LIN543);

Specialization courses

4 additional courses/seminars in the student area of specialization

M.A. supervision course

Linguistics 600;

Breadth

3 other 500 level courses;

Method courses

2 Methods courses (2 semesters of Fields Methods; 2 semesters of Quantitative Methods; 2 semesters of Computational Methods). Students should consult the DGS to determine which Methods courses are more appropriate given their intended specializations.

Electives

4 other 500 or 600 level courses.

The remaining 12 credits are “free”. Students may decide to do an Independent Study with a particular faculty member (so long as the faculty agrees to direct the Independent Study), or may wish to take courses in other departments. (Students in the Cognitive Science track will be able to take up to 5 courses in other departments.)

Qualifying Paper

The qualifying paper is required of students who have been admitted to the Doctoral program in the Department of Linguistics, and it must be completed before the student can be passed onto Phase 2 of the program (i.e., the phase during which students conduct their Ph.D. thesis research).

All applicants are required to take the GRE exam; all international applicants must also provide TOEFL or IELTS scores. To be considered for Ph.D. admission, our Admissions Committee prefers a combined quantitative and verbal GRE score of at least 313 and an analytical writing score of at least 4.0 and to be considered for M.A. admission, our Admissions Committee prefers a combined quantitative and verbal GRE score of at least 300 and an analytical writing score of at least 3.0. However, in exceptional cases, evidence from other parts of the dossier can compensate for lower GRE scores. The minimum TOEFL score set by the university for admission is 550 paper-based, 79 internet-based or 6.5 IELTS, but the Department of Linguistics prefers a TOEFL score of 600 paper-based, 100 internet-based or an IELTS score of at least 7.5. The TOEFL or IELTS test must be taken within 2 years of the date you plan to enroll at UB; this 2-year limit is waived for those who are currently studying at a U.S. university providing the minimum score of 79 iBT, 6.5 IELTS (with no sub-score below 6.0) was obtained when admitted to the U.S. university and the applicant has a copy of the original score sheet which must be attached to the online application.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

✔️ Flexible study schedule
✔️ Experienced teachers
✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

The financial aid process for graduate and professional degree students is similar to that of an undergraduate student; however post-baccalaureate students also need to be aware of a few additional factors that may influence your financial aid awards.

Types of Aid Available

Federal financial aid options that you may be eligible for include:

Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans
Federal Graduate/Professional PLUS Loans
Health Profession Student Loans
Federal Nursing Student Loans
Federal TEACH Grant

To be eligible for federal financial aid awards you must complete a FAFSA application and indicate that you are seeking a graduate or professional degree.

New York State also offers the following programs for graduate and professional study: