Modern Languages Graduate Programs
Achieve high-proficiency communicative skills, analytical linguistic expertise, and extensive cultural knowledge
Earn a Graduate Degree in an Ever Changing Field of Language Studies
The University of Mississippi is categorized as an R1 research institution, which means that our faculty are at the top of their fields and actively conducting groundbreaking research. It also means students work and study alongside some of the best.
The Department of Modern Languages promotes multilingualism and cross-cultural understanding across the university. We prepare our students for the complexity and diversity of a rapidly changing job market. Our students achieve high proficiency in a second language. They also develop knowledge of global languages and cultures and the skills to analyze linguistic structures and literary texts in their language of choice.
Our faculty includes award-winning teacher-scholars who are ready to support our students' interests in every aspect of language learning. The faculty conduct research in literature, linguistics, language pedagogy, cinema, and cultural studies, in languages from all over the world.
Graduate Programs in the Department of Modern Languages
The University of Mississippi Department of Modern Languages offers two graduate degrees with multiple emphases along with the Certificate in TESOL, English as a Second Language (ESL) Endorsement, and Graduate Minors in French, German, Linguistics and Spanish.
- Emphasis in Applied Linguistics and TESOL
- Emphasis in Languages with a specialization in French, German, or Spanish
- Emphasis in Linguistics
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Second Language Studies
- Emphasis in Applied Linguistics
- Emphasis in Spanish
Faculty are recognized experts in their fields and are committed to mentoring graduate students as they pursue careers as researchers, teachers, and/or consultants in a variety of professional contexts.
Second language studies uniquely prepares individuals to be global leaders in various cultural contexts in multiple languages through rigorous course work and investigation in areas including, but not limited to, second language structure, language in use, language and culture, language learning and acquisition, language teaching, and language policy and planning. As experts in one or more of these fields, graduates of the program are able to work in academia, business, industry, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, media, journalism, and other fields requiring linguistic and cultural competencies.
Graduate Program Coordinators
Felice Coles
- Professor of Modern Languages
Michael Raines
- Instructional Associate Professor of TESL
Maria Fionda
- Associate Professor of Spanish
Sara Wellman
- Associate Professor of Modern Languages
Ph.D. in Second Language Studies
The Ph.D. in Second Language Studies offers two emphases: Applied Linguistics and Spanish.
Students in the Applied Linguistics emphasis focus on linguistics, empirical research, and language pedagogy. The curriculum is shaped by the scholarship of the department’s faculty. Faculty expertise includes dialectology, discourse analysis, functional linguistics, historical linguistics, language obsolescence, language pedagogy, language variation, second language phonology, and sociolinguistics.
Students in the Spanish emphasis explore linguistics, culture, language, literature, and film across the Spanish-speaking world. The curriculum provides students with a comprehensive understanding of literary criticism, cultural and film studies, and Hispanic linguistics. Faculty expertise includes the study of languages in contact, Spanish dialects, literature from Spain and Latin America, film, indigenous languages of Latin America, and Hispanic sociolinguistics.
Expect to study for five years, both in content courses and in dissertation research and writing. All faculty are recognized experts in their fields and are committed to mentoring doctoral students as they pursue careers as researchers, teachers, and/or consultants in a variety of professional contexts. Interdisciplinary in nature, the Ph.D. in Second Language Studies promotes state-of-the-art research and practice, preparing future academics and professionals for the realities of a multicultural and multilingual society.
Program Details
Learn about the application process and sources of financial support. Meet our current Ph.D. students.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 1 (for Spring entry) or February 1 (for Fall entry)
The Department of Modern Languages welcomes student applications with the following materials.
- Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
- Pay the application fee ($60).
- Submit official transcripts.
- International applicants whose first language is not English submit English proficiency exam scores.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Modern Languages to the link provided by the online application.
- Resume: a brief account of your education, work history, previous experience and qualifications for joining the Ph.D. in Second Language Studies.
- Statement of purpose: a 2-page document describing your academic interests and specific reasons for pursuing a Ph.D. in Second Language Studies.
- Writing sample: a polished publishable-quality sample (of about 8,000 words) of your best academic work from the M.A. If you do not have a writing sample of this length, we accept two scholarly papers totaling 20-25 pages of writing.
- Three letters of recommendation: provide contact information for three recommenders
Admission to Applied Linguistics emphasis requires master’s degree in one of the following: Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, English Language, ESL, Foreign Language, Spanish, or a related field. Applicants to the emphasis in Applied Linguistics should have graduate-level coursework in Linguistics.
- For international students: TOEFL ibt score = 79 –or- IELTS = 6.0 (waived for students with M.A. from an approved English-speaking institution)
- Undergraduate GPA: above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Master’s GPA: recommended above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Admission to Spanish emphasis requires master’s degree in Spanish or a related field.
- For international applicants: TOEFL score of 79 or IELTS of 6.00 (some countries may be exempt from TOEFL examinations)
- Undergraduate GPA: 3.0 and above on a 4.0 scale
- Master’s GPA: above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Competitive assistantships may be available for those who can teach one of the 11 languages offered by the Department of Modern Languages. Scholarships are awarded for applicants who start in the fall. Very few funding opportunities are available for spring entrants.
Additional assistance may be available from other entities on campus, depending on the student’s expertise.
Teaching assistantships may be supplemented by honors and minority fellowships. Summer support is also available through the Summer Graduate Research Assistantship Program. Please see the Graduate School’s financial aid page.
| Name | Degree Emphasis? | ||
| yza | Ph.D. Graduate Assistant | Second Language Studies | mbcayli@go.olemiss.edu |
| Duan, Shanshan | Ph.D. Graduate Assistant | Second Language Studies | sduan@olemiss.edu |
| Anthony, Horeb | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | French | hmantho1@olemiss.edu |
| Díaz Mederos, Dayni | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | Spanish | ddiazme@olemiss.edu |
| Henen, David | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | German | dhenen@olemiss.edu |
| Netto, Marcella | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | Portuguese | mcascion@olemiss.edu |
| Pate, Velsie | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | Intensive English | vdpate@olemiss.edu |
| Pelayo Pena, Maiyojanna | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | Spanish | mspelayo@olemiss.edu |
| Rychkova, Iuliia | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | Russian | irychkov@olemiss.edu |
| Zhang, Tian (Abner) | Ph.D. Graduate Instructor | Chinese Flagship | tzhang2@olemiss.edu |
| Albugami, Musha'al | Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics | Second Language Studies | malbugam@go.olemiss.edu |
| Kehinde, Temidayo | Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics | Second Language Studies | tokehind@go.olemiss.edu |
| Yi, Meixing (Melissa) | Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics | Second Language Studies | myi@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alamry, Ali Hasan | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | ahalamry@go.olemiss.edu |
| Albishi, Dhafer | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | dalbishi@go.olemiss.edu |
| Aldawsari, Abdullah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | amaldaws@go.olemiss.edu |
| Aldawsari, Bader | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | baldawsa@go.olemiss.edu |
| Aldosari, Tareq | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | taldosar@go.olemiss.edu |
| Aldossari, Sarah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | saldossa@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alhasoon, Lamia | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | laalhass@go.olemiss.edu |
| Aljohani, Sumayah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | sdaljoha@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alkoly, Bassam | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | balkholy@olemiss.edu |
| Almalki, Mansour | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | msalmalk@go.olemiss.edu |
| Almasarir, Munif | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | malmasar@go.olemiss.edu |
| Almehmadi, Sami | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | salmehma@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alqahtani, Abdullah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | aalqahta@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alqahtani, Asmahan | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | agalqaht@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alquayb, Arwa | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | amalquay@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alrojaiee, Muhammed | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | maalroja@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alruwaili, Yasmeen Ismail | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | yalruwai@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alshahrani, Ala | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | amalshah@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alshamrani, Ahmed | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | aalshamr@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alsindy, Arwa | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | aalsindy@go.olemiss.edu |
| Altamimi, Salman | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | saaltami@go.olemiss.edu |
| Altayari, Ohuood | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | oaltayar@go.olemiss.edu |
| Alzahrani, Khadija | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | kaalzahr@go.olemiss.edu |
| Assiry, Muhammad | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | maassiry@go.olemiss.edu |
| Bajunid, Abdulrahman | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | aabajuni@go.olemiss.edu |
| Balbaid, Abdullah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | aabalbai@go.olemiss.edu |
| Blount, Corey | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | corey@olemiss.edu |
| Dulli, Samah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | smdulli@go.olemiss.edu |
| Gipson, Charles | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | cegipson@olemiss.edu |
| Hamuh, Emad | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | ehamuh@go.olemiss.edu |
| Hao, Rongrong | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | rhao@olemiss.edu |
| Loy, Neema | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | nloy@olemiss.edu |
| Recinos, Claudia | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | cgrecino@go.olemiss.edu |
| Rodríguez, Anabell | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | barodrig@go.olemiss.edu |
| Russell, Micah | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | mrussel2@go.olemiss.edu |
| Rutland, Rosalynn | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | rrutland@go.olemiss.edu |
| Smith, Kurt | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | kwsmith1@olemiss.edu |
| Vásquez, Nelson | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | nivasque@go.olemiss.edu |
| Welling, Lauren | Ph.D. in Second Language Studies | Second Language Studies | lwelling@go.olemiss.edu |
Welcome to the Ph.D. in Second Language Studies
The Applied Linguistics emphasis and the Spanish emphasis offer opportunities for research and careers involving languages. In Applied Linguistics, you’ll get the tools to identify and participate in real-world debates in language teaching and learning, multilingualism, perceptions and attitudes about language, and other issues of communication. In Spanish, you can study the structure of the Spanish language, the cultures, histories, language contact, and/or social issues of Spanish communities around the world. Look through our classes, our faculty, and the activities that make this Ph.D. program unique and helpful for whatever you want to achieve. Envision all the possibilities for enrichment and advancement! We’d love to get you started toward your bright future.
Dr. Felice Coles, Dr. Michael Raines
Graduate Program Coordinators
M.A. in Modern Languages
The Master of Arts in Modern Languages challenges students to achieve high-proficiency communicative skills, analytical linguistic expertise, and an extensive cultural knowledge. The degree offers the following emphases:
- Applied Linguistics and TESOL
- Languages with a specialization in French, German, or Spanish
- Linguistics
Our small class sizes, engaging academic seminars, and one-on-one professorial contact create a close-knit community among graduate students and faculty. Students develop their analytical thinking skills, scholarship, and abilities to succeed in rewarding careers or to enter a doctoral program.
M.A. Program Details
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1 (for fall entry) or October 1 (for spring entry)
The Department of Modern Languages welcomes student applications with the following materials. Additional details are found on the department website.
- Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
- Pay the application fee ($50).
- Submit official transcripts.
- International applicants whose first language is not English may be required to submit scores from an acceptable English language proficiency test.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Modern Languages to the link provided by the online application.
- Statement of purpose. If applicable, preferably in the target language (French, German, Spanish)
- Resume or CV.
- Three letters of recommendation: provide contact information for three recommenders
To be accepted to the M.A. in Modern Languages with a Languages emphasis requires either
- 30 credit hours of course work in the student’s specialization (French, German, or Spanish);
- or, 30 credit hours in two or three languages, ancient or modern, provided at least 18 credit hours are in the major language to be studied.
First-year language courses in any language and second-year language courses in the student’s major language do not satisfy this prerequisite.
To be accepted to the Applied Linguistics and TESOL emphasis requires either
- 30 hours of course work in English, linguistics, or a foreign language;
- or, a total of 30 hours in any combination of he above, provided at least 18 hours are in one of these fields
To be accepted to the Linguistics emphasis requires either
- 30 hours of course work in English, linguistics, or a foreign language;
- or, a total of 30 hours in any combination of the above, provided at least 18 hours are in linguistics
To be accepted to the Certificate of TESOL requires all requirements for admission to the M.A. except
- no required coursework in English, linguistics, or a foreign language;
- two letters of recommendation instead of three
The Department of Modern Languages offers both Graduate Research Assistantships and Graduate Instructorships.
AssistantshipAll applicants to the M.A. program are considered for an assistantship; there is no separate application for this funding. Applicants are considered only after they have been admitted. International students need to apply the earliest in order to complete the application in time to be considered while funds are still available. Visa requirements may take months as well.
Department assistantships provide a stipend of $10,550 per year, a stipend that covers some or all of the tuition and non-residency fee, if applicable, for regular semesters, and subsidized health insurance.
Instructorship
Students take an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in the first semester of the program. In order to qualify as a Graduate Instructor, the student must score Advanced-Low. A student who scores below Advanced-Low should spend the second semester of the program on a departmentally-approved study abroad program and must re-take the OPI while abroad or upon return in order to be considered for a Graduate Instructorship. Students who are funded as Graduate Assistants and are not native speakers of the language of study may use the assistantship to fund the semester abroad. A student who fails to score Advanced-Low on the second OPI will only be allowed to teach at the discretion of the Director of Basic Language.
Graduate School
The Graduate School’s financial aid webpage lists a variety of funding possibilities, including summer support and a recruiting fellowship program that promotes academic excellence and access to graduate education to groups who are historically underrepresented.
Wofford Reynolds Price and Opal Read Price Fellowship in Modern Languages
Eligibility:
- Full-time student
- Master’s student in the Department of Modern Languages in the languages emphasis (French, German, or Spanish specialization)
- US and Mississippi resident
- Financial Need (FAFSA required)
Application process:
- Recipients are chosen each year from among applicants to the Master’s in Modern Languages program (French, German, Linguistics/TESOL, or Spanish) by Graduate Program Coordinators in consultation with the department chair
About Wofford Reynolds Price & Opal Read Price:
Wofford Reynolds Price (1921-1998), a Winston County native, West Point Academy graduate, and WWII veteran, he earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in physics from the University of Mississippi. Having received a Bronze Star for his army service, he retired after 20 years in the reserves with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He taught physics at the University of Mississippi after the war for five years and subsequently enjoyed a long career with Hughes Aircraft in California before he and his wife returned to Jasper County.
Opal Read Price (1923-2017), a native of Jasper County, Mississippi, earned both her BA (1949) and MA in English and Literature (1950) from the University of Mississippi. She taught in the English Department at the University of Mississippi for five years and later in the California School Systems for 35 years until she retired.
In addition to the course requirements specific to each area of emphasis, students must maintain at least a B average in their course work or be subjected to probation and/or expulsion from the program. Beginning French, German, and Spanish graduate students are required to meet the oral proficiency standards in their language.
Applied Linguistics and TESOL Emphasis
Languages Emphasis - French Specialization
Languages Emphasis - German Specialization
Languages Emphasis - Spanish Specialization
Linguistics Emphasis
The department created a document to summarize the M.A. Thesis Procedures or you can refer to the Graduate Handbook.
The following master's thesis projects are available through the university's E-Grove.
- Charlie Winnick, M.A. in Modern Languages, emphasis in Languages (French) ‘19. A Case Study of the Relationship between Student Motivation Type, Performance, and Task- Based Instruction in a Second Language Classroom
- Marcella Cascione Cerqueira Netto. M.A. in Modern Languages, emphasis in Linguistics ’19. A Corpus-Based Study on the Portuguese Translations of English Adversative Coordinating Conjunctions and Adverbs in News Texts
- Margaree Gabrielle Obioha. M.A. in Modern Languages, emphasis in Languages (Spanish) ‘22. Memoria, Historia y El Feminismo Decolonial: Un Análisis de la Poesía de Cristina Rodríguez Cabral y Otras Poetas Afrolatinas
- Holly Sallah. M.A. in Modern Languages, emphasis in Applied Linguistics and TESOL ‘22. Metaphors in Language Learning and Teaching: Discovering the Underlying Factors Affecting Demotivation in Anglophone Learners of Modern Foreign Languages
- Chien-Hui Hsu. M.A. in Modern Languages, emphasis Applied Linguistics and TESOL ‘24. Crosscultural Backchannelling Responses Among Second Language Learners
- Elizabeth Clauss. M.A. in Modern Languages, emphasis in Languages (French) ’24. How French-Produced and North American-Produced French Textbooks Differ in the Teaching of French and Francophone Culture
| Name | |||
| Alayande, Olaitan | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | oaalayan@go.olemiss.edu |
| Ali Zai, Zarmeen | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Intensive English | zalizai@go.olemiss.edu |
| Awuni, Sawel | M.A. Graduate Assistant | French | sawuni@go.olemiss.edu |
| Chavarria, Estefany | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Spanish | eachavar@go.olemiss.edu |
| Dardeer, Riham | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Linguistics | rfdardee@go.olemiss.edu |
| Hibbard, Jacqueline | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | jwhibbar@go.olemiss.edu |
| Hsu, Chienhui | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Chinese | chsu3@go.olemiss.edu |
| Ikeda, Hana | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | hikeda@go.olemiss.edu |
| Kim, Aram | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | akim4@go.olemiss.edu |
| Lutanjuka, Philimon | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | pdlutanj@go.olemiss.edu |
| Machida, Kana | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | kmachida@go.olemiss.edu |
| Obey, Said | M.A. Graduate Assistant | French | sobey@go.olemiss.edu |
| Ogbokwese, Sylvester | M.A. Graduate Assistant | French | seogbokw@go.olemiss.edu |
| Okogie, Samuel | M.A. Graduate Assistant | French | sookogie@go.olemiss.edu |
| Ponomareva, Olga | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Applied Linguistics | oponomar@go.olemiss.edu |
| Traylor, Kaitlyn | M.A. Graduate Assistant | Intensive English | kntraylo@go.olemiss.edu |
| Clauss, Elizabeth | M.A. Graduate Instructor | French | ebclauss@olemiss.edu |
| Matsumoto, Asahi | M.A. Graduate Instructor | Japanese | amatsum1@go.olemiss.edu |
| Murakami, Akiko | M.A. Graduate Instructor | Japanese | amuraka1@go.olemiss.edu |
| Ulomy, Carolyne | M.A. Graduate Instructor | Swahili | csulomy@go.olemiss.edu |
| Mahmood, Yasmine | M.A. Graduate Student | Applied Linguistics | ymahmood@go.olemiss.edu |
| Namorato, Rachel | M.A. Graduate Student | Linguistics | rrogers7@go.olemiss.edu |
| Azhdari, Sohrab | M.A. in Applied Linguistics | Applied Linguistics | sazhdari@go.olemiss.edu |
| Qanaze, Diana | M.A. In Modern Languages | Linguistics | diqanaze@go.olemiss.edu |
Welcome to the M.A. in Modern Languages
As a graduate student, you will learn in a dynamic environment in which you will be challenged to achieve high-proficiency communicative skills, analytical linguistic expertise, and wide-ranging cultural knowledge. In addition to a diverse selection of stimulating classes, our program provides you with the opportunity to work in a close-knit community of faculty and graduate students in engaging activities such as lectures, teaching workshops, student-led colloquia, culture-sharing events, community outreach initiatives, and more. We look forward to having you join us and working with you to identify and achieve your professional goals.
Dr. Maria Fionda, Dr. Sara Wellman
Graduate Program Coordinators
Additional Graduate Programs
Students who elect to get their certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) learn best practices in the teaching of English as a scond language. This graduate certificate program is designed for students seeking add-on endorsements to their current teaching certifications, for students seeking to teach English overseas, and for students preparing for graduate training in TESOL, applied linguistics, or a related field.
Current and future licensed Mississippi teachers may enroll in TESOL program coursework for an add-on ESL Endorsement.
Required Courses
The required courses for the ESL Endorsement are:
- LIN 350/IE 542: Methods of Teaching ESL (IE 542 is soon to be LIN 542)
- LIN 510: Advanced English Grammar
- LIN 551: Assessment in SLA
- LIN 572: Cultural Dimensions of Lang Education
All ESL Endorsement courses are offered online and on-campus. ESL Endorsement is not itself a graduate degree.
Admission Requirements
A) Students applying for ESL Endorsement should submit the following materials online to the Graduate School:
- A completed graduate school application for admission
- One official transcript from each university/college attended
- A $50 application fee
- International students must also submit their official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores (a minimum score of 80 for the internet-based test is preferred)
- Students should apply as a non-degree seeking student
B) International Students: Submit a financial statement which certifies funds for educational and living expenses to the International Programs Office.
C) Endorsement Application: Once students are admitted to the graduate school as non-degree seeking students, they may enroll in the required coursework. After they have completed the required coursework, students must contact Dr. Whitney Webb to apply for the ESL Endorsement.
Only students already accepted for graduate study at the University of Mississippi by their home departments are eligible for the graduate minor. See more details in the catalog.