Ph.D. in Second Language Studies
Study how humans acquire and use language while you train to be a future academic or career professional in the field.
About this Program
The Department of Modern Languages in the College of Liberal Arts offers the Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition with 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, historical linguistics, language obsolescence, language pedagogy, language variation, second language phonology, anthropological linguistics, 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 Hispanic linguistics, literary criticism, and cultural and film studies. Faculty expertise includes the study of languages in contact, literature from Spain and Latin America, film, indigenous languages of Latin America, and Hispanic sociolinguistics.
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Program Information
Program Type
Doctorate Program
Area of Study
International Affairs and Languages
School
Degree
Ph.D. in Second Language Studies
Program Location
Emphases
Applied Linguistics, Spanish
Required Credit Hours
54
Program Details
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. 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 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
Students in the Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition with an emphasis in Applied Linguistics complete 54 credit hours beyond the Bachelor's degree. Of these, at least 30 hours must consist of formal, nonremedial course work, and at least 18 hours must consist of dissertation credits.
A maximum of 9 hours of course work from the student's M.A. degree may count toward the Ph.D. requirement with department approval. Students must have completed a minimum of 18 hours of graduate work in continuous residence.
The Applied Linguistics emphasis has a required core including
- Lin 600 An introduction to linguistics
- Lin 651 Second language acquisition
- Two core theoretical courses: Lin 603 Phonology, Lin 604 Morphology, Lin 605 Syntax, or Lin 606 Pragmatics
- One additional applied linguistics course: Lin 610 Sociolinguistics, Lin 672 Linguistic Anthropology, Lin 655 Advanced Methods, or Lin 670 Critical Issues
- Lin 690 or 691 Research Methods
- Lin 701 Pro-Seminar
- Lin 721 Capstone
- Linguistics electives pertaining to the student’s interests
Students may select an optional subfield (6-12 hours), subject to departmental approval.
Reading proficiency in other languages: Before advancing to comprehensive exams, students must demonstrate reading proficiency in two languages other than English through advanced course work or an agreed-upon assessment.
Comprehensive exams: A student will take a two-part comprehensive exam after they have completed all core course requirements, submitted a term paper from a graduate class, and met the language proficiency requirement. Part 2 is a prospectus based on the student's intended dissertation.
Dissertation: The candidate is required to complete and defend a book-length research project that makes an original and significant contribution to the field.
Students enrolled in the M.A. in Second Language Acquisition with an emphasis in Spanish complete 54 credit hours of study beyond the Bachelor's degree. Of these, at least 30 hours must consist of formal, nonremedial course work, and at least 18 hours must consist of dissertation credits. A maximum of 9 hours of course work from the student's M.A. degree may count toward the Ph.D. requirement with the approval of the student's advisory committee. Students must have completed a minimum of 18 hours of graduate work in continuous residence.
The Spanish emphasis requires
- Two core courses: one literature and one linguistics
- Lin/Span 600 Introduction to linguistics
- Lin/Span 701 Pro-Seminar
- Lin 651 Instructed SLA
- Lin/Span 721 Capstone
- Spanish electives pertaining to the student’s interests
Students may select an optional subfield (6-12 hours), subject to departmental approval.
Reading proficiency in a language other than Spanish and English: Before advancing to comprehensive exams, students must demonstrate reading proficiency in a language other than Spanish or English through advanced coursework or an agreed-upon assessment.
Comprehensive exams: A student will take a two-part comprehensive exam after they have completed all core course requirements, submitted a term paper from a graduate class, and met the language proficiency requirement. Part 2 is a prospectus based on the student's intended dissertation.
Dissertation: The candidate is required to complete and defend a book-length research project that makes an original and significant contribution to the field.
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.
We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about the Ph.D. Second Language Studies, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Felice A Coles
Professor of Modern Languages
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