phd linguistics funding

Ph.D. Programs

The Department of Linguistics offers four concentrations leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Linguistics (see list below). No matter the concentration, our faculty work closely with students, guiding their research and supporting their passions.

• Applied Linguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Theoretical Linguistics

Applicants to the Ph.D. program are encouraged to identify prospective research advisors, at least one of whom should be in the concentration to which they apply.

After entering the program, Ph.D. students may elect to add a minor in a second one of these concentrations [new policy effective Spring 2023].

An interdisciplinary (second) concentration in Cognitive Science is also available to Ph.D. students.

Master’s in Passing

If, in their course of the Ph.D. program, a doctoral student meets all of the requirements of a M.S. degree in Linguistics, he or she may apply to receive a “Master’s in Passing.” Please consult section IV.D.3 of the Graduate School Bulletin for full details about the “in passing” or “terminal” Master’s degree.

The Department provides full financial support to all graduate students.  Funding packages include tuition, fees, health insurance, and a salary or stipend. Funding packages normally involve a combination of fellowship money (i.e. a stipend) and teaching assistantships.  

Funding can take a variety of forms, both internal and extramural, including:

• multi-year university fellowships (available only at admission, by departmental nomination)
• multi-year external US government fellowships (e.g. NSF). Domestic applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for these when applying to graduate school.
• FLAS (Foreign Language Area Studies) fellowships, to support students studying a particular language
• other specialized external grants
• dissertation year fellowships (external and internal)
• departmental stipends for the academic year and/or summer research
• support for organzing or traveling to conferences
• Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) positions in Linguistics or other departments (normally for continuing students only)
• Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions in Linguistics or other departments (normally for continuing students only)

The typical funding package is a 5-year combination of fellowship support and teaching, which many students augment with 6th year dissertation fellowships; this combination provides students both with the opportunity to do fulltime coursework and research and with the opportunity to gain teaching experience.

The  Graduate Division fellowships website  has a helpful and comprehensive list of fellowships and other funding opportunities available to new and continuing graduate students.

All domestic students applying for any kind of university fellowships, departmental awards or financial aid must submit the  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , usually due at the beginning of March.

Funding and Aid

PhD students who matriculate in Summer 2020 and after will be guaranteed to have funding support from the University of Chicago, external sources, or a combination of the two for the duration of their program to include the following:

● Full tuition coverage ● Annual stipend ● Fully paid individual annual health insurance premiums

The goal of the University’s commitment to ensuring that students are supported is to allow students to prioritize their studies and prepare for rewarding careers. Funding is contingent on remaining in good academic standing and making progress toward completing degree requirements.

Students in the Division of the Humanities who entered their PhD program in Summer 2016 or later, and who are still enrolled in 2022-2023 will be fully incorporated into this new funding model, and will receive at least the guaranteed stipend level (subject to applicable taxes), full tuition coverage, and fully paid health insurance premiums for the duration of their program, as long as they remain in good academic standing.

Students who matriculated before Summer 2016 will receive at least the funding they were offered at the time of admission and may be eligible for additional funding, such as dissertation completion fellowships. Over the past several years, the Division of the Humanities has increased investments in funding to support students in degree completion.

Additional fellowships and awards are available to support language study, conference travel, and research travel. 

Research and Dissertation Funds

University of chicago internal fellowships and grants.

The following are internal fellowships that students may apply for. Additional information is available at the  Division of the Humanities’ website .

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships

Foreign Language and Area Studies  fellowships are for Ph.D. students in their first five years or two-year M.A. students in their second year who must study certain languages for their programs. In 2024-2025, the University will be accepting applications for languages in two world areas: Middle East and East Asia. The FLAS program provides funding for study on campus during the academic year and on campus or elsewhere (domestic or abroad) during the summer.

Humanities CMES, MAPH TLO, and doctoral students who will register for qualifying language courses in the year of the fellowship are strongly encouraged to apply for an Academic Year FLAS. Master's students receive a $20,000 stipend, tuition aid (amount dependent on their program), and student services fee coverage. PhD students receive a $5000 stipend supplement.

Summer award benefits for all students: $2,500 stipend and up to $5,000 in tuition for the applicant's language program of choice.

Applications  are available on the  UChicagoGRAD website Questions?  Contact  Maggie Kurkoski  (UChicago GRAD) at  [email protected] 

For more information, please review the  UChicagoGRAD FLAS website . 

The following internal fellowships require nomination by the department.

Hanna Holborn Gray Fellowship

The Division of the Humanities is able to award two Hanna Holborn Gray Dissertation Completion Fellowships during the 2024-25 academic year to a rising 6th year or 7th year doctoral student who is sufficiently advanced in the writing of their dissertation that they are expected to complete the dissertation during the time they hold the award. This fellowship recognizes the student’s academic achievement and will enable the student to devote full attention and effort towards completing the dissertation.

Students who have applied for other Divisional Dissertation Completion Fellowships will be considered for this award, which will provide a stipend (generally higher than the minimum stipend available), tuition, the required student services fee, and University student health insurance premium. The terms of the fellowship prohibit students from engaging in any remunerative activity during the period of the fellowship. The sole exception to this prohibition to this rule is that fellows may undertake a modest teaching assignment in spring quarter if it is in fulfillment of their pedagogical training plan per the student teaching policy, and when it is clear from the fellow’s progress on the dissertation that teaching will not delay completion of the degree. Requests to undertake a teaching assignment must be made in writing to the Dean of Students, and are subject to departmental approval as all teaching must be in fulfillment of the pedagogical training plan. 

As with our other Divisional Dissertation Completion Fellowships, the student who holds a Hanna Holborn Gray Fellowship in 2024-25 must graduate in Summer 2025 or before. If they do not defend, complete the dissertation, and graduate during the fellowship year, they will be withdrawn from their program at the end of the summer quarter.

Franke Residential Dissertation Completion Fellowships

Each year the Franke Institute for the Humanities awards approximately four Residential Dissertation Completion Fellowships. There is no separate application for a Franke Residential DCF, but to be considered for these fellowships students must commit to being in residence during the fellowship year, and attend meetings with other Franke fellows. These fellowships differ from other DCFs in a number of ways, and include enhanced support and participation in various activities at the Institute .  

Humanities Division Dissertation Completion Fellowships

The Division of the Humanities is able to award approximately 24 Dissertation Completion Fellowships to doctoral students who are sufficiently advanced in the writing of their dissertation that they are expected to complete the dissertation during the time they hold the award. These fellowships recognize the student’s academic achievements, and enable the student to devote full attention and effort towards completing the dissertation.

Fellowships will provide tuition, the required student services fee, University student health insurance, and a stipend. For students under the new funding model, fellowships will include a financial bonus. The terms of the fellowship prohibit students from engaging in any remunerative activity during the period of the fellowship. The sole exception to this prohibition to this rule is that fellows may undertake a modest teaching assignment in spring quarter if it is in fulfillment of their pedagogical training plan per the student teaching policy, and when it is clear from the fellow’s progress on the dissertation that teaching will not delay completion of the degree. Requests to undertake a teaching assignment must be made in writing to the Dean of Students, and are subject to departmental approval as all teaching must be in fulfillment of the pedagogical training plan.

Please Note: Students who hold a Dissertation Completion Fellowship in 2024-2025 must graduate by or before Summer 2025. Students who do not defend, complete the dissertation, and graduate during the fellowship year will be withdrawn from their program at the end of the Summer 2025 quarter.

Eligibility for all 2024-2025 Dissertation Completion Fellowships: Some fellowships may only be held by students up to and including the sixth year in their program; others may only be held by students up to and including the seventh year; the few other fellowships may be held by students up to and including the eighth year of their program. If there are questions about your registration year, please contact [email protected].

The following terms and conditions apply for all dissertation completion fellowships: 1. Without exception, students must be admitted to candidacy before they can apply for these fellowships.  2. Students who have held or currently hold any dissertation completion fellowship (whatever the title of the fellowship: dissertation write-up, completion, etc.) from any internal or external sources are not eligible for consideration. 3. Students pursuing a joint degree program should submit the DCF application through their home department only. 4. Students must defend, complete the dissertation, and graduate in Summer 2025 or before. If this does not occur, the student will be withdrawn at the end of the Summer 2025 quarter.

Departmental Application Deadlines A student’s home department must nominate them for this competition. Students must adhere to their departmental deadlines for application submission.

Application Materials

Each student must complete the online application, which includes submitting the following documents: 1. The timeline for completion of dissertation writing and defense, with the student and the dissertation committee attesting to the feasibility of granting of the degree by Summer 2025. 2. Statement of purpose (3-5 pages single-spaced), describing the dissertation project. The narrative statement should include a work plan. The statement should discuss the significance of this work within the student’s specific and general fields and the contribution this project will make to the field(s) with which it engages.  Please remember that the fellowship review committee will include faculty members from across the Division and thus the candidate must explain terms and contexts that might not be familiar to those outside the field or subfield. 3. A curriculum vitae (C.V.). 4. A copy of one approved chapter of the nominee's dissertation for reference by the fellowship review committee. 5. Letters from two members of the student’s dissertation committee, attesting to the quality of the work and also to the ability of the student to complete and defend the dissertation in the Summer 2024 quarter or before.  These letters should be uploaded by the faculty member.

Department chairs who are nominating students for DCFs, will provide a brief summary of the nominated students as well as a ranked order of the nominees. This should be emailed to [email protected].

Please note that at this time, students who hold a  Divisional  Dissertation Completion Fellowship in year 6 and complete their program in that year and who apply to the Teaching Fellows in Humanities (TFH) application process will be selected to receive a TFH position the following year.

Linguistics Department Funds

The following are funds internal to the Linguistics Department that graduate students can apply for.

Research fund in honor of Rella Cohn:

The Department of Linguistics offers an annual fund for graduate student research, made available thanks to a generous endowment from the family of  Rella I. Cohn.  This fund provides financial support for a small number of graduate student research projects annually.  Funds may be used to support any aspects of student research, including (but not limited to) fieldwork expenses, research-related travel, and payment of conference registration fees.  We will consider requests for reimbursement of past conference travel, or travel to a future conference to which the student has been accepted; we cannot consider requests for travel to conferences if the student has not yet been accepted to present at the conference.

Applications for Rella Cohn funds will be accepted  every quarter (including the summer) in order to fund future activities (typically carried out on the following quarter). Application materials include a one-paragraph description of the project, an itemized budget (including discussion of what you could do with partial funding), a current CV, and a list of current and pending support for this project.

Rella Cohn received her Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Chicago in 1995, with a dissertation on Yiddish names. This work, published in 2008 as Yiddish Given Names: A Lexicon by Scarecrow Press, provides both a linguistic history of Yiddish first names and insights into the structure and history of Yiddish more generally.

Graduate Research Aid Initiative in Linguistics (GRAIL): The Department of Linguistics offers GRAIL funds for graduate student research, including attendance at workshops, conferences, summer schools and training, funds needed for fieldwork, lab work, access to collections or archives, etc. In years when the LSA Linguistics Summer Institute is held, we give priority to funding students to attend the Institute. Applications for GRAIL funds will be accepted  every quarter (including the summer) , in order to fund future activities (typically carried out on the following quarter). Application materials include a one-paragraph description of the project, an itemized budget (including discussion of what you could do with partial funding), a current CV, and a list of current and pending support for this project.  

Conference Funding

Dissertation Research Travel Awards  are available for students who have been advanced to candidacy.  Application deadline: rolling  

The Division of the Humanities Conference Reimbursement Grant provides up to $400 in  reimbursement  to doctoral and masters students for eligible travel expenses to present their work at an academic conference.

Eligibility: Doctoral or masters students in the Division of the Humanities who present a conference paper (or, for MFA students, in an exhibition). Doctoral students may receive the grant a maximum of  three  times in their graduate careers, but only once in any given academic year (academic years begin in Summer quarter). Master’s students may receive the grant a maximum of  one  time in their graduate careers.

Eligible expenses:

Airfare (economy or coach only) Train fare (economy or coach only) Bus fare Gas fare (based on mileage) Car rental

All conference grant reimbursements must be supported by adequate documentation, which consists of four parts: receipts, proof of participation (such as a program or letter of invitation), a completed Humanities Conference Grant Application Form, and a completed Student Certification for Business Related Travel Reimbursement.  More detailed instructions, as well as the two forms required, can be found below.

Requests for reimbursement will not be processed until all supporting documentation is received.   All application materials should be submitted electronically to  [email protected] .

Students who receive their reimbursement prior to attending a conference must provide proof of attendance following the conference. This should be submitted to  [email protected] , and may include a final conference program or booklet (scanned copy or link) showing conference participation or schedule of events. Pictures or other documentation may also be accepted.

Should your plans change and you do not attend the conference, any funds received prior to the event will need to be paid back to the Division by check or money order. Please contact [email protected] or reply to this email for instructions should this occur. Failure to return money from this grant is considered theft and is a University policy violation, which would be addressed by Area Discipline per the Student Manual.

The Graduate Council Fund   provides financial support for academic, professional, and social events created by and intended for UChicago graduate students. The fund supports events that foster intellectual, professional, and social engagement across the graduate student community, targeted to both niche and broad audiences.

Funding is not guaranteed. Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) and other organizations can only receive funding for one initiative per academic year. Applicants are encouraged to apply for funding in advance. Applications will be reviewed quarterly as long as funding remains. The Graduate Council Fund will open for applications  Thursday, September 5, 2024.

CLS also offers funds for conference travel. Each grad student is entitled to reimbursements of up to $500 per academic year for conference-related expenses (travel, hotel, registration, etc.). There is no limit on the number of conferences that can make up this $500, but left-over funds from previous years do not roll over into the new academic year. Requests for reimbursements for a given year must be made by the start of the fall quarter of the following year at the latest. Requests for reimbursements made after that will count towards the funds available for the new academic year. For more information, you can contact current CLS officers.

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Department of Linguistics

Ph.d. program.

The main components of the Linguistics Ph.D. program are as follows:

• Course Requirements
• Language Requirement
• Generals Papers
• Dissertation
• Extra Funding Availability

All requirements, including two generals papers, should ideally be completed by the end of the third year, but in no case later than the end of the fourth. The dissertation prospectus is due on October 15 of the fall term of the fourth year. Failure to meet program requirements in a timely fashion may result in termination of candidacy. 

First-year students are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) until they select a major field from the regular departmental faculty. Thereafter, progress toward completion of the Ph.D. requirements continues to be monitored by the DGS, but primary responsibility for overseeing study shifts to the major advisor. Students are free to change their major advisor at any time. By the end of the second year they should also select a co-advisor, who serves as a secondary advisor and faculty mentor.

Harvard Linguistics Graduate Student Handbook

Progress to the Degree (updated 7/1/2015)

A B+ average must be maintained in each year of graduate study. Grades below B- cannot be counted toward departmental requirements; two grades below B- in required courses will result in termination of candidacy. Ordinarily, a grade of Incomplete can only be converted into a letter grade if the work is made up before the end of the following term. No grade of Incomplete can be used to satisfy a departmental requirement.   No two programs of study are alike, but students should typically plan to complete the requirements for the degree according to the timetable below. Departures from this schedule must be approved by the main advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.   Years G1 and G2: Course requirements are satisfied. By the end of the G2 year, the first generals paper should be well underway.   Year G3: Teaching duties begin. The first generals paper should be defended before the end of the fall term, and the second generals paper by the end of the spring term.   Year G4: Teaching duties continue. A thesis prospectus, naming a dissertation committee, is due on October 15 of the fall term; the committee must be chaired or co-chaired by a member of the Department of Linguistics and must include at least two members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Dissertation Completion Fellowship applications are due at midyear.   Year G5: The thesis is completed and defended in the spring.

A.M. Degree  (updated 7/1/2015)

Graduate students who have completed two years of residence, who have fulfilled all the course requirements and language requirements for the Ph.D., and who have successfully defended one Generals paper, are eligible to petition for a Master’s (A.M.) degree.  

Note that there is no master’s program in Linguistics.                     

• Courses 2024-25
• Undergraduate
• Generals Papers (updated 7/1/2015)
• Extra Funding
• Secondary Fields
• Recent Dissertation Titles
• Financial Aid

Course Descriptions

Full course descriptions, fall 2024 courses are subject to change, fall 2024 courses, fall 2024 course schedule, fall 2024 asl course schedule, american sign language (asl) at harvard.

Graduate Program

The curriculum is designed to assure that Ph.D. students receive an adequate grounding in all of the fundamental areas of linguistics, while leaving them the freedom they need to become independent researchers. The first year is devoted to coursework, which gives students a strong foundation and enables them to quickly begin contributing to the research life of the department. Beyond the core, students are relatively free to design their own program of study both within the discipline and across disciplines, within a framework of requirements set by the field and the Graduate School.

This program is organized in consultation with a Special Committee of the student’s own choosing. Committee members represent the student's major and minor subjects. Minors may be chosen from disciplines other than linguistics, so that it is possible, for example, for a Ph.D. student to major in General Linguistics and minor in such areas as Computer Science, Latin American Studies or Cognitive Science. The Special Committee system makes the Ph.D. program maximally flexible and allows students to avail themselves of the entire university's resources. 

Note on M.A. Program:

We do not offer a Master's program. The exception is through the Employee Degree Program (a benefit for Cornell employees). Contact Shai Wiesel, our Graduate Field Assistant, for more information ( [email protected]  or 607-255-1105)

ADMISSIONS REVIEW CONSIDERING COVID-19 DISRUPTIONS

APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 15 (of each year - fall admission only)

Application Requirements

Applicants must have a B.A., B.S. or M.A. degree.

Submitted online:

• Online application found at www.gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions
• Academic statement of purpose
• Personal statement
• One research paper as a writing sample
• Three letters of recommendation
• Application fee: $105
• TOEFL or ILETS scores also required.  For exact details of how to satisfy the English Language Proficiency, please see   https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/prepare/english-language-proficiency-requirement/ .

*The GRE is not required for admission to the Field of Linguistics.

All materials must be uploaded to CollegeNet (see application link above). No hard copy application materials are accepted.

Requests for further information should be addressed to Shai Wiesel: E-mail : [email protected] Phone : (607) 255-1105 Notification of Application Status: If any material is missing from your application, you will be notified by email.  Check the status of your application and select "review your activity".

Application and Admission Timeline

December 15 – All application materials are due.

Early February - Applicants are informed of admissions decisions and financial awards by this time. 

April 15 – Admitted students are required to accept or decline their offers by this date.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions 

- What are the strengths of your program? At Cornell, linguistic theory is applied to a broad range of linguistic evidence and tools, augmenting traditional linguistic intuitions. These include experimental/instrumental approaches, corpora, computational methods, and language documentation.

- What are the research interests and theoretical orientation of your faculty? Take a look at our  faculty webpages ! Our faculty cover a wide range of interests within the field of linguistics.

- How long does it take to complete the Ph.D. in Linguistics? Most students take five years. Finishing in this amount of time is contingent on timely completion of the required coursework and the A-exam.

- Can I do a Master's in Linguistics at Cornell University? No. Our program is designed to train students for the Ph.D.

- Can I start the program in the Winter or Spring semester? No. Our program's coursework is designed to start in the fall semester.

- What kinds of jobs do students who receive the Ph.D. in Linguistics have? Our students are successful in obtaining various academic and non-academic positions . See our " MA/PhD Alumni " page for information on the placement of our Ph.D graduates.

- What if I cannot afford the application fee? Please refer to this information from the Cornell University Graduate School: Application fee waivers: Check fee waiver eligibility requirements online before applying . If you are eligible, you can find a link to our fee waiver request form on the payment page of the online application form. You must submit your application and the fee waiver request at the same time. We review fee waiver requests every business day.

- What are the tuition costs? The tuition cost set for the 2023-24 academic year is $24,800. More detailed information on tuition & stipend rates and other fees (student activity fee and health insurance).

- What financial aid is available? Are international students eligible for financial aid? Two types of financial support are available through Cornell: merit-based (fellowships, assistantships, and tuition awards) and need-based (loans). Please visit our " Financial Support " section below for more information. Unless you choose otherwise, students are considered for merit-based aid, regardless of citizenship, as part of the admissions process—no special application is required. Applicants are notified of merit-based awards at the same time admissions offers are made. You must notify the Graduate School by April 15 if you plan to accept the offer.

- What does the admissions committee look for when reviewing applications? Simply stated, we are looking for talented students who are a good match for our program.

- How many students are accepted to the program per admission cycle? Our target class size is six. 

- What do my GRE scores and GPA have to be? We do not set specific minimums for GRE scores and GPA. GREs and GPA are only one consideration in evaluating applications for admission.

- Who should my letters of recommendation come from? Generally, academic references are from professors you have worked with during your undergraduate or master’s program. If you are not coming straight out of an academic program, these may also include references from your employers. Simply put, we are looking for letters from people who know both the applicant and our program and can tell us that the applicant will do well in our program.

- What should I include in my statement of purpose? A statement of purpose should be a well-written statement (of about 2 pages in length) that tells us why you have chosen to pursue linguistics as a field of study and why you have chosen to apply to Cornell. It should include your reasons for undertaking graduate work and an explanation of your academic interests, including their relation to your undergraduate study and professional goals. If possible, include the names of the Cornell faculty members whose research seems to match your own interests, and briefly discuss the connections you see. Also describe your relevant research experience, and note any publications you have authored or co-authored

Ph.D. Requirements

Progress towards the degree is attained by

Completing the core course requirements

Passing the Qualifying Exam (Q Exam), results reported to Field

Passing the Admission to Candidacy Exam (A Exam), results reported to Grad School

Defending the prospectus (P Exam), results reported to Field

Completing and defending dissertation (B Exam), results reported to Grad School

Brief Ph.D Progress Checklist (For details on the requirements, see below.)

• Make significant inroads on completing the core courses.
• Have at least two meetings (one per semester) with your Advisory Committee.
• Apply for an NSF or other national fellowship in the Fall semester, if eligible (usually only US citizens and resident aliens are eligible).
• Summer funding is contingent on filing a summer academic plan with the Graduate School describing anticipated summer academic activities and outcomes. This is due May 1st and required every subsequent year for funding.
• Select a chair and a Special Committee for your Q Paper by September 1st.
• Submit a Q Paper proposal to your Special Committee by December 1st.
• Continue taking core courses and seminars.
• Complete any ancillary skills courses your committee requires (if any).
• Take Research Workshop (LING 6603) in Spring.
• Summer funding for the second summer will be contingent on having attempted the Q Exam by this deadline. To qualify for summer funding at the end of the fourth semester, it is essential that you schedule your Q Exam no later than May 1st, and that the date of the exam be no later than May 14th unless approved by the DGS.
• File academic plan with Graduate School describing anticipated summer academic activities and outcomes (due May 1st, required for summer funding).
• Select a Special Committee for your A Paper by September 1st.
• Register for Directed Research in the Fall semester.
• Submit an A Paper proposal to your Special Committee by December 1st.
• Take Research Workshop (LING 6604) in Spring semester.
• Take seminars to further research goals.
• Schedule A Exam.
• Eligibility for 3rd summer funding is contingent on passing A Exam or filing a scheduling form by May 1st indicating an intention to take the exam by the start of the 7th semester.
• Select Special Committee for your dissertation by September 1st.
• Write your dissertation proposal (prospectus) and schedule P Exam (defense of prospectus) to be completed by December 15th. Your committee reports results to GFA. All future funding is contingent of completion of the P exam.
• Apply for dissertation year fellowships (usually done in Fall) and other dissertation research funding (such as East/Southeast Asia Program fellowships, NSF, and/or Fulbright).

N.B. The dissertation-year fellowship will be available only to students who attempted their A Exam prior to the seventh semester of enrollment (a requirement of the Code of Legislation), and have passed the A Exam. In addition, students seeking the dissertation-year fellowship must have written and submitted an external fellowship or grant proposal within their first four years of enrollment, to encourage all students to pursue external funding. (In exceptional cases for which there may be no logical external funding organization to which it would be appropriate to write a proposal, the student may write a proposal for an internal Cornell award such as a Graduate School or Einaudi travel grant or may petition for permission to complete an alternative professionalization activity.)

• Apply for jobs, postdocs, etc.
• Finish dissertation.
• Schedule B Exam.
• Take B exam (defense of dissertation).
• Report results.
• File Thesis, using ProQuest and following Graduate School template.

Course Requirements

A. core courses.

To assure that Ph.D. students receive an adequate grounding in all of the fundamental areas of linguistics, the field has defined a set of core requirements in the areas of Syntax, Phonology, Semantics and Historical Linguistics. The general expectation is that all students will take all core courses. If a student requests an exemption on the basis of comparable graduate-level coursework at another institution, this exemption can only be granted after consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and the instructor of the relevant course. Beyond the core courses, Ph.D. students are expected to attend advanced linguistics courses (topics courses and seminars) not only in the areas in which they write their research papers and thesis but in areas that will provide sufficient breadth as advised by the Special Committee.  

Students are required to complete courses equivalent to the following: 

• Historical Linguistics (LING 6314)
• Phonology I and II (LING 6401/6402)
• Syntax I and II  (LING 6403/6404)
• Semantics I (LING 6421)
• Research Workshops (LING 6603/6604): This course provides students with an opportunity to develop an original research paper through a number of revisions, some of which are presented to an audience of fellow students. The final version is presented at a semester-end conference.  Offered both fall and spring.
• At least one course from the following subfields:  computational linguistics, historical linguistics (beyond Ling 6314), morphology, phonetics, semantics and pragmatics.
• Advanced courses: all students are required to take at least four (4) seminars or topics courses for credit. These are courses at the 6600-level or higher. 

B. Ancillary skill sets

In the course of research a student may need to master one or more ancillary skill sets. These might be familiarity with languages of scholarship or training in statistics, logic, field methods or programming. The student, in consultation with his/her committee, is expected to determine which skills need to be acquired and how and when this should be done.

Q- and A-Exams (admission to candidacy):

Admission to candidacy in the field of Linguistics consists of writing two research papers which are evaluated in two exams, the Q-exam and the A-exam.  The Q-exam is taken by the end of the second year, and the A-exam is taken by the end of the third year.  Graduate School regulations require that all doctoral students must take the Examination for Admission to Candidacy before beginning their seventh semester of registration unless special permission is obtained from the Dean.  The format of the Q- and A-exams varies from case to case, depending on the expectations of the Special Committee.  The Field requires that the candidate submit to the committee in advance of the exam a research paper of high quality (see the deadlines above).  The papers for the two exams must be in two distinct subfields, with a distinct Special Committee devoted to each paper.  The Special Committee for each exam will normally ask the candidate to prepare written answers for one to two questions.    

P-Exam (defense of prospectus):

Following successful completion of the A-exam, a Special Committee for the dissertation is selected and the P-exam is undertaken by the fall of the fourth year.    

B-Exam (thesis defense):

The B-Exam is taken after completion of the Ph.D. dissertation.  The B-Exam includes a presentation of the highlights of the dissertation followed by questions from the committee and others in attendance. 

Financial Support

We typically offer guaranteed five-year full financial support to students we admit into the graduate program, regardless of the student's citizenship. Two of those years (SAGE Fellowship: the first-year and the "dissertation year" in which students are not expected to work as a Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant) are through fellowships, and the other three years are through other sources of support, typically teaching assistantships or research assistantships. The five year funding package covers: tuition and fees, student health insurance and a nine-month stipend for living expenses. Funding is contingent on satisfactory academic performance, and beginning with the 2014-15 academic year, the Graduate School has instituted progress requirements for continued funding.

Teaching/Research Assistantships

The studies of all graduate students are funded in part by Teaching Assistantships (TA). In the Department of Linguistics, most Teaching Assistantships involve helping a professor in an undergraduate course; responsibilities may include leading discussion sections, meeting with students, helping grade papers and exams. Every effort is made to match teaching assignments with graduate student interests and to make sure that each Teaching Assistant receives a variety of teaching experiences while at Cornell. Teaching assistants work on average 15 hours per week and do not usually exceed 20 hours in any given week.

A student holding a TA-ship may work total of 20 hours per week as a combination of the TA responsibilities and employment elsewhere, either on- or off-campus.  Students holding a University fellowship, external fellowship, or GRA may also be employed on- or off-campus for no more than 8 hours per week, as long as this does not conflict with the terms of the external funding agreement.

A research assistantship (RA) entails work on a faculty research project not necessarily related to the student's dissertation. RAs work 15 to 20 hours per week. If the research project directly relates to the student's dissertation, then the appointment is a graduate research assistantship, in which case the time spent on research connected with the project is expected to be significant.

The  John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines  allots the Linguistics department TA-ships for our graduate students to teach a First-Year Writing Seminar. This program emphasizes the humanities and social sciences and provides graduate students in all fields the opportunity to lead small undergraduate writing seminars and even to develop their own unique course syllabi. All graduate student instructors of First-Year Writing Seminars are required to take Writing 7100: Teaching Writing, a summer or fall semester one-credit course that provides a thorough pedagogical and experiential grounding in teaching. The department of Linguistics has approved courses that are offered as a writing seminar. If you would like to propose a new writing seminar, you will need to fill out the pre-EPC form.

Students may serve as language instructors for their TA-ship.  These also involve 15-20 hours a week.  Students with appropriate language background who are given such assignments are required to fulfill the respective department's training requirements.

Fellowships

The Graduate Field now requires all graduate students to apply for external funding at some point in their first four years. Students in the field of Linguistics are encouraged to apply for a variety of fellowships such as the National Science Foundation and the Social Science Research Council Fellowships. Also, the area programs at Cornell (East Asian, Southeast Asia, South Asia and European Studies) offer federally supported Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships to students whose research focuses on any of these areas.

Many of these non-Cornell sourced external fellowships are intended for students who are U.S. citizens or nationals or permanent residents of the United States. Applicants from foreign countries should seek aid from their own governments, universities, corporations or from a U.S. agency operating abroad, such as the Institute for International Education or the Fulbright-Hays Program.

Under certain conditions, external funds can be used to extend the package of guaranteed support from the Field or used in place of the teaching assistantship or research apprenticeship to allow the recipient to focus on research. The Graduate School and Field policies on modifying the initial package are available from the Director of Graduate Studies. Currently, students who are awarded these fellowships receive the two "free" years of SAGE funding (i.e., the first year and the dissertation year), but not the University-funded RA or TA stipends in the years that are covered by the external fellowship. 

The East Asian Program offers the following fellowships that have no citizenship restrictions. These three typically provide tuition and stipend for one semester. 

Einaudi Center Funding-East Asia Program Fellowships

• Robert J. Smith Fellowships in Japanese Studies
• Starr Fellowships
• Lee Teng-hui Fellowships in World Affairs

Einaudi Center grants: http://einaudi.cornell.edu/student-funding Cornell's Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS), Fulbright-Hayes Awards, Fulbright Program, International Research Travel Grants: The Mario Einaudi Center and its associated Programs offer a wide range of support and assistance to graduate students in search of funding for their international research, study and scholarship. See web site for deadlines, usually late January.

Graduate School Fellowship Database: http://gradschool.cornell.edu/fellowships/ A searchable database of fellowships of all kinds - well worth a look!

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSFGRFP):   http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6201 The National Science Foundation funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. For U.S. citizens and permanent residents, these are very competitive, but they provide a multi-year package of fellowship funding. College seniors, first- and second-year students with no more than 12 months of graduate study (i.e. no MA/MS degree) are eligible. It is most advisable to apply in your first year, if you are eligible. Even if you feel you do not have much linguistics research experience, the experience of writing the proposal is worthwhile. You will also get feedback from the NSF Fellowship Panel, which you can incorporate into an improved application the following year, if you do not succeed the first time. If you wait until your final year of eligibility to apply, you cannot take a second chance.

Social Science Research Council fellowships:  https://www.ssrc.org/fellowships-and-opportunities/ Most support from the Council goes to predissertation, dissertation and postdoctoral fellowships, offered through annual, peer-reviewed competitions.

NSF dissertation improvement grants (DDRIG):  http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505033&org=SBE&sel_org=SBE&from=fund These are for post-A-exam dissertation writers. There is no U.S. citizenship requirement. The grants supply up to $12,000 for research-related expenses. Deadlines are July 15th and January 15th of each year. The Principal Investigator should be the student's dissertation advisor, and the student should be the Co-Principal Investigator. It is expected that the student (Co-PI) will author the proposal, which will then be submitted through the university by the dissertation advisor (PI).

Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships: http://www.acls.org/programs/dcf

Recently Offered Seminars

The department of linguistics offers a wide variety of graduate-level seminars. Seminar topics vary each semester based on the research interests of the graduate students and faculty.

• Finite State Methods
• Optimality Theory
• Neuro-linguistics
• Old Iranian
• Sanskrit Historical Grammar
• Phonetics in the Lexicon
• Timing and Weight in Phonology and Phonetics
• Information Structure
• Modality, Negative Polarity
• Polarity, Alternatives, Modality, Pragmatics
• Aspect of Interface between Syntax and Morpho-Phonology
• Relation Based Syntax
• Peripheries

Research Facilities

The Computational Linguistics Lab focuses on the statistical parsing of large data samples, including grammar development, parameter estimation, and acquisition of lexical information from corpora.

The Language Documentation Lab provides resources and laboratory space for research involving language documentation, description, and analysis, with an emphasis on understudied languages.

The Phonetics Lab offers state-of-the-art facilities for research in articulatory movement tracking, ultrasound, electroglottography, and speech aerodynamics. The phonetics lab is part of the Cornell Speech Imaging Group (SIG), a cross-disciplinary team of researchers using real-time magnetic resonance imaging to study the dynamics of speech articulation. 

Faculty and students in the Computational Psycholinguistic Discussions research group (C.Psyd) are interested in the intersection of computational linguistics and psycholinguistics. By building computational models to predict human language processing behavior (e.g., reading times), we can study the linguistic features that impact human processing decisions. Relatedly, C.Psyd members use psycholinguistic techniques to study the strategies used by neural networks to produce high accuracy in different language contexts, which gives us insights as to when different strategies might be employed by humans.

At the Linguistic Meaning (LiMe) Lab we investigate the complex process by which humans assign meaning to utterances. To do so, we combine insights from linguistic theory and cognitive science more broadly with experimental and computational methods. Contact: [email protected]

Cornell Linguistics Circle

The Cornell Linguistics Circle (CLC) is the graduate student group of the Cornell Department of Linguistics.  Students from linguistics and related fields are welcome to attend CLC meetings and participate in planned activities. The CLC serves to promote exchange of ideas among graduate students in the field and to advocate for the graduate student body within the department. Throughout the course of the academic year the CLC invites a series of outside speakers from linguistics departments around the country and the world.  Speakers deliver talks attended by faculty and graduate students (followed by a CLC-sponsored reception, of course!) and are often available for one-on-one meetings with interested students. The CLC also publishes The Proceedings of SALT, which contains articles developed from work presented at the annual Semantics and Linguistic Theory conference. All volumes of the Proceedings of SALT are available online through the LSA.

CLC Officers 2023-24

• Diversity & Inclusion
• Land Acknowledgment
• Administration
• Jonathan Barnes
• Charles B. Chang
• Elizabeth Coppock
• Daniel Erker
• Paul Hagstrom
• Najoung Kim
• Kate Lindsey
• Catherine O’Connor
• Affiliated Faculty
• Carol Neidle
• Teaching Fellows
• Graduate Students
• Affiliated Researchers
• Doctoral Alumni
• Master’s Alumni
• Certificate Alumni
• Undergraduate Alumni
• Spring 2025
• Spring 2024
• Spring 2023
• Major in Linguistics
• Minor in Linguistics
• Linguistics & Computer Science
• Linguistics & Philosophy
• Linguistics & Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
• Linguistics & African Languages
• French & Linguistics
• Italian & Linguistics
• Japanese & Linguistics
• Spanish & Linguistics
• BA/MA in Linguistics
• Honors Programs
• BU Hub Requirements
• BU Linguistics Association
• Undergraduate Resources

PhD in Linguistics

• MA in Linguistics
• Graduate Certificate in Linguistics
• Graduate Research Forum
• Colloquium Committee
• Graduate Resources
• ASL Linguistic Research Project
• Linguistic Semantics Lab
• Phonology Lab
• Sociolinguistics Lab

Aims of the PhD

Human language is a multifaceted phenomenon. It is simultaneously a property of individual minds and of whole speech communities, and thus both internal and external to us. It both shapes and is shaped by our societies over time. It is a combination of sound (or sign), which has physical properties that can be measured, and meaning, which does not. Accordingly, becoming a linguistic researcher involves mastering a variety of methods, both quantitative and qualitative. The PhD in Linguistics at BU aims to produce scholars who are versatile enough to be experts in both of these aspects of linguistic inquiry, yet skilled enough to do cutting-edge research in a particular subfield of the discipline. We offer a solid grounding in a range of research methods, including field methods, quantitative methods, and computational methods.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a PhD in Linguistics will demonstrate:

• broad knowledge of the discipline
• deeper knowledge in a specialized area or subfield
• ability to carry out a significant piece of independent research (which implies knowledge of and ability to use research methodologies in order to complete the research)

Prerequisites

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required to apply.

Entering students are expected to have completed introductory classes in: 

• phonetics/phonology (e.g., GRS LX 601)
• syntax (e.g., GRS LX 621)
• semantics/pragmatics (e.g., GRS LX 631)

Students who do not have sufficient background in linguistics must complete additional coursework to fulfill the above prerequisites prior to entry or during the first year. Note: if completed at BU, GRS LX 601, 621, and 631 will not count toward the PhD course requirements.

Admissions & Funding

The deadline for application to enter the program in Fall 2023 is January 6, 2023.  Information about the graduate admissions process ( including the application process and requirements ) is available at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) website:

We anticipate being able to admit about five students per year. All admitted students will receive full coverage of tuition costs plus a fellowship for five years. For further information about funding, consult the GRS website above.

Requirements

Course requirements.

The PhD requires successful completion of 64 credits at the graduate level, including three core courses: 

• GRS LX 703 Phonological Analysis
• GRS LX 722 Intermediate Syntax
• GRS LX 732 Intermediate Semantics

Six additional courses from the four areas below, with two courses each in two of the areas, and one course each in the remaining two areas:

• advanced phonetics, phonology, or morphology (e.g., GRS LX 706)
• advanced syntax, semantics, or pragmatics (e.g., GRS LX 723, 736)
• linguistic research methodology
• language acquisition or socio-historical linguistics

A 4-credit graduate proseminar sequence (GRS LX 801 & 802) is typically taken in the second year.

Finally, six additional courses (including up to 8 credits of directed study) are taken in Linguistics or related fields that comprise a specialization , which will generally be in the area of the dissertation. These courses will be decided upon by the student in conjunction with their advisor, whose approval is required.

Language Requirement

The PhD requires demonstration of graduate-level reading proficiency in two foreign languages (one of which may be English, for non-native speakers) by the end of the third year of enrollment.

These proficiencies can be demonstrated through any of:

• a language examination
• successful completion of a non-credit graduate-level foreign language reading course offered at BU
• the equivalent of two years of undergraduate study of the language at BU (or successful completion of any higher-level language course taught in the language)

Graduate-level foreign language reading courses offered at BU include:

• GRS LF 621 Reading French for Graduate Students
• GRS LG 621 Reading German for Graduate Students
• GRS LI 621 Reading Italian for Graduate Students
• GRS LS 621 Reading Spanish for Graduate Students

Qualifying Examinations

To advance to candidacy, students must satisfactorily complete and defend two substantial research papers in different areas of the field (the first by the end of the fourth semester, the second by the end of the sixth semester of enrollment).

Each Qualifying Paper (QP) will be planned and carried out under the supervision of a Linguistics faculty member with expertise appropriate to the relevant project and, upon completion, will be defended orally and approved by an examining committee, composed of the first and second reader as well as a third faculty member determined by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in consultation with the student.

A brief proposal for each QP must be submitted, with signed approval of a first and second reader (who have been approved by the DGS and who have agreed to advise the student on the proposed project), by October 15 of the academic year in which the project is to be completed. For the second QP, a topic approval form, in which the student explains how the second QP differs from their first QP, must also be submitted, in advance of the proposal approval form.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

PhD candidates will demonstrate their abilities for independent study in a dissertation representing original research or creative scholarship.

A prospectus for the dissertation must be completed and approved by the readers, the DGS, and the Department Chair.

Candidates must undergo a final oral examination in which they defend their dissertation as a valuable contribution to knowledge in their field and demonstrate a mastery of their field of specialization in relation to their dissertation.

All portions of the dissertation and final oral examination must be completed as outlined in the GRS general requirements for the PhD degree:

Director of Graduate Studies

Co-Directors of Graduate Admissions

University of South Florida

Department of World Languages

TAMPA | ST. PETERSBURG | SARASOTA-MANATEE

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Ph.d. linguistics and applied language studies (lals).

The Ph.D. program in Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (LALS) prepares students for research and teaching in the interdisciplinary field of Applied Linguistics. Applied linguists address a broad range of language-related issues, to better understand how language functions both in the lives of individuals and in society. The LALS program at the University of South Florida emphasizes multiple theoretical and methodological approaches.  We offer specializations in the following subdisciplines:  the analysis of spoken and written texts, multilingualism, second language acquisition, and sociolinguistics. Through its curriculum, as well as through close mentoring between faculty and students, the LALS program emphasizes real-world, practical applications to language-related problems and prepares students with the 21st century skills necessary to succeed in both academic and industry careers.

Why Study Here?

Faculty-Student Collaboration   Our faculty are committed to supporting student intellectual and professional development through active mentoring.  One form of mentoring is faculty-student collaborative research which allows students to work closely with faculty on research projects of common interests and to co-present/co-publish the findings with the faculty. Faculty-student collaborations have produced co-authored articles in journals as  CALICO Journal, CALL, Discourse, Context & Media, Ethnography and Education, Foreign Language Annals, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Journal of Sociolinguistics, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, International Journal of Multilingualism, International Journal of Studies in Applied Linguistics and ELT, Language Teaching Research, Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education, TESL–EJ, TESOL Journal, TESOL Quarterly, and  Writing Pedagogy.

Faculty-student collaborations have also produced dozens of presentations at international and national conferences such as the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Conference (ACTFL), Association for Business Communication conference, the CLIC Conference on Study Abroad (for 2017), the Georgetown University Round Table (GURT), the Language Teacher Education (LTE) Conference,  the Second Language Research Forum (SLRF), the Symposium on Second Language Writing, the Convention of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and the Teaching and Language Corpora Conference.

Location University of South Florida is located in the vibrant and diverse Greater Tampa Bay area with a population of more than four million. The Tampa Bay area offers a multitude of cultural and recreational activities year around and boasts of one of the best airports in the world. Local attractions include beautiful beaches in Clearwater and Saint Petersburg and the world-famous Disney parks are just a short drive away in Orlando. The Tampa Bay area has much to offer to those seeking professional development opportunities in Applied Linguistics and TESOL. In particular, BART, Bay Area Regional TESOL, offers a rich array of activities for professional networking and socializing.

Non-Traditional Career Trajectories   Our curriculum provides students a solid foundation in multiple theoretical and methodological approaches to studying both language use and second language learning.  Through coursework and guided and independent research which emphasize and examine language-related problems in real-world contexts, our students are well prepared to pursue academic as well as non-traditional careers.

Funding for Qualified Students    Our Ph.D. program receives strong support from the Department of World Languages (WLE). Qualified applicants are awarded teaching assistantships and teach foreign language or applied linguistics courses in WLE. Some students will be funded by teaching in INTO-USF's ELP. Qualified applicants may also compete for the University Graduate Fellowship.  Once in the program, students have the opportunity to complete for other awards. For example, the Dissertation Completion Fellowship is awarded by the Office of Graduate Studies to qualified doctoral students completing their dissertation research and writing.

Core Faculty

Core LALS Faculty Members Page

What kind of job will I be prepared for with the Ph.D. in LALS from USF?                         As members of an applied discipline, applied linguists are language scientists who address issues related to language use in diverse contexts, ranging from understanding language choice in professional writing, to analyzing the critical role of language in doctor-patient interactions, to understanding how people from different language backgrounds are able to communicate successfully in global business environments. Focusing on the rigorous empirical analysis of language data, applied linguists address problems such as how writers in various disciplines use language to construct professional expertise, how users of a second language can make their accent intelligible to others, how and why second language learners differ in their language learning journeys, and how to define and measure specific language abilities.  The program prepares graduate to work both in academic and non-academic positions. 

How long does it take to complete the Ph.D. degree?                                                              For the LALS program, the coursework requirements should take two years to complete with an additional two years for the qualifying exam and the dissertation. The program advisors will help each student determine the coursework sequence and timing.

Can I get financial aid or an assistantship?                                                                               Our goal is to help all students admitted to the LALS program find funding for a 4-year period (unless otherwise specified in the acceptance letter).  If a student should need longer than 4 years to finish the program, we will try to help with funding when possible; however, funding priority will be given to those students in their first 4 years of study.  Based on your application, the faculty will help identify potential funding opportunities, and you will likely be asked to complete additional applications and/or go through the interview process for these positions. For loans or other types of non-USF financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid .

What are the research specializations of the Applied Linguistics faculty?        The faculty have a wide range of research interests and specializations. For details, see the “people” page.

Do I have to know exactly what my research specialization will be before I apply to the program?                                                                                                                                     You will submit a statement of purpose (SOP) as part of your application package. The SOP is a discussion of why you want to pursue the LALS Ph.D., including your current research interests and faculty that you could potentially work with at USF. In other words, you would need to have some sort of tentative plan of a research topic in Applied Linguistics that you would like to pursue for your Ph.D. studies. That being said, you might become inspired by a specific class, the research of a specific faculty member at USF, or a conference that you attend during the first part of your studies.  While the information in your SOP will be an indication to the faculty of whether or not you will be a good fit for the program, the project/topic you propose in your SOP is open to modification. 

Is it possible to waive the GRE requirement?                                                                            No, all applicants must submit a GRE score from a test taken within the past 5 years.

How do I know if I need to submit a TOEFL score?                                                                       If you are an international student, you will need a TOEFL score for both admission and funding. Please note that while admissions accepts the IELTS for admissions purposes, the Office of Graduate Studies does not accept it to show English proficiency for a TA position. As such, if you are requesting funding from USF (as we expect most Ph.D. applicants will do), we require a TOEFL be submitted at the time of application.  

There are so many Ph.D. programs in Applied Linguistics.  What makes USF special?     The faculty in the LALS program at USF pride themselves on the close mentoring they give to their students.  The faculty have a long history of advising doctoral students and have many co-authored papers and conference presentations with their graduate students. 

LALS Alumni page

Current Students

Current LALS Students 

Prospective Students

Applying for Admission                                                                                                            Applying for admission can take a surprisingly long time. The actual application document is not very long, but the other documents can be very time consuming. You are encouraged to plan your admissions packet with careful attention. Your packet represents you to the Linguistics Faculty Admissions Committee, so be sure that it reflects the quality of work that you intend to give your graduate studies. If you have any questions, please e-mail the graduate director, Camilla Vasquez, PhD . 

Deadline for applying for admission                                                                                                A deadline date means date of receipt by the Graduate Admissions office or International Admissions office. The deadline date presumes a completed application packet.

Note: Our program deadline January 15 precedes the University's application deadline.  In order to be considered for admission to LALS, we must receive ALL of your information on or before January 15. International students may have earlier university deadline requirements. Please inquire with the Office of Graduate Studies .

If you do not see our program listed in the drop-down menu of the application website , please contact the graduate director, Camilla Vasquez, PhD . Do NOT choose a different program (such as English Education). Thank you, and we look forward to receiving your application.

How to apply

A list of all documents required for application can be found here . 

Please upload all documents to the application website .

Additional admissions requirements for International Applicants

For information about the process for International Applicants, including the online application, please contact the Office of International Admissions . 

• LALS Handbook
• Online Application
• Graduate Catalogue
• Residence Services - Housing

External Grants for Ph.D. Students

• American Association of University Women Grants (for US citizens and international students)
• Institute of International Education Funding Opportunities
• Linguistlist list of Funding
• NSF Dissertation Research Improvement Award
• Spenser Dissertation Fellowship
• TESOL Ruth Crymes Fellowship
• TESOL Mini Grant Awards
• TIRF Dissertation Grant
• TOEFL grant for doctoral research in assessment

Internal Grants for Ph.D. Students

• USF Dissertation completion grant

Financial Issues

• USF Office of Graduate Studies - Funding
• USF Scholarships & Financial Aid Services
• USF Tuition
• USF Testing Services

International Students

• Office of Admissions for International Students
• INTO - USF's Academic Pathway and English Language Programs

For questions regarding our PhD program, please contact:

Camilla Vasquez, Ph.D. PhD Director of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (LALS) Office: USF Tampa campus, Cooper Hall 438 Email: [email protected] Phone: 813-974-2548                                                                             

• BA Linguistics
• BA Speech Sciences
• Diploma in Linguistics
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• Beyond the BA
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• In Memoriam
• Labs & Groups
• First Nations Languages
• Research Interest Registration
• Field Methods Class
• Publications
• Recurring Events
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Job Opportunities

Make the most of the financial resources available to you as a UBC student.

The Department of Linguistics has various funding opportunities for all graduate students including internal and external awards, scholarships, and research funding. New applicants to our MA and PhD programs will automatically be considered for any UBC-based funding, and don’t need to apply for this separately.

MA Program Funding

While there is no guarantee of MA funding, students in the Linguistics MA program typically receive a funding package of $25,500 for the first two years of their MA program. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, graduate academic assistantships, or other campus work.

MDS-CL Program Funding

Students in the Master of Data Science in Computational Linguistics will have access to a variety of funding options including bursaries and scholarships. For a comprehensive list of tuition and financial aid information, please visit the Master of Data Science website.

PhD Program Funding

All full-time PHD students will be provided with a minimum funding package of $25,500 for each of the first five years of their program. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, graduate academic assistantships, or other campus work. UBC Linguistics is committed to guaranteeing all current PhD students into this promised funding level.

Program Funding Requirements

Students in either the MA, MDS, or PHD programs must meet two major requirements to receive this level of financial support:

• Students must make satisfactory academic progress. Failure to maintain academic good standing will result in a loss of funding.
• Students must apply for Teaching Assistantships (TAs) and Research Assistantships when these job ads are posted. Additionally, you must demonstrate a concerted effort in your applications for internal and external awards. Failure to apply for these opportunities will result in a loss of funding.

*Please review each award carefully before applying, certain restrictions may apply.

There are various internal and external awards available to graduate students in the Department of Linguistics. Please note that international students can only apply for Affiliated Awards, whereas Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible for SSHRC and NSERC awards, in addition to certain Affiliated Awards.

Department Internal Awards

The department has a Graduate Student Job Interview Fund, which intends to support graduate (MA and PhD) students who are interviewing for academic or non-academic positions by providing funds associated with the purchase of professionally appropriate clothing or accessories for job-interview purposes.

• Students can apply to the fund once during their graduate program
• At the time of application, the student must already have a job interview scheduled (incl. interviews at major conferences, such as LSA, MLA)
• Interviews for academic as well as non-academic (e.g. industry, “alt-ac”) jobs, permanent or temporary, are eligible
• A maximum of $300 per student can be requested
• Support will be in the form of a grant; it does not need to be repaid
• However, recipients who are successful in obtaining a full-time position are encouraged to make a donation to the Edna Dharmaratne Award in Linguistics (an annual prize “to be awarded to a current graduate or undergraduate student in the department who demonstrates academic merit and financial need”)

Graduate Research Initiative Prize (GRIP)

As of February 2023, the Graduate Research Initiative Prize is being re-assessed. Updated details will be posted here once available. Please contact [email protected] in the interim if you have any concerns related to this award.

An award of $1,000 is offered annually by alumni, faculty, students, and staff of the UBC Department of Linguistics in honour of Edna Dharmaratne for students in the Department of Linguistics who have achieved good academic standing and demonstrated volunteerism. Financial need may also be considered.

External Awards

Affiliated awards, research proposals.

For certain awards, you will be requested to submit a research proposal with your application. Below, we’ve included a few samples of successful research proposals from UBC Linguistics students.

*This proposal did not adhere to the formatting and length requirements, and was therefore truncated by Graduate Studies before being passed on to the adjudication committee.

Here are some additional guidelines that we’ve created to help you write your research proposal:

Quick Links

Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, PHD

On this page:.

At a Glance: program details

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

The PhD program in linguistics and applied linguistics focuses on the scientific study of human language and the application of that study to the human condition.

Students in this program select a research specialization in formal linguistics, applied linguistics or some combination within these fields of study.

The curriculum provides professional training in linguistics and applied linguistics with focused research in several linguistic subfields, including syntax, semantics, phonetics, phonology, pragmatics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, language contact and change, language planning, Indigenous American linguistics, language documentation and revitalization, second language acquisition, second language teaching and learning, teaching English to speakers of other languages, global Englishes and computer-assisted language learning.

The doctoral program in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics focuses on the study of human language and the application of that study to the human condition.  Students in this program will choose a research specialization which can be formal linguistics, applied linguistics, or some combination of these areas.  The curriculum will provide training in linguistics and applied linguistics with focused research in several areas such as phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.  Second language acquisition and second language teaching and learning, TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages), language contact and change, including World Englishes, are also research possibilities in addition to sociolinguistics, language planning, discourse analysis, language and cognition.

Matthew Prior , Director

Kira Assad, Program Manager

Faculty in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

Doctoral Examinations

Doctoral Procedures and Timeline

Teaching Assistantships

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a foreign language exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (18 credit hours) APL 555 Disciplinary Discourses (3) APL 601 Introduction to Applied Linguistics (3) LIN 511 Phonetics and Phonology (3) LIN 514 Syntax (3) LIN 515 American English (3) or LIN 516 Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis (3) LIN 655 Advanced Disciplinary Discourses in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics (3)

Electives and Research (33 credit hours) LIN 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Specialization (21 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) LIN 799 or APL 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, then 30 credit hours is made up of additional electives and research coursework which must include LIN 510, if they have not previously taken it or its equivalent.

Students must demonstrate evidence of competent knowledge of a natural language other than modern English, to be selected by the student and subject to the approval of the chair of the dissertation committee. The language requirement must be completed before the student is eligible to take the doctoral examinations. This requirement may be met by any of the following:

• earning a "B" or higher (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in a 400- or 500-level course in an appropriate (approved) language
• demonstrating comparable proficiency by taking a language examination, administered by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student's supervisory committee
• demonstrating native-speaker proficiency, as determined by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student's supervisory committee
• earning a "B" or higher (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in both ENG 530 Old English and ENG 531 Old English Literature or the equivalent of each
• holding a bachelor's degree in an approved foreign language
• having fulfilled a foreign language requirement toward a previously awarded master's degree that was completed within five years of the semester for which the student was admitted to the doctoral program
• two years (four semesters) of successfully completed college-level coursework (no more than six years prior to admission to the degree program) at least at the 100 and 200 levels with a "C" or better for languages which the School of International Letters and Cultures does not offer or does not offer above the 200 level

The foreign language requirement must be in a language approved by the student's doctoral supervisory committee.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample relevant to the field
• statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency. More information about English proficiency requirements can be found the school website . Please note that official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The well-considered one- to two-page statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, proposed research specialization, any secondary field of interest and why the applicant wishes to pursue a PhD in linguistics and applied linguistics at Arizona State University. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Independent research expertise: Students will be able to design and carry out an original research study in their discipline and subdisciplines.
• Scholarly writing expertise: Students will demonstrate the ability to produce written scholarly work at a level expected by the profession and consistent with the degree program.
• Critical analysis expertise: Students will demonstrate the ability to explain, synthesize and critique existing scholarship in their research area.

Career Opportunities

Graduates with research expertise in linguistics and applied linguistics work in a variety of professional contexts, such as academia, government, business, health care, legal settings, publishing, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.

Career examples include:

• computer-assisted language learning expert
• data analyst
• forensic linguist
• language policy or documentation expert
• language program director or coordinator
• language researcher
• linguistic consultant
• program and curriculum developer
• teacher trainer
• university professor

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-3194

Fully Funded PhD Programs in Linguistics

Last updated March 30, 2022

As part of my series on  How to Fully Fund Your PhD , I provide a list of universities that offer full funding for a PhD in Linguistics. A graduate degree in Linguistics can pave the way for a career in academia or the private sector as a translator, computational linguist, forensic linguist or technical writer.

“Full funding” is a financial aid package for full time students that includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend or salary for the three to six-year duration of the student’s doctoral studies. Funding is typically offered in exchange for graduate teaching and research work that is complementary to your studies. Not all universities provide full funding to their doctoral students, which is why I recommend researching the financial aid offerings of all the potential PhD programs in your academic field, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad.

You can also find several external fellowships in the  ProFellow database  for graduate and doctoral study, as well as dissertation research, field work, language study and summer work experience.

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1000+ fully funded programs in 60 disciplines? Download the FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

Brown University, Department of Linguistics (Providence, RI): The graduate school offers incoming doctoral students five years of guaranteed financial support, including a stipend, tuition remission, health-services fee, and health- and dental-insurance subsidies.

University of California Santa Cruz, Department of Linguistics (Santa Cruz, CA): An informal promise is made to each student admitted to the PhD program that they will receive funding for the 5 years that it takes to complete the PhD.

University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Linguistics (Honolulu, HI): The Department of Linguistics provides all PhD students with full support (a graduate assistantship that includes a stipend and a full tuition waiver) for eight semesters.

McGill University, Department of Linguistics (Montreal, Canada): Five years of funding for PhD students (covering living expenses, tuition and fees) is provided for successful applicants.

Northwestern University, Department of Linguistics (Evanston, IL): PhD students receive payment of tuition, either in the form of a departmental scholarship or an external fellowship that covers some portion of the cost of education, fully subsidized health insurance, and a stipend for a minimum of five years.

University of Pittsburgh, Department of Linguistics (Pittsburgh, PA): Funding can be renewed for up to a maximum total of 5 years for a PhD student and includes a fellowship covering all tuition and fees, full medical coverage and a stipend earned through assistantship.

University of Rochester, Department of Linguistics (Rochester, NY): The   Department of Linguistics invites applications from students interested in pursuing a fully-funded joint PhD program in Linguistics focusing on cross-disciplinary training and collaboration. Students will have a primary focus in Linguistics, with secondary focus in another department in Arts, Sciences and Engineering.

University of South Carolina, College of Arts and Sciences (Columbia, SC): The Linguistics Program at the University of South Carolina makes the financial support for its graduate students a priority. All PhD students in the program are fully supported for 4 years.

Need some tips for the application process? See my article  How To Get Into a Fully Funded PhD Program: Contacting Potential PhD Advisors .

Also, sign up to discover and bookmark more than 1,500 professional and academic fellowships in the ProFellow database .

© Victoria Johnson 2020, all rights reserved.

Related Posts:

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PhD Program in Linguistics

About the phd linguistics program.

We offer both an M.A. and a Ph.D. program. Applicants to the Ph.D. program need not already have completed an M.A. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program do not routinely receive an M.A. along the way, but they may arrange to do so if they have fulfilled the requirements for the M.A. Some of our students also pursue an independent interdepartmental  specialization in cognitive science . We offer a five-year funding package to a small number of applicants each year.

What kind of linguistics do we do?

The Linguistics PhD program offers extensive training in the core areas of theoretical linguistics—phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics—and in sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and child language acquisition.

Throughout our program, the focus is on the rigorous study of language as a science. We are not primarily focused on the question of how such results can be put to practical use in language teaching, language policy debates, and the like, though of course a thorough grounding in theoretical linguistics is necessary to engage such questions in a fully-informed way. If you are especially interested in these domains, we recommend that you also look at applied linguistics PhD programs. Michigan State offers a PhD degree in Second Language Studies .

The PhD Linguistics experience

We have a longstanding lively culture of interaction in a robust intellectual community, including research groups in most of the areas mentioned. We are also fortunate to have modern and well- equipped laboratories devoted to experimental and field research in language acquisition, phonetics/laboratory phonology, sociolinguistics, and semantics-pragmatics.

Graduates of our Ph.D. program hold positions both in linguistics and in language-teaching departments across the world and continue to do cutting-edge research in their fields. Increasingly, our Ph.D. graduates have pursued careers in sectors beyond or adjacent to academia, including technology, educational administration, data science and more. 

Take a look at a brief overview of the Linguistics PhD degree requirements (courses, thesis/exam). Read about our admissions process , our funding options , and check the frequently asked questions .

For official details about policies governing the structure of the graduate programs, consult our graduate handbook. 

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about this subject area

PhD Linguistics / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page
• Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and 
• Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all  required supporting documents  at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. 

Application Deadlines 

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by  12 January 2024. 

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed. 

• For September 2024 entry:  30 June 2024 
• For January 2025 entry:  30 September 2024

Programme options

Programme overview

• Access expert supervision across an exceptional breadth of research areas in Linguistics.
• Join a vibrant and lively international centre for Linguistics with an active postgraduate research community.  
• Alongside an exceptionally large cluster of experts on English language, we have particular strengths in Romance, Germanic, and Austronesian languages, as well as the languages of Latin America and Africa.
• 92% of our research activity was recognised as 'world leading' or `internationally excellent' REF2021.

We will be conducting our Humanities PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out more about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts. 

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £4,786 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £2,393

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Please note for the majority of projects where experimentation requires further resource: higher fee bands (where quoted) will be charged rather than the base rate for supervision, administration and computational costs. The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your project.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures studentships is 12 January 2024. 

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.  

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

• ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures PhD Studentships 2024 Entry - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures New Generation PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)

Contact details

See: About us

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

• Linguistics and English Language

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

Graduate Fellowship and Funding Information

The Department encourages all graduate students to look for outside fellowship opportunities, as well as external research support. It never hurts to have a fellowship or research grant on your CV, it makes the Department’s own funding go further, and some fellowships include benefits that the Department can’t provide, such as summer or research support.

The sidebar will take you to lists of fellowship and grant programs and web sites that might be particularly useful to graduate students in linguistics.  Many of the opportunities listed are designed for beginning and dissertation-year graduate students, but there are opportunities open to students at every stage of graduate study. Unfortunately, many of the Stanford-external opportunities are only open to US citizens and permanent residents. Check the fellowship descriptions for specific eligibility requirements.

Keep in mind that many fellowship programs have application closing dates in the fall and almost all of them have deadlines by mid-January.  Most of them also only accept applications once or twice a year.  For this reason, do check out these web pages regularly to identify new and future opportunities, so you can be ready to apply at the appropriate time.

The Student Services Office has a binder of past application materials for grants, fellowships, jobs, etc., to help current students. The binder is available for check out in the Student Services Office  (Margaret Jacks Hall, Room 127E) . 

If you discover any particularly useful web sites as you browse, do let the linguistics [at] stanford.edu (subject: Update%20to%20graduate%20fellowship%2Fgrant%20page) (Department) know, so we can improve our lists of opportunities.

Stanford University Resources

Stanford Support Programs - These include the Graduate Family Grant Program, Emergency Grant-In-Aid, Graduate Housing Loan, and more. 

Grad Cash Advance - A cash advance is a University resource available to Graduate students to assist them with expenses before their graduate financial support is posted to their student account and/or TA/RA salary is paid. Graduate students can request an advance in the amount of $1000, $2000, or $3000.  The funds will arrive in their bank account generally within 1-2 business days. No interest or fees will be charged and, generally, the Cash Advance is not taxable.

• Schools & departments

PhD Linguistics and English Language programme

Linguistics and English Language at Edinburgh has an outstanding international reputation in many areas of research

Our large and inter-disciplinary research team work on all aspects of language, from theoretical to applied linguistics. We collaborate with researchers at Edinburgh and around the world in projects covering biology, education, psychology, cognitive science, and speech and language technologies.

Research interests

When to apply, help with your application, funding opportunities for research students, visiting research students, our research community.

Our PhD students are actively encouraged to join in the regular meetings to discuss research, books and papers.

Talk series and reading groups

• Department of Linguistics >
• Graduate >

PhD in Linguistics

Dawei Jin, presenting a conference paper (now an Assistant Professor Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China)

The mission of the department’s PhD program is to train students to do research in linguistics and produce research that reflects the values and the mission of the department as a whole, to prepare them for academic jobs at teaching universities, liberal arts colleges, or major research universities and for jobs outside of academia. Our goal is to ensure that all of our students have at the end of their study an academic or industry position that requires a PhD in Linguistics. Our doctoral degree track focuses on breadth and empirical/experimental methodologies. Students receive training in traditional disciplines such as syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonetics and phonology, and they may also receive substantial training in other areas, such as language typology, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, and historical and contact linguistics. All of our students are required to take at least two semesters of Methods classes, which 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 UB Center for Cognitive Science , and many of our students receive extensive training in Cognitive Science through collaborations with the Psychology or Computer Science departments. 

PhD Funding

Join a community of scholars and researchers working together to solve pressing global problems. 

We are committed to recruiting the very best PhD students and preparing doctoral students for career success. UB features:

• World-class faculty experts  mentor PhD students in a dynamic research and learning environment. Students can focus on their research and scholarship alongside renowned faculty while preparing for the careers and professions that await them after graduation.
• A city on the rise.  Buffalo, N.Y. offers affordable housing, arts, culture and community. Learn more about Buffalo .

PhD Funding Opportunities

• UB’s stipend levels are competitive among public Association of American Universities (AAU) member institutions.
• Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program : To be eligible for a Schomburg Fellowship, candidates must demonstrate high academic achievement and have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education. The Schomburg Fellowship is intended to support high-achieving doctoral students. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible.
• Presidential Fellowships:  To be eligible for Presidential Fellowships, candidates must meet the criteria listed on the Presidential Fellowship page. Both domestic and international students are eligible, if they meet these criteria. For any questions regarding funding for academic year 2025–2026, contact the director of graduate studies or department chair.

Application Deadlines

December 15:  All PhD applicants wishing to be considered for financial support

March 1:  All other international PhD applicants

April 1:  All other domestic PhD applicants

Online Application

Phd program metrics, degree requirements.

For most students with no transfer credits from other institutions, the categories in the table above should account for 48 of the 72 credits required for the Ph.D. The remaining 24 credits can be Independent Study, thesis/dissertation guidance or up to 12 credits from other UB departments. (Students in the Cognitive Science track and those earning a concurrent M.S. in Computational Linguistics may be permitted to take additional courses in other departments in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.)

*Students should consult the Director of Graduate Studies to determine which Methods courses are more appropriate given their intended specializations.

Areas of Specialization

PhD students are required to take four courses in their main specialty (including relevant core and methods courses), and are expected to choose their two methods courses in accordance with their specialization. Students need not choose their area of specialization early in their graduate career; faculty only expect that students take these four courses by the time they finish their course work (i.e., complete their 72 credit hours).

Students admitted to the PhD track who decide, during the first or second year, that they no longer wish to pursue a PhD, may instead complete the course requirements for the MA specialization and take the MA exam.

Specializations and Applicable Courses

This list of courses is intended only as a guideline, and additional classes may be added to these lists upon approval by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). Please also note that some courses are more frequently taught than others. Students should contact the DGS to inquire about future course scheduling. 

*Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics are highly interdisciplinary and may involve substantial work in other departments.

Qualifying Paper

The qualifying paper (QP) is required of students who have been admitted to the Doctoral program in the Department of Linguistics. It must be completed before the student can pass on to Phase 2 of the program (i.e., the phase during which students conduct their PhD thesis research). The QP is intended to give the student experience in carrying out a research project that goes beyond what is normally required of a course paper; however the project certainly can evolve out of a course paper. The paper should have the format of a journal submission, and be between 9,000 and 12,000 words in length.

Early in their second year of graduate study, the student should choose a faculty member who will advise the student while he or she is working on the QP. (The faculty member may be, but does not have to be, the same faculty who will direct the student’s dissertation.) The role of the advisor is to guide the student as he or she is carrying out the research and the writing. The student, together with the advisor, select a second committee member (or “reader”), who will read and comment on the QP.

Once the QP has been approved by the advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies will assign a third committee member (or “reader”), and the other members of the QP committee will then read the QP and provide feedback or simply approve the paper if no additional revisions are necessary. When the committee has approved the QP, the three faculty sign the approval form. Students return the form to the Director of Graduate Study after all three faculty have signed the form, and (s)he will also sign it. Finally, the form is sent to the graduate secretary, so that (s)he can enter the information into our student database and file the form in the student’s file.

Students are required to make an oral presentation of their QP research at the end of their fifth semester (at the latest), and to finish their QP by the end of the sixth semester (at the latest). Upon completion of a student’s QP, the faculty as a whole will either determine whether (s)he should passed onto Phase 2 of the PhD program. In the event a student is not passed onto the P.D phase of the program, (s)he will earn a terminal MA and will leave the program.

Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal is not intended to be a paper in the same sense as the QP. Rather, the dissertation proposal should be viewed as a very long abstract. It should include a statement of the topic (or hypothesis/claim); the context for the research (Why should other linguists be interested in the research? How does it fit into previous research?); the methodology and nature of the data or evidence that the student hopes to collect or find; and, perhaps, a preview of the conclusions the student hopes to present or the contribution the dissertation will make. Generally, the proposal should not be any longer than 20 pages; however the dissertation advisor ultimately determines the form of the proposal.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

The proposal defense is simply a meeting of the committee members and the student to ensure that everyone is clear about the nature of the topic, the scope of the research, and the methodology. Typically, no one “fails” a proposal defense, since the primary goal is to clarify and comment on the research before the research begins. The student should be aware, however, that the proposal defense may result in significant changes in the research plan.

Once the proposal defense has taken place, the committee members sign the form, the form is returned to the Director of Graduate Studies to sign, and finally the form is sent to the Assistant to the Chair.

638 Baldy Hall

Phone: (716) 645-0129

[email protected]

601 Baldy Hall

Phone: (716) 645-0113

[email protected]

Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

Dietrich college of humanities and social sciences, frequently asked questions (faqs), ph.d. in applied linguistics & second language acquisition.

General Questions

When is the application deadline?

Please view details about the Ph.D. program in Applied Linguistics & Second Language Acquisition, including application deadline, on our website . *All transcripts and supporting material are due by the application deadline. All information will be posted to your file once you submit your online application. Please note that official transcripts and test scores are not updated as received until you submit your application. *All letters of recommendation are due by the application deadline. *All official GRE, IELTS and TOEFL score reports are due by the application deadline. It is strongly suggested that you plan to take all required tests before November for the Ph.D. program. 

Where should all documents be sent?

All application materials will be submitted  online .

How many students are admitted each year?

The total number of students may vary between five and ten each year.

Are there additional financial aid forms to complete?

Graduate students are permitted to apply for any financial aid for which they are eligible. For more information and financial aid application forms, contact The HUB .

Do students receive a tuition waiver?

Students in the Ph.D. program are eligible to receive a partial to full tuition scholarship, as well as a living stipend.

I used my email address and password, but I cannot access the online application. What is the problem?

If your browser accepts cookies, and your computer is not behind a firewall, then you should be able to log in successfully. Also, please make sure you are using the same website and email address to log in that you used to register. If you continue to have problems, please contact us .

What if all my supporting documents do not arrive by the deadline?

Supporting materials that arrive after the deadline may cause a delay in your application being reviewed. Your information will be updated as materials are received.

Can I make changes to my online application after it has been submitted?

Prior to submitting, you may return and make any changes to your application. Once you submit your application, you may make changes to select sections: CV, Publication, Statement of Purpose, and Letters of Recommendation.

If I applied last year and was not admitted, can I reapply this year?

Yes. You must create an entirely new application. It is possible to request that official test score reports and transcripts from the previous year be used if no changes have been made to them.

Jump to a Section

Biographical information, transcripts, recommenders, application status, how do i obtain an i-20 form.

Please refer to the Office of International Education page .  This page contains a wealth of information for international students accepted to Carnegie Mellon University.

I do not currently have a visa, but will need to apply for one. What do I select under visa status?

Select the one that will most closely match your status when you arrive on campus. Most likely you will need an F1 visa; however, you should carefully review the information on the  Office of International Education page .

What should I give as my current address?

Use the address where you will be available to receive mail through April. You may enter a permanent address if it differs from your current address. Do NOT enter a PO Box. The acceptance packets are sent by express mail (e.g. FedEx, UPS), and cannot be delivered to a PO Box address.

What do I do if my email address or current address changes before the end of the semester?

You may change your current address, email address and password in your submitted application until the application deadline. If there is any change after this date, please send an email to [email protected] , and the Graduate Program Coordinator will make the necessary updates. It is very important that you maintain a valid email address in your submitted application.

What are the GRE and TOEFL institution and department codes?

GRE: Institution code, 2074; Department code not needed

TOEFL: Institution code, 2074; Department code not needed

Please refer to the GRE testing schedule to determine test dates. No application will be considered complete until we have received these scores. GRE scores will not be accepted if more than two years old.

Am I required to submit a TOEFL score?

I have requested my transcripts and test scores be sent, but my application has not been updated..

You must first SUBMIT your application before receipt of test scores or transcripts will be updated. They must be matched and updated manually, which may take several days once you submit your application.

Submit official transcripts. This can be done electronically through your university’s electronic transcript service or via sealed hard copy.  

How many transcripts should I send?

Please mail only ONE official copy of your transcript from each college or university attended, whether or not you received a degree. Only electronic transcripts sent via the University (or University service provider) with verification that the transcript is an official version will be recognized as an official transcript.

What happens if my transcripts or test scores arrive before my application?

All supporting documents that arrive before you submit your application will be kept on file. Please note that transcripts will not be marked as received in your online application until you have actually submitted your application. They must be matched and updated manually.

Where do I mail my transcripts?

If your College or University issues only hard copies of your transcript, please use the address below.

Department of Modern Languages Carnegie Mellon University Posner Hall 341 Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3891 USA Attention: Vera Lampley, Graduate Programs

Send official electronic copies of your transcript to [email protected] .  If your transcript is not in English please provide a translated copy with the original.

My recommenders have not received the email requests or the reminder emails that were sent. What should I do?

First, make sure that you typed the correct email address, and then ask them to check their spam filters.

If the email cannot be found, please ask them to send their letters in pdf format to [email protected] with the subject line "Upload recommendation letter for [your name]". Uploads will not be completed here until early January. 

Can the same person serve as a recommender for language proficiency and an academic recommender?

Yes. However, they must fill out both forms and submit them separately.

What should I do if the deadline is approaching or has passed and one or more of my recommenders has not submitted their recommendation?

You may send a reminder notification to your recommender via your Application Status Page from your submitted application. It is your responsibility to make certain that the letters are submitted by the application deadline. Applications without three letters of recommendation not received by the deadline may not be considered.

Can I submit more than three letters of recommendation?

Three letters of recommendation are required; however, space is provided for you to submit up to five. At least two should be from faculty or recent employers. Recommenders should know you relatively well and be able to evaluate the quality of your previous work.

Who should I ask to write letters of recommendation for me?

The admissions committee wants to know about your ability to do independent research. You should select letter writers who can best speak to that point. Professors who interacted with you extensively in smaller classes are also a good choice. Employers are sometimes appropriate, but letters that are simply character references will not provide good support for your application.

My recommenders have not submitted their letters. Can I submit my application before they submit?

Yes. Do not wait for the letters before submitting your application. Recommenders have a longer period of time to submit their letters.

How and when will I be notified if I am admitted?

Our Admission Committee reviews applications during the months of January and February. You will be notified directly not later than March 15 as to whether or not you have been admitted. We realize that waiting is very difficult. However, we request that you do not call our offices to inquire about the status of your application. 

How do I track the status of my application?

Use your email address and password to access the Application Status Portal. Receipt of the required documents (score reports, transcripts, and letters of recommendation) will be indicated in the corresponding section. Please allow two to three weeks past the deadline for all documents to be recorded. We receive a large volume of mail, and it does take time to process each application. Our offices are closed during the Christmas and New Year holidays, which may further delay processing.

Please do not send an email to ask the status of your application.

We have 33 linguistics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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linguistics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

English language and applied linguistics - postgraduate research opportunities, awaiting funding decision/possible external funding.

This programme is waiting to confirm funding from a university or external source. This may depend on attracting suitable students and applications are welcome. Please see the programme details for more information.

Arts Research Programme

Arts Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University

Funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Humanities Research Programme

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Transforming Chinese secondary school students into emergent bilinguals in an English language classroom—A longitudinal pedagogical intervention that deploys translanguaging to stimulate agentive learning

Phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

PhD in Languages and Cultures

English phd programme, phd studentship (3 years): utilising chatgpt as a strategy for self-regulation among l2 english speakers, philosophy at uea, creative writing - postgraduate research opportunities, choose from 20 phds in literatures, languages and cultures at edinburgh, social sciences research programme.

Social Sciences Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

PhD in Engineering: Harnessing large language models and dimensionality reduction to reframe student feedback in UK universities

Funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Algebraic topology and graphs

Self-funded phd students only.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Language development in early childhood: Precursors of the transition to literacy

Language development in early childhood: exploring the quality of interactions with adults and peers, challenging deepfake voices, competition funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project is one of a number of projects at this institution. It is in competition for funding with one or more of these projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The funding is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Towards Machine Understanding of Human Languages: AI for Storytelling Across Languages.

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Application Deadlines

For admission in the Fall semester, the deadline for receipt of all application materials is November 15. Applications received after this date will be considered as space permits.

For admission in the Spring semester, the deadline for receipt of all application materials is the preceding September 1. Applications received after this date will be considered as space permits. (This deadline will move to August 15 for Spring 2026 admission.)

If the application deadline falls on a weekend, applications are due the next work day.

Western Regional Graduate Program

We are happy to announce that starting with students entering in Fall 2020, the Department of Linguistics at UH participates in the Western Region Graduate Program .  Graduate Students who are residents of WICHE states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands) with a baccalaureate grade point average of 3.0 or higher will receive reduced tuition at 150% of Hawaiʻi resident tuition.

How to apply for admission

The application process consists of two components: (A) an application to Graduate Division, and (B) supplemental materials specific to the Department of Linguistics. Be sure to complete both components fully.

A. Apply for admission to the Graduate Division

General Information about the Graduate Division’s requirements can be found on their Website for Prospective Students. You may apply to the Graduate Division either online or by paper application.

You will need to provide the following set of documents to the Graduate Division:

1.  Application form and appropriate fee;

2.  One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended, including any study abroad or exchange programs, summer programs, and non-degree work and extension programs sent directly from the institution to the Graduate Division;

3. Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report is required (for international applicants, as well as some immigrant and US applicants).  Our program requires a minimum TOEFL score of 94 (internet-based test), with subtest scores of 25 for listening and 25 for speaking for admissibility and for waiver of English Language Institute (ELI) placement tests.  We also accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of seven in place of the minimum TOEFL scores.  TOEFL or IELTS scores cannot be more than two years old.

Note:   University of Hawaii Graduate Division is no longer accepting the Duolingo English Test.

4. Verification of financial status (for international applicants).

B. Submit supplemental materials specific to the Department of Linguistics

Use the Graduate Application Supplemental Documents Upload Website to submit the following supporting documentation that is specific to the Department of Linguistics.  Visit this tutorial for more information on using the Supplemental Documents Upload Website. Be sure to submit everything as PDF.

1. Department of Linguistics Application Form (PDF)

2. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation:

a. We recommend using the Supplemental Documents Upload Website to request letters of recommendation. Graduate Division will send the request to your letter writers and provide them a link for submitting their letters.

b. If any of your letter writers have trouble loading their letter of recommendation onto the Supplemental Documents Website, another option is to Download the Department of Linguistics Letter of Recommendation Form [PDF]. After signing the waiver, you may send it to the appropriate letter writers.  Upon completion, they can email it to the [email protected] address.  Some letter writers may prefer not to use the form and will instead provide their letter of recommendation on their company’s letterhead.  This option also works.

3. A sample of your academic writing, such as a seminar paper. This must be written in English or ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

4. Statement of Objectives form [PDF] .  You may prepare your statement as a separate file and include it as a (PDF) attachment along with this form.

Do not submit GRE scores ; we do not accept the GRE as part of the admission packet.

Questions? 

E-mail [email protected] or call (808) 956-8602.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Linguistics 1890 East West Road, Moore Hall 569  [ map ] Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96822 USA Office Hours M-F  8 AM – 4:30 PM +1(808) 956-8602 / [email protected]

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Fully funded Linguistics Scholarships in 2024 - 2025

20+ best scholarships for linguistics students.

University of Padua Regione Veneto Scholarships 2024/2025, Italy

• Partial Funding
• University of Padua
• Bachelor, Masters, PhD
• All Subjects
• International Students, Domestic Students

This is a Bachelor, Masters, PhD scholarships for International Students, Domestic Students at University of Padua, Italy. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for University of Padua Regione Veneto Scholarships 2024/2025, Italy.

Drexel University Global Scholarship Program 2025 in USA (Full Tuition Fee Coverage)

• Full tuition fee
• Drexel University
• Undergraduate
• International Students

This is a Undergraduate scholarships for International Students at Drexel University, USA. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Drexel University Global Scholarship Program 2025 in USA (Full Tuition Fee Coverage).

Monash University Sir James McNeill Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2024, Australia

• Monash University
• Postgraduate

This is a Postgraduate scholarships for International Students, Domestic Students at Monash University, Australia. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Monash University Sir James McNeill Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2024, Australia.

University of Venice Scholarships 2024/2025 for BS, MS and PhD in Italy

• Partial Funding, Fully Funded
• Ca' Foscari University of Venice

This is a Bachelor, Masters, PhD scholarships for International Students, Domestic Students at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for University of Venice Scholarships 2024/2025 for BS, MS and PhD in Italy.

Tubitak Aziz Sancar Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program 2024 in Turkey

• Turkey Universities
• Post Doctorate
• Domestic Students

This is a Post Doctorate scholarships for Domestic Students at Turkey Universities, Turkey. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Tubitak Aziz Sancar Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program 2024 in Turkey.

National Chung Hsing University Scholarships in Taiwan (For Spring 2025 Intake)

• National Chung Hsing University (NCHU)

This is a Bachelor, Masters, PhD scholarships for International Students, Domestic Students at National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), Taiwan. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for National Chung Hsing University Scholarships in Taiwan (For Spring 2025 Intake).

NCHU Taiwan Government Scholarships 2025 for BS, MS and PhD

This is a Bachelor, Masters, PhD scholarships for International Students at National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), Taiwan. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for NCHU Taiwan Government Scholarships 2025 for BS, MS and PhD.

Fulbright Greece State Scholarships Foundation 2025/2026

• Fully Funded
• Greece Universities

This is a PhD scholarships for International Students at Greece Universities, Greece. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Fulbright Greece State Scholarships Foundation 2025/2026.

Macquarie University - ASEAN $10,000 Early Acceptance Scholarship 2025, Australia

• Macquarie University
• Undergraduate, Postgraduate

This is a Undergraduate, Postgraduate scholarships for International Students at Macquarie University, Australia. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Macquarie University - ASEAN $10,000 Early Acceptance Scholarship 2025, Australia.

American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Fall 2025

• American University

This is a Undergraduate scholarships for International Students at American University, USA. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Fall 2025.

National University of Malaysia - NYCU Double Degree Program 2025

• National University of Malaysia (UKM), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
• Masters, PhD
• Malaysia, Taiwan

This is a Masters, PhD scholarships for International Students, Domestic Students at National University of Malaysia (UKM), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Malaysia, Taiwan. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for National University of Malaysia - NYCU Double Degree Program 2025.

Universiti Brunei Darussalam Graduate Research Scholarship Spring 2025 (Fully Funded)

• Universiti Brunei Darussalam
• Graduate, Research
• Brunei Darussalam

This is a Graduate, Research scholarships for International Students at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Universiti Brunei Darussalam Graduate Research Scholarship Spring 2025 (Fully Funded).

Flinders University Go Beyond Scholarships 2025 in Australia

• Partial Fee Waiver
• Flinders University

This is a Undergraduate, Postgraduate scholarships for International Students at Flinders University, Australia. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Flinders University Go Beyond Scholarships 2025 in Australia.

Taiwan NYCU International Student Scholarship for BS, MS and PhD (Spring Intake 2025)

• National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

This is a Bachelor, Masters, PhD scholarships for International Students at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for Taiwan NYCU International Student Scholarship for BS, MS and PhD (Spring Intake 2025).

United Arab Emirates University Scholarships for Spring 2025 Intake (Study in UAE)

• Tuition fee
• United Arab Emirates University

This is a Undergraduate, Postgraduate scholarships for International Students at United Arab Emirates University, UAE. Students interested in All Subjects are advised to apply for United Arab Emirates University Scholarships for Spring 2025 Intake (Study in UAE).

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DAAD-SBW Berlin Germany Scholarship 2025 (Fully Funded)

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Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

The department offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Applied Linguistics. This program prepares students to pursue advanced graduate study or to teach in colleges, adult education programs, businesses, private schools, or institutions in the U.S. or abroad.

The program's two concentrations are Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Language, Society, and Social Justice. Students in the program may also earn a certificate in TESOL and/or use appropriate courses in the program as requirements toward obtaining the Commonwealth of Virginia Endorsement for English as a Second Language.

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Enhance your college career by gaining relevant experience with the skills and knowledge needed for your future career. Discover our experiential learning opportunities.

Picture yourself in the classroom, speak with professors in your major, and meet current students.

From sports games to concerts and lectures, join the ODU community at a variety of campus events. 

USC linguistics professor’s scholarly journey began in south Asia

A summer in bangladesh inspired emily manetta's 2 decades of work on south asian linguistics.

Traveling to Bangladesh as a high-schooler captivated young Emily Manetta. Hearing the many languages spoken around her and the daily calls to prayer truly fed her passion to know more.

“I first went to Bangladesh for the summer with a family friend when I was 16 years old,” the recently arrived University of South Carolina professor and linguistics program director says. “That began my lifelong interest in South Asia.”

That fascination sparked what would become a comprehensive, scholarly exploration of linguistics and Islamic studies as an undergraduate at Swarthmore College and, ultimately, a doctorate in linguistics from the University California at Santa Cruz. At the University of South Carolina, Manetta is working on Indic languages and theoretical syntax, among other areas, as well as serving on a committee formed by the Office of the Vice President for Research aimed at encouraging faculty to use artificial intelligence in their research.

Between the lines

A broadly diverse global field, linguistics is known to most non-scholars simply as the study of language. The bulk of Manetta’s work focuses on the syntax of South Asian languages. She investigates phenomena such as how questions are formed.  

Interestingly, linguists focus not only on what is said aloud, but what is not said. Manetta also studies ellipsis, which is when a speaker omits some content that has already been spoken in the conversation. An example in English: “Joanna baked a perfect chocolate soufflé, but Jane didn’t.” There seems to be an obvious economy in not repeating that Jane didn’t also “bake a perfect chocolate soufflé.”  The phenomenon is found in languages spoken all over the world, and Manetta’s research has compared its use in several languages.

“In many parts of the world, speaking multiple languages is just a normal part of your day."

In her latest work, Manetta plans to investigate understudied varieties of the Romani language, which is spoken by an estimated 3 million people worldwide and can be traced to India more than 1,000 years ago.

After 17 years on the faculty at the University of Vermont, Manetta and husband Jonah Steinberg, a USC associate professor of anthropology, were thrilled to make the move to USC in January. The couple has three children, ages 8, 12 and 15. They already have developed a strong affection for the Palmetto State.

“We are loving South Carolina so far. We have met great people in Columbia,” she says. “Everyone has been incredibly welcoming.”

Since arriving in Columbia, Manetta and Steinberg partnered as co-investigators, winning a three-year National Science Foundation Dynamic Language Infrastructure-Documenting Endangered Languages grant for $450,000.

“We will collaborate with a linguist from a major institute in Paris to study little-known and imperiled varieties of the Romani language,” Steinberg says. “The grant affords some interesting opportunities for unusual interventions, like pop-up exhibitions and community interactive listening rooms. Romani is an Indian language spoken across Europe by that continent’s largest minority.”

More than words

Being a linguist with three children has benefits for both Manetta and her children, she says. She’s gained a firsthand view into language acquisition, and her children have gained from their exposure to other languages and cultures.

“We have always brought the kids with us to the fields, usually out of necessity,” she says. “They come to understand that not everyone in the world lives the way they do or speaks the way they do.”

Manetta also continues work she began in Vermont as she maintains her affiliation with UVM’s Vermont Conversation Lab. She collaborates with a research team exploring the language of serious illness conversations. She recently published a paper with her student, Ian Bhatia, on the use of the word “just” in bereavement narratives of those who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have always brought the kids with us to the field. They come to understand that not everyone in the world lives the way they do or speaks the way they do.”

“We noticed a special way of using the word ‘just’ in these narratives,” Manetta explains. “We have lots of words that do different jobs in conversation. We found this ‘just’ often arises in contexts in which the speaker intends to describe an extreme or profound experience. They are in a heightened emotional state,” perhaps at a temporary loss for the right words.

The researchers are now turning to another kind of profound conversation. Manetta is part of a team investigating communication between participants and therapists in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy clinical trials.

Manetta loves traveling to south Asia when she can, especially northern India and Pakistan, near the Himalayas.

“People in south Asia often love to talk about language,” she says. “Most people in India and Pakistan are multilingual by necessity. In many parts of the world, speaking multiple languages is just a normal part of your day.”

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PhD Student Amy Atiles Awarded NSF Grant

Congratulations to PhD student Amy Atiles for receiving an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant!  This award will support her research:  An intervention study on the acquisition of articles by second language learners. 

The NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant allows graduate students to undertake significant data-gathering projects and conduct field research in settings away from their campus.

You can learn more about this award from the  National Science Foundation .