Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics
The primary objective of the Ph.D. Program in Linguistics at
UT Arlington is to train professionals with a common grounding in linguistic
research (with an emphasis on data collection and management), as well as
research expertise in two specialized areas of linguistics. The degree prepares
graduates for employment in field work, field program administration, literacy
consultation and language planning, teaching, work in industry and other forms
of employment appropriate to professional linguists.
(Please note, this page describes the curriculum for PhD students who started the program BEFORE the Fall semester of 2006. Students starting in Fall 2006 or later should check the new catalog requirements here.)
I. Course requirements
A. Foundation Courses (4 courses, 12
credits): The purpose behind the
foundation courses is to provide students with the sorts of professional skills
necessary for successful careers in linguistic research, teaching, and
administration.
1. Required: 3 courses, 9 credits
a. LING 5380 (Field Methods)
b. LING 5381 (Computer and Natural
Language)
c. LING 6300 (Professional Writing for
Linguistics)
2. Choice: 1 course, 3 credits
a. LING 6380 (Advanced Field Methods)
b. LING 6381 (Research Design and
Statistics)
B. Elective Courses (6 courses; 18
credits): Elective courses allow students to develop expertise in their two
areas of specialization, as well as a third support area, thereby supplementing
their previous academic training in linguistics and/or a related field.
1. Areas of specialization: minimum 4 courses, 12 credits (2
courses, 6 credits in primary area; 2 courses, 6 credits in secondary area); maximum 6 courses, 18 credits.
a. Phonetics and phonological theory
LING
5320, LING 5321, LING 5322, LING 5334
b. Grammatical theory
LING
5330, LING 5331, LING 5332, LING 5333,
LING 5334, LING 5335, LING 5371
c. Sociolinguistics
LING
5310, LING 5311, LING 5312, LING 5313,
LING 5344, LING 5351
d. Discourse analysis
LING
5332, LING 5350, LING 5351
e. Literacy
LING
5341, LING 5342, LING 5343, LING 5344
f. Translation and semantics
LING
5340, LING 5345
2. Support courses: maximum 2 courses, 6
credits
ANTH
5330, 5369, 5370
CSE
5360, 5361, 5363, 5366
ENGL
5334, 5354, 5355
LING
5301, 5302, 5303, 5304, 5306
READ
5316, 5350, 5355, 5357, 5361
SOCI
5310
Other
courses as approved by the linguistics faculty
Click here for the on-line Graduate Catalogue
C. Dissertation: 12 credits
1.
Proposal: LING 6391: Research in Linguistics—includes oral exam
2.
Dissertation: LING 6999
II. Foreign language requirement
This is a three-part requirement to be fulfilled using either two (2) or three
(3) foreign languages other than English.
1. Research language: met by written translation exam
2. Spoken (or signed) language: met by a, b, or c
a. 4 semesters of study; B or better in
each
b. Conversational exam
c. Other (determined by committee)
3. Non-Western Language (NWL): structural knowledge, met by a, b, or c
a. LING 5360
b. Substantial documented research paper
c. Master's thesis
NOTES:
• English may not be used to fulfill any part of the Foreign Language
Requirement.
• Native speaker status may satisfy (1) and (2) but not (3); structural knowledge requires
documented academic study of the language in question.
III. Diagnostic evaluation
A. Preliminary exam (within first 18
credits in program)
B. 3.5 GPA in foundation coursework
The Ph.D. Diagnostic Examination is usually taken at the end
of the second or third semester of study. The examination covers material from
four core areas of linguistics:
First
Half
Part
I, Phonological Theory
Part
II, Survey of Linguistic Theories/Readings in Linguistics
Second
Half
Part
III, Grammatical Theory
Part
IV, Sociolinguistics/Historical Linguistics
Students who have already passed
this examination as part of their M.A. requirements at UTA will need to have
their scores evaluated in the context of Ph.D.-level criteria. All other
students must sit for the examination.
IV. Professional activities
A. Oral presentations: 2
1. At conferences or colloquiums
2. In 2 areas of linguistics
B. Research papers: 2 (MA thesis may be used for 1.)
1. For peer review: 2
2. Accepted for publication: 1
The Graduate
Admissions Guide
gives information about graduate study at UTA and about the admission
process. In the Guide there are application forms for
U.S. citizens. U.S. resident
aliens or international student should contact the Graduate School directly for
the appropriate application form.
For more information about admissions procedures and applications, visit
the UTA Graduate School’s Web Page for Prospective
Students. A)
Admission
Factors 1) Quantitative Factors a) For M.A. program
applicants, undergraduate grade point average (GPA) is determined by the UT
Arlington Graduate School. For Ph.D. program applicants, GPA is based on all
graduate work completed. b) For every applicant, Graduate
Record Examination (GRE) scores are based on all three parts of the general
exam: verbal, quantitative, and analytical (V+Q+A). 2) Qualitative Factors a) Letters of
recommendation: Each applicant must present three (3) letters of recommendation
that clearly indicate that the applicant is prepared for and capable of
successful graduate study in linguistics at UT Arlington. The letters should
further indicate that the applicant is capable of completing the appropriate
degree program. b) Personal Statement: Each
applicant must write a statement that explains how graduate study in
linguistics is related to both his/her previous academic training and his/her
career goals. The statement will be evaluated on the degree to which it is
clear, reasonable, and consistent with the research and teaching agenda of the
current faculty in linguistics at UT Arlington. It should also convey a level
of commitment and maturity commensurate with the applicant’s desired
degree goals. c) Undergraduate
Preparation: Applicants must have passed the following six courses or
reasonable equivalents as determined by the graduate advisor (UT Arlington
equivalents are noted in parentheses): • English composition (ENGL 1302); • college-level mathematics (MATH 1302); • a laboratory science (any 1000-level
course in BIOL, CHEM, GEOL or PHYS; LING 5322 may also be used to fulfill this
requirement); • linguistic analysis, with a grade of
“B” or better (LING 3311/5300); • phonetics and phonology, with a grade of
“B” or better (LING 3330); and • grammar and morphology, with a grade of
“B” or better (LING 3340). Prospective students lacking any of these
prerequisite courses may enroll in them at UT Arlington. The English, math and
science courses listed above are offered each semester; the linguistics courses
are offered in the spring semester of each year, thereby preparing otherwise
qualified applicants for unconditional graduate-school enrollment in the
following fall semester. d) Previous Graduate Work
(Ph.D. Applicants only): Ph.D. applicants must present at least 30 semester
credits of previous graduate-level coursework (in any field, not necessarily
linguistics).
B)
Evaluation Metrics
Admission criteria for the Ph.D. in Linguistics program are listed in the Graduate Catalog pages here:
Graduate
School Fellowships (new students only)
The
UT Arlington Graduate School provides a limited number of fellowships for new
graduate students. Fellowships, when available, will be awarded on a competitive
basis. Nominees for a UTA Graduate School Fellowship in Linguistics will be
selected based on the following criteria:
¤
Candidates must be new students entering in the fall semester,
with a minimum of 6 hours of enrollment in both long semesters to retain their
fellowships.
¤
The minimum undergraduate GPA requirement is 3.3, as calculated by
the Graduate School, plus a GPA of 3.3 for any graduate credit hours.
¤
Transcript of a completed bachelor’s degree from an
accredited institution.
¤
Three letters of recommendation. The Program in Linguistics will
use the same letters submitted for admission.
¤
A written statement explaining the applicant’s reasons for
graduate study in Linguistics.
Linguistics
Scholarships (new and continuing students)
The
UT Arlington Program in Linguistics also provides a limited amount of funding
to students pursuing a Graduate Degree in Linguistics. These “Linguistics
Scholarships” are awarded on a competitive basis, with the minimum
criterion being a GPA of 3.3, calculated as follows:
For
new students: GPA as computed for the admissions process.
For
returning students:
¤
part-time students: the most recently completed 9 credit hours of
letter-graded courses completed as a Linguistics Graduate Student at UT
Arlington.
¤
full-time students: the most recently completed academic semester
in which the student took least 6 hours of letter-graded courses.
The
maximum amount that shall be awarded to any scholarship applicant enrolled
full-time during the award period will be $1000 for the academic year.
Students who are awarded scholarships but who are not enrolled for a least 9
credit hours will have the total amount of the scholarship prorated to reflect
the percentage time enrolled (e.g. 3 credit hours per semester = $333 for the
academic year).
Because
the amount of funds available for Linguistics Scholarships fluctuates from year
to year, there may be occasions upon which the number of applicants exceeds the
number of students that can be supported. In such circumstances, applicants
will be ranked according to the GPA criterion specified above; those students
with the highest GPAs will receive preference in funding. Moreover, returning
students will also be evaluated as to whether or not they are making reasonable
progress toward the completion of their degree, with preference given to those
students who have taken fewer than 12 credit hours of courses titled
“Thesis” or 18 credit hours of courses titled
“Dissertation.”