PhD Program

Ìý

PhD degree requirementsÌý

A. CourseworkÌý
The Linguistics PhD requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved coursework at the 6000 level or above in the following categories:Ìý

  • 21 credits from 7 Linguistics courses, which includes 12 credits from 4 required courses:

    (Syntactic Analysis) Ìý& Ìý (Field Methods I)

Ìý Ìý Ìý And any two of the following:Ìý

Ìý Ìý ÌýÌý (Phonetic Theory) Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý / Ìý Ìý (Social Semiotic Theory)
Ìý Ìý ÌýÌý (Phonological Theory) Ìý/ ÌýÌý (Syntactic Theory)
Ìý Ìý ÌýÌý (Semantic Theory) Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý/ ÌýÌý (Diachronic Theory)Ìý

  • 9 credits from elective coursesÌýtakenÌýwithin or outside the Linguistics department, chosen in consultation with the student’s thesis advisor.

B. Additional requirements

PhD students must take a minimum of 30 dissertation hour credits and complete the PhD language requirement. In some cases, students may also need to fulfill a skills requirement as determined by their committee.Ìý

C. Exams & Dissertation

To complete a PhD degree, students also pass the Prelim Exam (year 2); the Comprehensive Exam, composed of the Synthesis paper (year 3) and Dissertation Prospectus (year 4); and successfully defend their Dissertation (year 5).Ìý

PhD Timeline in detailÌý

The Department intends for PhD students to complete degree requirements within five years and does not guarantee funding beyond five years.Ìý

This is the typical progression for students to complete the Linguistics PhD degree in 5 years, with links to forms, and deadlines.Ìý

Fall semester (1) & Spring semester (2)

Take required courses and electives as desired to complete degree and certificate requirements.

Review Certificate options & requirements.

Officially select thesis advisor and advisory committee.

By March 1 of Spring semester: Submit Prelim Exam Proposal.

Take electives as desiredÌý
Fall semester (3)Spring semester (4)
Develop Prelim Paper

Finalize Prelim Exam.Ìý

  • Submit final version of the paper to the committee by Feb. 1.Ìý
  • Defend orally on Feb. 15.

Discuss possible directions for Synthesis with advisor; develop reading list and read

Take electives as desired; take dissertationhours
Fall semester (5)Spring semester (6)

Submit Synthesis Proposal approved by committee early in the semester

Continue reading, data collection / analysis (if applicable), and writing

Submit Synthesis Paper to committee by March 15.
Revisions, if necessary, are due by the end of the semester.

Discuss Prospectus with advisor and plan for summer progress.

Take electives as desired; take dissertationhours
Fall semester (7)Spring semester (8)

Complete any required revisions of Synthesis paper.

Begin Dissertation Prospectus

Defend prospectus by Feb. 15.

Two weeks before Prospectus defense date – submit Comprehensive Exam Form.

Begin dissertation research according to plan.

After passing the defense, apply to Ìý

Take electives as desired; take dissertationhours
Fall semester (9)Spring semester (10)
Write the Dissertation

Timeline of activities & deadlines for the dissertation :
Jan-Feb: finalize writing and submit thesis to committee before March 1.
Schedule defense date before the Graduate School deadlineÌý (usually first week of April).
Two weeks before defense date: submit PhD final exam form

Defend thesisÌý& make revisions.
SubmitÌýThesis approval form with revised and formatted thesis and upload toÌý by Graduate School deadline (usually second week of April).

Ìý

Advising and tracking progress

Students meet with the graduate advisor and/or their dissertation advisor each semester before the enrollment period begins. After advising, the advising hold will be lifted in the online registration system.Ìý

Each student should make their own copy of theÌýRecord of Progress,Ìýupdate it every semester, and share it with the advisor for the advising session.Ìý