Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics
About the Program
The Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics focuses on the primary areas of the field in sound, syntax, meaning; advanced training in field linguistics and documentary linguistics, experimental linguistics, corpus linguistics, and in second language acquisition. The program provides development of in-depth expertise in at least one area of specialization.
Competencies
- Linguistics PhD graduates will be be able to clearly and coherently discuss fundamental concepts related to languagestructure at the sound, sentence, and meaning levels.
- Linguistics PhD graduates will be able to demonstrate mastery of how to set up a research project in linguistics.
- Linguistics PhD graduates will be able to successfully describe a research project that meets basic methodological standards in the discipline.
- Linguistics PhD graduates will be able to develop a curriculum vitae (CV) that provides key information regarding their academic preparation, employment experience, and research achievements.
- Linguistics PhD graduates will complete a dissertation that details substantive research in their area of specialization.
Admissions Requirements
In evaluating candidates for admissions to its graduate degree programs, the Linguistics & TESOL faculty have adopted a comprehensive approach that is sensitive to the diversity of backgrounds of its applicants. To this end, a constellation of quantitative and qualitative factors has been established to make explicit the range of criteria upon which admissions decisions will be based.
Unconditional admission
To be considered for unconditional admission, the candidate must present the following:
1. A GPA that meets one of the following criteria:
- Applicants with a BA in Linguistics or closely allied field: The applicant presents an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.6 (on a 4.0 scale) based on upper division course work (junior and senior level or equivalent).
- Applicants without a BA in Linguistics or closely allied field: The applicant presents an undergraduate/graduate GPA of at least 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) and has completed at least 30 hours of graduate-level coursework in any discipline.
2. The TOEFL test requirement (for international students) is a total score of at least 100, which is higher than the minimum set forth in the University policies on proficiency in English.
- The Linguistics program TOEFL requirement for admission will only be waived for students who have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or from equivalent institutions located in following countries: United Kingdom, Irish Republic, English-speaking Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It will also be waived for students who have completed at least 4 years of graduate study (approximately 72 SCH with at least a 3.2 GPA) at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or from equivalent institutions located in these countries.
3. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation:
- Each applicant must present 3 letters of recommendation that 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 degree program.
4. Statement of Purpose:
Each applicant must write a statement that explains their plan of study and specialization in our department.
5. Writing Sample
Each applicant must submit an academic writing sample (research paper) of 20 pages or less.
6. Transcript
An undergraduate and/or graduate transcript that includes the following:
Mandatory Coursework
- ENGL 1302 (or equivalent) with a grade of C or higher
- Math 1302 (or equivalent) with a grade of C or higher
- A course in laboratory science with a grade of C or higher
Preferred Coursework
- While not required, we give priority to applicants who additionally demonstrate that they have passed the following courses with a B or higher:
- Morphology and syntax (LING 3340, or equivalent)
- Phonetics and phonology (LING 3330, or equivalent)
- Introduction to linguistics (LING 3311/LING 5300, or equivalent)
Deferred Admission
Applicants for whom the admission file is incomplete will have a final decision admission deferred. In such cases, a final decision will be made only when the applicant presents a complete admission file.
Denial of Admission
Applicants who do not meet a majority of the admission standards (both quantitative and qualitative) set forth above will be denied admission. For doctoral admission in particular, qualitative factors such as writing sample, statement of intent, or area of intended work may result in a student being denied admission even when quantitative factors are met.
Curriculum
| Theoretical Core | ||
| LING 5320 | PHONOLOGICAL THEORY | 3 |
| LING 5330 | FORMAL SYNTAX | 3 |
| LING 5322 | LABORATORY PHONOLOGY | 3 |
| LING 5328 | PSYCHOLINGUISTICS: SENTENCE PROCESSING | 3 |
| or LING 5338 | PSYCHOLINGUISTICS: VISUAL WORD RECOGNITION | |
| LING 5331 | ADVANCED FORMAL SYNTAX | 3 |
| LING 5345 | SEMANTICS | 3 |
| LING 5347 | PRAGMATICS | 3 |
| Methods | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| FIELD METHODS | ||
| CORPUS LINGUISTICS | ||
| FIELD METHODS SEMINAR | ||
| STATISTICS FOR LINGUISTS (or an approved course in research design or statistics offered by another department) | ||
| Professional Development | ||
| LING 6300 | PROFESSIONAL WRITING SEMINAR | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select five UTA graduate courses in consultation with your advisor | 15 | |
| Dissertation Proposal Hours | ||
| LING 6391 | RESEARCH IN LINGUISTICS | 3 |
| Dissertation Writing Hours | ||
| LING 6999 | DISSERTATION | 9 |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
In the first two semesters of the program, students are expected to enroll in the core classes.
All PhD students must demonstrate knowledge of core areas in linguistics by passing the diagnostic examination requirement outlined on the departmental website.
Doctoral students must satisfy all the coursework requirements of the doctoral program prior to taking courses that do not fulfill the requirements. Any exception to this policy must be approved by a majority vote of the Graduate Studies Committee.
In addition, there are foreign language and professional activities requirements that must be met. Visit the Linguistics & TESOL department website for details.
Advising Resources
Students are highly encouraged to meet regularly with their assigned advisor—at least once per semester and before enrolling in classes—to ensure steady academic progress, identify new opportunities, and align their coursework with their long-term career goals.
Location:
530 University Hall
Email:
ling.advisor@uta.edu
Phone:
817-272-3133