phd in cognitive linguistics

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

Linguistics & languages.

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Our Community
• Request Info

PhD Program in Cognitive Science of Language

Join our world-class Languages & Linguistics Department to continue your study of language structure, language processing and the neural basis of language in the Cognitive Science of Language PhD Program.

Our courses are so hands-on and application based that you end up developing a unique and valuable skillset, which ends up leading into a variety of career paths that would otherwise have been difficult to grow accustomed to.

Meliha Horzum '20

Honours Cognitive Science of Language

About the Program

Based in the Department of Linguistics and Languages, the PhD program in Cognitive Science of Language is interdisciplinary and includes faculty from Humanities, Science, and Health Sciences. The program has a strong research orientation with expertise in cognitive science, corpus linguistics, neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and theoretical linguistics. The program introduces students to the issues in those fields that form the nexus of linguistics, cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience, and trains students in the research methods employed to study them.

Admission Requirements

A MSc in the Cognitive Science of Language or an equivalent Master’s degree is required for entrance into the PhD program. Some applicants may require additional courses in core areas (e.g. linguistics or cognitive science) in order to be eligible for admission. Each application will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Language Requirement

In order to ensure language diversity and breadth, the Department has a second-language requirement for the PhD degree, in addition to the general Graduate School requirement of English proficiency. Candidates should have, as a minimum, intermediate knowledge of a language other than English, defined as having passed the equivalent of two (2) full year courses. Candidates admitted without this requirement will be expected to pass the equivalent of two (2) full year courses or to pass a Qualifying Exam. The Department will evaluate each student’s language preparation at the Admission stage.

Application Process

The official electronic transcripts should be sent from the issuing institution directly to our department’s email: [email protected]

The online application portal for our graduate program in Cognitive Science of Language unlocks November 1st each year for September admission only. 

THOSE WHO SUBMIT  THEIR  COMPLETED APPLICATIONS (BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL) BY THE JANUARY 31ST DEADLINE WILL HAVE FIRST CONSIDERATION.

• Complete the online application -> McMaster University Application  
• Statement of Interest (identify the faculty member you wish to work with)
• Writing Sample (any type of academic writing i.e. term paper, thesis chapter)
• Two academic references (McMaster University uses an Electronic Referencing System. By entering the email address of your referee through the online application, the system will automatically send an e-Reference request on your behalf)
• English Language Proficiency (if English is not your native language)
• Official transcripts of all post-secondary academic work completed to date (transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to our Department, please include English translation if applicable)
• Official copy of your TOEFL or IELTS scores or any other evidence of English proficiency (TOEFL: minimum score of 92 (internet based), 237 (computer based) or 580 (paper based), minimum of 20 per band; for the Faculty of Engineering a minimum score of 88 (internet based) or 213 on the (computer based) or 550 (paper based)  IELTS (Academic): minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section)
• **NOTE** Applicants from outside of Canada should begin the application process as early as possible to allow time to obtain all necessary documents.

Program Timelines

Students entering with a MSc in the Cognitive Science of Language are required to complete three half courses plus one pass/fail module. If the following courses were not completed in the MSc program, they must be included in the PhD program of study:

• COGSCIL 730 / Language Analysis Methods: Phonology and Morphology
• COGSCIL 731 / Language Analysis Methods: Syntax and Semantics
• COGSCIL 726 / The Cognitive Science of Language Ph.D. Lecture Series must be completed in Year 1 of the PhD program
• Plus additional courses approved by the student’s supervisory committee to total three half courses

Students entering with a Master’s degree but not an MSc in the Cognitive Science of Language are required to complete seven half courses plus one pass/fail lecture series module as listed below. The Lecture series must be completed in year one of the program.  

Required courses:

• COGSCIL 721 / Fundamentals of the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
• COGSCIL 722 / Contemporary Issues in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
• COGSCIL 726 / The Cognitive Science of Language Ph.D. Lecture Series  
• Plus additional courses approved by the student’s supervisory committee to total seven half courses

The Comprehensive Examination is intended to ensure that the student develops competence in a subfield of Cognitive Science of Language beyond the focus of the thesis. In consultation with the supervisory committee, the student will identify a topic for the Comprehensive that is distinct from the thesis topic.

In most cases, the Director of the Comprehensive will not be the thesis supervisor. The student and the Comprehensive Director agree in writing on the nature of the deliverable for the Comprehensive and on interim and final deadlines. At a minimum, the Comprehensive consists of a written paper and oral examination of the topic of the paper. The paper may consist of a literature review, proposal for a research project, report of a research project or report of a teaching project. The scope of the project should be such that it can reasonably be completed within one semester. The paper will usually be 20-30 pages long.

The Comprehensive Director identifies at least one other faculty member; together, the Director and these other faculty members constitute the Comprehensive Exam Committee. (Comprehensive Directors are encouraged to recruit Comprehensive Examiners from beyond the Department of Linguistics & Languages.) The Comprehensive Director advises the student on the preparation of the paper. The Comprehensive Exam Committee determines whether the paper is ready for an oral defense, and conducts the oral examination. The oral examination consists of a brief presentation by the student regarding the content of the paper followed by questions from the Committee. The Comprehensive Exam must be successfully completed within 20 months of entering the PhD program.

All students are expected to attend the talks in the Cognitive Science of Language Lecture Series, where scholars from around the world in the fields of Linguistics, Psychology, and Cognitive Neuroscience discuss their research.

Tuition & Program Fees

Visit Graduate Studies to learn more about tuition, supplementary fees and everything you need to know about being paid as a Teaching or Research Assistant. Tuition fees are assessed on a term by term basis, depending on the number of courses a student takes or if they are paying by term.

Faculty Scholarship Adjustments Guidelines

The McMaster Graduate Scholarship (MGS) is the most common form of scholarship support available to graduate students in our program. The MGS ensures that students receive a guaranteed minimum level of scholarship support. Adjustments to the MGS will depend on other available scholarships.

The Faculty of Humanities Adjustments guidelines policy is available for review.

REVIEW THE POLICY

Apply to an PhD Program in Linguistics & Languages

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GRADUATE SUPERVISORS

Research your passion in Linguistics & Languages with supervision from our world-class faculty.

SEE OUR CURRENT AND FORMER PhD STUDENTS

Supplemental information.

Graduate Courses in Linguistics and Languages

Course outlines 2024-2025

• Cogscil 6D03 – Computers and Linguistic Analysis
• Cogscil 6XX3 – Topics in Linguistic Theory
• Cogscil 712 – Reading Course (Linguistics)
• Cogscil 713 – Reading Course (Cognitive Science)
• Cogscil 726A – The Cognitive Science of Language M.Sc. Lecture Series
• Cogscil 749 – Lab Visual Language

Winter 2025 (the outlines will be added by the beginning of the winter term)

• Cogscil 6EL3 – Experimental Lab in Cognitive Science of Language
• Cogscil 6G03- Language, Sex and Gender
• Cogscil 6LC3 – Advanced Morphology and Syntax
• Cogscil 713 –  Reading Course (Cognitive Science)
• Cogscil 721 – Fundamentals of the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
• Cogscil 726B– The Cognitive Science of Language M.Sc. Lecture Series
• Cogscil 730 – Language Analysis Methods: Phonology and Morphology

Course outlines 2023-2024

• Cogscil 6LB3 – Advanced Phonetics and Phonology
• Cogscil 722 – Contemporary Issues in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
• Cogscil 726A – The Cognitive Science of Language Ph.D. Lecture Series

Winter 2024

• Cogscil 6NN3 – Cognitive Neurolinguistics Lab
• Cogscil 726B– The Cognitive Science of Language Ph.D. Lecture Series
• Cogscil 731 – Language Analysis Methods: Syntax and Semantics
• Cogscil 734 – Issues in Syntax

Course outlines 2022-2023

Winter 2023

• Cogscil 6AS3 – Topics in Advanced Semantics
• Cogscil 726B – The Cognitive Science of Language Ph.D. Lecture Series

Domestic MSc students usually receive a funding package consisting of a teaching assistantship and scholarship. The total value of the funding package ranges from $16,000 to $19,000 per year.

Currently all domestic PhD students receive a funding package of $23,500 per year, usually including a teaching assistantship of 260 hours plus a scholarship.

McMaster Graduate Studies Scholarship Information

The School of Graduate Studies provides funding to our graduate students so they can devote their time and energy to the successful completion of their studies.

External Graduate Scholarships

All eligible students are also strongly encouraged to apply for external scholarships such as the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and Canada Graduate Scholarships.

Ontario Graduate Scholarship

Note that applications must be submitted directly to the institution(s) where you plan to pursue graduate studies. The deadline is normally in the fall, before the application deadline for graduate school. 

Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s Program

Graduate Scholarship – As with OGS, applications for the Canada Graduate Scholarship must be submitted through an eligible institution. The deadline is usually December 1, before the application deadline for graduate school.

All applicants and current students will be considered for funding support from McMaster, including TAships.

• Thesis Defence
• Program Handbook
• Graduate Calendar
• School of Graduate Studies Graduate Resources
• Graduate Association
• Where to find jobs

PAST MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

Department life.

The Department of Linguistics & Languages welcomes scholars from around the world to participate in the Cognitive Science of Language Lecture Series. The lecture series is a forum where all are welcome to attend talks by established researchers on recent innovations and current trends in Language and Cognition.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Find a Humanities Expert

Research-focused and student-centered. Humanities researchers promote interdisciplinary approaches to local and global leadership. Learn more about our researchers by searching by name or keyword.

Ph.D. Cognitive Science Designation

Philosophy ,  Psychology  and  Linguistics  participate in an interdisciplinary designation in Cognitive Science for doctoral students.  The designation is open to any Ph.D. candidate in the participating departments, and is intended to provide an interdisciplinary education as well as a deeper concentration in one of the constituent disciplines through basic coursework.  Students who complete the requirements within their department and the Cognitive Science requirements will have their Ph.D.s granted from the parent department with a special designation in Cognitive Science.

Requirements

• To receive this designation, students must complete 30 units of approved coursework.  The 30 units cannot include courses counted elsewhere towards the Ph.D. 
• Courses may be drawn from the participating departments, as well as from other departments, as long as their content is appropriate to the designation.  Special topic seminars are excluded from the approved list in favor of more foundational courses.  
• At least 18 of the 30 units must be from outside the student’s major department and must include coursework in at least two other departments.  
• The majority of the courses taken towards the 30 units of coursework must be taken for a letter grade and should be completed with at least a 'B'.  

How to Apply

Linguistics Ph.D. students wishing to receive the Cognitive Science designation should inform the Director of Graduate Studies of their interest.  Students are urged to consult with the advisor early in the second year of graduate study, so that there is ample time to develp a pl an that accommodates both department requirements and the additional coursework for the designation before the student begins serious work on the dissertation.  Through this consultation, t he student develops a proposed course plan for the designation which should be submitted to the Student Services Office preferably no later than autumn quarter of the third year.

We have 7 cognitive linguistics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

All disciplines

All locations

Institution

All Institutions

All PhD Types

All Funding

cognitive 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.

Cognitive Science PhD

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.

Exploring Generative AI, Memory, and Language Understanding

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.

Optimising the measurement of working memory for assessment of speech-in-noise perception

Phd studentship opportunities in the overall field of cognition research, 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.

Germany PhD Programme

A German PhD usually takes 3-4 years. Traditional programmes focus on independent research, but more structured PhDs involve additional training units (worth 180-240 ECTS credits) as well as placement opportunities. Both options require you to produce a thesis and present it for examination. Many programmes are delivered in English.

Natural Language Generation in the Era of Large Language Models

Bilingual language processing: comparing first and second language comprehension.

FindAPhD. Copyright 2005-2024 All rights reserved.

Unknown    ( change )

Have you got time to answer some quick questions about PhD study?

Select your nearest city

You haven’t completed your profile yet. To get the most out of FindAPhD, finish your profile and receive these benefits:

• Monthly chance to win one of ten £10 Amazon vouchers ; winners will be notified every month.*
• The latest PhD projects delivered straight to your inbox
• Access to our £6,000 scholarship competition
• Weekly newsletter with funding opportunities, research proposal tips and much more
• Early access to our physical and virtual postgraduate study fairs

Or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

*Offer only available for the duration of your active subscription, and subject to change. You MUST claim your prize within 72 hours, if not we will redraw.

Create your account

Looking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here .

Filtering Results

• BA Linguistics
• BA Speech Sciences
• Diploma in Linguistics
• Opportunities
• Beyond the BA
• Masters’ Programs

PhD Program

• Theses & Dissertations
• Continuing Education
• Graduate Students
• In Memoriam
• Labs & Groups
• First Nations Languages
• Research Interest Registration
• Field Methods Class
• Publications
• Recurring Events
• Join the Colloquium mailing list
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Job Opportunities

The PhD program is for those interested in advanced research training and developing expertise in an area of their choice.

Program Overview

Our department covers a broad range of research topics, with substantial coverage of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. We approach these topics from several different research traditions and backgrounds, with particular strengths in formal-theoretical linguistics, experimental and field linguistics, acquisition, and computational approaches to the study of communicative behaviour.

Program Requirements

Students in the PhD Linguistics program must complete coursework under the following requirements:

• LING 508: Phonetic Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
• LING 510: Phonological Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
• LING 520: Syntactic Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
• LING 525: Semantic Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
• First-year breadth courses may be waived if equivalent courses have been taken elsewhere.
• LING 505A: Issues in Morphological Theory and Analysis (3 credits)
• LING 511 : Topics in Phonology (3 credits)
• LING 513: Topics in Phonetics (3 credits)
• LING 521: Topics in Syntax (3 credits)
• LING 527: Topics in Semantics (3 credits)
• More than one section of LING 530 can be counted towards this requirement, with each three-credit section counting as one course.
• LING 531: Field Methods in Linguistics I (3 credits)
• The remaining six credits can be completed with either LING 532, LING 518, and/or an appropriate methods-related course within in Linguistics or in a different department

The first-year breadth courses and methods courses (except Field Methods) are waived if equivalent courses have been taken elsewhere, subject to an evaluation of the relevant syllabus.

First-year graduate students who do not have sufficient background for the first-year graduate courses (this is most typically an issue for LING 525 and LING 508) are expected to take the appropriate undergraduate courses (e.g., LING 325, LING 313) prior to registration in the graduate course.

Here are three sample course sequences that students usually take:

Sequence 1: 

Term 1: Breadth: LING 510, LING 520; Depth: LING 503

Term 2: Breadth: LING 508, LING 525; Depth: LING 511

Term 3: Depth: LING 513; Methods: LING 518, LING 531

Term 4: Depth: LING 530; Depth/Methods: LING 532

Sequence 2: 

Term 1: Breadth: LING 510, LING 520; Depth: LING 530

Term 2: Breadth: LING 525; Depth: LING 505A, LING 521

Term 3: Depth LING 527; Methods: LING 518, LING 531

Term 4: Depth/Methods LING 532

Sequence 3: 

Term 1: Breadth: LING 510; Depth: LING 503; Methods: 3 credits in statistics

Term 3: Depth LING 513; Methods: LING 518, LING 531

Term 4: Depth LING 530; LING 530

Qualifying papers

The QP process is an opportunity to develop, strengthen, and broaden research skills. Whether a student chooses the one-QP or two-QP option and the specific topic(s) are decisions students discuss and make in discussion with their committee. Discussions of what constitutes appropriate scope should take place within the committee.

Two-QP option (default): Students who select to write two QPs are acknowledging that they would benefit from the experience of engaging in two separate research topics under the guidance of a committee. Each committee must have three members, but each QP will have two readers. (The third member may be the Graduate Advisor.) The length of these QPs is to be the scope of a discipline-specific conference proceedings paper.

One-QP option: Students who select to write one QP are eager to engage more deeply with a single topic and set of research methods. Under this option, QPs will have three readers. The scope of this QP is to be appropriate for a journal manuscript, which is discipline specific. 

While QPs may feed into dissertation projects, there is no established expectation that they will or will not.

No defences, but QP presentations. Under neither of these options will students be required to defend their QPs. But, developing presentation skills is important to a scholar’s development. Students are required to present each QP. Such a presentation is a presentation and not a defence. The evaluation of a presentation is thus formative, and not summative. A QP does not need to be presented upon completion, but rather it is up to the committee to decide the presentation timing that is appropriate for a student. To facilitate this, there will be a Graduate Student Research Day at the end of every term, and all students will be invited to present.

As part of the Qualifying Paper process, and before beginning work on the paper, a student must have a short proposal for each paper approved by the supervisory committee. The proposal must establish the specific area and problem(s) to be addressed and cite a few key references from the literature which will be surveyed. The committee will normally respond to the proposal within 2 weeks of its submission. The Qualifying Paper proposal should follow the formatting guidelines of an abstract for the Annual Conference of the Canadian Linguistic Association, with the following addition: without exceeding the one-page length limit, the proposal should include a short budget (if there will be costs associated with completing the Qualifying Paper), budget justification and funding source (faculty member’s grant, outside grant, private funds, etc.). Also note that the content for a proposal will normally be more speculative than a conference abstract. Once approved, the Qualifying Paper proposal should be electronically filed with the Grad Admin and circulated electronically to the Department.

The final paper will be submitted to UBC Working Papers in Linguistics and must follow the UBCWPL style guidelines for length and formatting.

Dissertation

The dissertation marks the culmination of the PhD program. A dissertation should be an original and independent research project which makes some contribution to knowledge in the special area elected by the student.The dissertation marks the culmination of the PhD program. A dissertation should be an original and independent research project which makes some contribution to knowledge in the special area elected by the student.

By the end of a student’s third year, the student must submit to the Graduate Advisor a dissertation prospectus, along with the appropriate approval form signed by the members of the dissertation committee, and circulate the prospectus electronically to the Department. The content of a dissertation prospectus should be along the lines of an NSERC Discovery Grant or a SSHRC Insight Grant; it should have the following components:

• Summary (1 page maximum)
• Detailed description (6 pages maximum)
• Bibliography
• Budget (if there will be costs associated with completing the dissertation research)
• Budget justification (as appropriate)

Dissertations should be prepared in accordance with the thesis formatting regulations required by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Dissertations which do not meet the standards specified may be rejected. Documentation should follow the style guide of the Canadian Journal of Linguistics, Language, or the American Psychological Association.

The completed dissertation will be read by a specialist from outside the University, arranged by the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at least three months before the candidate expects to take the final oral examination. The student’s research supervisor and the Graduate Advisor will forward a list of names of specialists who might serve as External Examiner using the Doctoral Dissertation Form. When the dissertation has been approved for submission to the External Examiner, the candidate will take the final oral defence. This is a formal, public examination, chaired by an appointee of the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and attended by the members of the examining committee and other interested persons.

Students nearing the final stages of thesis writing should familiarize themselves with the timeline to the oral dissertation defense . During the weeks prior to the oral examination, students are strongly encouraged to give a practice oral presentation, ideally during a departmental research seminar slot. Practice orals should follow the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies format, allowing 30 minutes for a presentation, and a longer period for questions. While examining committee members are not prohibited from attending, practice orals should not be viewed as an opportunity to prepare students for specific questions that students will be asked by committee members at the official defence.

The candidate submits an electronic copy of the final dissertation to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The electronic copy will be deposited in the cIRcle on-line repository, and linked from the department website. The final oral exam may be held at any time of the year (except from mid-December to mid-January) provided that the examining committee can be assembled.

Language requirement

In order to graduate, students must have a sound knowledge of one language other than English. They must fulfill this language requirement by the time of their thesis prospectus submission.

The language to fulfill this requirement is expected to be chosen on the basis of its relevance for the student’s research program, in consultation and by approval of the student’s supervisory committee. Relevance can be determined by a variety of factors such as the following:

• The language is the object of the student’s research, or is closely related to the language of research; for example, where a student’s research focuses on Yoruba, knowledge of Yoruba could fulfill the requirement, or where the student’s research is on St’at’imcets, knowledge of Halkomelem could fulfill the requirement.
• There is a significant and relevant linguistic literature in the language; for example, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Russian could fulfill the requirement.
• The language serves as a medium for conducting linguistic research relevant to the student’s program of research; for example, Hausa could fulfill the language requirement for a student conducting research on a language of northern Nigeria.

Students may fulfill the language requirements in various ways:

• Certain departments at UBC periodically schedule reading knowledge examinations. This exam evaluates a student’s language competence based on the translation of a text (approximately 1000 words) relating to the student’s field of study. A minimum second class standing (B- or better) must be obtained on this exam in order to satisfy the Foreign Language Requirement. For further information on such examinations, contact the appropriate departments.
• If you speak a language natively, your native proficiency can be accepted by the supervisory committee.
• If you have completed a program of post-secondary language study (a minimum of 12 credits or equivalent). A minimum second class standing (B- or better) must be obtained for these credits in order to satisfy the Foreign Language Requirement.
• For other languages, it may be necessary to establish an ad hoc mechanism for conducting an evaluation of the student’s knowledge. In such cases, the student should make a written request to their supervisory committee, including a proposal for how such an examination can take place, and including a proposal for a qualified examiner. Students considering this option should be aware that the requirements (including the required level of competence in the language and how to demonstrate it) may vary extensively from case to case, depending on the norms of the language community involved.

Continuous enrolment

Until their MA thesis prospectus has been approved, all MA students are expected to maintain a regular, active, physical presence in the Department. This can include participation in lab/project/reading groups, attending colloquia, research seminars or other ad hoc departmental events, meetings with their supervisor, committee members or other researchers in relevant areas. Certain circumstances may necessitate a student’s absence during some of this period (e.g. for field work); such absences should be discussed with the supervisory committee.

At all stages of the program, a student and their supervisor should be in regular contact and communication. At the thesis/dissertation stage, such contact should happen at least once a month (again, barring extenuating circumstances), either through in-person meetings, videoconferencing, or communication/reporting over email.

Supervision

A Research Supervisor is appointed for a student before the beginning of their first year in the program. The Graduate Advisor and the Research Supervisor, in consultation with the incoming student, will establish a three-member Temporary Supervisory Committee no later than the end of the first week of the first term.

Prior to registration for the second year, the Temporary Supervisory Committee shall be dissolved and a new Supervisory Committee shall be established. A MA Supervisory Committee consists minimally of the Research Supervisor and two additional members. Normally the members of the supervisory committee are from the Department of Linguistics; if the students committee includes members from outside the Department of Linguistics, a majority must be departmental members. Establishing a Research Supervisor is the joint responsibility of the student and the Graduate Advisor.

Both new and continuing MA students will have a meeting with their Supervisory Committee during the last week of August or in early September. At this meeting students can discuss their course work and other aspects of their program. Incoming students are requested to bring with them copies of the calendars of course offerings from the institutions they previously attended (other than UBC). At the end of April or the beginning of May, all students will meet with their Supervisory Committee to discuss the year’s progress and to plan further work. Any changes in a graduate student’s program must be approved by the Supervisory Committee.

The Graduate Advisor, in advising students, makes every effort to ensure that they have satisfied all the requirements for the degree — language requirements, course work, etc. However, it is ultimately every student’s responsibility to ensure that at the time he/she applies for the degree he/she has met all the requirements. Separate records of a student’s program and progress are kept by the Faculty of Graduate Studies; these records are obtained from information provided by the Graduate Advisor and are used to determine a student’s ultimate eligibility for graduation.

Annual evaluation

The Faculty will meet in April or May each year to discuss the progress of each student in the PhD program. The student’s supervisor will inform them of the results of the evaluation. If a student is not making satisfactory progress, they will either be required to withdraw from the program immediately or will be placed on probation and told what conditions must be fulfilled to obtain a satisfactory standing. If a student on probation has not fulfilled these conditions by the end of the following semester, they will then normally be required to withdraw from the program.

Quick Links

• People Directory
• Safety at UD

• Graduate Programs

Linguistics and Cognitive Sciences: Ph.D., M.A., 4+1, Certificate

The Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science offers programs leading to the M.A. degree in linguistics and cognitive science and the Ph.D. in linguistics. In addition, the department offers the option of a combined B.S./M.A. in cognitive science/linguistics and cognitive science (this is not an option for speech pathology) and a combined B.A./M.A. in linguistics/linguistics and cognitive science. The M.A. in linguistics and cognitive science is a flexible degree, allowing students to design programs of study in areas of theoretical linguistics, cognitive science and applied linguistics, including teaching English as a second language. Areas for Ph.D. specialization include theoretical linguistics (syntax, semantics, phonology, morphology), psycholinguistics (first and second language acquisition, language processing, neurolinguistics), endangered and under-described languages (linguistic field methods, language typology, language documentation) and applied linguistics. A certificate in cognitive science is also available.

Current UD undergraduate students can be considered for admission to the 4+1 B.A. in linguistics/M.A. in linguistics and cognitive science or the 4+1 B.S. in cognitive science/M.A. in linguistics and cognitive science.

Application Deadlines

*International applicants are not eligible to obtain a U.S student visa solely with an acceptance to a UD Graduate Certificate program. Certificates may be added by full-time matriculated graduate students.

The  2024-2025  UD graduate student tuition rate per credit hour is $1,069 .

Return to All Programs

Apply Now >

Contact info, program info.

Graduate College

Prospective Students

• Graduate Admissions
• Recruiting Events and Resources
• Professional & Continuing Education
• One UD Degree Wasn't Enough for Me
• Cost of Attendance
• Graduate Community Portal
• Graduate College Council
• Event Photography and Videography Policy

234 Hullihen Hall, Newark, DE 19716 USA   [email protected] General: (302) 831-6824 Fax: (302) 831-8745

Cognitive Science (Joint PhD)

Cutting across the information and life sciences, cognitive science is a paradigmatic multi- and inter-disciplinary research program with enormous future societal benefits, especially as intelligent artificial agents are becoming part of our lives.

Program Objectives

Tufts has built up a world-renowned faculty in Cognitive Science, some of whom have been prominent since the beginnings of the field. The joint PhD program has particular interdisciplinary strength in the area of human language, including theoretical linguistics, psycho- and neurolinguistics, reading and dyslexia, and computational linguistics, and it offers considerable expertise as well in other traditional subareas of cognitive science including animal cognition, human memory, behavioral/cognitive/affective neuroscience, cognitive modeling, robotics, and human computer interaction.

Application Requirements

• Application Fee
• Personal Statement
• Computer Science considers a TOEFL score of 100, IELTS score of 7.5, or Duolingo score of 120 to be competitive for admittance. See the Computer Science Doctorate page for a listing of specific subcategory scores.
• The remaining tracks follow the standard guidelines found on our International Student Requirements page
• Transcripts
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• GRE General Test scores: Not required for applicants applying to Psychology: Cognitive Science, Child Study and Human Development: Cognitive Science, and Education: Cognitive Science. If you are applying to the Computer Science: Cognitive Science program, GREs are waived for those who will have received a degree from an institution located in the U.S. or Canada by time of enrollment.

There is no separate admissions process for the cognitive science PhD program. Simply indicate on your application to a home department that they would like to be admitted to the cognitive science PhD program. The program director will work with faculty responsible for admission in the home department to determine your eligibility. Note that this process will not conflict with the admissions process (or criteria) in your home department; only students that satisfy the admissions criteria of the home department can be considered for admission into the cognitive science PhD program.

• PhD in Psychology: Cognitive Science - Indicate "Cognitive Science" on application.
• PhD in Child Study and Human Development: Enroll in Cognitive Sciences program after matriculation.
• PhD in Computer Science: Indicate "Cognitive Science" on application.
• PhD in Education: Cognitive Science: Indicate "Cognitive Science" on application.

Tuition and Financial Aid

See Tuition and Financial Aid information .

Home Departments

There are four departments are associated with this exciting interdisciplinary program: Psychology , Computer Science , Child Study and Human Development and Education . Students apply to and enroll in the joint Cognitive Science PhD program through one of these departments (referred to as the 'home departments'), either as a prospective graduate student or as a current graduate student after they have been accepted by one of the departments (e.g., after they have already started their PhD).

J.P. de Ruiter

Research/Areas of Interest: Cognition and Psycholinguistics

Stephanie Badde

Research/Areas of Interest: Perception

Christoph Borgers

Research/Areas of Interest: Anomalous diffusion, mathematical neuroscience

Bárbara M. Brizuela

Eileen Crehan

Research/Areas of Interest: Neurodevelopmental disorders; autism spectrum disorder; sexuality education; social perception; eye tracking; dimensional measurement of psychological symptoms

Calvin Gidney

Research/Areas of Interest: Linguistics; literacy, sociolinguistic development; dyslexia in African-American children; language of children's cartoons; children's name-calling

Ariel Goldberg

Research/Areas of Interest: Psychology of Language, Linguistics

Brian Epstein

Research/Areas of Interest: Metaphysics, Philosophy of Social Science, Philosophy of Language

David Hammer

Research/Areas of Interest: Research on learning and instruction. My research is on learning and teaching in STEM fields (mostly physics) across ages from young children through adults. Much of my focus has been on intuitive "epistemologies," how instructors interpret and respond to student thinking, and resource-based models of knowledge and reasoning.

Research/Areas of Interest: Neural basis of vocal communication

Gina Kuperberg

Research/Areas of Interest: Cognitive Neuroscience, Language (semantics), Clinical cognitive neuroscience

Tama Leventhal

Research/Areas of Interest: Neighborhood and community context; housing context; family context; poverty and socioeconomic status; social policy; adolescence; immigrant young children

Paul Muentener

Research/Areas of Interest: Conceptual Development, Causal Reasoning, Language & Thought

Aniruddh Patel

Research/Areas of Interest: Music Cognition

Elizabeth Race

Research/Areas of Interest: Cognitive Neuroscience

Holly Taylor

Research/Areas of Interest: Spatial Cognition, Language, Memory

Ayanna Thomas

Research/Areas of Interest: Memory and Aging

Heather Urry

Research/Areas of Interest: Emotion and Emotion Regulation

Nathan Ward

Research/Areas of Interest: Applied Cognition

Related Programs

Child study and human development, stem education, computer science (online post-bacc certificate).

Department of Cognitive Science

• PhD Admissions

• PhD Requirements
• Computational Cognitive Science Track
• PhD Sample Program
• PhD Funding
• Alumni Testimonials
• PhD Alumni Placement
• MA Requirements
• MA Sample Program
• MA Admissions
• Graduate Courses
• Professional Development

Our PhD program provides full-time, in-person training and close mentorship in various areas of cognitive science and in the formal methods that pertain to them. We apply a holistic approach to the review of applications and give careful consideration to all the credentials presented by applicants, including academic qualifications obtained in a wide variety of institutions, skills, and experiences that facilitate degree completion and a successful postgraduate career. This results in a diverse group of graduate students, with a sample of different profiles exemplified below:

Example Profiles of Candidates

• Candidates holding baccalaureate or master’s degrees in cognitive science or one of the traditional sub-disciplines (psychology, computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, and philosophy). Such candidates have typically engaged in previous research in one of those sub-disciplines. They are strongly theoretically oriented and their interests in cognitive science are broad. In addition to perfecting their training in one of the sub-disciplines under a close mentorship, they also wish to be trained in methodologies of other sub-disciplines and to produce an integrated body of interdisciplinary research.
• Candidates with no degree in cognitive science or one of the traditional sub-disciplines but one in a formal discipline, such as mathematics, physics, applied mathematics, etc. Such candidates have some knowledge of what cognitive science is about and wish to apply their formal training to an interdisciplinary study of the mind. Upon admission, they are encouraged to do some background readings before the fall of their admission year. Such students typically take a relatively heavy range of courses across the cognitive sciences during their first year in the PhD program to fill in their background.
• Candidates with no degree in cognitive science or one of the traditional sub-disciplines but one in a related or applied field (e.g., education, foreign languages).  Such candidates have some knowledge of what cognitive science is about and may, for example, have done a summer internship in a psychology-related lab or have taken a few linguistics courses at a summer institute. Upon admission, they are encouraged to do some background readings before the fall of their admission year. Such students typically take a relatively heavy range of courses across the cognitive sciences during their first year in the PhD program to fill in their background.

We strongly encourage candidates from traditionally marginalized or underrepresented groups to apply. Our department is committed to supporting diversity . Johns Hopkins offers professional development, fellowships and resources to support graduate students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. See more.

Admissions Resources

• Watch a PhD Program Info Session
• Visiting Campus
• Virtual Tour
• Why Cognitive Science?
• Need-based Relocation Funds for Incoming Graduate Students

Tip:  If your faculty of interest does not post on their website whether they are accepting new students, consider emailing them. There is a lot to gain and not much to lose by doing so.

Prerequisites

Applicants interested in the Computational Cognitive Science Track are required to have programming and math skills that would allow them to take the basic computation courses (e.g. experience with Python or MATLAB, linear algebra, calculus, etc.).

Otherwise, there are no set minimum admissions prerequisites. Competitive candidates tend to present the following credentials among their application materials:

• Previous research experience or significant work experience demonstrating skills that facilitate degree completion.
• Letters of recommendation from people familiar with the candidate’s potential in graduate school, providing detailed evidence of research potential in the sub-disciplines of cognitive science and/or mathematical sciences.
• A focused and detailed statement of purpose.
• International students – TOEFL scores above 600/paper or 250/computer or 100/IBT OR IELTS bandscore of 7 or better.

Application Deadline

The application is expected to open in September 2024 and is due December 1, 2024 to apply for admission in Fall 2025. Read the instructions below thoroughly before submitting your application.

How to Apply

Review both the Krieger School graduate application instructions and the program-specific instructions in this page. Applicants are responsible for reading and for meeting the requirements in both. Questions may be directed to our admissions coordinator .

A separate application is required for each program at Johns Hopkins. For example, the PhD in Psychology , PhD in Cognitive Science , MA in Cognitive Science and Neuroscience Graduate Training Program are distinct programs and require separate applications.

Faculty and Areas of Interest

On the Program Information page, applicants should list which core cognitive science faculty with whom they are most interested in working. Other faculty, including joint / secondary faculty, do not admit students to our program; although applicants may express interest in collaborations. Applicants should also identify their top two areas of interest in this section. Additional areas of interest may be detailed in the Statement of Purpose.

Areas of Interest

• architecture of the grammar
• cognitive development
• cognitive neuropsychology
• cognitive neuroscience
• cognitive psychology
• computation in cognition
• computational linguistics
• computational neuroscience
• deep learning
• functional neuroimaging
• language acquisition
• language and thought
• language emergence
• language learning in aging, stroke, and neurodegenerative disease
• language processing
• machine learning
• neurocognitive mechanisms of language recovery
• neurocognitive mechanisms of word learning
• optimality theory
• orthographic processing
• philosophy of mind
• psycholinguistics
• reading and writing
• representation
• scene perception
• semantics/pragmatics
• sign languages
• spatial cognition
• special populations (Williams Syndrome)
• speech perception
• theoretical linguistics
• visual cognition

Required Application Materials

All required application materials must be submitted online, on time, and in English to be reviewed for admission.

• Unofficial Transcripts
• For example, candidates wishing to pursue computational approaches to cognition are encouraged to discuss their math background; cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and language processing candidates their laboratory experience; and linguistics candidates their background in generative linguistics.
• Candidates with no previous background in cognitive science should convey their formal background, previous exposure to cognitive science issues, particular interests in the field, and why our program is an appropriate choice for their study and research.
• 8.5″ x 11″ document, 1″ margins, 11-12 pt font, double-spaced, and standard font style such as Times New Roman or Arial. If citations are necessary, use the style of your chosen field.
• Duo-degree candidates must explicitly mention the relevant dual disciplines they hope to study.
• Sample of Written Work. A research paper, writing sample, thesis, conference poster, etc. that demonstrates the applicant’s analytical thinking. (Average: 10-20 pages)
• Three Letters of Recommendation . Detailed letters that address the applicant’s suitability for research in cognitive science, and—if relevant—provide an evaluation of the candidate’s previous research experience and future promise.
• TOEFL/IELTS Scores (international applicants)
• Application Fee is required. The fee may be waived for VTSI applicants as well as applicants with documented registration/participation in certain programs . If an applicant believes they may be eligible for waiver, but does not fit the fee-waiver criteria on that website, contact our admissions coordinator with a justification for review.

Optional Materials: Personal Statement and GRE Scores

Graduate Student Resources

• Cognitive Science Graduate Handbook
• Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs Website includes policies, credit hours, services, professional development, student life, graduation guide
• Alumni Placements

Degree Checklists

• PhD in CogSci Checklist
• PhD in CogSci CCS Checklist

Study at Cambridge

About the university, research at cambridge.

• Undergraduate courses
• Events and open days
• Fees and finance
• Postgraduate courses
• How to apply
• Postgraduate events
• Fees and funding
• International students
• Continuing education
• Executive and professional education
• Courses in education
• How the University and Colleges work
• Term dates and calendars
• Visiting the University
• Annual reports
• Equality and diversity
• A global university
• Public engagement
• Give to Cambridge
• For Cambridge students
• For our researchers
• Business and enterprise
• Colleges & departments
• Email & phone search
• Museums & collections
• Course Directory

PhD in Computation, Cognition and Language

Postgraduate Study

• Why Cambridge overview
• Chat with our students
• Cambridge explained overview
• The supervision system
• Student life overview
• In and around Cambridge
• Leisure activities
• Student union
• Music awards
• Student support overview
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Disabled students
• Language tuition
• Skills training
• Support for refugees
• Courses overview
• Department directory
• Qualification types
• Funded studentships
• Part-time study
• Research degrees
• Visiting students
• Finance overview
• Fees overview
• What is my fee status?
• Part-time fees
• Application fee
• Living costs
• Funding overview
• Applying for University funding
• Doctoral training programmes
• External funding and loans
• Colleges overview
• College listing overview
• Accommodation
• Applying overview
• Before you apply
• Entry requirements
• Application deadlines
• How do I apply? overview
• Application fee overview
• Application fee waiver
• Life Science courses
• Terms and conditions
• Continuing students
• Disabled applicants
• Supporting documents overview
• Academic documents
• Finance documents
• Evidence of competence in English
• AI and postgraduate applications
• Terms and Conditions
• Applicant portal and self-service
• After you apply overview
• Confirmation of admission
• Student registry
• Previous criminal convictions
• Deferring an application
• Updating your personal details
• Appeals and Complaints
• Widening participation
• Postgraduate admissions fraud
• International overview
• Immigration overview
• ATAS overview
• Applying for an ATAS certificate
• Current Cambridge students
• International qualifications
• Competence in English overview
• What tests are accepted?
• International events
• International student views overview
• Akhila’s story
• Alex’s story
• Huijie’s story
• Kelsey’s story
• Nilesh’s story
• Get in touch!
• Events overview
• Upcoming events
• Postgraduate Open Days overview
• Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD Study webinars
• Virtual tour
• Research Internships
• How we use participant data
• Postgraduate Newsletter

Primary tabs

• Overview (active tab)
• Requirements
• How To Apply
• Testimonials

Linguistics at Cambridge is unique in the United Kingdom in that the study and research in theoretical and applied linguistics are integrated within a single academic unit. We provide great variety and flexibility in course contents, as well as subject-specific training and diversity of intellectual interactions.

The PhD in Computation, Cognition and Language is a doctoral track for students who conduct basic and applied research in the computational study of language, communication, and cognition in humans and machines. This research is interdisciplinary in nature and draws on methodologies and insights from a range of disciplines that are now critical for the further development of language sciences, including (but not limited to) Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology and Neuroscience. Irrespective of the discipline from which the applicant is progressing into the PhD in CCL, substantial background in linguistic theory is required. A variety of PhD topics that fall within this remit are accepted. Our current primary areas of research are:

• natural language processing
• computational and corpus linguistics
• computational models of human language acquisition and processing
• information extraction, mining, and presentation
• multilingual technology
• educational and assistive technology
• text data technology for health
• computational digital humanities
• computational approaches to the analysis of speech
• digital forensic speech analysis

In British universities, the PhD is traditionally awarded solely on the basis of a thesis, a substantial piece of writing which reports original research into a closely defined area of enquiry. The completion of the PhD thesis is generally expected to take three to four years, and most funding is based on this assumption. It is also possible to pursue a part-time route, and the expected timeframe is usually four to seven years.

While the PhD is not a taught course, students will benefit from the availability of courses and seminars offered both within the MMLL Faculty and by other departments concerned with language science in Cambridge (e.g., Computer Science and Technology, Education, Engineering, Psychology, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit). All research students also benefit from a programme of professional training run at various levels within the University and enabling cross-disciplinary interactions. The programme includes seminars and workshops on, for example, giving conference papers, publishing, writing applications and interviews, developing teaching skills, and acquiring specialist linguistic training. If you wish, you are likely to be given the opportunity to lead small group teaching for Colleges. There may also be opportunities to gain some experience in teaching at the Faculty level.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, candidates will have acquired excellent skills, experience, and knowledge to undertake postdoctoral work (research and teaching) or other related professions.

For Cambridge students applying to continue from the MPhil by Advanced Study to a PhD, the minimum academic requirement is an overall distinction in the MPhil.

For Cambridge students applying to continue from the MPhil by Thesis to a PhD, the usual academic requirement is a pass in the MPhil.

All applications are judged on their own merits, and students must demonstrate their suitability to undertake doctoral-level research.

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages .

Departments

This course is advertised in the following departments:

• Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics
• Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, department of theoretical and applied linguistics this course is advertised in multiple departments. please see the overview tab for more details., course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:.

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Michaelmas 2025

Funding deadlines.

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2025, Lent 2026 and Easter 2026.

Similar Courses

• Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence MPhil
• Advanced Computer Science MPhil
• Computer Science PhD
• Linguistics: Theoretical and Applied Linguistics PhD

Postgraduate Admissions Office

• Admissions statistics
• Start an application
• Applicant Self-Service

At a glance

• Bringing a family
• Current Postgraduates
• Cambridge Students' Union (SU)

University Policy and Guidelines

Privacy Policy

Information compliance

Equality and Diversity

Terms of Study

About this site

About our website

Privacy policy

© 2024 University of Cambridge

• Contact the University
• Accessibility
• Freedom of information
• Privacy policy and cookies
• Statement on Modern Slavery
• University A-Z
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• Research news
• About research at Cambridge
• Spotlight on...

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.

• Clerc Center | PK-12 & Outreach
• KDES | PK-8th Grade School (D.C. Metro Area)
• MSSD | 9th-12th Grade School (Nationwide)
• Gallaudet University Regional Centers
• Parent Advocacy App
• K-12 ASL Content Standards
• National Resources
• Youth Programs
• Academic Bowl
• Battle Of The Books
• National Literary Competition
• Youth Debate Bowl
• Youth Esports Series
• Bison Sports Camp
• Discover College and Careers (DC²)
• Financial Wizards
• Immerse Into ASL
• Alumni Relations
• Alumni Association
• Homecoming Weekend
• Class Giving
• Get Tickets / BisonPass
• Sport Calendars
• Cross Country
• Swimming & Diving
• Track & Field
• Indoor Track & Field
• Cheerleading
• Winter Cheerleading
• Human Resources
• Plan a Visit
• Request Info

• Areas of Study
• Accessible Human-Centered Computing
• American Sign Language
• Art and Media Design
• Communication Studies
• Criminal Justice
• Data Science
• Deaf Studies
• Early Intervention Studies Graduate Programs
• Educational Neuroscience
• Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
• Information Technology
• International Development
• Interpretation and Translation
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Philosophy and Religion
• Physical Education & Recreation
• Public Affairs
• Public Health
• Sexuality and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Theatre and Dance
• World Languages and Cultures
• B.A. in American Sign Language
• B.A. in Biology
• B.A. in Communication Studies
• B.A. in Communication Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Deaf Studies
• B.A. in Deaf Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education
• B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Elementary Education
• B.A. in English
• B.A. in English for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Government
• B.A. in Government with a Specialization in Law
• B.A. in History
• B.A. in Interdisciplinary Spanish
• B.A. in International Studies
• B.A. in Mathematics
• B.A. in Philosophy
• B.A. in Psychology
• B.A. in Psychology for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Social Work (BSW)
• B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology
• B.A. in Theatre Arts: Production/Performance
• B.A. or B.S. in Education with a Specialization in Secondary Education: Science, English, Mathematics or Social Studies
• B.S. in Accounting
• B.S. in Accounting for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.S. in Biology
• B.S. in Business Administration
• B.S. in Business Administration for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.S. in Data Science
• B.S. in Information Technology
• B.S. in Mathematics
• B.S. in Physical Education and Recreation
• B.S. in Public Health
• B.S. in Risk Management and Insurance
• General Education
• Honors Program
• Peace Corps Prep program
• Self-Directed Major
• M.A. in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• M.A. in Counseling: School Counseling
• M.A. in Deaf Education
• M.A. in Deaf Education Studies
• M.A. in Deaf Studies: Cultural Studies
• M.A. in Deaf Studies: Language and Human Rights
• M.A. in Early Childhood Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in Early Intervention Studies
• M.A. in Elementary Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in International Development
• M.A. in Interpretation: Combined Interpreting Practice and Research
• M.A. in Interpretation: Interpreting Research
• M.A. in Linguistics
• M.A. in Secondary Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in Sign Language Education
• M.S. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing
• M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology
• Master of Public Administration
• Master of Social Work (MSW)
• Au.D. in Audiology
• Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership and Administration in Deaf Education
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Ph.D. in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners
• Ph.D. in Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences

Ph.D. in Linguistics

• Ph.D. in Translation and Interpreting Studies
• Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience (PEN)
• Psy.D. in School Psychology
• Individual Courses and Training
• National Caregiver Certification Course
• CASLI Test Prep Courses
• Course Sections
• Certificates
• Certificate in Sexuality and Gender Studies
• Educating Deaf Students with Disabilities (online, post-bachelor’s)
• American Sign Language and English Bilingual Early Childhood Deaf Education: Birth to 5 (online, post-bachelor’s)
• Early Intervention Studies
• Certificate in American Sign Language and English Bilingual Early Childhood Deaf Education: Birth to 5
• Online Degree Programs
• ODCP Minor in Communication Studies
• ODCP Minor in Deaf Studies
• ODCP Minor in Psychology
• ODCP Minor in Writing
• University Capstone Honors for Online Degree Completion Program

Quick Links

• PK-12 & Outreach
• NSO Schedule

Requirements

Opportunities

Program Outcomes

• Accreditation

Job Outlook

Gallaudet’s Ph.D. program in Linguistics, with a focus on ASL and other signed languages, gives students the opportunity to specialize in a range of theoretical and applied areas related to signed languages, including phonology, syntax, morphology, cognitive linguistics, sociolinguistics, first and second language acquisition, applied and engaged linguistics, multimodality, and language documentation.

Successful applications include a letter of interest that identifies a prospective Ph.D. advisor. Applicants are encouraged to contact the prospective advisor and the Linguistics Graduate Coordinator ahead of time to discuss the admissions process. Applicants also submit a CV, transcripts, and a sample of their academic work; the Graduate Admissions webpage lists detailed information about the application process and requirements.

Required Coursework Credits for Graduation

Students who have already completed the 41 credits required for the Gallaudet LIN M.A. are required to complete a minimum of 36 additional credits (24 required credits and 12 elective credits) for the LIN Ph.D. For these students, the doctoral curriculum consists of a total of 77 credits of coursework plus dissertation research.

Students who enter the LIN Ph.D. program without a Gallaudet LIN M.A. are required to complete a minimum of 62 credits (26 required M.A. credits, 24 required Ph.D. credits, and 12 elective credits) plus dissertation research. These students must also successfully complete the Qualifying Exam and Viva Exam. Although these students are not typically awarded an incidental M.A. on the way to the Ph.D., this option is available upon completion of the entire M.A. in Linguistics, which includes an additional 15 elective credits.

All Ph.D. students must complete the following courses (24 credits): Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities (LIN 741), Phonology III (LIN 801), Generative Linguistics III (LIN 802), Cognitive Linguistics III (LIN 827), Guided Research Project (LIN 880, taken twice), Concept Paper (LIN 883), and Dissertation Proposal Development (LIN 890).

All Ph.D. students must also complete a minimum of 12 elective credits, to be chosen by the student in consultation with the student’s advisor. Electives outside of Linguistics are subject to approval by the Linguistics faculty, and these courses should focus on aspects of linguistic theory, application, or research related to the student’s professional or academic goals. Some electives may also be taken through the Consortium of Colleges and Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Guided Research Project (LIN 880), GRP Reader and GRP Presentation Milestones

For the Guided Research Project (GRP), students design and conduct an independent research project under the guidance of their dissertation advisor. The GRP typically is related to the student’s dissertation topic, but is not required to be. LIN 880 is taken twice, and the final GRP paper is evaluated by both the advisor and a GRP reader who is a Linguistics faculty member external to the project. The GRP paper must be considered satisfactory by both evaluators in order for the student to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Students are required to give a presentation on their GRP, similar to what would be given at a professional conference. This is a formal presentation, 20 minutes in length with 10 minutes for discussion and/or Q&A. Faculty evaluate the presentation in areas of content, presentation, and language use, and students receive feedback from the faculty. Successful completion of the GRP presentation is required to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Concept Paper (LIN 883), Field Exam and Concept Paper Presentation Milestones

The Concept Paper serves as a transition from students’ preparatory coursework to their dissertation proposal. This paper includes a statement of the research question(s) and a review of relevant literature, and focuses primarily on (a) defining the key concepts relevant to the student’s anticipated research plans and (b) making the underlying theoretical assumptions explicit. The Concept Paper must be completed in the first 10 weeks of LIN 883 in order to provide time for the Field Exam and Concept Paper Presentation to occur. LIN 883 may be taken twice, at the discretion of the Linguistics faculty.

The content of the Field Exam is determined by the student’s Concept Paper. Three examiners (the LIN advisor for the Concept Paper, a second LIN faculty member with expertise in some area relevant to the student’s Concept Paper, and a third LIN faculty member who does not work in the area of the student’s Concept Paper) conduct in-depth questioning in areas pertinent to the Concept Paper topic. Student responses are evaluated by all three examiners together as a Pass with Distinction, Pass, Unsatisfactory or Fail. Students who receive an Unsatisfactory score on the Field Exam are required to retake the exam; students who Fail the Field Exam are dismissed from the program. Students who retake the Field Exam and receive either a score of Unsatisfactory or Fail are dismissed from the program.

After successful completion of the Field Exam, students give a presentation on their Concept Paper. This is a formal presentation, similar to what would be given at a professional conference, 20 minutes in length with 10 minutes for discussion and/or Q&A. Faculty evaluate the presentation in areas of content, presentation, and language use, and students receive feedback from the faculty. Successful completion of the Concept Paper Presentation is required to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Dissertation Proposal Development (LIN 890) and Proposal Defense Milestone

Each student seeking a Ph.D. is required to complete a research-based dissertation on a topic acceptable to their dissertation committee. LIN 890 is the course in which students develop their dissertation proposal. LIN 890 may be taken twice, at the discretion of the Linguistics faculty. The proposal defines a project of appropriate scope, extends the literature review from the Concept Paper, and outlines an appropriate research design and methodology. Students meet regularly with their dissertation advisor for guidance and discussion, but are expected to pursue the bulk of the work independently. Once the full committee deems the proposal defendable, a defense date is set.

All Ph.D. coursework must be completed or be on track to be completed by the semester the proposal defense occurs. Successful defense of one’s dissertation proposal is the candidacy examination for the LIN Ph.D. program.

Dissertation Research (LIN 900) and Dissertation Defense Milestone

Once students have successfully defended their dissertation proposal, they advance to Dissertation Research. LIN 900 may be taken multiple times, provided students earn a passing grade each semester.

The dissertation is a research project designed to provide new understanding of a topic, and includes a thorough and thoughtful review of the relevant literature, description of methodology, analysis, and discussion and conclusion elucidating the significance of the findings. The dissertation process is discussed in detail in the Gallaudet University Dissertation and Thesis Handbook.

The maximum time allowed for completion of the dissertation is seven years from the start of the LIN M.A. degree or six years from entrance into the Ph.D. program for those without a LIN M.A. degree. Any extension beyond this deadline will require the approval of the doctoral committee, the Graduate Program Coordinator, the School Director, and the Associate Dean of Graduate Education.

Courses & Requirements

Summary of Requirements

24 required credits, LIN 880 is taken twice

An examination of the theories and principles of sociolinguistics with specific reference to sign languages and Deaf communities around the world. Topics include multilingualism, bilingualism, and language contact, variation, discourse analysis, language policy and planning and language attitudes.

All first year Linguistics MA courses or by permission of instructor.

This course is an advanced seminar focusing on phonological theory, building on foundational material presented in Phonology I and Phonology II. Topics will vary depending upon current developments in phonological theory, focusing on both spoken and signed languages.

This course is an advanced seminar focusing on generative approaches to syntactic theory, building on foundational material presented in Generative Syntax I and Generative Syntax II. Topics will vary depending upon current developments in syntactic theory, focusing on both spoken and signed languages.

This seminar is the third course in the Cognitive Linguistic sequence of courses in the graduate linguistics program (the first two being LIN 721 and LIN 732). Possible major topics include cognitive grammar, cognitive semantics, conceptual blending, constructional grammar, embodiment, depiction, mental spaces, metaphor, metonymy, and the usage-based approach to language.

This course is required to be taken twice, typically beginning in the fall semester of students' first year in the Ph.D. program and continuing into the following spring semester. Students will design and conduct a research project under the supervision of a faculty member. Course requirements include a final paper by the end of the second semester with the following components, as applicable: development of an appropriate research plan, completion of the IRB human subjects review, and collection and analysis of data. LIN 880 may be repeated a third semester at the discretion of the instructor if requirements cannot be successfully completed in the usual two semesters.

Acceptance to LIN Ph.D. program and successful completion of the LIN Qualifying Exam.

This course serves as a transition from students' preparatory coursework to their dissertation proposal. Under supervision of a faculty member, students will complete a Concept Paper that identifies their research question(s) and defines key concepts that underlie those research questions. The Concept Paper also specifies the theoretical framework(s) to be adopted for research and discusses previous literature assumed as background information. Upon approval of a student's completed Concept Paper by the instructor, the student will then give a Concept Paper Presentation to the full faculty and take the field exam, both of which are developed on the basis of the student's completed Concept Paper. LIN 883 may be repeated one time.

Successful completion of LIN 880 Guided Research Project and LIN Faculty approval of the GRP presentation.

In this course, students will develop their dissertation proposal, producing a research plan for answering the research questions posed in their Concept Paper. Emphasis will be on defining a project of appropriate scope for a dissertation, extending the literature review and selecting an appropriate research design and methodology. Students will meet regularly with their dissertation advisor for guidance and discussion, but are expected to pursue the bulk of the work independently. LIN 890 may be repeated one time.

LIN 883, Field Exam, Concept Paper Presentation, and approval of the GRP paper as having achieved publication quality, as evaluated by an outside reader from the LIN faculty.

26 additional required credits, only for students who did not complete the Gallaudet M.A. in Linguistics

An introduction to the principles of linguistic study, with a concentrated focus on phonology and phonological theory as applied to English and ASL. Topics will include: phonetics, phonemics, phonological processes, syllables and syllabification, distinctive features, phonological rules, and an overview of current phonological theory.

This course provides an introduction to generative linguistics and principles of syntactic argumentation within the generative tradition. Topics include Parts of Speech, Phrase Structure rules, X-bar rules, the role of the Lexicon, and various types of syntactic movement related to verbal morphology, questions and passive constructions. The course focuses initially on English and other spoken languages, but also includes application to ASL towards the end of the course.

This course will introduce students to the profession of linguistics, its history and subfields, as well as the research specializations of department faculty. Students will also receive general training in a variety of skills relevant to graduate studies in linguistics, such as technical writing, using library resources to locate literature, using computer and editing techniques needed for carrying out sign linguistics projects, and applying for research grants and IRB approval for student research projects.

This is the first of a three-course sequence focusing on a cognitive linguistics approach to ASL. Examination of semiotic diversity in ASL from the perspective of Cognitive Grammar, with an emphasis on analysis of data. The primary focus of the course is on depiction, establishing a typology of depiction that includes many imagistic phenomena in ASL and other spoken and signed languages, such as enactments, manual depictive forms, and ideophones. Notions in Cognitive Grammar benefiting depiction analysis, such as constructions and construal, are also introduced.

This course builds on foundational material presented in Phonology I. Students will investigate the phonological structure of signs in American Sign Language. Part one (I) presents a comparison of notation systems for signs and provides extensive training in sign notation. Part two (II) deals with phonological contrast. Part three (III) is concerned with the phonotactic properties of lexical signs. Part four (IV) deals with phonological processes and historical change.

LIN 701 or permission of instructor.

This course is a continuation of LIN 721, with discussion of the tenets of cognitive linguistics, particularly the view that lexicon and grammar are a continuum of form-meaning pairings with varying degrees of abstraction and complexity. This discussion provides the theoretical background with which to investigate grammatical structures in ASL, English, and other languages, including metaphor, grammatical classes (e.g., noun and verb categories), and complex expressions (e.g., morphology, compounding, grammatical relations, and grammatical constructions).

LIN 721 or permission of instructor

This course builds on foundational material presented in Generative Linguistics I and extends them to the study of ASL and other sign languages. Lectures include continued opportunity for hands-on practice in deriving various syntactic structures, and also develop students' abilities to independently read and understand articles in generative linguistics.

LIN 702 or permission of instructor

12 elective credits (selected sample of offerings)

Elective offerings vary each semester. Electives outside of LIN are subject to approval by the Linguistics faculty.

Students are introduced to a descriptive framework with which to identify and analyze iconicity and depiction in ASL and other signed languages and spoken languages as well. The course focuses on depiction typology, examining the structure of role-shifting, constructed action and dialogue, classifier constructions/depicting verbs, aspectual constructions, abstract/metaphorical depictions, and other imagistic uses of space, including different types of gesture.

LIN 101, graduate student status, or permission of the instructor.

This course examines general issues in first language acquisition, focusing on the period from birth to five years. It includes critical review of literature on phonological, lexical, morphological and syntactic development for both signed and spoken first languages, from both nativist and usage-based theoretical perspectives.

All first year Linguistics MA courses plus LIN 741, or permission of instructor.

This course will review current theory and research in second language acquisition (SLA) from linguistic and psychological perspectives, focusing on the influences of various theoretical models. Students will be introduced to the principal areas of SLA research and the major methodologies available for their study. Course material will focus on acquisition of a spoken second language, but also discuss recent studies and analyze data related to second language acquisition of a sign language.

The focus of this course is a comparison among six dominant approaches to the analysis of discourse: pragmatics, speech act theory, conversational analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, ethnography of communication, and variation analysis, with close examination of different kinds of sign language discourse.

All first year Linguistics MA courses, or permission of instructor

Year I - Fall

Complete Qualifying Exam during the Year 1 Fall Semester.

Year I - Spring

Year II - Fall

Complete Viva Exam during the Year 2 Fall Semester.

Year II - Spring

Present Guided Research Project during the Year 2 Spring Semester.

Year III - Fall

Complete the Field Exam and Present Concept Paper during Year 3 Fall Semester.

Year III - Spring

Year IV - Fall

Defend Dissertation Proposal during Year 4 Fall Semester.

Year IV - Spring (and onward)

Defend Dissertation.

This course is for ABD students conducting any aspect of their dissertation research and writing.

Successful completion of LIN 890 and dissertation proposal defense, LIN 741, LIN 801, LIN 802, and LIN 827, and all four electives required for the doctoral program.

1. Specialized knowledge:

a. Demonstration of in-depth familiarity with current literature relevant to their chosen topic of research.

2. Critical evaluation:

a. Ability to critically compare and evaluate claims from the linguistics literature and argue for or against them in a coherent manner.

3. Formulation of research questions:

a. Ability to independently formulate clear and tractable research questions related to their individual projects, and develop a systematic and culturally responsible plan for answering them, including identification of data needed to further the investigation.

4. Dissemination and communication:

a. Ability to communicate information about sign language linguistics competently and respectfully to the field, the Deaf communities, and the greater public.

5. Ethical conduct as researchers

a. Demonstrating academic integrity and responsible conduct in their research practices with transparency and respect to the communities involved.

Information

Ph.d. in linguistics requirements.

Completed application form. See Application Instructions to learn how. A non-refundable application fee of $75. Official transcripts of all graduate study. See Application Guidelines and FAQ for more information. All international applicants from non-English speaking countries must demonstrate English language competence via the Degrees of...

Elementary and Middle School Teachers

The employment of Elementary and Middle School Teachers is expected to grow by a 12% rate from 2019-2029, with an average annual salary of $60,660. Learn more about career opportunities in teaching.

Speech-Language Pathologist

The employment of Speech-Language Pathologists is expected to grow by a 25% rate from 2019-2029, with an average annual salary of $80,480. Learn more about career opportunities in Speech-Language Pathology.

Interpreter and Translator

The employment of Interpreters and Translators is expected to grow by a 46% rate from 2019-2029, with an average annual salary of $51,830. Learn more about career opportunities in interpreting.

Julie Hochgesang

Faculty and staff, deanna gagne.

Associate Professor

Assistant Professor

Gaurav Mathur

Deborah pichler, miako villanueva.

General Education Director

Get the Details

Fill out our inquiry form for an Admissions Counselor to contact you.

Apply Today

Create an account to start Your Applications.

Contact the Admissions Office?

Already Started an Application? Log in to Submit your completed Application or Check your application status here.

At a Glance

• Quick Facts
• University Leadership
• History & Traditions
• Consumer Information
• Our 10-Year Vision: The Gallaudet Promise
• Annual Report of Achievements (ARA)
• The Signing Ecosystem
• Not Your Average University

Our Community

• Library & Archives
• Technology Support
• Interpreting Requests
• Ombuds Support
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Profile & Web Edits

Visit Gallaudet

• Explore Our Campus
• Virtual Tour
• Maps & Directions
• Shuttle Bus Schedule
• Kellogg Conference Hotel
• Welcome Center
• National Deaf Life Museum
• Apple Guide Maps

Engage Today

• Work at Gallaudet / Clerc Center
• Social Media Channels
• University Wide Events
• Sponsorship Requests
• Data Requests
• Media Inquiries
• Gallaudet Today Magazine
• Giving at Gallaudet
• Financial Aid
• Registrar’s Office
• Residence Life & Housing
• Safety & Security
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• University Communications
• Clerc Center

Gallaudet University, chartered in 1864, is a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students.

Copyright © 2024 Gallaudet University. All rights reserved.

• Accessibility
• Cookie Consent Notice
• Privacy Policy
• File a Report

800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Cognitive and Psychological Sciences

Integrating the study of mind, brain, and behavior

The Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences (CoPsy) is dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of mind, brain and behavior. Its mission is to conduct impactful state-of-the-art research, to teach, and to provide service to society in these areas of scholarship.

Undergraduate Study

Graduate study, focus areas, institutes, centers, and initiatives, copsy welcomes six new faculty, copsy is hiring, jae-young son defends dissertation, connect with us, sign-up for our newsletter.

The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support ).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

English: Cognitive Linguistics

Course · 7.5 credits

On this page :

Description

The purpose of this Master’s/PhD course is to acquaint you with the major ideas in Cognitive Linguistics. The course provides a focused and comprehensive postgraduate-level introduction to the framework and gives you the tools to carry out original research on an aspect of linguistics that interests you. Cognitive Linguistics is an innovative framework that has dominated functional linguistic theorising since the end of the last century. Central to the approach is the meaningful functioning of language in all its guises and all its uses in text and discourse.

Different empirical methods – corpus techniques as well as experiments – are used in order to arrive at a better understanding of what linguistic expression reveals about human cognition and how cognitive abilities give rise to patterns and structures in natural language usage. Language is seen as a highly dynamic entity for which no absolute boundaries between the traditional areas of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics are assumed. The study of language becomes an exciting and challenging part of the study of human perception, cognition and interaction. In this course, you undertake a project on the language and phenomena of your own choice and carry out a minor empirical study under the guidance of experts in the field

Course documents

Syllabus (PDF - new window)

Closed for applications

English Studies

Visiting address Helgonabacken 12, 223 62 Lund

Postal address Box 201, 221 00 Lund

+46 46 222 75 50

https://www.sol.lu.se/en/engelska/

Therése Koglin

Study advisor

therese [dot] koglin [at] sol [dot] lu [dot] se

Requirements and selection

Entry requirements.

Bachelor s level in a language or in General Linguistics.

Selection criteria

English language requirements.

Most of Lund University’s programmes require English Level 6 (unless otherwise stated under 'Entry requirements'). This is the equivalent of an overall IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 90. There are several ways to prove your English language proficiency – check which proof is accepted at the University Admissions in Sweden website. All students must prove they meet English language requirements by the deadline, in order to be considered for admission.

How to prove your English proficiency – universityadmissions.se

Country-specific requirements

Check if there are any country-specific eligibility rules for you to study Bachelor's or Master's studies in Sweden:

Country-specific requirements for Bachelor's studies – universityadmissions.se

Country-specific requirements for Master's studies – universityadmissions.se

Start Spring Semester 2025

Day-time Lund, part time 50%

Study period

24 March 2025 - 8 June 2025

Application

You can only apply for this course in the 'Swedish student' application round. Find out more: Applying for studies – when to apply

How to apply

Lund University uses a national application system run by University Admissions in Sweden. It is only possible to apply during the application periods.

When to apply for studies

Step 1: Apply online

• Check that you meet the  entry requirements of the programme or course you are interested in (refer to the section above on this webpage).
• Start your application – go to the University Admissions in Sweden website where you create an account and select programmes/courses during the application period. Visit the University Admissions in Sweden website
• Rank your programme/course choices in order of preference and submit them before the  application deadline .

Step 2: Submit documents

• Read about how to document your eligibility and how to submit your documents at the University Admissions in Sweden website. Follow any country-specific document rules for Master's studies or Bachelor's studies Country-specific requirements for Bachelor's studies – universityadmissions.se Country-specific requirements for Master's studies – universityadmissions.se  
• Get all your documents ready: - official transcripts and high school diploma (Bachelor's applicants) - official transcripts and degree certificate or proof that you are in the final year of your Bachelor's (Master's applicants) - passport/ID (all applicants) and - proof of English proficiency (all applicants).  
• Prepare  programme-specific documents  if stated in the next paragraph on this webpage.
• Upload or send  all  required documents to University Admissions before the  document deadline .
• Pay the application fee (if applicable – refer to the section below on this webpage) before the  document deadline .

* Note that the process is different if you are applying as an exchange student or as a part of a cooperation programme (such as Erasmus+). * If you have studied your entire Bachelor's programme in Sweden and all of your academic credits are in Ladok, you do not have to submit transcripts or your diploma when applying for a Master's programme.  However, there may still be other documents you need to submit! See the link below.  *  Svensk student?  Läs instruktionerna om att söka till ett internationellt masterprogram på lu.se

Tuition fees

Non-eu/eea citizens.

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 15 625

First payment: SEK 15 625

• Convert currency – xe.com

Citizens of a country outside of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are required to pay tuition fees. You pay one instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

EU/EEA citizens and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.

Application fee

If you are required to pay tuition fees, you are generally also required to pay an application fee of SEK 900 when you apply at the University Admissions in Sweden website. You pay one application fee regardless of how many programmes or courses you apply to.

• Paying your application fee – universityadmissions.se
• Exemptions from paying the application fee – universityadmissions.se

*Note that there are no tuition or application fees for exchange students or doctoral/PhD students, regardless of their nationality.

Scholarships & funding

Lund university global scholarship programme.

The Lund University Global Scholarship programme is a merit-based and selective scholarship targeted at top academic students from countries outside the EU/EEA.

Lund University Global Scholarship

Swedish Institute Scholarships

The Swedish Institute offers scholarships to international students applying for studies in Sweden at Master's level.

Scholarship information on the Swedish Institute website

Country-specific scholarships and funding options

Lund University has agreements with scholarship organisations and funding bodies in different countries, which may allow applicants to apply for funding or scholarships in their home countries for their studies at Lund University.

• Country-specific scholarships
• Canada student loans

External scholarships

Information about scholarships from external organisations

Language and Cognition MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

We offer a world-leading research environment aimed at understanding human communication, speech, language and cognition. Students have the opportunity to study within a unique interdisciplinary group of experimental psychologists, linguists, speech and language therapists and NHS-based clinicians. Our graduates have an excellent record of employment.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree or a Master's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

We are at the forefront of research in human speech, language and communication investigating core issues in the development of spoken and written language, the cognitive bases of language in children and adults, the interrelationship of language with other cognitive systems. We also focus on impairments of language and communication across the lifespan and on clinical interventions.

Who this course is for

If you meet the entry requirements, it is important to check whether we can supervise research in your chosen area. We only take MPhil/PhD students to whom we can offer expert research supervision from one of our academic staff. Therefore, your research question needs to engage with the research interests of one of our staff.

You can learn more about our research themes and the projects within these themes in the Research section of our website. In most cases you should identify and contact potential supervisors before making your application.

What this course will give you

UCL provides an outstanding research environment in which to study for an MPhil/PhD. There are links to other research departments and specialist centres throughout the UCL Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, providing the potential for collaboration with experts from related fields. The division provides access to a range of resources including EEG, fMRI, TMS and eye-tracking equipment.

We also have close links with Great Ormond Street Hospital, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and University College London Hospital.  Our Centre for Speech and Language Intervention Research brings together experts in speech, language and communication research, and promotes collaborations with practising speech and language therapists.

The foundation of your career

UCL Language and Cognition is a highly rated and regarded research environment. Recent graduates have typically been offered employment in the UK and internationally in academic posts, postdoctoral research, health services and third sector (voluntary) organisations, see our Language and Cognition department webpages for more information .

Employability

Postgraduate students use the skills they have acquired during their PhD training to follow a number of different career pathways. Many continue in academia as postdoctoral researchers and eventually full-time academics; others continue training or practising in related fields such as speech and language therapy or clinical and educational psychology.

Students access multi-tiered networking opportunities. We maintain strong links between researchers across UCL in psychology and language sciences and with specialist speech and language therapy clinicians through the Centre for Speech and Language Intervention Research and the on-site UCL Communication Clinic.

You will have opportunities to meet with international scholars visiting UCL, present your work at our annual departmental PhD Student Conference, and will be encouraged to attend and to present your findings at national and international conferences, with support from departmental and UCL Doctoral School funding.

Teaching and learning

Students will typically audit taught modules usually in research methods and statistics at appropriate doctoral levels, depending on their training needs.

Each student has an Upgrade Viva at the midpoint of their PhD. For full-time students this is usually between 9 and 18 months after initial registration; for part-time students this is usually between 15 and 30 months after initial registration.  The purpose of the Upgrade Viva is to assess the s tudent’s progress and ability to complete their PhD programme in a reasonable time frame. At the end of their PhD, each student has to submit a written thesis of not more than 100,000 words, followed by a viva voce examination with two examiners, one who is internal to UCL and another who is external.

A typical full-time PhD student will spend approximately 36.5 hours per week working on their PhD.

The contact time that a student spends with their supervisory team, thesis committee members and training courses vary from student to student depending on need throughout their PhD. Part-time student hours are pro-rata.

Research areas and structure

• Cognitive mechanisms in typical and atypical speech, language and literacy development
• Speech, language and communication disorders and interventions
• Conversation analysis and clinical/institutional interactions
• Dysphagia, dysarthria and apraxia
• ASD, deafness, bilingualism, AAC

Research environment

Language and Cognition is based in Chandler House. Here there are facilities for psychology and language science research including, but not limited to, eye-tracking, electroencephalography (EEG/ERP), functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), ultrasound, and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES), as well as several sound treated booths for behavioural studies and audiovisual recordings. There is a dedicated Experimental Officer to support research.

The full-time PhD typically lasts for 3 years, including the time registered as an MPhil student, and if the thesis is not submitted within this time then students may register as Completing Research Students (CRS) for 1 additional year.

Part-time students are normally required to be registered for 5 years, with 2 additional years in CRS if needed.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Please contact potential supervisors and the department in the Autumn (Sept-Oct) to discuss application procedures and deadlines for all of the funding opportunities.

You are strongly advised to contact and work with your potential supervisor when completing your application for funding.

• UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership
• NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowships

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Deadlines and start dates are usually dictated by funding arrangements so check with the department as early as possible to see if you need to consider these in your application preparation.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

[email protected]

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students .

Prospective Students Graduate

• Graduate degrees
• Taught degrees
• Taught Degrees
• Applying for Graduate Taught Study at UCL
• Research degrees
• Research Degrees
• Funded Research Opportunities
• Doctoral School
• Funded Doctoral Training Programmes
• Applying for Graduate Research Study at UCL
• Teacher training
• Teacher Training
• Early Years PGCE courses
• Primary PGCE courses
• Secondary PGCE courses
• Further Education PGCE programme
• How to apply
• The IOE approach
• Teacher training in the heart of London
• Why choose UCL?
• Entrepreneurship
• Inspiring facilities and resources
• Careers and employability
• Your global alumni community
• Your wellbeing
• Postgraduate Students' Association
• Your life in London
• Accommodation
• Funding your Master's

• 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]

Cognitive Linguistics

About the Program

Dive into the inner workings of the human mind with a Master of Arts in Cognitive Linguistics from Case Western Reserve University. With modules on subjects such as phonetics, phonology, sociolinguistics and morphology, our program is sure to support your career goals. Our alumni have gone on to top PhD programs in cognitive science, linguistics and communication sciences, and to careers in fields including computer science, marketing and research. 

The study of linguistics can be applied to any language, and grants you the opportunity to travel the world exploring the different syntax and semantics of speech. When you earn your graduate degree from our Department of Cognitive Science, you benefit from our unique focus on human higher-order cognition and capacity for creativity, innovation, communication and social cognition. We pride ourselves on our use of the traditional methods of linguistics along with new, integrated methods that have been invented within cognitive science over the last several years.

Student Resources

Whether you’re looking for information about education abroad opportunities, have questions about visas, or are interested in international opportunities on campus, these quicklinks will help you quickly navigate some of the key resources our website offers for students.

What to Expect

Cognitive linguistics focuses on the intersection of language and cognition. This field of study makes it possible to evaluate very disparate topics such as how joint attention is involved in reading novels, which metaphors are most effective in getting people to change their minds, or how teaching can be improved through the use of gestures. 

Our degree program requires 30 credit hours and a written thesis. You will receive guidance and supervision from our faculty to ensure your success throughout your thesis process. Most complete the program within four semesters, although periods of study longer or shorter can be arranged, and part-time enrollment is possible. The required courses include a two-semester theory sequence, a concurrent two-semester workshop sequence, electives, and 12 credit hours of thesis work.

Request Information

Beyond the classroom.

Looking to get involved beyond your coursework? The Cognitive Science Student Organization (CSSO) is a social and academic club for all students engaged in our field of study.

The CSSO exists to serve the academic and social interests of students (majors and minors, but also students from other departments with shared interests) through various events and activities. We hold study groups, social events with different departments, student-professor lunches and dinners, graduate student panels, colloquia and an undergraduate invited speaker event. 

For more information, check out the CSSO facebook page or email [email protected] .

By the Numbers

years to complete the program

credit hours of thesis work

credit hours

Admission Requirements

Our top priority is ensuring students that we admit into the program are a good fit. We only admit five students per year and do not require a specific GPA or GRE score to be considered. If you are interested in a Master of Arts in Cognitive Linguistics, visit our admissions page for more information.

Quick Links

Eric Tolliver Department Assistant College of Arts and Sciences Telephone 216.368.4753 Email [email protected]

• Collaborative Efforts
• Mission Statement
• Discovery Park Maps
• Faculty Affiliated
• Visiting Scholars
• Advisory Board
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Financial Aid & Scholarships
• Field Work Opportunities
• Academic Programs
• Undergraduate
• Graduate Certificates
• Course Rotation
• Job Opportunities
• Student Organizations
• UNT Resources
• Food Pantry
• External Resources
• Search Type THIS SITE ALL of UNT Search Search
• Quicklinks:
• STUDENT EMAIL
• UNT DIRECTORY

Information Science PhD Program

Doctor of philosophy degree.

     The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is a research degree. It is awarded in recognition of original scholarship and the generation of new knowledge by immersion in a topic, analysis, synthesis, and creativity. When a Ph.D. is awarded it carries and bestows certain rights and responsibilities that relate in large measure to serving society by exploring, shedding light upon, and resolving fundamental problems.

     The Doctor of Philosophy degree is said to be fundamentally interdisciplinary. All those who pursue the degree, in one sense or another seek to clarify some portion of our best possible image of the world. That is to say, each of those who pursue the Ph.D. seek to provide the most robust understanding and the most appropriate tools for enabling each member of society to live well, to make the best life decisions, to become most fully human. Doctoral pursuits follow many paths, use different tool sets, invoke different mind sets, and continue testing assumptions by different means. Over the past centuries many of these have clustered into discrete departments or schools. An interdisciplinary program attempts to return to an era of broader assumptions, linking paths, and cross-fertilizing research. Such an approach provides resources across boundaries.

     Each discipline has its foundational notions of what constitutes doctoral studies. Likewise, each institution sets administrative guidelines and constraints for doctoral studies. The goal is to ensure that society is provided with the most capable people and that each person pursuing doctoral studies has every opportunity and resource to flourish.

     The University of North Texas Interdisciplinary Information Science PhD Program (IS PhD Program) responds to the varied and changing needs of an information age; to the increasing recognition of the central role of information and  information technologies in individual, social, economic and cultural affairs. Graduates of the program are prepared to contribute to the advancement and evolution of the information society in a variety of roles and settings as administrators, researchers and educators. UNT IS PhD Program offers:

• excellent research faculty across UNT serving as instructors and advisors;
• a variety of course delivery formats, including online and blended;
• a residential experience with a high level of faculty-student interaction;
• a flexible degree plan tailored to individual interests;
• a culturally and ethnically diverse community of faculty and students;
• competitive scholarship, grant, fellowship, and assistantship opportunities;
• extensive research library resources on campus and online. 

     To receive timely notifications about the upcoming deadlines, defenses, TA/RA position opportunities, conferences, new courses etc., IS PhD Program students (both continuing and incoming) need to be subscribed to UNT-ISDOC-L mailing list. To subscribe  to the list, send an email to  [email protected]  with subject line blank and with "SUBSCRIBE UNT-ISDOC-L YourFirstName YourLastName" in the body of the message.

Additional Information

PhDs in linguistics traditionally focus on the structure of language and the process of learning it. (Relevant sub-disciplines include phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and first or second language acquisition). The Information Science (IS) PhD program with a Concentration in Linguistics encourages students to learn and apply methods and theories of information science and other affiliated disciplines to solve problems in core linguistics, which will give graduates an edge in both academic and nonacademic markets. Students will learn how to fashion highly interdisciplinary fields of study, such as digital language data curation, computational modeling of linguistic behavior, advanced technologies for language teaching, and neurolinguistic and psycholinguistic techniques for alleviating speech and hearing disorders.      The IS PhD Program responds to the varied and changing needs of the information age; to the increasing recognition in individual, social, economic and cultural affairs of the central role of information and technologies for refining it. Graduates of the program are prepared to contribute to the advancement and evolution of an information society in a variety of roles and settings: as administrators, researchers and educators.

Information Science Website

Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

Dietrich college of humanities and social sciences, program requirements, program of study.

The Ph.D. in ALSLA consists of at least four semesters of course work and a Ph.D. dissertation. Students are expected to enroll full time (36 units) during the semesters that they are working toward the degree. There is a university residency requirement of two years.

Students will have considerable flexibility in designing their course of study; however, they will be required to complete the following courses:

• Second Language Acquisition: Theories and Research
• Research Methods in SLA
• Language Theories
• Graduate Research Seminar

Elective Courses (students will choose one):

• Instruction and Learning

To have an in-depth sequence in research methods, all students are also required to take at least two courses in either quantitative or qualitative methods (in addition to the introductory ones).

In order to benefit from the experience and strengths of the core faculty, students are expected to take courses with each faculty member in the program during their stay at Carnegie Mellon. Students are required to conduct guided research or to take at least four courses in AL & SLA topics offered by the core faculty in the program. All additional coursework will focus on the student’s chosen area of study.

All students will participate in the Graduate Research Seminar every semester. This seminar provides an opportunity for students and faculty to discuss their research in progress with occasional presentations by outside guest speakers.

Ph.D. Program Timeline

Click on the image to view full size graphic

Description of Major Benchmarks

The following benchmarks are intended to guide students through the program and provide opportunities to engage in activities common to the profession. These benchmarks also serve as an opportunity to assess students' general performance in the program and to provide them with feedback.

Research Synthesis Paper

The goal of this paper is to encourage students to identify their interest area in AL & SLA and probe it more deeply. For this paper students are expected to engage in the following:

• Identifying a topic of interest
• Problem formulation
• Literature search
• Study quality/relevance assessment
• Interpretation and synthesis
• Summary and conclusion
• Identifying directions for future research

This project is to be completed by the end of the first year. Ideally, the topic selected in the first year will evolve into the core theme of the dissertation. Through engaging in this project, students receive training and opportunities for conceptual explorations through problem formulation and research synthesis/expansion. This paper will be reviewed by all ALSLA core faculty. Only those students whose paper is judged to be of superior quality will be advanced to the next phase of the program.

Research Report

The second project will be to prepare a research report based on research done during the first two years of residency in the program. The paper needs to conceptualize a problem, situate the problem in discussions in the field, and present a clear methodological design with preliminary results and future steps. It will be a data-driven paper of publishable quality (25-30 pages in length). Most students go on to present this work at conferences and even publish their findings in leading journals in the field.

Dissertation Proposal

After the research report is completed, students begin work on their dissertation proposal. They are expected to complete their dissertation proposal by the end of the semester following the research report. Students select a dissertation committee comprised of no less than three members: a committee chair from the department, and two additional members (one may be from outside the department or university). Students write the proposal, which includes an introduction, a critical review of the literature, and research design (methodology). The committee reviews the proposal and suggests changes or improvements, and later convenes to approve the proposal. After the proposal is approved, the student becomes ABD (All But Dissertation) and begins the dissertation research.

Dissertation Defense

After the completed dissertation is submitted to the committee, the student has an oral defense open to the public. Approval of this defense and incorporation of changes into the dissertation successfully concludes the doctoral program.

• Architecture and Design
• Asian and Pacific Studies
• Business and Economics
• Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
• Computer Sciences
• Cultural Studies
• Engineering
• General Interest
• Geosciences
• Industrial Chemistry
• Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Jewish Studies
• Library and Information Science, Book Studies
• Life Sciences
• Linguistics and Semiotics
• Literary Studies
• Materials Sciences
• Mathematics
• Social Sciences
• Sports and Recreation
• Theology and Religion
• Publish your article
• The role of authors
• Promoting your article
• Abstracting & indexing
• Publishing Ethics
• Why publish with De Gruyter
• How to publish with De Gruyter
• Our book series
• Our subject areas
• Your digital product at De Gruyter
• Contribute to our reference works
• Product information
• Tools & resources
• Product Information
• Promotional Materials
• Orders and Inquiries
• FAQ for Library Suppliers and Book Sellers
• Repository Policy
• Free access policy
• Open Access agreements
• Database portals
• For Authors
• Customer service
• People + Culture
• Journal Management
• How to join us
• Working at De Gruyter
• Mission & Vision
• De Gruyter Foundation
• De Gruyter Ebound
• Our Responsibility
• Partner publishers

Your purchase has been completed. Your documents are now available to view.

Cognitive Linguistics

• Online ISSN: 1613-3641
• Print ISSN: 0936-5907
• Type: Journal
• Language: English
• Publisher: De Gruyter Mouton
• First published: March 10, 1990
• Publication Frequency: 4 Issues per Year
• Audience: institutes, libraries, linguists, literary scholars

These CSE PhD alums have accepted faculty positions

CSE is pleased to announce that a number of recent alumni from our PhD program have accepted positions as faculty at institutions of higher learning. You may find a list of these new faculty below, or view a larger list of all our alumni who hold faculty positions at institutions around the world.

Hammad Ahmad (PhD 2024) started as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Software and Societal Systems Department at Carnegie Mellon this fall. His research interests bridge software engineering and cognition, with a particular focus on investigating the cognitive basis of programming and using that knowledge to enhance tools for developers and computer science education more broadly. Hammad’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Understanding understanding: How do we reason about computational logic?” He was advised by Professor Westley Weimer.

Caleb Belth (PhD 2023) is an Assistant Professor in the Linguistics Department at the University of Utah, as of Fall 2023. His research spans language acquisition, computational linguistics, and theoretical phonology. He specializes in using computational and experimental approaches to explore the theory of language acquisition, particularly the acquisition of phonology and morphology. His dissertation at U-M was titled “Towards an Algorithmic Account of Phonological Rules and Representations.” He was advised by Morris Wellman Faculty Development Professor Danai Koutra and Judith T. Irvine Collegiate Professor of Linguistics Andries Coetzee.

Madeline Endres (PhD 2024) has accepted a tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, starting in January 2025. Her research focuses on human factors of software engineering, with a focus on programmer productivity and wellbeing. Using an interdisciplinary approach, her research seeks to enable developers to become experts faster, as well as feel more supported and productive while programming. Madeline’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Three Lenses on Improving Programmer Productivity: From Anecdote to Evidence.” She was advised by Professor Westley Weimer.

Shang-En Huang (PhD 2022) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Taiwan University as of this fall. His research interests include dynamic graph data structures and algorithms, distributed graph algorithms, and other topics related to graph theory. Before joining the faculty at NTU, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Boston College. Shang-En’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Dynamic Connectivity, Hopsets, and Byzantine Agreement.” He was advised by Professor Seth Pettie.

Oana Ignat (PhD 2022) is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Santa Clara University as of this fall. Her research lies at the intersection of natural language processing and computer vision, with the aim of promoting inclusiveness and social good in language-vision models and datasets. Her dissertation at U-M was titled “Towards Human Action Understanding in Social Media Videos using Multimodal Models,” and she worked as a postdoctoral researcher in CSE after completion of her PhD. She was advised by Janice M. Jenkins Collegiate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Rada Mihalcea.

Harmanpreet Kaur (PhD 2023) is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota as of Fall 2023. Her research falls in the area of human-centered computing, with a focus on explainable and interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) and hybrid intelligence systems. Harmanpreet’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Where are the Humans in Human-AI Interaction: The Missing Human-Centered Perspective on Interpretability Tools for Machine Learning.” She was advised by Professors Eric Gilbert and Cliff Lampe of the School of Information.

Andrew Kwong (PhD 2023) is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as of Fall 2023. He performs research in the areas of computer security and applied cryptography, with a focus on side-channel attacks and defense. His dissertation at U-M was titled “Applying Software-Based Side-Channels to Hardware Vulnerabilities.” He was advised by Bredt Family Professor of Engineering J. Alex Halderman and Professor Daniel Genkin.

Hari Sadasivan (PhD 2023) is a member of the faculty at the University of Washington as of March 2024, where he teaches graduate-level courses on applied parallel programming and other topics. Also a staff engineer in the AI group at AMD, his work focuses on the development of high-performance AI solutions, with a focus on precision medicine. Hari’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Accelerated Systems for Portable DNA Sequencing.” He was advised by Professor Satish Narayanasamy.

Ramakrishnan Sundara Raman (PhD 2024) is starting as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at University of California, Santa Cruz this fall. His work involves using empirical methods to detect, analyze, and protect internet users from security and privacy threats, including censorship, on a global scale. Ram’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Global and Longitudinal Investigation of Network Connection Tampering.” He was advised by Professor Roya Ensafi.

Shengpu Tang (PhD 2024) is an incoming Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Emory University, starting this fall. His research focuses on the development and application of artificial intelligence methods to enhance decision-making in healthcare settings, with an emphasis on reinforcement learning. Shengpu’s dissertation at U-M was titled “Towards Clinically Applicable Reinforcement Learning.” He was advised by Professor Jenna Wiens.