Graduate Programs

Ph.D. Program

Course Requirements

1. Twenty-one hours, all courses in this group:
   • LIN 380K Phonology I
   • LIN 381K Phonology II
   • LIN 380L Syntax I
   • LIN 381L Syntax II
   • LIN 380M Semantics I
   • LIN 381M Phonetics
   • LIN 382 Historical Linguistics

2. Six hours from this group:
   • LIN 380S Sociolinguistics
   • LIN 381S Semantics II
   • LIN 385 Field Methods
   • LIN 392 Introduction to Cognitive Science
   • LIN 386M Computational Linguistics
   • LIN 392 Introduction to Language Acquisition
   • LIN 393 Neurolinguistics

3. One three-hour seminar-level course outside the student's major area in which the grade is based on a written paper. Courses satisfying this requirement are announced at the end of the preceding long semester.
4. LIN 397 Forum for Doctoral Candidates. (This course must be taken in addition to the courses in 5 and 6.)
5. Nine hours of graduate course work in the student’s primary area, in addition to courses taken to satisfy 1, 2, 3, and 4.

6. Nine hours of supporting graduate course work in an area outside the student's major area. (These courses may be, but do not need to be LIN courses.)

Notes:
A given course may not be used to satisfy a requirement in more than one area above.

It is the policy of the department not to allow transfer credit for basic linguistics courses taken in other programs.

Language Requirement

• Oral and written competence in English sufficient to complete all other degree requirements.

• Four semesters of study (or equivalent proficiency) of one language other than English.

• Two semesters of study (or equivalent proficiency) of one language other than English.

Notes:
One of the foreign languages must be a language which is typologically significantly different from the student's native language(s). The other must be a language that will increase access to scholarly literature relevant to the student's own program of research.

For our purpose, language is defined as any non-English natural language. Previous college level work as certified by transcript may be used to satisfy these requirements. Please check with the Graduate Advisor early in your program to determine your language obligation. Students may not use courses labeled "for graduate students" (FR 301, GER 301, SPN 301) to fulfill their language requirement.

Ph.D. Qualifying Procedures

• To qualify for Ph.D. candidacy, a student must complete all specified course work and submit one paper (Qualifying Paper) in the area of primary specialization.

• The Graduate Advisor will appoint two faculty readers to evaluate the Qualifying Paper (the student may suggest names) with appropriate areas of specialization.

• Students are expected to submit a proposal for their Qualifying Paper in the spring semester preceding the fall term in which they will register for the Doctoral Forum. Students are expected to work on the paper over the summer and then finish it during the fall term in conjunction with the Doctoral Forum.
• The topic must have the Graduate Advisor's signed approval. After a Qualifying Paper has been submitted, the student may not request a change in topic or a change in readers for that paper.
• The Doctoral Forum (Linguistics 397) is specifically designed to give participants the opportunity to present their work in progress and receive feedback from fellow students as well as the instructor. The Forum is to be taken on a Credit/No Credit basis.
• Students must submit two copies of the Qualifying Paper to the Graduate Advisor by the end of the fifth semester in residence, counting from the date when the student first entered the graduate program, whether as an M.A. or a Ph.D. student.
• The Graduate Advisor will distribute a copy of the paper to each of the two previously appointed faculty readers, who will report an evaluation of "pass," "pass contingent on oral," "fail," or "revise," normally within two weeks of the date of submission.

Ph.D. Candidacy

• Application to Candidacy
  After completion of all specified coursework and approval of the Qualifying Paper, the student is eligible to apply for Ph.D.Candidacy with the Graduate School. This requires the submission of an approved Program of Work and an Application for Ph.D. Candidacy, both of which must be approved by the Graduate Advisor. The candidacy application, which includes the dissertation proposal and lists the proposed committee members, must also be signed by the supervising professor.
  The application for Candidacy must be submitted online through UT Direct. Information can be found at the Office of Graduate Studies website.

• Continuous Registration
  Graduate Students who have been admitted to Ph.D. candidacy are required to register continuously (every fall and spring) from the time they are admitted to candidacy through the semester in which they receive their degree. Students are responsible for maintaining their own continuous registration.

• Third-Year Review
  Unless a student completes the doctoral degree within three years from the date of admission to candidacy, the Graduate Studies Committee will review his dissertation progress at the end of three years and annually thereafter and will report its recommendations to the Graduate Dean. The committee may recommend: (1) additional course work, (2) other additional requirements, (3) extending candidacy for one or two semesters, or (4) termination of candidacy.