phd in language learning

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Educational linguistics, doctor of philosophy (ph.d.), you are here, a pioneering doctoral program with an enduring legacy of research in applied linguistics, language learning, and teaching..

The Educational Linguistics Ph.D. program focuses on language learning and teaching as well as the role of language in education. Our questions and concerns are situated squarely in educational policy and practice, informing and informed by interdisciplinary theory and research in linguistics, anthropology, psychology, sociology, history, and other fields.

What Sets Us Apart

About the program.

Our program promotes the view that language must be examined within the cultural contexts and social situations in which it occurs.

3–4 courses per semester (fall/spring semesters only)

Transfer courses 8 (electives only)

Duration of program 5–7 years

Culminating experience Candidacy examination, and dissertation

Our faculty and students are involved in generating research on language and learning in areas such as:

• Linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural aspects of (additional) language development
• Local and global perspectives on world language teaching policy and practice in K-12 and higher education
• The intersections of disability, language, school–parent partnerships, and education policy
• The historical and contemporary manifestation of raciolinguistic ideologies that frame the language practices of racialized communities
• How multilingual speakers use milimodal communication practices – such as gestures, laughter, actions, and learning materials – to resolve miscommunication
• How language, social interaction, institutions, and the Internet influence what students learn in schools
• The role of lanugage in all forms of learning

Our curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in linguistics and research methodology. Students customize their education by working with their advisor to choose electives from a wide range of course offerings from across the Penn campus. Introductory courses in language pedagogy and sociolinguistics are strongly encouraged for students with no background in these areas. 

For course descriptions and requirements, visit the  Educational Linguistics Ph.D. program in the University Catalog .

For a full list of courses offered at GSE, visit  Penn’s University Course Catalog .

Sample courses

• Linguistics in Education                                                                              
• Sociolinguistics in Education                                                                      
• Language Diversity and Education                                                             
• Second Language Development    
• Genealogies of Race and Language in Educational Research 
• Issues in Second Language Acquisition                                        
• Phonology I
• Citizen Sociolinguistics
• Classroom Discourse and Interaction
• Approaches to Teaching English and Other Modern Languages
• Anthropology & Education
• Theories of Reading
• Language in Culture & Society

Our Faculty

"I got to work with inspiring scholars doing cutting-edge work. I saw firsthand the process of writing, submitting, and publishing a journal article. I had so many experiences that shaped me as a scholar and that I continue to draw on in my research and academic writing."

Our Graduates

The Educational Linguistics Ph.D. program prepares candidates for teaching and research careers in colleges and universities worldwide, as well as careers in government, community, and private organizations.

Alumni Careers

• Associate Professor, Columbia Teachers College
• Assistant Professor, Indiana University
• Associate Professor, Malmö University
• Associate Professor, University of Iowa
• Associate Professor and Chair, Adelphi University
• Director of Educational Programming and Research, Center for Cultural, Art, Training and Education (CCATE)
• Senior International Baccalaureate World Schools Manager
• Assistant Professor of TESOL and Applied Linguistics in the English Department, Illinois State University
• Research and Evaluation Supervisor, William Penn School District
• Lecturer in Language Studies, Brown University
• Founder/CEO, Brilliant Bilingual
• Associate Professor of Language Education and Urban Social Justice Learning & Teaching, Rutgers University
• Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University
• Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne
• Assistant Professor of International Students, College of Charleston
• Assistant Professor of Linguistics, University of Louisville
• Assistant Professor, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education, University of Colorado, Denver
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow

Admissions & Financial Aid

Please visit our Admissions and Financial Aid pages for specific information on the application requirements , as well as information on tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, and fellowships.

Contact us if you have any questions about the program.

Graduate School of Education University of Pennsylvania 3700 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 898-6415 [email protected] [email protected]

Erica Poinsett Program Assistant [email protected]

Please view information from our Admissions and Financial Aid Office for specific information on the cost of this program.

All Ph.D. students are guaranteed a full scholarship for their first four years of study, as well as a stipend and student health insurance. Penn GSE is committed to making your graduate education affordable, and we offer generous scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.

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Working Papers in Educational Linguistics

Working Papers in Educational Linguistics  is a student-managed journal focused on the many areas of research within educational linguistics.

You May Be Interested In

Related programs.

• Educational Linguistics Ed.D.
• Intercultural Communication M.S.Ed.
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) M.S.Ed.

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Language Education and Multilingualism, PhD

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE Thursday, Nov. 9 Event Details Register Now

Our doctoral program in language education and multilingualism focuses on preparing you for research, teaching and administrative posts in colleges and universities, and for positions of educational leadership in the schools or in state education departments. The mission of our program is to foster the development of foreign/second/bilingual language education practitioners and researchers who can understand and analyze language teaching and learning, and language policy to improve language and content teaching and learning in diverse educational contexts.

On this page:

Why language education and multilingualism at ub.

The features of our program include:

• becoming familiar with groundbreaking inquiry processes and research methodologies
• carrying out principled, meaningful and rigorous research and applying it to real-world educational challenges
• collaborating with internationally recognized scholars who mentor students to engage in research studies
• developing an understanding of language theory and an ability to thoughtfully apply this theory
• engaging in scholarship that involves participation in the exchange of ideas and advancement of the field as a whole
• preparing scholars and educational leaders to pursue careers in academia, and occupy positions of leadership in American and global universities and colleges

Program Overview

Program coursework.

Your program of study requires 72 credit hours:

• Concentration — 24 credit hours 
• Research — 28 credit hours (21 credits of courses, 6 hours of research component/practicum, 1 credit of research analysis exam)
• Dissertation — 10 credit hours
• Relevant master's degree courses — 10 credit hours

Application Requirements

If you do not already hold a master's degree, you will be considered for admission if you have completed an otherwise field-relevant and highly rigorous undergraduate degree program or a collection of graduate courses not leading to a degree.

In an effort to make the application process more equitable, the GRE/MAT is no longer required for admissions consideration. If you still plan to take the GRE/MAT exam, you can send your scores through the testing agency, and they will automatically be added to your application; however, they are not required for admission consideration to this program.

Submit your completed online application, which includes:

• Application fee:  A $50 non-refundable application fee, submitted electronically through UB's ePayment system.
• Contact information for two individuals  who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter.
• Unofficial transcripts  from all colleges attended. (UB transcripts are automatically submitted for current UB students and alumni.)
• Sample of academic writing:  A sample of your academic writing (e.g., master's thesis, professional publication).
• Statement of interest:  Statement of your educational and career goals and objectives.

Admission Interview:  An interview is required to be considered for admission to this program.

Former/Maiden Name:  Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.

Admissions Decision: The admissions decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

In-State Residency Tuition

In order to qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.

If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See  Required Documents for Residency Application  for more information. 

International Applicant Additional Requirements

• Official original proof of your degree
• A copy of your passport biographical page
• TOEFL minimum score is 250 for computer-based test, 600 for paper- based test and 96 for internet-based test 
• IELTS minimum score is 7.0 overall
• PTE minimum score is 55 overall
• Financial documentation:   International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S.
• An official bank statement

All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.

Program Faculty

Tasha Austin

Assistant Professor Learning And Instruction

505 Baldy Hall Buffalo, NY 14260 Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-2455

Email: [email protected]

Janina Brutt-Griffler

Professor Learning And Instruction

562 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-4066

Email: [email protected]

Erin Kearney

Associate Professor Learning And Instruction

554 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-4058

Email: [email protected]

Lilliam M. Malave Lopez

553 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-4060

Email: [email protected]

Lynne R. Yang

Clinical Associate Professor Learning And Instruction

586 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-3502

Email: [email protected]

We have a collection of frequently asked questions that may help you. If your questions are still unanswered, we are glad to help! Contact our admission office .

Questions About the Admission Process?

Office of Graduate Admission

Graduate School of Education 366 Baldy Hall, North Campus 716-645-2110 [email protected]

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Ph.D. in Language Science

ONLINE APPLICATION APPLY NOW

about OUR PROGRAM

Ranked as the #9 best public college by U.S. News & World Report , UCI's new Ph.D. program in language science offers students five years of guaranteed funding .

Scholars in the department seek answers to questions such as: How do children and adults learn language? How is language used strategically in social situations? How do the multiple languages spoken by a multilingual person interact in their brain? What explains the huge variety of languages we see in the world? How does the brain manage to coordinate the complex processes involved in speaking and hearing in real time, and how could we design computer systems to do the same thing?

UCI language science faculty publish regularly in top academic journals, and graduate students have ample opportunities to publish alongside them. Faculty and graduate students consistently present research at conferences and universities across the globe.

The program offers an integrative approach to the scientific study of language, exploring interfaces between traditional frameworks while fostering a more complete understanding of the human communication system. The aim is to train self-directed, successful researchers capable of innovative thinking at the forefront of language science. This training emphasizes empirical grounding, state-of-the-art methods for hypothesis generation and testing, and effective scientific communication.

Learn more about Language Science at UCI...

university committed to economic diversity and upward mobility - New York Times College Access Index

coolest school in ecological sustainability - Sierra Club Magazine

best college in the nation - Money Magazine

public university in the U.S. - U.S. News & World Report

LOCATION Campus is located less than 10 miles from Newport Beach.  

FUNDING Admitted students receive 5 years of guaranteed funding.  

METHODOLOGY Quantitative, neuroscientific, and behavioral approaches to scientific inquiry.

DEGREE Ph.D.; a master's degree may be earned while in pursuit of the Ph.D.  

ENROLLMENT Full-time, on-campus with housing.    

UNIQUE UCI's Ph.D. in language science is the first such doctoral program in the country.

language science

RESEARCH SPECIALITIES

Cognition and bilingualism

Computational linguistics/Natural language processing

Experimental approaches

Language development

Language structure

Neurolinguistics

Psycholinguistics

Quantitative approaches

Semantics & pragmatics

Speech perception

Read more about reseach in Language Science at UCI...

what makes us

  S tudents work with faculty advisors using innovative technologies in quantitative, neuroscientific, and behavioral approaches to scientific inquiry. Training incorporates curricular flexibility, technical communication skills development, and prioritization of research early in the graduate career.

Special attention is given to providing hands-on research experience and equipping students with sophisticated quantitative methods and technical communication skills. This allows students to target a broad range of careers within academia (as research professors, research scientists, and teaching professors) and in industry (as language engineers, knowledge engineers, language analysts, social media analysts, computational linguists, speech scientists, and educational technologists). Expertise in languages other than English makes graduates even more competitive for industry and government positions.

And if that wasn't enough, the UCI campus is located less than 10 miles from Newport Beach, is the #1 university doing the most for the American dream ( New York Times College Access Index ), the #2 "coolest school" in the nation ( Sierra magazine ), and the #9 ranked public university in the U.S. ( U.S. News & World Report ).

If full funding, opportunities to publish, and a proven track record of excellence in the field are what you're looking for, contact us today to learn more about UCI's graduate program in language science.

So what are you waiting for?

APPLY TODAY

If an integrative approach to the scientific study of language, full funding, opportunities to publish, and a proven track record of excellence in the field is what you’re looking for, contact us today to learn more about UCI’s PhD program in Language Science.  

UCI Department of Language Science

Online Applications

Online Application

Department Chair

Gregory Hickok   [email protected]  

Graduate Director

Richard Futrell   [email protected]  

Graduate Advisor

Jennifer Gerson   [email protected]  949.824.4074

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Literacy and Language Education

Graduate Programs

The Literacy and Language doctoral program is a research-oriented program culminating with a dissertation. The program focuses on the development of a core knowledge base, with additional coursework to supplement and extend that knowledge base. Working with the advisor and advisory committee, doctoral students have the ability to create this core knowledge base by tailoring their program of study to individual interests and needs. This flexibility and individualization is an important component of the Ph.D. program.

December 1st is the deadline for consideration for Fall admission for this residential program. Applications must be fully complete, submitted, and all application fees paid prior to the deadline in order for applications to be considered and reviewed.

*Those applicants interested in being considered for any available PhD funding should submit completed applications by December 1 for the following Fall semester.

This program does not lead to licensure in the state of Indiana or elsewhere. Contact the College of Education Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) at [email protected] before continuing with program application if you have questions regarding licensure or contact your state Department of Education about how this program may translate to licensure in your state of residence.

Here are the materials required for this application

• Transcripts (from all universities attended)
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• 3 Recommendations
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement
• International Applicants must meet English Proficiency Requirements set by the Purdue Graduate School

We encourage prospective students submit an application early, even if not all required materials are uploaded. Applications are not forwarded on for faculty review until all required materials are uploaded.

When submitting your application for this program, please select the following options:

• Select a Campus: Purdue West Lafayette (PWL)
• Select your proposed graduate major: Curriculum and Instruction
• Please select an Area of Interest: Literacy and Language Education
• Please select a Degree Objective: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Primary Course Delivery: Residential

Program Requirements

Applicants with a minimum of three years teaching experience in public or private school classrooms are favorably regarded. Direct experience in the teaching of literacy at the elementary and/or secondary level is preferred.

Students entering the Literacy and Language doctoral program must have an earned master’s degree that fulfills the core requirements found in the Purdue master’s program or complete these core requirements during doctoral study.

The Literacy & Language Education doctoral program requires courses that focus on research and specific cluster areas according to students’ interests. The program typically requires a four year commitment for completion beyond the master’s degree, with a minimum of 60 hours additional credit required beyond master’s study. The following links list and describe the required coursework:

Curriculum and Instruction Foundations Core (15 credit hours)

• EDCI 50000: Foundations of Literacy
• EDCI 58000: Foundations of Curriculum
• EDCI 58500: Multicultural Education
• EDPS 53000: Advanced Educational Psychology
• EDPS 53300: Introduction to Educational Research I: Methodology

Curriculum and Instruction Research Core (minimum of 12 credit hours)

• EDCI 61500: This course provides a foundation for understanding the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings and procedures used in conducting qualitative research.
• STAT 50100 or 51100: Introduction to Statistics. This course provides a foundation for understanding and applying basic concepts of descriptive and inferential statistical research design and analysis. PSY 60000 and SOC 58100 are also acceptable research courses. Consult with your major professor to choose the course most appropriate for your program of study.
• Qualitative research courses include EDCI 61600: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Education, COM 58300: Research And Assessment In Organizational Communication, ANTH 51900, ANTH 56500, ANTH 60500, SOC 60900
• Quantitative research courses include STAT 50200, STAT 51200, PSY 60100
• EDPS 63000: Research Procedures in Education is taken when students are ready to write their dissertation proposal. This course focuses on the design and presentation of educational research. Seminars which focus on qualitative or quantitative studies are offered under the same course number. Students should elect the option that is most suited to their research interests.
• Theoretical or mixed methods research courses include EDCI 62000: Seminar in Mathematics Education; EDCI 67300: Issues and Methods in Educational Technology Research; ANTH 60500: Seminar in Ethnographic Analysis; ENGL 61800: Research Design; ENGL 62400: Rhetorical History and Theory; ENGL 62500: Empirical Research on Writing; ENGL 63200: Critical Theory; ENGL 68000: Qualitative Research Methods; STAT 51400: Design of Experiments

Literacy & Language Education Cluster Areas (minimum of 12 credit hours)

The Literacy and Language doctoral program is currently organized around three different cluster areas: English Language Learning (ELL), Literacy and Human Development, and English Education. Students typically focus their program of study in one cluster area, with a minimum of 12 credit hours from the selected area. However, as students develop their individual program of study with their major professor, students may take courses from any cluster area.

Cluster Area 1: English Language Learning (ELL) Required courses for the ELL Cluster:

• EDCI 51900: Teaching Learners of English as a New Language
• EDCI 52600: Language Study for Educators
• EDCI 53000: English Language Development
• EDCI 55700: Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
• EDCI 55900: Academic Language and Content Area Learning

Other possible courses are offered through the Second Language/ English as a Second Language Graduate Program in the Department of English. These include the following:

• ENG 51600: Teaching English as a Second Language: Theoretical Foundations
• ENG 51800: Teaching English as a Second Language: Principles and Practices
• ENG 62900: Seminar in English as a Second Language
• ENG 63000: Seminar in Second Language Writing

Cluster Area 2: Literacy and Human Development In addition to EDCI 50000 (Foundations of Literacy), three of the following courses are required for the Literacy and Human Development Cluster:

• EDCI 50100: Problems in Literacy Acquisition: Evaluation and Instruction
• EDCI 50400: Children’s Literature as Semiotic, Developmental Resource
• EDCI 61400: Literacy and the Development of Young Children (online)
• EDCI 61200: Seminar in Literacy. Possible seminar topics include: Literacy Research Methodologies, Bilingualism and Multilingualism

Cluster Area 3: English Education (Secondary) Suggested courses for the English Education Cluster:

• EDCI 50200: Reading in Middle and Secondary Schools
• EDCI 50900: Writing in Middle and Secondary Schools
• EDCI 55100: Young Adult Literature
• EDCI 59500: Advanced Studies in English Education
• EDCI 61300: Seminar in English Language Arts
• EDCI 62300: Seminar in Genre Studies

Two variable topic seminars are also offered and may be repeated for credit by graduate students during their programs.

• EDCI 61200: Seminar in Literacy. Recent topics include: The Development of Academic Language in the Content Areas; An Introduction to Systemic-Functional Linguistics; Teacher Education for Social Justice
• EDCI 61300: Seminar in English Language Arts. Recent topics include: Teacher Research; Classroom Discourse Analysis; Teaching Bodies; The Reflective Teacher; Young Adult Literature and Identity
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Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning, Foreign, Second and Multilingual Language Education

The doctoral program in Foreign, Second and Multilingual Language Education trains you to become a world-class scholar and an academic leader at universities across the globe. The rigorous education of the program along with the support and perspectives from faculty will hone your expertise and prepare you for your future career.

Program Features 

One of the most established programs in the United States producing many prominent scholars and leaders. 

Diverse opportunities to learn the cognitive, sociocultural and critical perspectives of theory and practices. 

Inclusive points of view exploring language teaching and learning issues and learners from around the world. 

Program faculty have lived, studied and taught in various parts of the world. 

Diversity of student and faculty backgrounds a program hallmark. 

Career Paths 

Funding Opportunities 

Key to teaching, research and learning in the college, associateships provide students with professional experience and financial support. 

These financial awards are made by Ohio State to students based on academic merit through a university-wide competition. 

The college annually awards scholarships to its students to support their academic goals.  

Degree Requirements

Program start

Deadline to apply

Minimum Program hours

(up to 30 hours can transfer)

View Foreign, Second, and Multilingual Language Education (TCHLRN-PH, FSMLE) Curriculum Sheet

PhD Program Virtual Information Session Wednesday, October 25 5-6pm

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Application checklist

View application checklist

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PhD in Language, Literacy, and Culture

Explore the impact of teaching and learning through the interconnection of culture, language, and literacy.

The PhD in Language, Literacy, and Culture (LLC) is focused on the study of cultural, linguistic, social, psychological, and political perspectives on teaching, learning, and teacher education.

LLC is an expansive scholarly landscape that provides opportunities for students to conduct research that will transform education.

Doctoral students in the LLC program pursue their questions and interests and collaborate with faculty on research projects and in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses.

Request Info

View Tuition

Program Facts

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Time Commitment

4 to 5 years on average

Enrollment Term

Admissions Deadline

Admissions Requirements

No GRE Exam is required

Program Overview

The PhD in Language, Literacy, and Culture is for students who aim to conduct research on the interconnection of culture, language, and literacy in both formal and informal educational settings.

The goal of the LLC program is to develop interdisciplinary knowledge complemented by specialized knowledge of teaching and learning in foreign and second language, literacy, social studies, and early childhood education.

We frame the exploration of teaching and learning within perspectives that promote equity, social justice, and democratic values. Students engage closely with and learn from faculty who conduct research in the field and have a strong commitment to high-quality teaching.

Word Cloud – Publications

Download program flyer

View Examples of Student Dissertations and Milestone Papers

The dissertations and milestone papers listed below indicate the range of research interests and topics pursued by current and former LLC students:

• Susanna Benko : “Teaching to the Task: Preservice Teachers’ Instruction for Cognitively Demanding Writing Assignments”
• Melissa M. Brydon : “The Effect of Rich Instruction on the Vocabulary Acquisition of Preschool Dual Language Learners”
• James S. Chisholm : “Leveraging Adolescents’ Multimodal Literacies to Promote Dialogic Discussions of Literature in One Secondary English Classroom”
• Michelle Cianciosi-Rimbey : “An Investigation of a Cross-Content Academic Vocabulary Intervention in an Urban Middle School”
• Kristin Davin : “Group Dynamic Assessment in an Early Foreign Language Learning Program: Tracking Movement through the Zone of Proximal Development”
• April Mattix Foster : “The Orphan Among Us: An Examination of Orphans in Newbery Award Winning Literature”
• Maria Genest : “The Nature of Cooperating Teacher Feedback about Preservice Teachers’ Read Aloud Enactments”
• Hyeju Han : “Middle School Students’ Use of Cognitive and Sociocultural Resources During an Examination of a Contested Topic in a Digital Space”
• Jessica Haselkorn : “Investigation of Pre-Service Social Studies Teachers’ Beliefs about Global Education: Evidence from Personal Narratives of Learning and Teaching”
• Corey Humphrey : “I am from the hills of West Virginia”: A Case Study of Literacy Teaching and Learning in a Rurban West Virginia High School English Classroom”
• Adam Loretto : “How Sponsors Influence Students’ Writing Practices in an Eighth Grade English Language Arts Classroom”
• Erika Abarca Millán : “Equitable Access to Higher Education in Chile: An Analysis of Special-Access Students’ Reported Experiences at University”
• Chris Olshefski : “Functions of Religious Literacy in Literary Discussions of National Board-Certified English Teachers”
• Kathleen A. Ramos : “Teaching Persuasive Argument Essay Writing to Adolescent English Language Learners through the Reading to Learn Approach”
• Karen Rissling : “The Perceptions of High School Students from Refugee, Immigrant, and visiting Professional Families about Their School Experiences in Pittsburgh”
• Terrence Zhang : “How Feedback on Writing Quality and Feedback on Prior Revisions Shape Post-Secondary ESL Students’ Revisions on an Expository Writing Task”

The PhD major in Language, Literacy, and Culture (LLC) is a 90-credit program.

The curriculum consists of study through research methods, first-year seminars, research and teaching practicums, electives, writing workshops, and an original dissertation created by the student.

View Program Curriculum

Degree Requirements

The degree requirements are found in the Language, Literacy, and Culture Student Handbook (PDF)

Prerequisites

There are no specific prerequisites for this degree, but interested students should verify that they fulfill the PhD admissions requirements .

Take the Next Step

Upcoming Info Sessions

General Info Session (Virtual)

June 3, 2024 | Noon-1 PM

"What attracted me to the program was the ability to confront injustice and inequity in Appalachian settings, and to learn how to make change through literacy teaching and learning." Corey Humphrey - Pitt alumni

Career Pathways

Through a combination of coursework, research collaborations with faculty, and teaching and supervision practicum experiences, students are prepared for careers such as:

• Research and teaching universities
• Research institutes
• Educational non-profits
• Educational consulting

Program Faculty

Tinukwa Boulder

Patricia A. Crawford

M. Beatrice Dias

Martez Files

Amanda Godley

Katrina Bartow Jacobs

Lindsay Clare Matsumura

Emily C. Rainey

Khirsten L. Scott

Veena Vasudevan

Program News

Alumna Receives ACTFL Award for World Language Teacher Education

Alumna Receives ACTFL Award for World Language Teacher Education - Read more

PhD Alumnus Chris Olshefski Receives AERA Research Award

PhD Alumnus Chris Olshefski Receives AERA Research Award - Read more

Professor Honored With National Literacy Research Award

Professor Honored With National Literacy Research Award - Read more

Professor Honored for Literacy Work with Refugee Youth

Professor Honored for Literacy Work with Refugee Youth - Read more

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• Second Language Acquisition, Ph.D.

Second language acquisition (SLA) is the systematic study of learning, using, and sometimes losing any form of language beyond the mother tongue. SLA is a burgeoning research field because today there are more people on the planet who use at least two languages than there are monolinguals. For individual learners and for every community in diaspora, second language acquisition is an experience that challenges their knowledge of language, their understanding of different cultures, and their personal identities. The experiences and challenges surrounding SLA are studied by scholars whose training is in a variety of fields—linguistics, psychology, sociology, education, anthropology, and communication arts—a variety that makes the study of SLA richly interdisciplinary.

The Ph.D. Program in Second Language Acquisition at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a rigorous interdisciplinary academic program that embodies the university’s mission to foster the study of globally important issues. In their coursework, students in the program learn from and collaborate with experienced and distinguished faculty in many departments and, through their original dissertation research, students generate and contribute new knowledge to the field. Students develop a thorough understanding of the scope of SLA as a field of inquiry, and develop and refine research skills that will serve them as they define and pursue their own research agenda. A Ph.D. in SLA opens the door to scholarly and professional careers as university faculty, directors of foreign language programs, educational policy makers, and multilingual specialists.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

The Ph.D. Program in SLA requires a master's degree in a foreign language, English, applied linguistics, linguistics, or education. Please refer to the SLA website for application deadlines, required application materials, and required modes of submitting these materials. In addition, general requirements for admission stipulated by the graduate school (e.g., evidence of English proficiency for certain international students) apply.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Students in the SLA program, depending on their qualifications, may receive financial support through several departments, programs, and institutes. Students with a background in foreign language or English teaching may work as graduate teaching assistants (TAs) in departments in which those languages are taught. Other students work as graduate project assistants (PA) for the Language Institute or other units on campus. In addition to these TA and PA positions, select SLA students receive university fellowships (including the Advanced Opportunity Fellowships) upon entry into the program or when working on their dissertations. If they meet the specific eligibility criteria, students may also compete, with the program’s support, in other grant and fellowship competitions, such as Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships. Additional funding opportunities are included in the information for current students on the SLA website .

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Major requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Mode of instruction definitions.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Required courses.

Students take a minimum of 9 dissertation credits (three semesters); in most cases four or more semesters of enrollment in dissertator credits is likely. Students enroll in dissertator credits in their advisor's department and will likely need to obtain authorization from the department to register. An advisor, under certain circumstances, may permit the student to replace the 3 dissertation credits with another 3-credit graduate course that directly supports the dissertation. 

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior coursework, graduate work from other institutions.

With program approval, students are allowed to count up to 6 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to the SLA Program is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

In addition, typically, students with prior graduate coursework at UW-Madison may only count up to 6 credits toward the SLA Program.

UW–Madison Undergraduate

Prior coursework from the UW–Madison undergraduate career may not be applied toward the program.

UW–Madison University Special

Prior coursework from the UW–Madison University Special student career may not be applied toward the program.

Those students not meeting satisfactory progress requirements (found in the Graduate Program Handbook) may be put on probation for a semester.

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

Students are required to meet with their advisor at least once each semester to review their progress, select courses, and to discuss any outstanding issues or questions.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

Time limits.

Students must submit plans for completing the emphasis requirement and the language requirement for approval by the steering committee within their first year of the program.

Students typically complete all of the coursework requirements within two years of enrolling in the Program. Students are required to complete all coursework and fulfill the language requirement before taking the preliminary examinations.

Students must take the preliminary examination within one semester of completing coursework.

Graduate School regulations require Ph.D. candidates to defend their dissertation five years from the date of passing their preliminary examinations.

grievances and appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.

Students in the SLA program are typically funded through campus teaching assistantships, project assistantships or through fellowships. Contact the program for more details.

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

Students in the SLA program benefit from a variety of professional development opportunities organized by students, faculty, and staff. A speaker series offers students the chance to interact with top scholars in the field. In addition, the program organizes workshops in such topics as designing research, publishing, and preparing to go on the job market. An annual graduate student symposium, organized in partnership with students in related programs on campus and other institutions, allows students to gain professional experience organizing a conference and presenting their research before audiences of peers and faculty members from the three institutions and across the country.  In addition, Summer Research Partnerships provide opportunities for core faculty and students to work collaboratively on research projects. These collaborations have led to conference presentations and/or co-authored journal publications.

• Demonstrate a strong overall understanding of the scope of the discipline of SLA (e.g., the theories on which research in the field is based; the types of questions that researchers in SLA address; and the variety of techniques used to answer these questions). Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of theories and research findings related to their focal areas of interest.
• Develop an original research plan that advances a specific area of SLA. Retrieve, evaluate, and interpret academic publications, and use this information to identify a gap in the extant research and to develop theoretical frameworks and research designs for their own research projects. Learn to design realistic and feasible research projects and to prepare necessary protocols.
• Collect data following relevant protocols and analyze/interpret the resulting data. Reflect on the procedures and results of their own projects to identify strengths, limitations, and implications.
• Develop skills for disseminating their research in a variety of professional venues and domains through both presentations and manuscript preparation.
• Participate in and communicate effectively as members of a professional community. Seek opportunities to engage in service to the program, the university and/or the wider community.

SLA Steering Committee - The interdisciplinary SLA Steering Committee is comprised of members from the units listed below.

African Cultural Studies: Professor Katrina Thompson

Asian Languages and Cultures: Associate Professor Naomi Geyer, Associate Professor Byung-Jin Lim and Professor Junko Mori

Curriculum and Instruction: Professor Margaret Hawkins, Associate Professor Mariana Pacheco, Assistant Professor Diego Roman, Professor Francois Tochon and Professor Kate Vieira

English: Assistant Professor Jacee Cho

French and Italian: Associate Professor Heather Allen

German, Nordic, and Slavic: Professor Monika Chavez and Professor Karen Evans-Romaine

Language Institute: Director Dianna Murphy

Spanish and Portuguese: Associate Professor Cathy Stafford

Staff: Kristin Dalby (Graduate Coordinator) and Skender Jahiu (Financial and Payroll Specialist)

• Requirements
• Professional Development
• Learning Outcomes

Contact Information

Language Institute College of Letters & Science sla.wisc.edu

Jana Martin, Graduate Coordinator [email protected] 608-890-4585 1322 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706

Katrina Daly Thompson, Director of Graduate Studies [email protected] 1464 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706

Graduate Program Handbook View Here

Graduate School grad.wisc.edu

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Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, (Ph.D.) - Language, Literacy, and Social Inquiry Specialization

This program leads to a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership with a specialization in Language, Literacy, and Social Inquiry (LLSI). Students and faculty in this  Ph.D. specialization investigate issues related to language and literacy education using a wide range of research methodologies. Our work values multiple perspectives that center cultural and linguistic diversity. We analyze classroom and societal conditions of power and privilege that influence literacy and language practices in schools, families and communities. The LLSI Ph.D. includes two areas of focus within the program: Applied Linguistics and Language Education and Literacy Education .

Faculty research interests in the Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) area of focus include bi/multilingualism, bilingual/dual language education, discourse analysis, second language teaching and teacher learning, teacher collaboration, language policy, language contact, language diversity, peer interaction, sociocultural and critical approaches, codeswitching, and translanguaging.

Faculty research interests in the Literacy Education area of focus include culturally responsive approaches to elementary reading instruction, emergent literacy, family literacy, preparing teachers for diversity, learning with text, literacy teaching and learning, new literacies, reading assessment, reading comprehension strategies, stasis theory, and vocabulary for literacy learning. The doctoral program is primarily focused on the study of language and literacy learning in pre-kindergarten through high school settings in the US.  It is designed to prepare students as researchers, curriculum specialists, teacher educators, and educational leaders who work effectively with children, families, and communities engaged in diverse language, literacy and social practices. Students take a doctoral core designed to provide an overview of the field and engage in research apprenticeship experiences with faculty, then develop a tailored program of study fitting their specific research interests through a selection of elective courses offered within our department, or from other departments and programs within the University.

For information on graduate admission please see the Graduate School's Admissions page for the Department of Teaching, Learning, Policy and Leadership at https://gradschool.umd.edu/education/tlpl . We accept both full-time and part-time doctoral students.

Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines. If you are unsure of your area of interest you may request information by submitting an Inquiry Form .

Applicants who wish to apply to the Ph.D. program with specialization in Language, Literacy and Social Inquiry should select Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL) as their “Intended Program of Study."

Please refer to the  Guide to Applying  for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission. If you have questions or concerns, we ask you to first review our list of  Frequently Asked Questions . International applicants should visit the International admissions webpage for additional information.

INFORMATION SESSION about our Ph.D. and M.A. programs will be held on October 13, 2023 , by zoom. 

For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact  Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or [email protected] . 

For academic advising on the Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Social Inquiry, please contact Dr. Melinda Martin-Beltran at [email protected] .

Financial assistance for graduate study is generally divided into two categories: 

• Fellowships and Scholarships Loans  
• Graduate Assistantships 

For more details about the various types of financial assistance offered by the campus please visit the  Office of Student Financial Aid  

There are also a number of fellowships and scholarships offered through the College of Education, the University, and through external sources which may provide tuition support and/or living allowance. Students must apply for these awards on their own, but the links that follow provide valuable information on searching for fellowships and scholarships. 

For more information concerning fellowships and scholarships, please visit: 

The College of Education's Scholarship webpage

The University's Scholarships webpage , and  

The Graduate School's Fellowships and Awards webpage

The doctoral curriculum typically requires at least three years of graduate study beyond the master’s degree. Students are expected to integrate into the campus scholarly community and to be available on a full-time basis. The department provides funding for all Ph.D. students admitted into the program. 

Integrated Department Core 

LLSI students join a two-course sequence (6 semester hours) in foundations of inquiry and practice with other department specialization students from Education Policy and Leadership, Mathematics and Science Education, Minority and Urban Education, Teacher Education and Professional Development, and Technology, Learning and Leadership.  

• TLPL 794: Foundations of Education Inquiry: Core I
• TLPL 795: Foundations of Education Inquiry: Core II

Specialization Core 

Curriculum for each doctoral student in LLSI is tailored to their own interests, with some requirements for students who specialize in each of the three focus areas: 

• TLPL 740: Language and Education (3 cr.)
• TLPL 743: Teaching English Language Learners: Current and Future Research Directions (3 cr.)
• TLPL 744: Research Foundations of Second Language Education: Examining Linguistically Diverse Student Learning (3 cr.)
• TLPL 788 K: Special Topics in Education: Learning Within and Without School (3 cr.)
• See a table of the full course sequence .
• Literacy - contact advisor for suggested course sequence
• English Education - contact advisor for suggested course sequence

Students are required to take 30 semester hours of coursework (typically ten courses), selected in consultation with the advisor. These courses generally take the form of doctoral seminars taught by program faculty and may include doctoral level courses from other departments.  

Breadth Requirement

Some focus areas require taking one 700-level Literacy course to fulfill a breadth requirement.

Intermediate and Advanced Research Methods 

Students are required to take at least 12 credit hours of research methods courses, including one qualitative and one quantitative methods course. Students may take research methods courses in TLPL, Human Development and Quantitative Methods ( HDQM ), or other academic departments. Some suggested research courses include the following:

• TLPL 788 I: Special Topics in Education: Statistical Literacy for Education Research (3 cr.)
• TLPL 791: Qualitative Research I: Design and Fieldwork (3 cr.)
• TLPL 792: Qualitative Research II: Analysis and Interpretation of Data (3 cr.)
• TLPL 793: Methods of Discourse Analysis (3 cr.)
• TLPL 860: Seminar on Case Study Methods (3 cr.)

Doctoral Seminars 

Doctoral students in LLSI enroll in a weekly 1-credit seminar with other students in their area of focus to explore opportunities for collaborations with faculty and other students, develop their knowledge of the field and the academic profession, and apprentice into the broader research community. 

Dissertation 

All students complete a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research per University policy. 

Graduate Education Program Requirements

If you have questions about our admissions process, contact TLPL Graduate Coordinator Kay Moon at [email protected] . 

If you have questions about the program specifically, contact Dr. Wayne Slater at [email protected] . 

If you have questions about each program, contact:

- Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE), Dr. Melinda Martin-Beltran at [email protected] .

- English Literacy Education, Dr. Wayne Slater at [email protected] .

-Reading Education, Dr. Jennifer Turner at [email protected] .

Deadlines vary by degree and program. Please visit the  TLPL Admissions Deadlines page   for more information.

Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) Faculty

• Jeff MacSwan  
• Laura Mahalingappa
• Melinda Martin-Beltran   
• Megan Madigan Peercy 
• Nihat Polat
• Kellie Rolstad  

Literacy Education Faculty

• Peter Afflerbach    
• Mariam Jean Dreher   
• John O'Flahavan    
• Olivia Saracho   
• Wayne Slater    
• Jennifer Turner

 CATALOG AND POLICIES

Graduate students in the College of Education are responsible for meeting University and the Graduate School policy, and for meeting Program requirements.  See the  Graduate Catalog  and Graduate  Policies  governing graduate education at the University of Maryland. The  schedule adjustment policy  is available from the Office of the Registrar and provides information on adding and dropping courses, penalties, and refund schedules.

FORMS 

Graduate students are required to submit various forms at specific points in the program and as part of the degree clearance process. Please refer to Steps Toward Graduation  to determine the steps and forms that are required. To access forms used by graduate students visit Graduate Studies Forms in Student Services .  

College of Education and Human Development

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Multilingual education PhD

The PhD program in multilingual education offers students the opportunity to research language use, teaching, learning, and policy. The ideal candidates for the program have a master’s degree in a related field and at least three years of teaching experience, with interests in furthering education and research in multilingual education.

Graduates leave the program prepared for research and teaching careers in higher education, and as policy leaders and language specialists in a variety of settings.

Quote from Zhongkui Ju, PhD 2019

The program has helped me construct knowledge about language education from very different perspectives—as both a researcher and an advocate for bilingual and minority language education. Zhongkui Ju, PhD 2019

PhD curriculum

Your PhD coursework will center on your research interests. The program consists of 51 course credits and 24 doctoral thesis credits for a total of 78 credits. 

Students take classes in research methodology, multilingual education and acquisition, and a supporting academic area. 

You will plan your PhD curriculum based upon your research interests with your faculty adviser. To see curriculum requirements in detail, visit the course catalog , find Requirements > Program Sub-plan Requirements > Second Language Education. 

Research opportunities

Students can engage in research that advances the field of multilingual education and ties into their area of interest. Faculty advisers work closely with each student to achieve research and educational goals and improve educational opportunities for students. Learn more about the student research experience in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Examples of recent student dissertations:

Revitalizing language, reframing expertise: An ecological study of language in one teacher-learner’s Ojibwe classroom

Migrant adult learners and digital literacy: A collaborative study for sustainable change

Recuperating heritage languages, becoming transformative educators: Multilingual teachers and students of color transforming schools

Student oral proficiency in grade three Spanish immersion: linguistic diversity, student interaction, and differentiated scaffolding

Language instructors learning together: lesson study in higher education

Career outlook

Graduates of the program have assumed positions as university faculty, instructional leaders in the public schools, curriculum development specialists, and assessment specialists. Recent graduates have found employment in the following positions:

Augsburg College

Colby College

Hamline University

Indiana University

Minnesota State Universities

Monterey Institute of International Studies

New York University

Osaka University Japan

University of Alberta

University of Iowa

Warsaw University

Martha Bigelow Martha Bigelow

• Department Chair, Carmen Starkson Campbell Endowed Chair for Innovation in Teacher Development
• she, her, hers
• 612-624-7087
• [email protected]

My research interests span fields of education, applied linguistics, and cultural studies.

Blanca Caldas Chumbes Blanca Caldas Chumbes

• Associate Professor
• [email protected]

Blanca Caldas is an assistant professor in Multilingual Education and Elementary Education—College of Education and Human Development at The University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She completed her Ph.D.

Samuel David Samuel David

• Assistant Professor
• he, him, his
• [email protected]

My work as both a teacher and researcher at the University of Minnesota are centrally concerned with improving instruction for minoritized multilingual students across diverse classroom contexts.

Mary Hermes Mary Hermes

• 612-624-3082
• [email protected]

Mary Hermes' research focuses on language revitalization and how it can connect people to the land and the planet. She explores different ways of knowing and being through feminist and indigenous lenses.

Kendall King Kendall King

• Professor of Multilingual Education, Director of Graduate Studies
• 612-625-3692
• [email protected]

Schools play a crucial role in determining the life trajectories of minoritized language students as well as the status of minoritized languages and the future of linguistic diversity.

Karla Stone Karla Stone

• Senior Lecturer
• 612-626-0319
• [email protected]

Dr. Karla Stone is a Senior Lecturer in Multilingual Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. In that role, she coordinates the initial license and M.Ed. program for MN K-12 ESL and World Language teacher candidates.

How to apply

Application deadline and instructions.

Priority deadline : December 1 for admission to the fall of the following year Admissions decisions : January

Applications submitted after this date are considered on a case-by-case basis and may not be reviewed until the following year. Faculty review applications in mid-late December, and the Graduate School will notify applicants about admission decisions shortly thereafter. Final admission decisions are based on complete applications. All application materials must be included for the application to be released for review.

Before applying online , go through the application checklist to ensure you have all the required materials. We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator . If you are a returning Graduate School student, follow the Readmission guidelines . If you are a current Graduate School student and need to change your program, follow the Change of Status guidelines.

Tuition and funding

We have several funding options to support students full-time through program completion. Support is available in the form of:

• Teaching Assistantships. The majority work as student teaching supervisors for MEd initial licensure students. Daytime availability, a teaching license, and teaching experience are required
• Research Assistantships
• Fellowships. Based on a departmental nomination process. You will be notified by the Director of Graduate Studies if you are being considered for a fellowship. Decisions are made by April 15.
• Graduate students are also eligible to apply for fellowships and graduate assistantships through other University departments. Visit the University's employment page or fellowships through the Graduate School's Graduate Fellowship Office .
• Find more detailed federal financial aid and graduate tuition information.

Application requirements

What we look for.

Admission to our master's of arts and doctoral programs are competitive and we look for candidates whose goals and interests align with the program’s research and scholarship. Program faculty make admissions decisions based on the candidate’s experience and research competencies, along with compatibility of research goals.

Please look at our current faculty members’ research interests.

Our masters and doctoral candidates display

• Evidence of strong interest in research and in the development of research competencies
• Evidence of substantial experience in the discipline
• Strong writing skills
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent

Required application documents

• Unofficial transcripts .Upload your transcripts into the application system. Please include all transcripts from any institution you have attended, even if you did not earn a degree or certificate. Please do not mail your transcripts. Official transcripts are required only after you are admitted. Tips for uploading your transcript(s) .
• CI Application Form . Upload in the graduate program additional materials section.
• Three letters of recommendation . Ask professors, employers, or supervisors to speak to your potential for successfully completing your degree; they will upload their letters directly into the online application.

The GRE is being waived for those applicants applying for Fall 2024.

Required written statements

• Why you want to study in our department
• What strengths, expertise, and research experience would contribute to your success in our program
• Your professional goals for pursuing a research-focused degree
• Diversity statement .Upload to the Applicant Statements section of the online application. Identify the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would contribute to our community. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping others to gain access to the resources necessary for success. (please do not exceed one page in length)
• Short writing sample .(Optional except for Literacy Education applicants). For example, an excerpt from a term paper or research paper for publication. No longer than five pages in English.
• Common Ground Consortium Fellowship. (Optional) The primary purpose of the CGC is to assist graduate programs in the College of Education and Human Development to recruit exceptional students with the distinct experience provided by HBCUs or similarly distinguishing contexts, provide these students with financial assistance support during their graduate studies, and assistance with career development and job placement afterwards. It offers a pipeline to excellence and an opportunity to diversify perspectives in the academy. If you wish to apply, submit a statement that describes how your participation as a CGC scholar would a) enhance your graduate student experience, b) prepare you for your chosen career, and c) benefit the public. Upload to graduate program additional materials section.

Additional admissions information

Application checklist.

Before applying online , go through the application checklist to ensure you have all the required materials. We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator .

If you are a returning Graduate School student, follow the Readmission guidelines. If you are a current Graduate School student and need to change your program, follow the Change of Status guidelines .

Transfer credits

MA students must complete at least 60 percent of their coursework (not including thesis credits) within our program. PhD students may transfer no more than 15 credits from an outside institution.

A maximum of 12 graduate course credits taken as non-degree seeking or non-admitted status at the University of Minnesota can be transferred; this is counted separately from the maximum 60 percent or 15 non-UMN credits. For example, a PhD student could transfer a maximum of 27 credits (15 non-UMN and 12 non-degree from UMN).

If you earned a MA at the UMN, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator to discuss transfer procedures. Thesis credits cannot be transferred.

After you are admitted, you will work with your adviser to determine which credits may transfer.

International applicants

International applicants may also need:

• An English translation of your transcripts, if the transcript is not in English. Please note: the Graduate School Admissions Office will not accept an evaluation of your international coursework by an outside agency such as ECE or WES; they only accept the original transcripts.
• TOEFL/IELTS or MELAB. You may qualify for an exception if you have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States or other country where English is the official language (i.e. U.K, Canada). Score requirements and submission guidelines

Request information

We’re here to help. Simply complete one of these forms and a member of our department will be in touch

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Department of Linguistics

Ph.d. program.

The main components of the Linguistics Ph.D. program are as follows:

• Course Requirements
• Language Requirement
• Generals Papers
• Dissertation
• Extra Funding Availability

All requirements, including two generals papers, should ideally be completed by the end of the third year, but in no case later than the end of the fourth. The dissertation prospectus is due on October 15 of the fall term of the fourth year. Failure to meet program requirements in a timely fashion may result in termination of candidacy. 

First-year students are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) until they select a major field from the regular departmental faculty. Thereafter, progress toward completion of the Ph.D. requirements continues to be monitored by the DGS, but primary responsibility for overseeing study shifts to the major advisor. Students are free to change their major advisor at any time. By the end of the second year they should also select a co-advisor, who serves as a secondary advisor and faculty mentor.

Harvard Linguistics Graduate Student Handbook

Progress to the Degree (updated 7/1/2015)

A B+ average must be maintained in each year of graduate study. Grades below B- cannot be counted toward departmental requirements; two grades below B- in required courses will result in termination of candidacy. Ordinarily, a grade of Incomplete can only be converted into a letter grade if the work is made up before the end of the following term. No grade of Incomplete can be used to satisfy a departmental requirement.   No two programs of study are alike, but students should typically plan to complete the requirements for the degree according to the timetable below. Departures from this schedule must be approved by the main advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.   Years G1 and G2: Course requirements are satisfied. By the end of the G2 year, the first generals paper should be well underway.   Year G3: Teaching duties begin. The first generals paper should be defended before the end of the fall term, and the second generals paper by the end of the spring term.   Year G4: Teaching duties continue. A thesis prospectus, naming a dissertation committee, is due on October 15 of the fall term; the committee must be chaired or co-chaired by a member of the Department of Linguistics and must include at least two members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Dissertation Completion Fellowship applications are due at midyear.   Year G5: The thesis is completed and defended in the spring.

A.M. Degree  (updated 7/1/2015)

Graduate students who have completed two years of residence, who have fulfilled all the course requirements and language requirements for the Ph.D., and who have successfully defended one Generals paper, are eligible to petition for a Master’s (A.M.) degree.  

Note that there is no master’s program in Linguistics.                     

• Courses 2023-24 AND Fall 2024
• Undergraduate
• Generals Papers (updated 7/1/2015)
• Extra Funding
• Secondary Fields
• Recent Dissertation Titles
• Financial Aid

Course Descriptions

Full course descriptions, fall 2024 courses are subject to change, fall 2024 courses, fall 2024 course schedule, fall 2024 asl course schedule, spring 2024 courses, spring 2024 course schedule, fall 2023 courses, fall 2023 course schedule, american sign language (asl) at harvard.

Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

Dietrich college of humanities and social sciences.

The ALSLA Ph.D. program encompasses four major categories of research that draw on the strengths of faculty in Modern Languages:

Literacy development in second languages:

• Does literacy development differ among first- and second-language learners?
• How do literacy skills acquired in one language affect learning to read in another language?
• How does oral language proficiency relate to literacy development in a second language?
• In what ways is learning to read similar (or different) across languages?
• What type of intervention and scaffolding can content teachers provide to help language learners develop their academic literacy?

Social dimensions of learning a second language (context, identity, culture):

• Do different learning contexts (e.g. the formal language learning classroom, study abroad settings, intensive domestic immersion programs) promote different types of language learning? In what specific ways do students profit from each?
• How do learners develop control over pragmatic mappings of form, function and context of use? How can the development be measured? Do the individual and contextual factors affect the development?
• What does it mean to be a bilingual professional?
• How does interaction in a multilingual classroom contribute to the construction of a bilingual professional identity?
• How are monolingual English-only ideologies in the U.S. challenged by individual and institutional practices that support bilingualism?

Instruction and learning of second languages (classroom-based research, program evaluation, impact of instruction on learning):

• How can we apply some of the positive results of study abroad experiences to classroom instruction in stateside learning programs?
• How can we use multimedia materials to help students learn languages?
• Is it true that countries that have one, and only one, official language are economically better developed than countries that formally encourage multiple language use?
• Can children who participate in school-based (K-12) second language programs develop bilingual proficiency and cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity?
• Does participation in Heritage Language programs (i.e., Saturday or weekend schools) help children to develop literacy skills and a sense of their ethnic identity?

Cognitive aspects of learning a second language (processing, memory):

• How do bilinguals manage to keep their two languages separate? Are they stored separately in the brain?
• In groups of people who speak two or more languages, how do people decide which language to use when?
• How can simultaneous interpreters manage to listen in one language while speaking in another?
• Why are some people better at learning second/foreign languages than others?
• What are some of the strategies that successful language learners use to improve their learning?

• Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

Doctoral students focus on critical and contemporary issues at the intersections of language and literacy learning and cultural and societal transformation. Students in our programs are teachers and other professional educators who engage in courses, conversations and research addressing a broad range of issues and contexts – in and out of schools, nationally and internationally, and across the lifespan.

Students will gain expertise in topics such as identity and language/literacy, cultural literacy and language practices, interculturality, Indigenous languages and literacies, family and community literacy practices, literature and new media, digital cultures, poetry, literacy in global contexts, literacy development across the lifespan, educational linguistics, discourse and multimodal analysis, critical perspectives on literature and cultural texts for children and youth, EAL (English as an additional language) literacy, assessment, teacher education. drama and theatre education, creative/arts-based approaches to literacy learning, and communication ecologies/studies. Students with a specific interest in language education will engage with topics in applied linguistics and critical applied linguistics, second/additional language theory and practice, bi-/multilingual pedagogies, second language acquisition and reading/writing/vocabulary learning, language socialization, technology integration in language education language policy and planning, assessment of second language learning as well as related research methods.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

Literacy studies [MEK1] [WM2] have expanded dramatically in recent years and our internationally known Faculty draw on many disciplines, knowledge systems and worldviews that inform the study of language and literacy education, including Indigenous, cognitive, linguistic, anthropological, cultural, literary, critical and post-structural perspectives and drawing on First Peoples Principles of Learning, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, social psychology, cultural studies, and other related fields. In our courses we invite students to reflect critically on contemporary language and literacy practices in and out of schools, spanning Indigenous, local, national and global contexts.

UBC was top of my choices when deciding where to pursue my doctoral studies. I had read about the Public Scholars Initiative before applying to UBC and was inspired by its commitment to community engagement and support for unique forms of research.

Andrea Hoff

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 92

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Master’s degree with high standing in a relevant educational discipline

Document Requirements

- Master’s degree with high standing in a relevant educational discipline,

- Sample of work demonstrating an ability to undertake research and scholarly writing (max. 30 pages),

- CV or resume outlining work experience and academic history.

- Well-written 500 word (maximum) Statement of Intent to describe your proposed doctoral research.  Be sure to indicate how your previous education, professional experience, and research have prepared you to undertake your proposed research, and note which people in the department have expertise in your intended area of study.

- The support of three referees including an assessment by at least two university instructors, preferably one of whom is the supervisor of the masters thesis.

- Scanned copies all official transcripts (including a key to transcript grades and symbols) and degree certificates from all post-secondary institutions attended outside UB

Other Requirements

Awards; fellowships; scholarships; and distinctions.

Relevant professional and academic experience including conference presentations, professional workshops, and publications.

At least two years of successful teaching experience or equivalent.

Applicants who received a degree from a North American university are not required to submit their English test scores. Similarly, applicants who completed their degree outside North America from an institution in which English was the primary language of instruction of the entire university (not just a program) are not required to provide English test scores as part of their application.

Please note that we can only accept your English test scores if the test has been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of the application. An official test score report ordered from the testing agency has to be sent to UBC. Acceptable English language proficiency tests for applicants to UBC Grad School are:

TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, minimum score 580 (paper-based) or 237 (computer based), or new minimum TOEFL score of 92 (with a minimum of 22 for each component).

MELAB – Michigan English Language Assessment Battery. Minimum overall score 85.

IELTS – International English Language Testing System – Academic. Minimum overall band score 7, with no component less than 6.5.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)

There is no need to find a supervisor prior to applying for the program. If you are successful in the application process, you will be assigned a pro-tem supervisor whose research is closest to your area of interest. However, if you are interested in working with a particular faculty member, you can indicate it in your statement of interest or in the application form.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research highlights.

The Department takes a critical and social justice approach to theory and research. Faculty members in the Literacy program have expertise in the following areas:

Indigenous languages and literacies

Literature and cultural texts for children and youth

Drama and theatre education in schools and communities

Literary and literacy practices in families, schools, and communities

Digital cultures, multimodality, and communication ecologies/studies

Research Focus

Students in our program engage with critical societal issues that impact topics such as equity and inclusion, immigration and globalization, gender, youth culture, relationships among communities and educational institutions, and public policy. The Department takes a critical and social justice approach to theory and research. Faculty members in the Literacy program have expertise in the following areas:

Program Components

The program consists of 18 to 24 credits of course work (including the LLED 601 and 602 Doctoral Seminars), comprehensive exam followed by an oral examination, a dissertation proposal, and a doctoral dissertation.

Geographic Restrictions

The program accepts well-qualified students from around the globe into a richly international and multicultural academic community.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

All full-time students who begin a UBC-Vancouver PhD program in September 2024 will be provided with a funding package of $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships.

Average Funding

• 6 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 6 students was $10,773.
• 15 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 15 students was $7,496.
• 10 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 10 students was $5,614.
• 26 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 26 students was $23,428.
• 3 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 3 students was $20,000.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

14 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 is in a non-salaried situation; for 0 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 13 graduates:

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

Our programs in Language and Literacy Education engage teachers and other professional educators in the study of rich language and literacy practices from early childhood through adolescence and adulthood. Our focus is on the many rich, multiethnic and multilingual contexts of language and literacy learning in our schools and communities.

Alumni on Success

Brigid Goitse Conteh

Job Title Lecturer

Employer University of Botswana

Lucía Terra

Job Title Owner

Employer Language and Communication Services

Lauryn Oates

Job Title Consultant - Education

Employer Self-employed

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Ahmed, Anwar (Languages and literature)
• Belliveau, George (Theatre, Arts-based research, Drama Education, Research-based Theatre, Interdisciplinary Arts)
• Bryson, Mary (technology, media, cultural studies, gender, queer theory, deviance studies, post-colonial pedagogies, Sociology, Women's Studies, Education, media and gender, media and education)
• Corella Morales, Meghan (Other languages and literature; Academic Discourse; Children and youth; Discourse Analysis; Language ideology; Sociolinguistics)
• Darvin, Ron (development of diverse digital practices for learners of unequal resources)
• Dobson, Teresa (Media and communications; Literary Education; Digital Literacy; Digital Humanities; Text Visualization)
• Galla, Candace (what types of technology initiatives (low-, mid-, or high) Indigenous language communities are using to revitalize, maintain, and promote their language)
• Gladwin, Derek (Other languages and literature; Cultural Studies; Digital & Media Literacy; Environmental & Energy Literacy; Environmental Humanities; Food Literacy; Literary Education; Sustainability Education; Writing & Rhetoric)
• Gunderson, Lee Paul (Languages and literature; reading-research; immigrant-achievement; home literacy environment)
• Hare, Jan (Aboriginal youth mobility, Aboriginal family and community perspectives on early literacy, literature, identity construction and urban Aboriginal youth, Cultural studies, early childhood, first nations education)
• Jenson, Jennifer (Other languages and literature; Digital Cultures and Education; Digital Games; Game-based Learning; Gender; Online Learning; technology; Technology Implementation and integration)
• Kendrick, Maureen (literacy, digital literacy, Children and youth, ESL, international perspectives)
• Kumpulainen, Kristiina (Languages and literature; Critical literacies/pedagogies; Digital Literacies; identity; Multiliteracy and multimodality; Place-based literacies; Storytelling/narrative inquiry)
• Li, Guofang (longitudinal studies of immigrant children)
• Rajagopal, Harini (Multiliteracy and multimodality; Bilingual/Multilingual education; Decolonizing pedagogies and knowledges)
• Rogers, Theresa (Children's literatures; Other languages and literature; Children's and Adolescent Literature; Digital Literacies; Education; Educational Approaches; Literacy; Youth Studies)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• Writing the futures imaginary : digital arts-based inquiry and the futures literacies of teacher candidates
• A walking guide to writing about my aesthetic encounters with art
• Red tears of pearl : making space for Afghan-Canadian Muslim diasporas in postcolonial literature
• Pray where waters meet : land-based métissage, ethical relationality and reconciliation
• (Re)mapping youth mobilities and citizenships with young adult literature
• Living with violence on social media : an exploration of Colombian young adults’ encounters with online harms
• Illuminating (dis)enlightenment : critical media literacy and/or conspiracy theories?
• Digital multimodal composing with youth from refugee and immigrant backgrounds in a Metro Vancouver secondary school
• Reading the South in the North : a study of Latin American literature in Vancouver teaching contexts
• Poetic inquiry : current approaches and future applications
• New hierarchies, new middle class : a critical ethnography of English as a medium of instruction policy in Nepal’s public schools

Related Programs

Same academic unit.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Literacy Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Modern Languages Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (MA)
• Master of Education in Literacy Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Modern Languages Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language (MEd)

Further Information

Specialization.

Language and Literacy Education focuses on critical and contemporary issues at the intersections of literacy learning and cultural and societal transformation. It covers topics such as identity and literacy, cultural literacy practices, Indigenous literacies, family literacy, literature and new media, digital literacies, poetry, literacy in developing contexts, literacy development across the lifespan, educational linguistics, discourse and multimodal analysis, critical perspectives on children’s and young adult literature, EAL (English as an additional language) literacy, assessment, teacher education and creative/arts-based approaches to literacy learning.

Students engage with critical societal issues that impact these topics, such as equity and inclusion, immigration and globalization, gender, youth culture, relationships among communities and educational institutions, and public policy.

UBC Calendar

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Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

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I chose UBC because I did my undergrad here, and I really enjoyed the Indigenous community at UBC. Most universities in Canada don’t have the presence and physical spaces dedicated to Indigenous gathering and representation that I found at UBC. UBC is also close to my traditional territory so it’s...

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I decided to study at UBC because of its locally and internationally top rankings in terms of its contribution to teaching, learning, and research. Significantly, the scholarships, fellowships, research opportunities, and wide range of courses available, along with leading scholars and experts in...

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Esteban Morales

Even from Colombia, my home country, I have heard from UBC as one of the best universities in the world. After I came to Vancouver to complete my MA at Simon Fraser University, I decided that UBC was the best choice for my doctoral program, offering interesting coursework led by amazing faculty....

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Join our Postgraduate Open Day - Saturday 22 June

PhD English Language and Applied Linguistics (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)/ MA by Research

On campus: Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time International: £21,840 full-time Distance learning PhD: Annual tuition fee 2024/25: £12,330 part-time  More detail .

• Visit an Open Day
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Carry out your research with one of the UK’s leading English Language departments, renowned for its expertise in Corpus Research, Cognitive Linguistics and Psycholinguistics, and Discourse Analysis and Stylistics, from anywhere in the world. 

We offer both and campus-based and distance learning PhD courses. There are two distance learning PhD programmes in English Language and Applied Linguistics: a standard programme and a modular programme. There is no assessed taught component, but students follow online research training modules. Both distance learning options are part-time, while the campus programme can be either full-time or part-time.

All programmes have regular contact with your supervisor. On the distance learning programmes, this contact is by email and/or video conference and allow you to remain in your resident country while pursuing your research. This is particularly beneficial if you are interested in relating your research to your current work. 

The Standard PhD

The standard programme requires a traditional 80,000-word thesis. The work is examined at the end of the programme, as with other PhD programmes. Students identify and refine a thesis topic and research design in consultation with their supervisor and send drafts of the various chapters for comment as they work through the programme. As with all PhDs, progress is monitored throughout the registration period.

Distance Modular PhD

The modular programme requires three modules: two shorter research papers (Module 1 - 12,000 words, Module 2 - 20,000 words) and a final thesis of 50,000 words (Module 3). The work is examined in three phases, at the end of each module. The final product (in terms of total quantity and quality of work) is therefore similar to the standard PhD; however the modular option provides an incremental, continuously assessed route allowing students to progress through explicitly marked stages to a PhD. Students identify a topic they wish to work on and to which all their written work should be related; the nature of the assessment means however that the topic may not be as tightly focused as that in a traditional PhD.

Virtual Open Day: Postgraduate opportunities in English Language and Applied Linguistics - 28 April 2020, 14:00-15:00

Join us online to watch a range of staff and student videos, and take part in our online chat where staff from the Department will be answering your questions about postgraduate study.

Find out more and register

AHRC funding for PhD students

The University of Birmingham is part of the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C), offering Arts and Humanities Research Council PhD studentships for campus-based programmes. These include a number of Collaborative Doctoral Award opportunities. Each studentship includes research fees, a substantial maintenance grant and additional research training support. Applications are open until 12:00 (noon), 13 January 2021.

Find out more

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

Postgraduate scholarships available

The College of Arts and Law is offering a range of scholarships for our postgraduate taught and research programmes to ensure that the very best talent is nurtured and supported.

Learn more about our scholarships

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

• Graduate School Language Skills

The staff are extremely friendly and approachable which makes for a really productive atmosphere in the department. I also really value the range of expertise across the department. Helena

Why study this course?

• World-leading research : The University of Birmingham is ranked equal 10th in the UK amongst Russell Group universities in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 according to the Times Higher Education. Additionally, the University of Birmingham is ranked in the top 50 for the study of Linguistics in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. These rankings are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the leading universities worldwide in a particular subject.
• Distance learning experience : The Department has many years of experience in delivering high quality distance learning programmes at postgraduate level. Staff also have expertise in supervising doctoral research at a distance. Through the University library, you will have electronic access to a wide range of applied linguistic research journals and e-books.
• Exceptional student support : While the programmes are rigorous in their standards and expectations, they also provide excellent support and a high degree of flexibility. You will receive the same level of support and supervision as our on-campus students.
• Research resources :  Our English Language programmes benefit from the 450 million-word Bank of English corpus, an invaluable collection of authentic language data. All students and researchers working within English Language also have free access a variety of language corpora, and, where necessary, training in how to use them. Additionally, the Main Library houses an extensive collection of books on English language and linguistics, including English language teaching, and subscribes to 250 periodicals in the fields of English language and literature.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience .

Content and assessment for the Modular PhD

Module 1 - Subject-focused work, to include some research training and preparation related to the subject, such as empirical work, literature searches, and research methodology.

The 12,000-word assessment may be divided into 3 x 4,000 papers or combinations amounting to the total (60 credits). Pass/Fail.

Module 2 - Structured research and writing on the research topic. It may be linked in a linear way to Module 1, or the connection may be looser.

The 20,000-word assessment may be divided into one or two papers amounting to the total (120 credits). Pass/Fail

Module 3 - The thesis (maximum 50,000 words - 360 credits). Pass/Fail

The assessed work from Modules 2 and 3 should be of publishable quality.

Each assessment (i.e. each module) is submitted and passed before the student can proceed to the next. One re-submission of each module is permitted. The external examiner is consulted when each module is completed. Like all PhD theses at Birmingham, a Modular PhD is examined in a viva voce examination which takes place after the submission of Module 3.

We charge an annual tuition fee:

On campus PhD/MA by Research: Annual tuition fee 2024 entry:

• UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time *
• International: £21,840 full-time

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.

Distance learning PhD:

• Fees for students joining between September 2023 and August 2024 are as follows: £11,730 part-time
• Fees for students joining between September 2024 and August 2025 are as follows: £12,330 part-time

Tuition fees will be payable each year for between four years (minimum registration) and six years (maximum registration). Students who go into Writing Up after four or five years will pay a nominal continuation fee (the same as for the full-time PhD).

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about  fees for international students .

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about  postgraduate tuition fees and funding .

How To Apply

Application deadlines.

Postgraduate research can start at any time during the year, but it is important to allow time for us to review your application and communicate a decision. If you wish to start in September, we would recommend that you aim to submit your application and supporting documents by 1 June 2024.

Additional guidance for applicants to the PhD Distance Learning study mode.

Before you make your application

Please refer to our six-step process on applying for PhD, MA by Research and MRes opportunities for Arts subject areas, which includes detailed advice on research proposals and how to write them.

Making your application

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

• For MRes and MA by Research programmes, entry to our programmes usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.
• Applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please contact the admissions tutor.

International students

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 21 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 59 in all four skills
• Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

We specialise and welcome applications from prospective research students interested in corpus linguistics, cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics, and stylistics and discourse analysis.

A summary of our key research areas, and staff working within those, can be found below. General queries which are not subject-specific (including fees, scholarship enquiries and paperwork) are best directed to the  College of Arts and Law Graduate School .

• Applied linguistics and second language acquisition  
• Corpus linguistics
• Discourse and analysis and stylistics
• Sign language and gesture
• Cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics
• Iconicity and figurative language
• Sociolinguistics and language variation and change
• Quantitative linguistics and data visualisation

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report .

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network  provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team  who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: English Language and Linguistics

Birmingham's English Language and Linguistics postgraduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by employers, particularly in relation to verbal and written communication. They also develop crucial skills in organisation, time management, analysis and interpretation of information.

Many of our graduates enter roles for which their programme has prepared them, such as becoming a language analyst or data scientist. Others use their transferable skills in a wide range of occupations including teaching, research administration and events.

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Doctor of Philosophy Teaching and Learning

Our doctorate aims to prepare first-rate scholars and practitioners. Your pathway is highly customizable, so you can tailor your degree to your specific career goals and interests in areas such as history, social studies, and global education; literacy education; mathematics education; early childhood and childhood education; science and environmental education; urban education; or special education.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning

How You’ll Learn 

Because the development and completion of a dissertation depends on intensely individual interest and work, this PhD emphasizes the individual tailoring of your degree from the very beginning. We aim to suit the unique interests and experiences that you bring to the program and develop during your course of study.

Concentrations

Early Childhood and Childhood Education

Become a researcher or teacher educator dedicated to understanding children’s development and learning, and supporting them in their education.

History, Social Studies, and Global Education

Advance your knowledge and work with faculty members to conduct research and develop curricula that promote civic engagement.

Literacy Education

Work closely with faculty members to develop your research skills in language and literacy development, and apply that research to improve literacy instruction.

Mathematics Education

Learn strategies for designing and analyzing research studies in mathematics education while working closely with faculty on all aspects of the research process.

Science and Environmental Education

Develop your skills in research in science and environmental education and learn about current science pedagogy, teacher education, technology, and more.

Special Education

Develop expertise in special education policy, research, and practices as you collaborate with our faculty.

Urban Education

Advance your knowledge, work with faculty on research, and prepare to be an educational leader committed to scholarship and action in urban educational settings.

Online Info Session

In this session, NYU faculty share information about the PhD programs in the department of Teaching & Learning, including the PhD in Teaching & Learning, PhD in English Education, PhD in Bilingual Education, and PhD in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Faculty provide an overview of the programs and answer questions from potential applicants.  

Funding for Full-Time PhD Students

NYU Steinhardt offers a competitive funding package for PhD students who study full time.  Learn more about our funding opportunities .

Questions 

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact Jennifer Ruocco at [email protected] .

Take the Next Step

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

Doctorate in Learning Sciences

• Graduate & Professional
• Learning Sciences
• PhD in Learning Sciences

About the Program

Northwestern University's Learning Sciences program was the first of its kind in the nation. The program was developed with the understanding that design, cognition and sociocultural contexts are core areas for approaching learning and teaching in formal and informal settings. The curriculum and research projects in the Learning Sciences program exemplify continued focus in these areas. 

The Learning Sciences doctoral degree program prepares graduates to advance the understanding and practice of teaching and learning. Research and course work emphasize instructional, technological, and social policy innovations and the design of effective learning and teaching environments. This program is intended for people with a wide variety of interests, including: 

• Research 
• Teaching and training 
• Software development 
• School administration 
• The study and reform of learning environments
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Sociocultural Contexts

Examining the social, organizational and cultural dynamics of learning and teaching situations, including classrooms, schools, school districts, museums, corporations and homes.

Constructing scientific models of the structures and processes of learning and teaching by which organized knowledge, skills and understanding are acquired.

Building environments for learning and teaching, incorporating multimedia, artificial intelligence, computer networks and innovative curriculum and classroom activity structures.

Curriculum Overview

Course work in the Learning Sciences doctoral program includes a core curriculum and electives.

View Curriculum

Our Students

Students prepare to be researchers, developers, and practitioners in schools, workplaces, and other settings.

“ The Learning Sciences program at Northwestern is one of the few programs that treat the science of learning as a field in and of itself; understanding the cognitive and sociocultural foundations of learning and designing learning environments that take advantage of these insights are the cornerstones of what it means to be at Northwestern.”

—Erica Rosenfeld Halverson  Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison ,  Learning Sciences PhD program, class of 2005

Learning Sciences at Northwestern.

Explore the breadth of academic courses offered in the curriculum.

Contact Learning Sciences

Phone Number  847-491-4329 

Email  [email protected] 

Physical Address  Walter Annenberg Hall   2120 Campus Drive   Evanston, IL 60208

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Article published in TESOL Quarterly by Andrew Seibert

Abstract: Previous methodological discussions in TESOL Quarterly (TQ) discuss imperatives for transparent and reflexive research practices and reporting (Derrick, 2016; Rabbidge, 2017). This article follows these methodological discussions by considering issues in second language (L2) and multilingual transcription by inspecting transcription and analyzing its reporting in empirical contributions to TQ. The study analyzes a series of transparency continuums with transcription reporting in TQ as they pertain to general transcription reporting and reporting that is particular to L2 and multilingual transcription. The article draws its argument from seminal scholarly discussions on transcription, calling for greater transparency with the transcription process in scholarly research reports.

Articles published by Dr. Youngji Son

Congratulations on Dr. Youngji Son (PhD-FSMLE, 2021) on the publication of TWO new articles based on his dissertation work (Advisor: Youngjoo Yi). The articles are “ A Korean immigrant child’s identity negotiation in multicultural book club and critical dialogue as third space ” in  Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, and “ A trilingual Asian-American child’s encounters with conflicting selves in the figured worlds of a multicultural book club ” in the  Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development.  Both are excellent, peer-reviewed journals. Well done Dr. Son!

Alan Hirvela named Emeritus Professor

New book by Dr. Youngjoo Yi

FLRT elects new officers for 2021-22

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Education Data Science

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Learning the curve: the language of text-based data visualizations adoption in ela teachers.

As the integration of technology in education continues to grow, understanding how teachers adopt and utilize new tools is critical for enhancing instructional practices. This study explores the intricacies of technology adoption in education, specifically examining how middle school English Language Arts (ELA) teachers in Northern California design and implement text-based data visualizations. Employing a mixed methods approach, the research analyzes co-design session transcriptions, guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. This analysis explores the language patterns used by educators and researchers in discussing data visualization tools, illuminating patterns in pedagogical strategies that could link to furthering student literacy and critical thinking skills. The findings indicate that while data visualizations like word clouds align closely with language structure analysis, the potential of bar graphs and line graphs in ELA remains underutilized, presenting a significant opportunity for further professional development. This paper discusses the implications of these findings for educators and outlines key recommendations for the effective implementation of technology in classrooms.

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Piaget vs Vygotsky: Similarities and Differences

Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky remain two of the most influential theorists in the field of child development.

Both theorists provided foundational frameworks for understanding how children learn and develop cognitively, yet their approaches differ in subtle but important ways.

Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, is renowned for his theory of cognitive development, which posits that children progress through a series of distinct stages characterized by qualitatively different thinking processes. He emphasized the role of environmental interaction and independent exploration in shaping cognitive growth.

Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, emphasized the sociocultural context of development, arguing that social interaction and cultural tools play a crucial role in cognitive development. Vygotsky introduced the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), highlighting the importance of guidance and collaboration with more knowledgeable others.

This article explores the similarities and differences between Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories, providing a comprehensive comparison of their views on child development.

Piaget vs Vygotsky

1. difference: stages of development vs. continuous development.

One of the primary differences between Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories lies in their views on how development occurs.

Piaget proposed a stage-based theory of development ( discontinuous development ), where children progress through a series of four distinct, universal stages: sensorimotor , preoperational , concrete operational , and formal operational . Each stage represents a different level of cognitive maturity and understanding.

In contrast, Vygotsky did not believe in distinct stages of development. He viewed cognitive development as a continuous process that is heavily influenced by social and cultural contexts.

Vygotsky argued that learning precedes development, and through social interactions and cultural tools, children progressively build their cognitive abilities without the need for predefined stages.

2. Difference: Concept of Readiness

Building on the above point, the two theorists had different understandings about how and when children are ready to develop.

Piaget believed that children can only learn certain concepts when they are developmentally ready. Teaching concepts too early, he argued, would be ineffective.

In contrast, Vygotsky introduced the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), suggesting that with proper guidance and support, children can learn concepts beyond their current abilities.

3. Similarity: Constructivist Approach

While I’ve highlighted above the differences in theoretical ideas, it remains true that both Piaget and Vygotsky are considered constructivists .

This means they believe that children construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiences and reflecting on those experiences.

Piaget’s theory is often referred to as cognitive constructivism , where he posited that children build cognitive structures through interaction with the physical environment.

Vygotsky’s theory, known as social constructivism , also sees children as active builders of knowledge, but with a focus on the social and cultural context. Despite their differences, both theories emphasize that learning is an active, constructive process rather than a passive one.

4. Similarity: Focus on Active Learning

Both Piaget and Vygotsky emphasize the importance of active learning in child development. They agree that children are not passive recipients of information but active participants in their learning processes.

Piaget believed that children learn through hands-on experiences and interaction with their environment, engaging in activities that promote exploration and discovery.

Similarly, Vygotsky highlighted that children learn actively through social interactions, particularly with more knowledgeable others who can provide scaffolding within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

Both theories support the idea that children construct knowledge through active engagement rather than passive absorption.

5. Difference: Social Interaction vs. Environmental Interaction

Vygotsky argued that social interaction is the primary driver of cognitive development.

He believed that learning occurs through dialogues and interactions with others, especially those who are more knowledgeable, such as parents, teachers, and peers. This interaction within the ZPD helps children develop higher cognitive functions.

In contrast, Piaget focused on the child’s interaction with their physical environment. He believed that cognitive development occurs through the child’s independent exploration and manipulation of objects, which helps them build and refine mental schemas. To describe this, Piaget called children “little scientists.”

6. Difference: Role of Language in Development

Another key difference between Piaget and Vygotsky lies in their views on the role of language in cognitive development.

Vygotsky placed significant emphasis on language as a fundamental tool for cognitive development. He believed that language and thought are initially separate systems from the beginning of life, merging around three years of age to initiate verbal thought.

For Vygotsky, language is crucial for cognitive development as it provides the means for social interaction and the transmission of culture.

In contrast, Piaget stages of cognitive maturity precede language development. In other words, for Piaget, cognitive development drives language, rather than the other way around.

7. Difference: Individual Learning vs. Collaborative Learning

A distinct difference between Piaget and Vygotsky is their views on individual versus collaborative learning .

Piaget believed that children learn best through independent discovery and exploration. He emphasized the importance of solitary activities that challenge a child’s cognitive structures, leading to individual problem-solving and learning.

In contrast, Vygotsky argued that cognitive development is largely a social process and emphasized collaborative learning. He believed that children learn more effectively through social interactions, where they can be guided by adults or peers.

Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development highlights the potential for children to achieve higher cognitive levels through collaborative efforts than they could independently.

8. Similarity: Importance of Play

Both Piaget and Vygotsky recognized the critical role of play in children’s cognitive development.

Piaget saw play as a way for children to assimilate new information and practice what they have learned. He believed that through play, children experiment with different roles, scenarios, and rules, which helps them understand the world and develop cognitive skills.

Vygotsky also emphasized the importance of play, particularly imaginative play, which he saw as crucial for cognitive and social development. He argued that through play, children learn to navigate social roles and norms, develop language skills, and engage in abstract thinking. For both theorists, play is a fundamental activity that supports learning and development.

9. Similarity: Recognition of Cognitive Conflict

Both Piaget and Vygotsky acknowledge the importance of cognitive conflict in driving development.

Piaget emphasized that children encounter cognitive conflict when they experience discrepancies between their existing cognitive schemas and new information. This conflict prompts them to adapt their thinking through processes of assimilation and accommodation , leading to cognitive growth.

Similarly, Vygotsky recognized that cognitive conflict can arise, particularly when children engage with more knowledgeable others or peers who have different perspectives. This social interaction can create cognitive dissonance, encouraging children to adjust their thinking and advance their cognitive abilities.

In both theories, cognitive conflict is a catalyst for development.

10. Difference: The Role of Culture

Vygotsky emphasized that cognitive development is deeply influenced by social and cultural contexts. He believed that children learn through interactions with their cultural environment and that cultural tools, such as language and symbols, are crucial for cognitive growth.

In contrast, Piaget focused on universal stages of cognitive development driven by biological maturation, viewing these stages as consistent across cultures. While he acknowledged environmental influences, Piaget did not emphasize the role of culture as strongly as Vygotsky did, seeing cognitive development as a more individual and biologically driven process.

Piaget and Vygotsky provided foundational yet distinct perspectives on child development. While Piaget emphasized stages of cognitive development and the child’s independent interaction with their environment, Vygotsky highlighted the importance of social interaction and cultural context. Despite their differences, both theories underscore the active role children play in constructing their understanding of the world. Together, their insights continue to inform and inspire educational practices and developmental research.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 7 Key Features of 21st Century Learning
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Sociocultural Theory of Learning in the Classroom
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ The 4 Principles of Pragmatism in Education
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 17 Deep Processing Examples

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Statistics and Actuarial Science

Information for new graduate students in actuarial science, data science and statistics at the university of iowa..

Welcome New Graduate Students!

Information for NEW graduate students in Actuarial Science, Data Science and Statistics at the University of Iowa. 

Last Updated, May 30, 2024.                                   Additional  updates will be sent this summer!

Important Information for International Students

The Office of International Students and Scholars does an incredible job helping you settle into Iowa City and the University of Iowa.  They have webinars to help with:  

1. Getting Started and Making Travel Arrangements

2. Achieving Success: On-campus Involvement and Cultural Adjustment (undergraduate students)

3. Graduate Student Professionalization and Support

4. Understanding Orientation Expectations, Responsibilities, and Placement Tests (graduate students)

5. On-campus Housing Assignments and Move-in Tips (undergraduate students)

6. Student Employment

7. Money Matters - University Billing

Do you need to take the SPEC (Spoken Proficiency of English for the Classroom)?

All students for whom English is not a first language (as self-reported on their admissions application) and who have first-time appointments as graduate teaching assistants (TAs) are required to go through a testing process to assess their effectiveness in speaking English before they are assigned assistantship responsibilities. Beginning in Fall 2024, there will be a new test to assess communication in English in a classroom context called SPEC (Spoken Proficiency of English in the Classroom).  This is replacing ESPA and ELPT.  Details will be coming soon.

Any graduate student who is included in the following categories needs to have their oral English proficiency tested by the TAPE Program:

• Students whose first language is not English (i.e., learned another language first) as self-reported on their admissions application, and
• Have been appointed as a Teaching Assistant

Exemptions (may change):

• Students with an official valid (within the last two years) iBT Listening score of 25 and an iBT Speaking score of 26.
• Undergraduate degrees and/or     
• Continuous attendance of English-language schools since the age of 12 (or younger)
• Students who served as teaching assistants at other institutions of higher learning in which the language of instruction is English, if they were listed as the instructor of record for a course or led a discussion section in English for at least one year, with a year defined as either two academic semesters or three academic quarters.
• Requests for exceptions regarding the SPEC  can be submitted for evaluation to a committee consisting of the Director of ESL Programs, the Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs in the Graduate College, and a representative from University Human Resources.

Requests for exemption and exceptions must come from the department by the deadline, not the student.   Deadlines to register students for the SPEC are:

• March 1  

NOT Exemptions:

• Students who come from a country where English is one of the official languages.
• Students who are U.S. permanent residents or U.S. citizens whose first language is not English.

Testing Procedures & Results

 To be announced soon!

Graduate/Professional International Students Important Dates

July 12, 2024:  Earliest date you may enter the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 status. August 11, 2024:  Latest date by which you should arrive in Iowa City August 12 - 16, 2024: International Student Orientation August 26, 2024:  Classes begin.

Housing Information for All Students

The department has a housing webpage, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. If you are looking for a roommate, please let us know and we can update this web page!

Looking for housing options ?

All US citizens that are financially supported (TA, RA) need to be here on August 21.

All students will register for classes the week before classes start.  International students must complete the required Orientation Program before  they can register for classes.    

____________________

Fall Classes Advising will be August 19-23

All NEW UI students must meet with their advisor prior to registration.  There is no worry about getting into any of the classes we teach.  

• IF you are an Actuarial Science MS or PhD student you will need to meet with Professor Shyamalkumar.  Email him after August 12 at [email protected] to set a time to meet to discuss what classes to take, it may be on Zoom or in his office (233 Schaeffer Hall).
• IF you are a Data Science MS, Statistics MS, or PhD student you will need to meet with Professor Boxiang Wang.  Email him after August 12 at [email protected]  to set a time to meet to discuss what classes to take, it may be on Zoom or in his office (261 Schaeffer Hall).

New Graduate College Welcome and Orientation, August 21

The Graduate College Fall 2024 Graduate Student Orientation event will take place on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.  A registration form will be sent to your UI email sometime this early summer from the Graduate College. All new doctoral and master’s students are invited to attend.  

Financially Supported Graduate Students must come in person and present required documents for employment verification.   

• Details coming soon!

New Student Department Orientation, August 23 at 9 a.m., Room to be determined.

• All New Student Orientation —Group Introductions and General Policy Procedures.

New Supported Graduate Assistants Orientation, August 23 at 1 p.m., Room to be determined.

• Our Director of Graduate Studies will have a department review of expectations and your specific roles in our department. Teaching and grading assignments will be explained, as well as preparation, teaching tips, problems and questions, quizzes and exams, weekly meetings, grading, appropriate office use and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Education

Mailbox in 241 Schaeffer Hall 

All graduate students will have a mailbox in our main office.  The faculty do as well.  Please check your mailbox at least once a week!

Office Desk Assignment

Nearly all supported students will have a desk in one of our offices.  The assignment priority (in this order) includes Ph.D. and Fellowship candidates, research assistants, half-time teaching assistants, quarter-time teaching assistants and lastly graders.  Having a desk is a privilege and should be used only for university business.  Office assignments will be given to students on, August 23.  Keys are checked out ONLY after that time.  Please remember to keep the rooms clean and take out all trash to the large bins in the main hallways.

Set-up your University of Iowa Email

All University of Iowa students are required to activate their assigned uiowa.edu email address, as all official communication from university offices are now sent via email, rather than hard copy. This address usually follows the pattern [email protected]   (However, often a number is also attached.) 

To activate the account:

• Log on to  MyUI
• Click on My UIowa / My Email / Request Email Account
• Complete the specified steps.

Students who prefer to maintain only their work or home email addresses can do so by routing the uiowa.edu email to a work or home account. To do so, follow these steps:

• Click on My UIowa / My Email / Update Email Routing Address

Important Notes:

• If your uiowa.edu email address is routed to a different account, you will  not  need to change your address in ICON, as your messages will already forward to your routed address.
• Log on to MYUI.
• Click on My UIowa / My Email / Email Account Filter bulk mail.
• Make sure that none of the categories are checked.

Required Graduate Assistants Teaching Courses:

• ONLINE CLASS Requirement: Sexual Harassment Prevention Edu.  Use your HawkID and password to log into Employee Self Service. Click the Personal tab, next (under Learning and Development) click on Sexual Harassment Prevention Edu., follow instructions.
• ONLINE CLASS Requirement:  Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Use your HawkID and password to log into Employee Self Service. Click the Personal tab, next (under Learning and Development) next click on Available Online Icon Courses, next FERPA Training, then click on View Details twice and the last click will be to Enroll in this ICON Course Session.
• A six-hour orientation program will be required of all students who are certified at level A or B and are teaching for the first time.  This orientation helps new teaching assistants understand the culture of the U.S. classroom and treats topics such as student expectations, teacher-student relationships, and understanding and answering student questions. Discussion focuses on suggestions for maximizing comprehensibility in spoken English. This course meets twice for 3 hours early in the semester. Both meetings are held in the evening.

Administrative Department Staff:

Professor aixin tan (until july 1, 2024).

Director of Graduate Studies, Statistics and Data Science Graduate Advisor: [email protected]   (319) 335-0821.

Professor Boxiang Wang (beginning July 1, 2024)

Director of Graduate Studies, Statistics and Data Science Graduate Advisor: [email protected] (319) 335-2294.

Professor N.D. Shyamalkumar

Actuarial Science Graduate Advisor:  [email protected]    (319) 335-1980

Margie Ebert

Academic Services Coordinator ,  [email protected]  (319) 335-2082

Heather Roth

Administrative Services Coordinator  [email protected]   (319) 335-0712

Tammy Siegel

Department Administrator ,  [email protected] , (319) 335-0706