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Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD)

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Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) examines the social, linguistic, educational, cognitive, cultural and political processes affecting the teaching, learning, assessment, and use of English as an additional language locally and globally. TESL graduate students gain experience and understanding in such areas as: current issues in TESL theory and practice; second language acquisition, second language reading and writing, language socialization, language and identity, second language assessment, discourse analysis, critical applied linguistics, and research methods.

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

What makes the program unique?

The program faculty have expertise in TESL methods, applied linguistics, second language acquisition and socialization, content-based language education, pedagogical and functional grammar, second language writing, issues of language and identity, language in education, multilingual literacies, language policy, and English in immigrant and international communities. The program also jointly sponsors the UBC/Ritsumeikan Joint Academic Exchange Program.

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 UBC.

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 Teaching English as a Second Language (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.

TESL methods; Applied linguistics; Critical applied linguistics; Discourse analysis; Intercultural communication; Second language acquisition and socialization; Content-based language education; Pedagogical and functional grammar; Second language writing; Issues of language and identity; Language in education; Multilingual literacies; Language policy; English in immigrant and international communities.

Research Focus

Program components.

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

Geographic Restrictions

The TESL/TEFL 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

• 3 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 3 students was $6,036.
• 5 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 5 students was $10,150.
• 1 student received Academic Assistantships valued at $7,664.
• 6 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 6 students was $25,441.

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

Career options.

Integrating research and practice, the graduate programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) offer professional development to teachers of ESL and prepare researchers and leaders in applied linguistics.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (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)
• Duff, Patricia (applied linguistics and sociolinguistics, multilingualism and work, sociocultural and sociopolitical aspects of languages in education, Adolescent issues, adult education issues, English and French as second languages, international perspecives)
• Early, Margaret (Adolescent issues, English as a second Language, language education, literacy, teacher research)
• Gunderson, Lee Paul (Languages and literature; reading-research; immigrant-achievement; home literacy environment)
• Kubota, Ryuko (Specialized studies in education; critical applied linguistics; culture and language; Language Rights and Policies; language education; language ideologies; multicultural education; race and language teaching)
• Li, Guofang (longitudinal studies of immigrant children)
• Norton, Bonny (education, ESL, international perspectives, literacy, teacher research)
• Talmy, Steven (ESL, TESOL, LOTE and sign language curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; teacher education)
• Wernicke, Meike (Specialized studies in education; Intercultural Education; Language Planning and Policy; Multi-/Plurilingualism; Second Language Education (French); teacher education)
• Zappa, Sandra (academic discourse socialization of (international) English language learners in higher education, examining the literacy socialization trajectories and the role their individual networks of practice (INoPs, a concept I coined) in becoming aware of the host culture values and expectations; projects examining the intercultural competence development of foreign language teachers studying abroad; foreign language-learning through peer exchange programs; academic English coaching for university-level English language learners; collaboration between language and subject specialists; and student perceptions of academic English language development in CBI courses.)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• Transcultural identity and Bangla heritage language teaching
• Pandemic transformations and settler discourse stabilities in Canadian English-language teacher identity

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (MA)
• Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language (MEd)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Literacy Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Modern Languages Education (MA)
• Master of Education in Literacy Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Modern Languages Education (MEd)

Further Information

Specialization.

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) examines the social, linguistic, educational, cognitive, cultural and political processes affecting the teaching, learning, assessment, and use of English as an additional language locally and globally. The program faculty have expertise in TESL methods, applied linguistics, second language acquisition and socialization, content-based language education, pedagogical and functional grammar, second language writing, issues of language and identity, language in education, multilingual literacies, language policy, and English in immigrant and international communities

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

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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Find out how Vancouver enhances your graduate student experience—from the beautiful mountains and city landscapes, to the arts and culture scene, we have it all. Study-life balance at its best!

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“One of the reasons I chose the University of Ottawa is for its multidisciplinary or multi-university thesis committees available to students in their first year of doctoral studies.”

Valérie Costanzo, LL.B., LL.M., lawyer, PhD candidate

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The University of Ottawa has many scholarships or financial support options available to you. As a doctoral candidate, there is also the option to earn money while gaining valuable experience through teaching and research assistantships.

“Supervising doctoral students is a privilege: it allows for the discovery of new research challenges and for the development of sustainable relationships.”

Emmanuelle Bernheim, LL.D., PhD, Full professor, Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section

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• Literacy Education (LITR)
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Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)

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Our TESL program offers TESL Certificate, TESL Diploma, and graduate (Master’s and PhD) studies. TESL Certificate program has two options: TESL Coursework Certificate (12 credits) and TESL Certificate with Practicum (15 credits). They are designed for pre- and in-service teachers and those who are interested in teaching local and international students in Canada or overseas. TESL Diploma program (30 credits) is offered for teachers interested in teaching ESL in BC schools or other settings. The TESL graduate program offers MEd, MA, and PhD degrees. We also offer On-Campus or Fully Online options for the MEd TESL program. Integrating research and practice, our TESL programs offer professional development to teachers of ESL and prepare researchers and leaders in this field.

TESL Certificate and Diploma students gain experience and understanding in such areas as: instructional methodology, curriculum design, second language assessment, second language acquisition, language socialization, and intercultural communication. TESL graduate students gain experience and understanding in such areas as: current issues in TESL theory and practice, second language acquisition, second language reading and writing, language socialization, language and identity, second language assessment, discourse analysis, critical applied linguistics, and research methods.

We also offer a fully online MEd program designed to develop outstanding professionals in the field of TESL. Learn more about the program here.

Teaching in B.C. Schools: Students who wish to teach English to ESL students in the public school system (K-12) must hold a BC Teaching Certificate.

• TESL Certificate
• TESL Diploma
• TESL Graduate Programs
• TESL Graduate Courses

Certificate in TESL

There are two types of TESL certificates: the  TESL Coursework Certificate  and the  TESL Certificate with Practicum.

To receive the 12-credit TESL Coursework Certificate from the Department of Language and Literacy Education, a student must complete LLED 489 (6 credits) and LLED 478 (6 credits).

To receive the 15-credit TESL Certificate with Practicum , a student must complete LLED 489 (6 credits), LLED 478 (6 credits) and LLED 399 (3 credits).

Note that we offer LLED 489A (3 credits), LLED 489B (3 credits), LLED 489C (6 credits; a combination of LLED 489A and LLED 489B), LLED 478A (3 credits), LLED 478B (3 credits) and LLED 478C (6 credits; a combination of LLED 478A and LLED 478B). Students are recommended to take LLED 489 prior to taking LLED 478. They are also recommended to take LLED 489A prior to LLED 489B. To take LLED 399, students must have completed six credits of LLED 478 or have completed 3 credits of LLED 478A and be taking LLED 478B as a corequisite. Note that LLED 399 (optional practicum) is only available in Winter Session Term 2 from January to April.

The target learners include the following groups:

• School teachers who want to be certified to teach ESL
• Education students in the process of getting their bachelor degree
• Students in their third or fourth year of university study
• Other unclassified local or international students who wish to teach in colleges or private language schools in Canada or overseas

Student Admission Criteria

• Students who wish to enroll in the certificate program must have obtained their first degree or must currently be in their official third or fourth year of university study.
• Applicants who speak English as a second language and have not previously been enrolled at UBC or another Canadian university must demonstrate English language proficiency to meet UBC’s English language requirement ( UBC’s English Proficiency Requirements ). Please consult with the admissions office .
• All students, especially those without ESL/EFL teaching experience, are strongly advised to volunteer in an ESL setting prior to enrollment.

Application

Admissions for Diplomas and Certificate programs are handled by the Professional Development and Community Engagement office. See the PDCE website for application procedures. For program advice and other questions, please consult with the admissions office .

Application deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. It is recommended that students submit their application at least one month prior to their anticipated start date. Please refer to the application form for the deadlines to apply.

Certificate Requests

The TESL Certificate Program with Practicum offers professional training and development to teachers of ESL and prepares them for graduate studies. To receive the certificate for this 15-credit program, a student must complete: LLED 489 (6 credits), LLED 478 (6 credits), and LLED 399 (3 credits).

Both LLED 489 and LLED 478 are also taken as part of the Diploma Program in Education or the Bachelor of Education degree. A TESL Coursework Certificate is issued to students who take LLED 489 (6 credits) and LLED 478 (6 credits).

If you enrolled in a Certificate program before September 2019 , upon successful completion of all required courses, you apply for your Certificate by filling out the Certificate of Completion Request Form .

If you enrolled in a Certificate program in September 2019 or later , you must make a formal application for graduation, as with Diploma students. For important application information, dates, and deadlines, please see the SSC website: students.ubc.ca/enrolment/graduation .

Course Offerings

See course offerings below. Note that LLED 399 (optional) is only available in Winter Session Term 2 from January to April. To take LLED 399, students must have completed six credits of LLED 478C or have completed 3 credits of LLED 478A and be taking LLED 478B as a corequisite.

Note: Course offerings are subject to enrollment

Practicum (LLED 399)

LLED 399 comprises 39 hours of teaching, learning, and reflection. The practicum itself involves 10 hours of observation time and 10 hours of teaching. For each student, there will be a 4-hour pre-practicum orientation with the advisor/instructor and the sponsor teacher. The associated campus-based classes will comprise 9 hours of pre-practicum workshops and 6 hours of post-practicum workshops.

Criminal Record Checks for Students Engaging in Practicum

The Criminal Records Review Act (“CRRA”) requires that UBC conduct a CRRA criminal record check (“CRRA Check”) of all students who work with children (19 years or under) as part of their practica. Students who wish to take LLED 399 and do a practicum in schools with children rather than in colleges with adults should perform CRRA checks before taking the relevant practicum.

To get CRRA checks done, students need to

• Verify your identity in person with two pieces of ID, and at least one being government issued and shows the student’s name, date of birth, signature and photo (Driver’s License preferred). Fill out Driver’s License number on the consent form if that is what is used for ID.
• Complete and sign a “Consent to the Criminal Record Check” form .
• Forward a copy to the CRRP with appropriate payment.

More information regarding payment options and application processes is available at Ministry of Justice Website

The CRRP will determine whether a student poses a risk and will advise UBC of its decision.

Teaching in B.C. Schools

Students who wish to teach English to ESL students in the public school system (K-12 or adult education) must hold a B.C. Teaching Certificate. A teaching certificate is usually not necessary for those who wish to teach adults in the private sector (i.e. community centres, private businesses, etc.).

Both LLED 478 and LLED 489 are distinguished into the A, B and C sessions. While the C sessions are 6 credit courses, the A and B sessions are 3 credit courses. The A session covers the first half and the B session covers the second half of the C session. Students are recommended to take LLED 489 before LLED 478 and to take LLED 478A before LLED 478B.

Description

LLED 399 is required of all students wishing to gain the TESL Certificate with Practicum. Excellent oral proficiency in English is required for the teaching practicum. It requires:

• To complete a 20-hour practicum (10 hours of observation and 10 hours of practice teaching) in classes of ESL children or adults under qualified supervision.
• To attend a pre-practicum orientation with the advisor/instructor and the sponsor teacher (about 4 hours).
• To prepare for the practicum in campus-based pre-practicum workshops (3 hours a week in the first 3 weeks).
• To reflect on the practicum experiences in campus-based post-practicum workshops (3 hours a week in the last 2 weeks).

Assessment in LLED 399 (pass/fail) is based on a combination of a successful completion of the practicum and a comprehensive portfolio of experiences, both in school and in workshops, prepared by individual students.

LLED 478A aims to apply linguistic insights to effective lesson/unit planning in teaching English as a second/foreign language.

Students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of phonology, syntax, meaning, and discourse in their application to the ESL classroom.
• Demonstrate a range of techniques related to the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing which promote language learning
• Promote communicative competence by contextualizing teaching points
• Prepare lesson and unit plans for a particular class that will show focus, variety, integration, expansion and balance
• Relate the main current methods of language teaching to their underlying assumptions and to instructional choices
• Introduction/Teaching a Lesson: Learner profiles; needs assessment and lesson planning for increasing communication and interaction
• Curriculum and Unit Planning: Models and approaches; language and content learning; using the environment to augment learning; assessing and adapting materials
• Teaching Communication Skills: The Multi-level classroom; teaching reading, writing, listening and speaking, vocabulary and grammar; integrating skills

Teaching Experience

All students, especially those without ESL/EFL teaching experience, are strongly advised to volunteer in an ESL setting prior to enrolling in LLED 478A.

LLED 478B expands application of linguistic insights to effective assessment and cultural understanding in teaching English as a second/foreign language.

• Gain understanding of the principles and issues of second language assessment and testing
• Assess ESL student performance goals and needs in the four skills
• Demonstrate an awareness of ESL students' level of understanding, competence, and motivation and respond and teach appropriately
• Show an understanding of the problems that may arise as a result of cultural differences; identify areas of cultural contrast (e.g. role differences); be able to describe or produce classroom materials and activities that would promote cross-cultural insights
• Assess the ESL course and ESL materials and understand the main issues: selection; organization; presentation; application; evaluation
• Classroom assessment and evaluation
• Language and Culture: Cultural self awareness and cross-cultural communication; the multi-cultural classroom; culture shock and its implications for teaching/learning
• Professional Development: Evaluating goals and objectives; professional concerns; classroom research.

LLED 478C is a combination of LLED 478A and LLED 478B. See the above information for these courses.

LLED 489A explores basic theories of linguistics and their application to classroom practice. As an introduction to the linguistic foundations of first and second language teaching, the course will assist teachers in making linguistically informed decisions about teaching. The course is not a comprehensive survey of Linguistics, but restricts its topics to those generally agreed to have relevance to language teaching and learning. Serves as one of several alternative prerequisites to LLED 478A. Students are directed also to LLED 489B (3 credits), which deals with topics in second language learning in relation to society and education in more detail.

Representative Course Topics

Linguistic Foundations of Language Teaching:

• Functions of language: pragmatics, discourse and language teaching
• Pronunciation and its relation to spelling and reading
• Semantics and word study, lexicography and dictionary work
• Linguistic foundations of alphabetic writing
• Comparative studies of writing systems
• Classification of world languages
• Linguistic foundations of the reading process
• Syntactic analysis of written composition, assessment of syntactic maturity
• Educational aims in the teaching of grammar

LLED 489B further explores basic theories of linguistics and their application to classroom practice. The course is not a comprehensive survey of Linguistics, but restricts its topics to those generally agreed to have relevance to language teaching and learning. Serves as one of several alternative prerequisites to LLED 478A.

First and Second Language Learning:

• Recent theory and research in first language acquisition
• Implications of acquisition studies for curriculum and instruction
• Recent theory and research in second language acquisition
• Linguistic foundations of major approaches to second language instruction
• Relationships amongst language, learning and thinking

Language, Society and Education:

• Classroom language and educational success
• Race, gender and social groups as factors in educational success: the mediating role of language
• Intercultural communication
• Aboriginal languages in Canada, aboriginal learners and classroom discourse

LLED 489C is a combination of LLED 489A and LLED 489B. See the above information for these courses.

Diploma in TESL

The Diploma in Education (TESL) is for teachers interested in teaching English to speakers of other languages in B.C. schools (if candidates already possess a valid B.C. teaching certificate), in adult community or academic settings, or overseas. The program requires 30 credits of approved core and elective courses. Core courses consist of:

• LLED 478A and 478B (3 credits each) or LLED 478C (6 credits), a combination of LLED 478A and 478B
• LLED 489A and 489B (3 credits each) or LLED 489C (6 credits), a combination of LLED 489A and 489B

Note: It is generally possible to complete LLED 478 (6 credits) and credit it later (within 5 years) to the Diploma in the TESL Program. Students are recommended to take LLED 489 prior to taking LLED 478. They are also recommended to take LLED 489A prior to LLED 489B and LLED 478A prior to LLED 478B.

Admission Requirements

• Students who wish to enroll in the Diploma in Education (TESL) must have obtained their first degree of university study.
• They must have a minimum of one year’s teaching experience.
• Applicants who speak English as a second language and have not previously been enrolled at UBC or another Canadian university must demonstrate English language proficiency to meet UBC’s English language requirement ( UBC’s English Proficiency Requirements ) Please consult with the admissions office .

Elective courses (12-18 credits)

Any 300- or 400- level courses in the Department of Language and Literacy Education (except Teacher Librarianship). In addition, courses may be selected from the following:

• Adult Education ADHE 327, 330, 412
• Anthropology ANTH 317, 407, 408, 417
• Computing Studies Education EDCP 422, 424
• Early Childhood Education ECED 405, 415, 433, 438, 443
• Education EDUC 342, 432
• Educational Studies EDST 425
• Linguistics LING any 300- or 400-level courses
• Psychology PSYC 308
• Sociology SOCI 302, 382, 466

Integrating research and practice, the graduate programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) offer professional development to teachers of ESL and prepare researchers and leaders in applied linguistics. TESL graduate students gain experience and understanding in such areas as: current issues in TESL theory and practice; second language acquisition, second language reading and writing, language socialization, language and identity, second language assessment, discourse analysis, critical applied linguistics, and research methods.

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

Admission requirement

The Masters programs develop an awareness of current thought and practice in TESL education. The MA program has a research emphasis and includes a thesis, whereas the MEd program has a professional emphasis and includes the option of a capstone project. Each program requires a minimum of 30 credits of approved graduate work, at least 24 of which must be numbered 500 or above.

In addition to the On-Campus MEd program, we also offer a fully online option for the MEd program in TESL. More information regarding the online program can be found on the Professional Development & Community Engagement website. For complete application details, please refer to How to Apply on the PDCE website.

Faculty members in the TESL group:

MEd in TESL

The TESL MEd program requires 30 credits. A minimum of 24 credits must be in graduate-level courses (including 3 credits for the optional graduating paper completed as part of LLED 590). A maximum of 6 credits at the undergraduate level in courses numbered 300 to 499 (e.g., TESL Certificate Courses) may be counted toward the requirements of an MEd degree. All master’s students in LLED must take EDUC 500 as a basic research methods requirement.

Learn more about our fully online MEd TESL program

The TESL MA program requires 30 credits. A minimum of 24 credits must be in graduate-level courses (including 9 credits for the required MA Thesis competed as part of LLED 599). A maximum of 6 credits at the undergraduate level in courses numbered 300 to 499 (e.g., TESL Certificate Courses) may be counted toward the requirements of an MA degree. All master’s students in LLED must take EDUC 500 as a basic research methods requirement.

PhD in TESL

PhD students take the required PhD seminars and elective courses from the following list as well as others relevant to their doctoral research. The number of courses each doctoral student takes is based on individual needs, prior coursework and preparation, and a consultation with individual supervisors. Our current PhD students take on average 7 courses or 21 credits. UBC’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) recommends a total of 18-24 credits.

The timely completion of all program requirements is very important for PhD students. PhD program coursework is typically completed within the second year of a student’s program. By the end of their third year, students are required by G+PS to have completed their comprehensive examination and their thesis proposal. After the exam and proposal have been approved by the doctoral supervisory committee, the student will have advanced to PhD candidacy. After that, many students take another two years to complete the program. Although the maximum allowable time period, according to G+PS, is six years from the point students entered the PhD program, scholarships such as SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities of Canada) and UGF (University Graduate Fellowships) only fund up to 4 years in the doctoral program.

The purpose of the course is to explore current debates in the field of language education that address language as a social practice. Students will investigate the way language constructs and is constructed by a wide variety of social relationships, including those between writer and reader, teacher and student, classroom and community, test maker and test taker, researcher and researched. Students will consider how gendered/raced/classed identities are negotiated within such social relationships. They will also explore how social relations of power can both constrain and enable the range of educational possibilities available to both learners and teachers.

In education, intercultural understanding has been defined as navigating cultural differences or mélanges, as involving specific kinds of knowledge or savoirs, as developing the capacity for empathy, perspective taking, and adaptability, or as acquired dispositions for engaging with otherness. This course considers interculturality as a means of examining differences of understanding with others, across multiple frames of reference that engage diverse beliefs, values, assumptions, and actions to construct meaning within varying relations of power. The principal aim of the course is to provide teachers and teacher educators with resources to investigate, interrogate, and productively integrate ways of interpreting intercultural processes in their classrooms and beyond. Course content attends to theoretical conceptions of culture and language, historical beginnings of intercultural research, critical and non-Western orientations, and discourse approaches to interculturality. Intercultural learning, teaching, and assessment are considered in classroom and community contexts and digital environments. In keeping with the critical orientation of the course, readings and discussions are supported with examples from the local context with an emphasis on Indigenous knowledges and perspectives.

This graduate seminar critically analyzes education research on the political motivations for and the success of bilingual language planning and programs in Canada and select situations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Topics such as the recent retreat from post-colonial indigenous language planning in a world where the majority of English speakers are EOL and unilingual speakers are a minority are considered from the perspectives of global bilingualism.

This course will discuss the main conceptual and empirical approaches in second language assessment. It will explore these approaches (various tests and assessment methods) to second language assessment as they relate to various constructs of language ability, language learning/acquisition theories, and context of use of second language. Basic elements of language tests such as authenticity, interactiveness, practicality, impact, as well as construct validity and reliability will be presented and discussed through examples of first and second language tests. Issues to be discussed include, test taker's characteristics and rater's bias, relation between language acquisition and language testing research, decontextualisation of language in tests, the importance of correspondences between language use and language test tasks as well as technology in testing. After this course, students will be ready to explore more in depth philosophical or technical aspects of second language assessment (i.e., psychometrics and creation of tests).

The focus of this graduate course is theory, research, and practice in teaching of reading to K-12 and adult non-native speakers of English in diverse settings including English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. The different theories and models related to reading instruction in ESL and EFL contexts will be described and explored. Students will learn about the major models ranging from bottom-up to critical pedagogy formulations related to literacy instruction. Topics of the course include: 1) models of reading; 2) theoretical issues in first and second language reading; 3) methodologies of teaching reading in ESL/EFL contexts; 4) ESL/EFL reading standards and assessments; 5) digital literacies and ESL/EFL reading; and 6) critical literacy and multiple literacies.

This course examines current issues in theory and research in English language education, with a particular focus on English for Academic Purposes (EAP). The course will discuss relevant theories of discourse and social context and will emphasize analysis and presentation of academic discourse, relative to the context in which class members are likely to work. The course seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice in EAP, whether the context is higher education or K-12 school settings. Key course aims are to provide students with a firm understanding about and expertise in: integrating language and content; approaching and analyzing academic language from a functional perspective; and exploring how as educators, we might draw on and utilize the ways of meaning-making that learners bring to the classroom.

This course critically examines various issues in teaching English as a second language (ESL) in the post-method era, such as a modern approach to curriculum design, lesson planning, and materials development, the role of textbooks in language classrooms, content-based language instruction, and English for specific purposes (ESP). The course focuses on current approaches to teaching second language listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. Students will construct well-articulated personal viewpoints on current topics in second language teaching and demonstrate creative ways of applying theoretical concepts to learning task design and materials development.

This course examines linguistic, cognitive, psychological, affective, sociolinguistic, and sociocultural foundations of second language (L2) development and the implications of theory and research in this area for the teaching and learning of additional languages. The primary focus of the course is oral language development; literacy development is dealt with in other courses to a greater extent.

This course focuses on topics of interest in second language (L2) writing such as teacher responses to students’ writing, peer review, cultural backgrounds and L2 writing, academic writing and L2 writers, teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing, and early L2 writing. Students will analyze, compare, contrast, and critique recent research on L2 writing, gain insights into writing processes by reflecting on their own and/or their students’ writing experiences, and develop research proposals in the area of L2 writing.

This course provides an overview of current issues on culture and politics in second language education. Topics include language policies, issues of diversity related to language and language speakers, linguistic imperialism, politics of culture and cultural difference, racialization, and marginalized identities. Students gain knowledge about major arguments on these topics and explore how theories, concepts, and arguments are used and constructed in addressing issues. Students also explore how various theories and perspectives can be incorporated in their own research and practice.

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Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis-based program

Program overview.

This program has three streams - applied linguistics, literature and/or film studies, and transcultural studies.  Students in each stream enjoy personal attention and interaction with professors with far-reaching subject-area expertise who embrace a range of theoretical approaches. The applied linguistics stream focuses on language acquisition, language learning and teaching, and sociolinguistics. Students may choose to undertake experimental studies in any of these areas.  The focal languages for applied linguistics are French, Chinese, German and Spanish. The stream in literature and film studies offers students an opportunity to delve into the study of literary and cinematic productions in French, German and Spanish. Students will acquire theoretical and critical expertise in their chosen field of study. The stream in transcultural studies, the only one offered in Canada, examines the inner differentiation and complexity of cultures from the geographic areas where French, Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish are spoken. This program has an interdisciplinary emphasis and students acquire a high degree of cultural literacy. All of these streams will provide students with a broad set of advanced research and communication skills, specialized knowledge, and enhanced language proficiency.

Please note: this program is not intended for students interested in performing research primarily on texts written in English or on English as a Second Language. Applicants in these fields are encouraged to consider programs in Educational Research.

Completing this program

• Core courses: Students will take a required course on Additional Language Pedagogy, and a research methods course on Applied Linguistics or Literary and Cultural Studies.
• Candidacy: Students will complete both oral and written candidacy exams and submit a dissertation proposal.
• Third language: Students must demonstrate reading comprehension in a language other than English and the target language of the PhD program.
• Research activities: Students participate in university-wide research activities, including presentations and workshops.
• Thesis: Students will be required to submit and defend an original dissertation.

Specializations

• Applied linguistics
• Transcultural studies

Please visit the  Languages, Literatures and Cultures departmental webpage  for more information on specializations.

Graduates will be prepared for a profession in the post-secondary sector, cultural organizations, education, finance, government services, immigration, public relations, publishing, tourism and travel, advertising, or communications and media.

A PhD in languages, literatures and cultures is usually considered a final degree.

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Six courses

Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar

Classroom delivery

Time commitment.

Four years full-time; six years maximum

A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program

See the Graduate Calendar for information on  fees and fee regulations,  and for information on  awards and financial assistance .

Virtual Tour

Explore the University of Calgary (UCalgary) from anywhere. Experience all that UCalgary has to offer for your graduate student journey without physically being on campus. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.

Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree. Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.

Ozouf Sénamin Amedegnato

Marie-Andrée Bergeron

Nayibe Bermudez Barrios

Francesca Cadel

Mark Conliffe

Cheryl Dueck

Selom Komlan Gbanou

Angela George

Elizabeth Montes Garcés

Admission requirements

A minimum of 3.4 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units).

Minimum education

A Master of Arts degree in one of the Languages, Literatures and Cultures areas of specialization, or equivalent, from a recognized institution.

Work samples

A sample of critical writing: MA thesis or research paper or other writing, which the applicant considers representative of his or her best work. Either the sample research paper or the research proposal must be submitted in the target language of study.

• Research proposal of 2-3 pages
• Statement of Intent: A 250-word (minimum) statement of research interest including the research topic and the reasons for wishing to pursue graduate work in this unit.

Reference letters

Test scores.

Demonstrate a high level of oral and written competence in the target language (CEFR level C1 or equivalent). The target languages of the program are French, Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

English language proficiency (ELP)

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iB T including TOEFL iBT Home Edition)  minimum score of 86 (Internet-based, with no section less than 20).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)  score of 6.5 (with no section less than 6.0).
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency  minimum score of 180.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)   score of 59 or higher
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL)  overall score of 70 (no section less than 60).
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC)  minimum of B+ in each course.
• Duolingo English Test  obtaining a minimum score of 125 (with no sub-score below 105). ( temporary until Fall 2024 intake )

For admission on September 1

January 15 application deadline for applications and supporting materials

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Are you ready to apply?

Learn more about this program, languages, linguistics, literatures and cultures.

Craigie Hall, Room C 310 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Contact the Graduate Program Administrator

Visit the departmental website

University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Visit the Faculty of Arts website

Related programs

If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.

Course-based MA

Thesis-based MA

Communication and Media Studies

Thesis-based PhD

Educational Research

Thesis- based EdD

Thesis- based MA

Course-based MEd - Int

Course-based MEd - Spec

Thesis-based MSc

Linguistics

Thesis-based MMus

Course-based MSc

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• Academics and Research
• John W. Schwieter

Dr. John W. Schwieter

Professor, Spanish and Linguistics; Cross-Appointed in Psychology

• Bi-/multilingualism
• Psycholinguistics
• Language acquisition
• Neurolinguistics
• Translation, interpreting, and cognition

Biography / Academic Background

Dr. John W. Schwieter is Professor of Spanish and Linguistics and cross-appointed to the Department of Psychology . He is D irector of the Language Acquisition, Multilingualism, and Cognition Laboratory  and Bilingualism Matters @ Laurier . He is also Adjunct Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics and Languages at McMaster University. 

Dr. Schwieter received a PhD from the Florida State University, an MBA from the  University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium, and an MSEd and BA from Western Illinois University. 

Research Interests / Ongoing Projects

Dr. Schwieter is interested in how humans learn and process more than one language and how this affects general cognition and executive functioning. In his Language Acquisition, Multilingualism, and Cognition Laboratory , psychological/behavioural experiments are conducted to better understand language acquisition and how two or more languages function and interact in one mind.

He is  the founding Executive Editor of  Bilingual Processing and Acquisition  (John Benjamins Publishing), founding Editor of  Cambridge Elements in Second Language Acquisition  (Cambridge University Press), and serves on several editorial advisory boards. 

Involvement in Funded Projects

Principal Investigator of Bilingualism Matters in the Waterloo Region and Canada ,   funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Development Grant, 2019-2022, $199,678.

Co-Principal Investigator (with Alexandra Gottardo  as Co-Principal Investigator) of Language experience and linguistic skills among multilinguals in higher education , funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant, 2018-2020, $74,990.

Collaborator (with Gary Libben as Principal Investigator) of  Words in the World , funded by a  Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada  Partnership Grant , 2016-2022, $2,499,832.

Awards and Achievements

Dr. Schwieter is a recipient of the Faculty of Arts Teaching Scholar Award, which is presented to one faculty member per year in recognition of his/her explicit and creative integration of scholarly research and teaching.  He has also received University Merit Awards for outstanding or superior performance in teaching, research, and/or service on several occasions.

Student Opportunities / Supervising

Selected publications.

For a list of books, articles, and chapters published, visit the Language Acquisition, Multilingualism, and Cognition Laboratory

Courses Taught

In Wilfrid Laurier University's Department of Languages and Literatures:

• LL223: Sound, structure, and meaning
• LL224: Language acquisition, cognition, and society
• SP101: Introductory Spanish I
• SP102: Introductory Spanish II
• SP201: Intermediate Spanish I
• SP202: Intermediate Spanish II
• SP220: Spanish cultural studies
• SP288*: Study Abroad
• SP308: Spanish phonetics and phonology
• SP318: Spanish grammar and structure
• SP408: Spanish in society
• SP451: Stylistics and Professional Writing
• SP461: Hispanic Linguistics

In Wilfrid Laurier University's Department of Psychology:

• PS101: Introduction to psychology I
• PS102: Introduction to psychology II
• PS260: Introduction to cognitive psychology
• PS366: Introduction to psycholinguistics
• PS378: Language development

In McMaster Univeristy's Department of Lingusitics and Languages:

• Ling1A03: Introduction to linguistics: Speaking, Hearing, and Signing
• Ling1AA3: Introduction to linguistics: Words, Sentences, and Meaning

At the University of Guelph-Humber

• AHSS1410: Spanish Language and Culture

Featured Headlines

• Laurier researchers showcase expertise in new books
• Laurier researcher Dr. John W. Schwieter featured on CNN podcast hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta about learning languages, bilingualism, and the brain
• Gabrielle Klassen and Dr. John Schwieter published study on second language acquisition and immersion in Applied Linguistics Review
• Study on trilingualism by Dr. Schwieter and colleagues selected as featured article for front cover of international journal
• 2018-19 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council award winners
• Laurier students gain global perspective through faculty-led programs abroad

Contact Info:

E: [email protected]

Office location: P303, Frank C. Peters Building

Office hours: By appointment.

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

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Programs and courses

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Doctorate in Philosophy Linguistics and Specialization Canadian Studies

Linguistics is a discipline that explores the structure of language, its role in human activity, and its relationship to the biological and psychological human organism. It is considered one of the humanities because it focuses on the relationship between human beings and language, but it is also an exact science because of its systematic explanation of the facts of language and its use of experimental methodology.

The Department of Linguistics offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of MA and PhD in linguistics. It is possible, through the selection of relevant courses, to specialize in a variety of areas of linguistic research. These include the following: theoretical linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics), first and second language acquisition, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics and sociolinguistics. Detailed information about the programs, for instance, the research areas of professors, course descriptions, and student advising arrangements is provided in the department's student handbook.

The Department participates in a collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the PhD level. For more information on this program, see “Admission Requirements.”

Because of its strength in relevant areas, its bilingual character and its location in the national capital, the University of Ottawa is uniquely positioned to offer a collaborative program leading to a specialization in Canadian Studies at the doctoral level. The program is especially designed for doctoral students in selected programs in the humanities and the social sciences who wish to enrich their training in a particular discipline by including an interdisciplinary component. 

The programs are governed by the  general regulations  in effect for graduate studies. 

For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the  specific requirements  webpage.

The MA in Linguistics (or the equivalent) is required for admission to the doctoral program.

Collaborative Program

The Department of Linguistics is a participating unit in the collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the PhD level. This program has been established for students wishing to enrich their training in linguistics by including an interdisciplinary component in Canadian Studies. The Canadian Studies seminars ( CDN 6520 and CDN 6910 ) fit into the departmental course requirements and do not add to the number of courses required for the PhD in linguistics.

To be admitted to the program, students must be enrolled in or have successfully completed at least one graduate course in Linguistics with Canadian content. The mention "Specialization in Canadian Studies" will be added to the diploma of students who pass one of the Canadian Studies seminars ( CDN 6520 and CDN 6910 ) and successfully defend a thesis on a Canadian topic in Linguistics.

Admission to the collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the doctoral level is determined by the coordination committee and will normally take place before the end of the first year of enrollment in the doctoral program.

Language Requirements

Students should be able to understand and read both official languages of Canada in order to participate in the bilingual interdisciplinary seminar  CDN 6910 .

Candidates must have an adequate knowledge of English. Most of the courses are offered in English. Under the regulations of the University of Ottawa, examinations and assignments may be written in French or in English.

Transfer from Master’s to PhD

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Linguistics at the University of Ottawa may, exceptionally, be allowed to transfer to the doctoral program without completing the master’s. To take advantage of this option, they must:

• Complete 3 compulsory courses ( LIN 5315 , LIN 5317 and LIN 5318 ) and an optional course in the master’s program with a minimum grade of A- or better in each;
• Provide letters in support of the fast-track from professors in two of the courses mentioned above;
• Provide a letter of recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department;
• Provide the name of the professor who has agreed to supervise the doctoral thesis.

The transfer must take place within twelve months of initial enrollment in the master's; the student must enroll in the PhD program in the 4th term at the latest. Please note that the minimal admission average requirements for the doctoral program must also be met. Following the transfer, all the requirements of the doctoral program must be met. The total number of course units required is 30 (12 at the master’s and 18 at the doctoral level).

A total of six course (18 units) are required as follows: 

All students must take 12 optional course units, chosen in consultation with their advisory committees. All linguistics graduate courses fulfill this requirement, except those which are prerequisites to required doctoral courses ( LIN 5315 ,  LIN 5317 ,  LIN 5318 ).

All students must pass 6 course units in FLS (French as a second language), unless:

• they have completed their previous studies in French or have passed at least one university course in French (with the exception of language courses);
• they pass, while in the PhD program, a university course in which all course requirements are completed in French (with the exception of language courses);
• they successfully complete at least one of the two major papers for the qualifying examination in French;
• they write their thesis in French; or
• they obtain at least 4.5 on the TestCAN administered by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

N.B. Research courses and seminar courses may be repeated if the content of the course is different.

Doctoral Seminar

The aim of this seminar is to provide doctoral students with the necessary methodological and professional tools for carrying out research in linguistics. This seminar must be taken in conjunction with their first comprehensive exam. Topics to be covered include: defining a research project; presentation of research results; poster preparation; techniques for writing academic papers, conference abstracts, and reviews; journal submission and review procedures; conference participation; research ethics. Compulsory for doctoral students. Graded S/NS.

Comprehensive Examination

All students must satisfy a comprehensive examination requirement. The requirement consists of two substantial research papers, each in a different field, selected in consultation with the student's advisory committee.

Residence and Thesis

All students must spend a minimum of six terms in residence and present a supervised thesis incorporating the results of original research. Transfer students must complete a total of nine terms in residence (master's and doctorate combined).

Collaborative Program in Canadian Studies

Students enrolled in the collaborative program will be asked to meet both the requirements of their primary program and those of the collaborative program. The requirements of the collaborative program will serve as partial fulfillment of the requirements of their primary program.

Submission and successful defense of a thesis on a Canadian topic in the participating unit.

The proposed topic must be approved by both the participating unit and the Canadian Studies Graduate Committee. At least one of the examiners of the thesis must be a person chosen in consultation with the executive committee of the Institute of Canadian and Aboriginal Studies.

Before enrolling in  CDN 6520 , students must check to see whether this course can replace a three unit course in their primary program.  CDN 6520  is offered only in French.

Additional Requirements

The requirements listed above are necessary minimums, and the department may impose additional courses if this appears desirable in view of the candidate's previous preparation. Candidates will be informed of any such additional courses at the beginning of their studies.

Minimum Standards

The passing grade in all courses is C+. Students who fail two courses (equivalent to 6 units), the thesis proposal, or the comprehensive exam or whose research progress is deemed unsatisfactory are required to withdraw.

Duration of the Program

Students are expected to complete all requirements within four years. The maximum time permitted is six years from the date of initial enrollment in the program.

Thesis Advisory Committee

During the first term of the program, a thesis advisory committee (TAC) is formed for the candidate. The Committee's membership will be determined by the specific interests of the candidate. It will be composed of the supervisor and two to three additional professors. At least one member of the thesis committee, in addition to the supervisor, must be from the Faculty of Arts. The TAC is responsible for guiding the student throughout the program, including course selection, the comprehensive examination, thesis proposal, and thesis defense.

The thesis examining board may include members who are not part of the TAC.

Research Fields & Facilities

Located in the heart of Canada’s capital, a few steps away from Parliament Hill, the University of Ottawa is among Canada’s top 10 research universities.

uOttawa focuses research strengths and efforts in four Strategic Areas of Development in Research (SADRs):

• Canada and the World
• Molecular and Environmental Sciences

With cutting-edge research, our graduate students, researchers and educators strongly influence national and international priorities.

Research at the Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts is proud of the state of the art research conducted by its professors. In the spirit of showcasing its research to the university community as well as to the general public, the Faculty has created three activities: Dean's Lecture Series, Treasures of the Library, and Excellence Lectures.

Facilities, Research Centres and Institutes at the Faculty of Arts

• Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française ,
• Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies ,
• Institute for Science, Society and Policy ,
• Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI)
• Morisset Library

For more information, refer to the list of faculty members and their research fields on Uniweb . 

IMPORTANT: Candidates and students looking for professors to supervise their thesis or research project can also consult the website of the faculty or department of their program of choice. Uniweb does not list all professors authorized to supervise research projects at the University of Ottawa.

LIN 5302 Laboratory Techniques: Software, Signals and Stimuli (3 units)

Current laboratory techniques in empirical linguistics.

Course Component: Lecture

LIN 5303 Sociolinguistics I (3 units)

Survey of recent and classical literature on variationist sociolinguistics, and the development of skills to locate, extract and interpret variable phenomena in spontaneous speech.

Course Component: Seminar

LIN 5304 Psycholinguistics (3 units)

Introduction to the psychological factors governing the acquisition and use of language.

LIN 5308 Bilingualism (3 units)

Variationist perspectives on the linguistic consequences of language contact in stable bilingual communities.

LIN 5310 Dialectology (3 units)

Seminar on methods in dialectology, with reference to modern languages.

LIN 5315 Phonology I (3 units)

Basic phonological concepts; current problems in phonological research; the goals of phonological theory; fundamentals of theoretical and experimental phonology.

LIN 5317 Syntax I (3 units)

Current aspects and goals of syntactic research. Development of contemporary syntactic concepts.

LIN 5318 Semantics I (3 units)

Introduction to formal semantics with emphasis on the composition of meaning; research goals in formal semantics and overview of some current research questions.

LIN 5323 Research in English Linguistics (3 units)

Current issues in English linguistics.

LIN 5324 Research in Sociolinguistics (3 units)

Current issues in sociolinguistic research.

LIN 5921 Recherche en linguistique française (3 crédits / 3 units)

Volet / Course Component: Séminaire / Seminar

LIN 5922 Recherche en linguistique franco-canadienne (3 crédits / 3 units)

LIN 5998 Travaux pratiques I / Guided Research I (3 crédits / 3 units)

Volet / Course Component: Recherche / Research

LIN 5998S Travaux pratiques III / Guided Research III (3 crédits / 3 units)

LIN 5999 Travaux pratiques II / Guided Research II (3 crédits / 3 units)

LIN 5999S Travaux pratiques III / Guided Research III (3 crédits / 3 units)

LIN 6301 Experimental Phonetics: Physiology (3 units)

Physiological aspects of speech production.

Course Component: Laboratory, Seminar

LIN 6302 Experimental Phonetics: Acoustics (3 units)

Fundamentals of speech acoustics.

Course Component: Discussion Group, Seminar

LIN 6315 Phonology II (3 units)

Current issues in formal and experimental phonology.

Prerequisite: LIN 5315

LIN 6317 Syntax II (3 units)

Current issues in syntax.

Prerequisite: LIN 5317

LIN 6318 Semantics II (3 units)

Advanced topics in formal semantics; overview of current debates and technical proposals.

Prerequisite: LIN 5318

LIN 6701 Phonétique expérimentale : La physiologie (3 crédits)

Aspects physiologiques de la production de la parole.

Volet : Séminaire

LIN 6702 Phonétique expérimentale : L'acoustique (3 crédits)

Bases de l'analyse acoustique de la parole.

Volet : Groupe de discussion, Séminaire

LIN 7301 Statistics for Linguistics Research (3 units)

Specialized statistical methods for linguistic analysis, including both descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g. frequency distribution, standard deviation, ANOVA, MANOVA, Regression, Correlation, and T-tests). Training in statistical software. Reading and writing of reports on statistics results. Practical training with linguistic data sets.

LIN 7310 Seminar I (3 units)

Topic to be announced.

LIN 7311 Seminar II (3 units)

LIN 7312 Seminar III (3 units)

LIN 7319 First Language Acquisition I (3 units)

First language acquisition, concentrating on theoretical, experimental and methodological issues.

LIN 7320 Second Language Acquisition I (3 units)

Second language acquisition, concentrating on theoretical, experimental and methodological issues.

LIN 7330 Topics in Theoretical Linguistics I (3 units)

LIN 7331 Topics in Theoretical Linguistics II (3 units)

LIN 7332 Seminar in Theoretical Linguistics I (3 units)

LIN 7333 Seminar in Theoretical Linguistics II (3 units)

LIN 7340 Second Language Acquisition II (3 units)

Current issues in second language acquisition.

LIN 7341 Psycholinguistics II (3 units)

Current issues in psycholinguistics.

LIN 7342 Sociolinguistics II (3 units)

Current issues in sociolinguistics.

LIN 7343 Neurolinguistics (3 units)

Fundamentals of neurolinguistics: concepts, methods and theories.

LIN 7701 Statistiques pour la recherche en linguistique (3 crédits)

Méthodes statistiques appliquées à la recherche en linguistique, incluant les méthodes appartenant à la statistique descriptive et à la statistique inférentielle (distributions, écarts-type, analyse de la variance, analyse de la variance multiple, régressions, corrélations et statistiques t). Apprentissage de l'utilisation de logiciels statistiques. Lecture et rédaction de rapports de résultats statistiques. Formation pratique dans l'étude et l'analyse des données linguistiques.

LIN 7710 Séminaire I (3 crédits)

Sujet à déterminer.

LIN 7711 Séminaire II (3 crédits)

LIN 7712 Séminaire III (3 crédits)

LIN 7913 Séminaire IV / Seminar IV (3 crédits / 3 units)

LIN 7921 Cours de pratique psycholinguistique / Practicum in Psycholinguistics (3 crédits / 3 units)

LIN 7997 Mémoire de maîtrise / M.A./ Research Paper

LIN 8398 Doctoral Seminar

Development of presentational and writing skills (abstracts, articles); the inner workings of the linguistic community (conferences, types of publications, the publication process); the academic job market (applications, interviews); the academic career; the non-academic job market and the transferability of academic skills.

Previously LIN 8998.

LIN 9998 Examen de candidature du doctorat / Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

CDN 6520 Séminaire sur la francophonie canadienne (3 crédits)

Séminaire sur des thèmes se rapportant à la francophonie canadienne, particulièrement les francophones vivant en situation minoritaire.

CDN 6910 Séminaire en études canadiennes / Seminar in Canadian Studies (3 crédits / 3 units)

Séminaire interdisciplinaire bilingue sur des sujets se rapportant au Canada. Les thèmes seront choisis en consultation avec les unités participantes, en tenant compte du nombre d'étudiants, de l'orientation de leur recherches et celles des unités participantes. / Bilingual interdisciplinary seminar on issues related to the study of Canada. Tipics to be selected in consultation with participating units, taking into consideration the number of students, their research interests and those of the participating units.

Undergraduate Studies

For more information about undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa, please refer to your faculty .

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

For more information about graduate studies at the University of Ottawa, please refer to your academic unit .

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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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Second Language Acquisition Ph.D.

The Ph.D. program in SLA at the University of Maryland, College Park, has a strong cognitive and psycholinguistic research focus and is designed for students working in the domain of adult second language acquisition.

Related Links

• Second Language Acquisition Home
• Second Language Acquisition M.A.
• Second Language Acquisition Advanced Graduate Certificate
• Undergraduate Opportunities
• Second Language Acquisition People
• Second Language Acquisition Alumni
• SLA Handbook (PDF)

The program prepares its graduates to work in the academia, the education sector, government and non-profit organizations, and industry. The research agenda centers on English as a foreign language, as well as commonly and less commonly taught languages (LCTLs), including East-Asian, Middle-Eastern, and modern European languages. The program draws upon the expertise of a distinguished cadre of faculty in the SLA program and the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures , and in affiliate departments, such as Linguistics ; Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation ; Hearing and Speech Science ; Psychology ; Curriculum and Instruction ; and Human Development and Quantitative Methodology .   There are four areas of specialization: second language learning, second language instruction, second language assessment and second language use. Students select two courses in each of two areas (for a total of four courses), plus two electives in the area of their proposed dissertation work. In addition, all students take two courses in quantitative and/or qualitative research methods. The eight courses (total) represent the minimum coursework requirement; some students may need extra coursework prior to starting the set of eight courses and many will wish to take courses beyond the minimum eight, based on their interests.  

Current Courses, Requirements, Advising, Admissions and Information for International Graduate Students

Requirements for the ph.d..

Prior to being accepted to candidacy for the Ph.D. (i.e., before writing the dissertation), students must write two qualifying papers deemed of publishable quality for a major refereed SLA journal by the examining committee of three faculty members. These papers are in lieu of comprehensive examinations. They will be presented publicly and must be approved by the committee after the presentation. They need to be in two different areas; there can be some overlap, however, between two qualifying papers or between a qualifying paper and the dissertation (the qualifying paper research can serve as a pilot study for the dissertation, for instance). A committee of three faculty members is required for each paper. For the procedures regarding the qualifying papers, refer to the SLA handbook:

Once the two qualifying papers are successfully defended, the student is admitted to candidacy and will write and then defend a dissertation proposal before five faculty members, who will serve as the dissertation committee. Once the proposal is approved, the student will register for SLAA899 credits while writing the dissertation, which must make a substantial and original contribution to knowledge in the SLA field. The chair of the student's dissertation committee, in consultation with the other committee members, will determine when the dissertation is ready to be defended publicly at an oral examination. The dissertation must be approved by the five-member committee.   Foreign Language Requirement Before graduation, all students completing the Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition must demonstrate three types of experience with non-native language: learning a non-native language, using a non-native language, and teaching a language to non-native speakers of that language. All three types of experience will be verified through official documentation and/or assessment as follows:

1. Language Learning. Students must have spent at least two semesters as a student of a non-native language in a post-secondary classroom environment (6 total credits minimum) verified through transcripts. SLLC will provide this experience for any student who needs it.

2. Language Teaching. Students must have taught a language to non-native speakers of that language for at least 1 semester, or the equivalent of 45 hours verified through contract, letter, etc. SLLC will provide this experience for any student who needs it.

3. Language Use.  Students must show that they are able to communicate in a non-native language at the intermediate-low level on the ACTFL scale through an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Students whose native language is not English will be able to satisfy this requirement through their competency in English. 

These three requirements do not necessarily have to be met in the same language.

Current Courses

AREA 1: Second Language Learning SLAA610: Research and Theories of SLA SLAA611: Fundamentals of Language Acquisition and Instruction SLAA740: Research Issues in Second Language Learning SLAA741: Cognitive Processes in Second Language Learning SLAA742: Second Language Processing SLAA743: Interlanguage Studies SLAA744: Age Effects/Maturation Constraints SLAA749: Special Topics in Second Language Learning

AREA 2: Second Language Instruction SLAA750: Instructed SLA SLAA751: SLA Classroom Research SLAA754: Task Based Language Teaching SLAA759: Special Topics in Second Language Instruction

AREA 3: Second Language Assessment and Research SLAA620: Second Language Research Methodology SLAA630: Second Language Testing and Assessment SLAA760: Research in Second Language Assessment

AREA 4: Second Language Use SLAA770: Sociolinguistics in Second Language Acquisition SLAA771: Developmental and Cross-Cultural Pragmatics SLAA772: Bilingualism and Multilingualism SLAA773: The Heritage Language Speaker

Students are required to meet with their advisor before they can register for classes. At the Ph.D. level, students are initially advised by the director of the program in SLA until they choose their own academic advisor (usually, the same as their advisor for either of their qualifying papers or the dissertation). By the end of their second semester in the program, students should choose a permanent advisor and register this choice with the director of the program in SLA. In all cases, final responsibility for meeting Graduate School requirements and deadlines rests with the student, not with the advisor. Students should regularly check the graduate school website for all official deadlines. For more details on specific program requirements and procedures, please see the Ph.D. Advising Sheet .

Financial Assistance Students admitted to the Ph.D. program may be eligible for funding in the form of graduate assistantships or research assistantships within SLLC or on grants and contracts from the UMCP-affiliated Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security ( ARLIS ) or the National Foreign Language Center ( NFLC ), depending on language expertise and the availability of positions. There may also be stipends for participation in special research projects. Depending on the instructional needs of individual language programs in SLLC, students may receive teaching assistantships to teach one of the languages offered in SLLC. Please note that in order to be considered for any financial support, students must be full-time and their GRE scores must be on file. If you would like to be considered for support, please indicate this on the graduate school application .

Limited funds for travel to national conferences may be available through SLLC when the student is presenting a paper.  However, students should also explore other possibilities for funding available through the conference organizers, external agencies or institutions, as well as the College of Arts and Humanities and the Graduate School.

• Information on travel funds available through the Graduate School .

Students interested in the interdisciplinary study of language are welcome to join the language science community at UMD .   Requirements for Admission Note that prior to admission to the program, applicants must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited university in a relevant field, e.g., SLA, linguistics, education, psychology, or applied linguistics.

General information about the admissions process to the University of Maryland is available at the Graduate School website . However, some details specific to our program differ from what is posted on that site, so please be sure to follow the instructions below regarding where these materials should be sent, and what is required for admissions consideration. Admission Deadlines (all documentation MUST be in by this date!)

• September 28 (Spring application deadline for domestic and international applicants)
• January 17 (Fall application deadline for domestic and international applicants)

Materials Required for all University of Maryland Applicants

For the information about the application process and the materials required for all University of Maryland applicants, please visit the Graduate School website .

Information about the  Application fee waiver

Students whose native language is not English must satisfy the Graduate School’s English proficiency requirements . Applicants should arrange for TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores to be sent directly to the University of Maryland; the institutional code for the University of Maryland is 5814.   Supplemental Materials Required by the SLA Program The SLA program requires the following supplemental materials to be uploaded as part of the application:

• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty members who have taught you recently and who can attest to your scholarly potential in the field of SLA. References from those who know you professionally are acceptable as well. 
• A statement of purpose, in English, describing your academic and career background and future plans, specifying why you believe the SLA program at the University of Maryland is suitable for you, and you are suitable for it, and how you would expect to use the training received at UMD.  The statement of purpose is in lieu of the separate "Statement of Goals and Research Interests" and "Statement of Experiences" listed on the Graduate School website.
• Writing sample: Evidence of an ability for and desire to undertake scholarly work appropriate for the heavily research-oriented Ph.D. in SLA, as demonstrated through a writing sample such as an excellent M.A. thesis, a seminar paper, or published articles.
• Verbal and quantitative GRE scores are required for all applicants. Please have ETS send your GRE scores directly to the university; the institutional code for the University of Maryland is 5814.

An admissions interview may be required and will be conducted in-person or by telephone. On your application, please be sure to provide a current telephone number and e-mail address where we can reach you.

Completed applications are reviewed by an admissions committee in each graduate degree program. The recommendations of the committees are submitted to the dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. Students seeking to complete graduate work at the University of Maryland for degree purposes must be formally admitted to the Graduate School by the dean. For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact the Graduate School .  

Information for International Graduate Students

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students.  International applicants are encouraged to explore the services they offer and contact them with related questions.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; it is not a guarantee of attendance.  Admitted international students will then receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland which will require the submission of additional documents.  Please access the Graduate Admissions Process for International applicants for more information.

Program Director

Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Professor, Second Language Acquisition

3125 Jiménez Hall College Park MD, 20742

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Second Language Acquisition, Culture and Society Option

Program details.

This concentration will enable you to examine philosophical orientations, conceptual frameworks, and research methodologies relevant to the study of theoretical and developmental aspects of language acquisition, bearing in mind cultural and societal influences. It will enable you to teach in linguistically and culturally diverse schools with a more robust sense of cultural and linguistic responsiveness, and will encourage international and interdisciplinary collaborations in teaching and research. The program objectives will be accomplished through the completion of one of the three streams (course based, major paper, thesis). This graduate program will allow you to develop your skills and knowledge to enhance your professional practice.

Mandatory courses

Course determined by the  area of concentration :

EDUC-8001 Research in Education EDUC-8006​ Theories and Approaches in Language Acquisition and Instruction Students in the Course-based stream must take EDUC-8001. Students in the Major Paper and Thesis stream must take EDUC-8001 and EDUC-8002.

EDUC-8001 Research in Education EDUC-8002 Statistics in Education Students in the Course-based stream must take 2 of the 4 courses below. Students in the Major Paper and Thesis streams must take 2 of the 4 courses below. It is important to note that with regard to these four courses, SLACS candidates are encouraged to take, as available, the two remaining courses not taken as compulsory courses as additional courses for this concentration. EDUC-8400 Language, Culture, and Society EDUC-8420 Language System Analysis EDUC-8430 Special Education and Language Acquisition EDUC-8910​ Special Topics: Language Assessment

All students must take one of the following courses, depending on the completion stream they have chosen.  

EDUC-8795 Final Project Seminar (1 credit) EDUC-8960 Major Paper (2 credits) EDUC-8970 Thesis (4 credits)

(Note: Students in the Thesis stream must also complete EDUC-8940, Thesis Proposal.)

Students must complete their 10 credit requirement by taking courses from the following lists of courses. Please refer to the Graduate Calendar as it is the final authority with regard to course selection.

Second Language Acquisition in Culture and Society Option

EDUC-8002 Statistics in Education EDUC-8003 Qualitative Methods in Educational Research EDUC-8004 Fundamentals of Curriculum Theories and Development EDUC-8150 Comparative and International Education EDUC-8330 Survey Design and Research EDUC-8340 Individual Reading EDUC-8400 Language, Culture and Society EDUC-8420 Language System Analysis EDUC-8430 Special Education and Language Acquisition EDUC-8500 Issues in Education EDUC-8510 Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Teaching and Learning EDUC-8560 Approaches to Literacy Development EDUC-8650 Sociological Aspects of Education EDUC-8910​ Special Topics in Education EDUC-8910​ Special Topics: Language Assessment

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The majority of graduate programs are NOT impacted by recent government announcements about tuition increases. PhD students from the rest of Canada will continue to pay Quebec fees. International PhD fees will see the same 3% increase as Quebec fees.

Second Language Education (M.A.)

Program description.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Second Language Education (Thesis) offered by the Department of Integrated Studies in Education in the Faculty of Education is a research-intensive program that emphasizes research-based and methodical learning opportunities. The program's objective is to equip students with skills in novel thinking, literature synthesis, and scientific communication to either continue their studies or pursue professional opportunities.

The program may also be as an option in Gender and Women's Studies which provides students with the opportunity to pursue coursework and research focusing on gender and women’s studies, and issues in feminist research and methods.

Keywords: SLE Learning, curriculum, evaluation, sociolinguistics, immersion.

Unique Program Features

• The program provides an overview of the state of the art in second language acquisition, assessment and evaluation;
• Students gain relevant knowledge by going through an overview of second language acquisition theory, research and research methods, including quantitative and qualitative approaches;
• The program covers a wide range of current topics in applied linguistics and offers opportunities to specialize in educational sociolinguistics, curricular/methods and program planning (e.g., content-based language teaching, immersion), language policy and planning, and critical applied linguistics.

University-Level Admission Requirements

• An eligible Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0 GPA
• English-language proficiency

Each program has specific admission requirements including required application documents. Please visit the program website for more details.

Visit our Educational credentials and grade equivalencies and English language proficiency webpages for additional information.

Program Website

MA in Second Language Education website

Department Contact

Graduate Program grad.dise [at] mcgill.ca (subject: MA%20in%20Second%20Language%20Education%20(Thesis)) (email)

Available Intakes

Application deadlines.

Note : Application deadlines are subject to change without notice. Please check the application portal for the most up-to-date information.

Application Resources

• Application Steps webpage
• Submit Your Application webpage
• Connecting with a supervisor webpage
• Graduate Funding webpage

Application Workshops

Consult our full list of our virtual application-focused workshops on the Events webpage.

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Doctoral Program in Second Language Acquisition

UW-Madison Student Voices

The Doctoral Program in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) prepares students to research and teach in a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field that investigates second language learning and acquisition, bi- and multilingualism, language teaching, and the relationship among language, culture, identity and thought in diverse social contexts. Learn more>

UW-Madison SLA Community News

Junko Mori, Asian Languages and Cultures, received a resident faculty fellowship from the Institute for Research in the Humanities

(April, 2024) Professor Mori has received a resident faculty fellowship from the Institute for Research in the Humanities, to continue to work on her ongoing research project that examines the development, implementation, and legacy of the Japanese Language and Culture Assistant Program (JALCAP), administered by Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction from 1989 to 1993. This study combines contemporary history and ethnography to explore how the fundamental purpose and benefits of Japanese language and culture education in Wisconsin were envisioned differently by diverse stakeholders. Partially autobiographical, the study is also informed by her personal experience with this internship program, which prompted her to move to Wisconsin from Tokyo and eventually led her to begin her academic career at UW-Madison.

Emily Machado, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, received Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Teaching Award

(January 2024) Thirteen UW-Madison faculty members have been chosen to receive this year’s Distinguished Teaching Awards, an honor given out since 1953 to recognize some of the university’s finest educators. A ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. April 16 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Katrina Daly Thompson and Adeola Agoke, African Cultural Studies, received a 3-year U.S. Department of Education grant

(September 2023) This groundbreaking study on Exploring Full Learner Autonomy in Self-Instructional LCTL Learning documents the strategies and outcomes of fully self-instructional learning of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs), responding to the national need for increased access to effective learning opportunities for studying LCTLs, especially at high proficiency levels. The study also addresses international calls for empirical research on language learner autonomy, self-directed learning, self-assessment, and resource management strategies. The study will analyze data collected from 60 self-instructional language learners (SILLs) studying 28 African and Southeast Asian LCTLs through UW-Madison’s Multilanguage Seminar, an innovative two-semester sequence of fully self-instructional LCTL learning developed and taught by the co-PIs, over nine academic years and three summers. The dataset includes SILLs’ individual study plans, daily or weekly learning journal entries and students’ responses to one another, learning resources SILLs created, reflective essays, self-assessment plans and results, emails to the instructors with assignments or feedback, and other homework assignments. The core project activities are data preparation, analysis, and dissemination of findings, including a free workshop for language instructors and program administrators, presentations at scholarly conferences, and at least one publication, a book, in Year 3. Robust dissemination and evaluation plans ensure that the project will broadly impact U.S. foreign language education and research.

Julia Goetze, Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+, received ACTFL Research Priorities Project grant

(September 2023) The project is titled "Exploring teacher emotions and instructional behaviors in social justice-oriented foreign language (FL) classrooms" and addresses 3 of the 6 research priorities that ACTFL identified in 2023: Equity and Access in Language Learning, Equity and Access in Language Teaching, and K-16 Language Educator Development. It is inspired by recent empirical evidence for the perceived lack of training and support language instructors experience when they are tasked with or desire to bring critical pedagogies into their traditional communicative or task-based language classrooms. Specifically, it takes instructors’ unpleasant emotions and uncertainty relating to their rethinking of the value of traditional language teaching approaches, their shifting beliefs about the nature of language instruction, their performance assessments, the lack of time to dedicate to additional learning outcomes, and the perceived lack of agency in curricular decision-making as a starting point and systematically examines teachers’ current self-reported beliefs, emotions, instructional behaviors, and perceived support systems in social justice-oriented FL classrooms. Research will be published in Foreign Language Annals.

2022 SLA alum Ryan Goble published article based on dissertation in the Modern Language Journal

(June 2023) In his Modern Language Journal article, "Resumes and Job Postings as Cognitive Tools for Narrating Anglophone Language Learners’ Multilingual–Professional Identities and Trajectories in Career Advising Appointments," Ryan Goble, 2022 SLA PhD Program graduate, addresses a gap in empirical research as related to language learners' prolonged multilingual development and treatment of multilingual competence as a skill. Goble examines the narrative co-construction of US collegiate language learners' professional identities and trajectories in career advising meetings where college decisions and experiences, including language learning and study abroad, are framed to facilitate the transition to the world of work. The secondary objective is to better understand college language learners' capacity to translate classroom language learning to participation and TL use in personally relevant multilingual communities.

L.J. Randolph, Jr, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, published a co-edited volume "How We Take Action: Social Justice in PK-16 Language Classrooms"

(May 2023) Co-edited with Kelly Frances Davidson, Valdosta State University and Stacey Margarita Johnson, Vanderbilt University, this book brings an important diversity of voices, contexts, and collaborations to the ongoing conversations about social justice in language education. Organized into three sections, some of the chapters in this collection report on classroom research while others focus on key practices and experiences. Section I, entitled Inclusive and Empowering Classrooms, takes a critical approach to classroom practices by breaking with the status quo or creating spaces where students experience safety, access, and empowerment in language learning experiences. Section II, Integration of Critical Topics, addresses a variety of ways teachers can incorporate justice-oriented pedagogies in day-to-day instructional experiences. Section III, Activism and Community Engagement, explores how teachers can empower students to become agents for positive change through the study of activism and constructive community engagement programs at local and global levels.

Julia Goetze, Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+, published an article in Modern Language Journal based on her study on teacher emotions

(April 2023) Julia Goetze's study adopts a framework rooted in appraisal-based emotion theory to explore the complexity of teachers’ emotional lives and the nature of language teacher emotions in the classroom, using anxiety as a starting point and drawing on vignette methodology for emotion elicitation.

Katrina Daly Thompson, Department of African Cultural Studies, published the sole-authored book "Muslims on the Margins: Creating Queer Religious Community in North America"

(March 2023) In their new book, Katrina Daly Thompson draws extensively from conversations and interviews conducted both in person in North America and online in several international communities. Writing in a compelling narrative style that centers the real experiences and diverse perspectives of nonconformist Muslims, Thompson illustrates how these radical Muslims are forming a community dedicated to creative reinterpretations of their religion, critical questioning of established norms, expansive inclusion of those who are queer in various ways, and the creation of different religious futures. "Muslims on the Margins" is a powerful account of how Muslims are forging new traditions and setting precedents for a more inclusive community— one that is engaged with tradition, but not beholden to it.

Three graduate students, Kazeem Sanuth, Sara Farsiu, and Kathryn Mara, received funding from the SLA PhD Program to assist Thompson with transcription and data analysis for this study.

Dianna Murphy, Language Institute, awarded 2023 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Leadership

(March 2023) This highly competitive academic staff excellence award recognizes demonstrated exceptional organizational leadership. In their review of nominations, the members of the Academic Staff Professional Development and Recognition Committee considered nominees' outstanding achievement and performance, personal interaction, and initiative and creativity, among other criteria. Thank you to Monika Chavez, SLA PhD Program director, who submitted the nomination and to SLA and other colleagues for their support!

Heather Willis Allen, Department of French and Italian, signs contract for the sole-authored book "A Design Orientation to Second Language Writing Instruction"

(February 2023) The book "A Design Orientation to Second Language Writing Instruction" extends New Literacy Studies scholarship on multiliteracies pedagogy and Learning by Design and elaborates five principles of a Design orientation to second language (L2) writing instruction. The book examines topics including L2 writing as a multidimensional Designing process, multimodality and intertextuality as affordances for writing, and the roles of creativity and collaboration in writing and communicating about texts in a learning community. Presenting an approach to L2 writing instruction relevant for today’s diverse, multilingual educational contexts and ever-changing literacies, this book provides readers a comprehensive treatment of the theoretical and pedagogical dimensions of a Design orientation to L2 writing that will be of particular interest for L2 researchers, teachers, and teacher educators. (Routledge's Multiliteracies and Second Language Education book series, Gabriela Zapata, editor)

Jacee Cho, Department of English, received Vilas Associates Award 2023-24

(February 2023) The Vilas Associates award supports faculty research at UW-Madison in a wide variety of disciplines. Awardees are chosen from a pool of applicants based on a detailed research proposal. Professor Cho’s project title is “Multilingual Acquisition: Kazakh–Russian bilingual speakers’ L3 English Acquisition.” Thank you to Rajiv Rao, Language Sciences who submitted and to SLA colleagues for their support of the nomination!

Diego Román, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, recognized with Distinguished Teacher Award

(January 2023) Twelve UW-Madison faculty members have been chosen to receive this year’s Distinguished Teaching Awards, an honor given out since 1953 to recognize some of the university’s finest educators. A ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. April 25 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

General Catalog

Second language acquisition, phd.

This is the first version of the 2023–24 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.

FLARE stands for Foreign Language Acquisition Research and Education, and it is the name of the interdisciplinary unit that sponsors the second language PhD program . Students are able to take a variety of courses taught by affiliated faculty members from a number of departments and programs across campus.

The second language acquisition (SLA) doctoral program emphasizes theory, research, and classroom-based teaching and learning. All students take courses in SLA theory, multimedia, research methods, language learning, and linguistics. In addition, each student defines an area of specialization, in consultation with an SLA advisor. The two broad areas of specialization are language learning and postsecondary education, and linguistics and psycholinguistics.

Students in the language learning and postsecondary education specialization area demonstrate an interest in issues where SLA and pedagogy converge. This includes classroom discourse, assessment, and the acquisition of grammatical knowledge in the classroom context. Students also may focus on aspects of technology and how it facilitates second language acquisition.

Students in the linguistics and psycholinguistics specialization area exhibit interest in areas of formal linguistics (e.g., syntax, phonology, morphology) and/or applied linguistics issues that relate to their particular second language focus. Student projects include the acquisition of the syntactic structures and/or phonological features of a second language, and generative and cognitive approaches to explaining acquisition. Students who work in psycholinguistics also may focus on the relationship between language processing and language acquisition.

The Doctor of Philosophy in second language acquisition is a research-oriented degree. This interdisciplinary program, which focuses on languages other than English, requires 72 s.h., including a maximum of 33 s.h. earned in work toward a master's degree. Students must earn a minimum of 61 s.h. at the University of Iowa. Those interested in pursuing the PhD must hold a master's degree in an appropriate field (e.g., linguistics, foreign language education) or have equivalent academic experience.

A course may be used to fulfill only one requirement. All courses taken to fulfill program requirements must be taken on a graded basis; no graduate credit is awarded for a grade lower than C-minus. To remain in good standing, PhD students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00.

The required curriculum includes 14 courses, including two foundation courses, three courses in the area of research methods, two courses in the area of language learning, two courses in the area of linguistics, and five courses in a student’s area of specialization. Students may specialize in language learning and postsecondary education, which includes a focus on technology in language acquisition and learning; or in linguistics and psycholinguistics, with a focus on phonetics/phonology or on syntax in a particular second language. In addition, the PhD requires successful completion and defense of a dissertation representing original research in second language acquisition.

Students may extend their interdisciplinary interests by taking relevant elective coursework offered by the departments of Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures, Communication Sciences and Disorders, French and Italian, German, Linguistics, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Rhetoric, and Spanish and Portuguese in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the departments of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, and Teaching and Learning in the College of Education .

The PhD in second language acquisition requires the following coursework.

Foundation Course

Current students will have taken SLA:6920 to fulfill this requirement.

Research Methods

Language learning, linguistics courses, specialization courses.

Each student selects one of two specialization areas—linguistics and psycholinguistics or language learning and postsecondary education—and takes five courses (total of 15 s.h.) in one area, not including courses taken above to satisfy requirements. Each student’s specific specialization area and set of courses are determined in consultation with the advisor.

Courses that may be used in the specialization areas are listed below.

Linguistics and Psycholinguistics

Language learning and postsecondary education, elective courses.

Students also may take elective coursework relevant to their research interests, including the following independent project courses.

Students must complete a thesis (maximum of 15 s.h., with a minimum of 2 s.h.)

Admission is for fall semester; students are admitted only for full-time study. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.

Strong applicants hold a master's degree in a related area, have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50 in master's degree work, and speak and write English and another language at a professional level. Applicants must submit a writing sample that demonstrates their ability to synthesize and analyze information using standard academic English.

Teaching assistantships are available to qualified students. Assistantships usually involve teaching elementary or intermediate language courses. Visit the FLARE website for details.

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2023-24 Catalog

A PDF of the entire 2023-24 catalog.

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Canada to introduce new rules around off-campus work hours for international students

From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

News release

International students enrich Canada’s social, cultural and economic fabric. That is why, in recent months, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has introduced reforms to the International Students Program, to ensure system integrity while protecting students from fraud and financial vulnerability.

April 29, 2024—Ottawa— International students enrich Canada’s social, cultural and economic fabric. That is why, in recent months, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has introduced reforms to the International Student Program, to ensure system integrity while protecting students from fraud and financial vulnerability.

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced today that the temporary policy allowing students to work more than 20 hours per week off campus will come to an end on April 30, 2024, and it will not be extended. This fall, we intend to change the number of hours students may work off campus per week to 24 hours.

Students who come to Canada must be here to study. As such, allowing students to work up to 24 hours per week will ensure they focus primarily on their studies, while having the option to work, if necessary.

As we head into the summer session, students who have a scheduled academic break can continue working unlimited hours.

In developing this change, we looked at the needs of students, policies in other countries, as well as research that has shown that academic outcomes suffer the more a student works while studying. It also strikes the appropriate balance so students have the option to work without compromising academic outcomes. More details will be shared in due course.

We also continue to develop the new Recognized Institutions Framework to reward post­secondary institutions that set high standards for selecting, supporting and retaining international students. We will continue to support and protect international students from financial vulnerability and keep protecting the integrity of the International Student Program.

“Working off campus helps international students gain work experience and offset some of their expenses. As international students arrive in Canada, we want them to be prepared for life here and have the support they need to succeed. However, first and foremost, people coming to Canada as students must be here to study, not work. We will continue working to protect the integrity of our student program.” – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

Recent studies conducted in the US and Canada have shown that there is a considerable decline in academic performance for students working more than 28 hours per week, and that working more than 24 hours per week increases the chances that a student will drop out of their program.

Most countries that welcome international students set limits on the number of hours they may work while they study. Australia recently changed its policy to allow a student to work 48 hours every 2 weeks. In the US, students must meet additional criteria before being permitted to work off campus at all.

In December 2023, the Government of Canada raised the cost-of-living threshold that students must meet to be approved for a study permit so they are financially prepared for life in Canada and are not as dependent on working.

International students who begin a college program delivered through a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement on or after May 15, 2024, will not be eligible for a post-graduation work permit when they graduate. Those who already started this type of program prior to May 15, 2024, will still be able to access a post-graduation work permit, provided they meet all other criteria .

The new letter of acceptance (LOA) verification process has been a success. Since its launch on December 1, 2023, through April 1, 2024, IRCC has

•  received almost 162,000 LOAs for verification
• confirmed nearly 142,000 LOAs as valid directly with designated learning institutions (DLIs)
• identified almost 9,000 LOAs that didn’t match any LOA issued by a DLI or that the DLI had already cancelled before the foreign national applied for a study permit

Associated links

• Statement: Minister Miller issues statement on international student allocations for provinces and territories
• Notice: Update on public-private college partnership programs for international students
• Notice: Additional information about International Student Program reforms
• News release: Canada to stabilize growth and decrease number of new study permits issued
• News release: Revised requirements to better protect international students
• News release: Changes to International Student Program aim to protect students
• Website: Work off campus as an international student

Aissa Diop Director of Communications Minister’s Office Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [email protected]

Media Relations Communications Sector Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 613-952-1650 [email protected]

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