LING-PHD - Linguistics (PhD)
Download as PDF
Program Overview
Through the completion of advanced coursework and strong methodological and analytical training, the PhD program prepares students to make original contributions to knowledge in linguistics, articulate the results of their work, and demonstrate its significance to linguistics and related fields. At every stage in the program, students are encouraged to present and publish their research and to develop active professional profiles.
This program is full time. Students in the PhD program are expected to maintain a significant physical presence on campus throughout their graduate studies. This ensures that students have access to advisors and mentors, research facilities, libraries, and other resources that support timely progress towards completion of degree requirements. Additionally, being on campus ensures that students are part of the academic and campus community which supports their continued professional development.
Admissions Information
Information on how to apply for graduate study at Stanford is available on the university’s Graduate Admissions website. Application information specific to Linguistics can be found on the Department of Linguistics website.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Students should review the Department of Linguistics PhD Handbook for further information regarding the following requirements.
Generally, students in the program are expected to receive a B+ or above in their coursework and maintain a GPA of 3.3 (B+) or above. All nine basic courses and LINGUIST 200 (Foundations of Linguistic Theory) must be taken for a letter grade and completed with at least a grade of B. Grades lower than B or a GPA below 3.3 indicate that a student may not be performing at the level expected of a doctoral student in the program.
Course Requirements - Departmental course requirements for students in the Linguistics PhD program are listed below. A summary of the course requirements may also be found on the Department’s Application for Candidacy.
Doctoral students are required to take nine basic courses. This requirement is designed to guarantee that each student becomes familiar with a range of subfields in linguistics. The basic courses are divided into Groups I, II, and III, and Groups I and II in turn are divided into sets representing subfields. To ensure that students achieve breadth across subfields, there is a cap on the number of courses in any subfield that can be counted towards the basic course requirement; however, students may take more courses in any subfield as additional courses.
The nine basic courses should meet the following criteria:
a. three two-course sets from Groups I and II. The three sets should not all be in the same group.
b. one additional course in the group with only one set. The course should not be from the set used to fulfill item (a).
c. one course from Group III.
d. one more course from any group. The course should not be from the sets used to fulfill item (a).
e. Seven of the nine basic courses, including two of the three Group I/II sets, must be taken before advancement to candidacy.
f. All nine basic courses must be taken for a letter grade and completed with at least a grade of B. Most of these courses should be taken for 4 units; no course may be taken for less than 2 units.
Courses not listed above may be accepted with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in consultation with the student’s advisor.
AND any additional LINGUIST course numbered 281-289
LINGUIST 245B may be used as either a Group II or III course, but not both.
Courses not listed above may be accepted with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in consultation with the student’s advisor.
Courses not on this list will be accepted subject to approval of the student’s advisor and the DGS.
LINGUIST 245B may be used as either a Group II or III course, but not both.
Courses not listed above may be accepted with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in consultation with the student’s advisor.
• LINGUIST 294 (Linguistic Research Discussion Group) in Autumn Quarter.
• LINGUIST 395 (Research Workshop) and concurrently register for 398 (Directed Research, usually 3-4 units) with their first qualifying paper Committee Chair in Spring Quarter.
• LINGUIST 396 (Research Projects in Linguistics) in Winter Quarter.
• LINGUIST 200 (Foundations of Linguistic Theory) before reaching TGR status. 200 is not usually taken in the first year of study and it is generally offered in alternate years. This course must be completed with a letter grade of 'B' or better.
• LINGUIST 394 (TA Training workshop) in Autumn Quarter of the 2nd year.
Although the department has no official coursework requirement beyond the nine basic courses and the additional requirements listed above, students are strongly encouraged to complete additional coursework to enhance their research efforts in their area of interest and help meet their professional goals. In choosing courses, students should consider seminars and methods courses within and outside the department. The majority of these additional courses should be taken for a letter grade. The DGS and the student’s advisor will guide coursework plans at the regularly scheduled student advising meetings.
Qualifying Papers
In order to gain experience in carrying out independent, original research before embarking on the dissertation, each student must complete two qualifying research papers in different subfields of linguistics; each paper is discussed with a faculty committee at an oral defense of the qualifying paper. The first qualifying paper is due at the end of Autumn Quarter of the second year, and the second qualifying paper is due at the end of Autumn Quarter of the third year of the program. Each paper must be a substantial original research paper that shows the student's ability to carry out all stages of a research project independently and to present the project effectively in written form. More details about the qualifying paper requirement and related procedures can be found in the Department of Linguistics PhD Handbook.
Teaching is core to the academic and professional training of doctoral students in Linguistics. All students are required to complete 3 quarters of teaching by the end of their fourth year in the program regardless of their financial support.
Research is core to the academic and professional training of doctoral students in Linguistics. All students must complete one quarter of mentored research regardless of financial support to fulfill degree requirements. This requirement is completed in the Winter Quarter of the first year in the program; students register for LINGUIST 396 (Research Project in Linguistics) with their faculty supervisor during this quarter.
Advancement to candidacy is a prospective judgement by the faculty of a doctoral student’s potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete qualifying procedures and to apply for candidacy by the end of their second year in the program. Qualifying procedures in the Department of Linguistics include (i) completion of a prescribed portion of the basic course requirement, (ii) completion of one qualifying paper, (iii) an approved plan for completion of the language requirement, and (iv) a topic for the second qualifying paper. Additional details on qualifying procedures can be found in the Department of Linguistics PhD Handbook.
In the Department of Linguistics, the oral exam is a defense of the dissertation presented upon the completion of an acceptable pre-final draft. This draft will include a clear presentation of the dissertation’s principal empirical and theoretical contributions, and most chapters of the dissertation will be in a final or near-final state. Students consult with their dissertation advisor and reading committee members on the timing of the defense. Students are expected to complete this milestone by the end of their fifth year in the program. Additional details on the format and scheduling of the oral exam can be found in the Department of Linguistics PhD Handbook.
Steps Include:
Appointment of a dissertation committee
An approved written dissertation proposal is required by the end of Autumn Quarter of the fourth year
Oral discussion of the dissertation proposal with an augmented dissertation committee by the end of Spring Quarter of the fourth year
Passing a University Oral Examination on the dissertation and related areas, which includes a public presentation of the dissertation research
Doctoral students in Linguistics must demonstrate an explicit in-depth knowledge of the structure of at least one language other than standard English by completing a research paper on that language. This requirement may be satisfied by a qualifying paper on that language or by a paper other than a qualifying paper. This requirement must be completed by the end of the third year of graduate study. Additional details on the language requirement can be found in the Department of Linguistics PhD Handbook.