(Proposed changes
Linguistics And
Cognitive Science
Telephone: (302) 831-6806; Fax: (302) 831-6896
http://www.ling.udel.edu/ling/
Faculty Listing: http://www.ling.udel.edu/ling/
The Department of Linguistics and
Cognitive Science offers programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science. In addition, the department offers the option of a
combined B.S. in Cognitive Science and
M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. The M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science is a
flexible degree, allowing students to design programs of study in areas of
theoretical linguistics, cognitive science, and applied linguistics (including
teaching English as a second language). Areas for Ph.D. specialization
include theoretical linguistics (syntax, semantics, phonology, morphology),
experimental linguistics (psycholinguistics, first and second language
acquisition, language processing), endangered and under-described languages
(linguistic field methods, language typology, language documentation), and
additional areas of cognitive science (philosophy of mind, animal and embodied
cognition, perception, neurolinguistics, computational linguistics).
Requirements For Admission
Students with a B.A./B.S. or M.A. /MS in linguistics or in an appropriate field
may apply. (Students without a degree in linguistics proper may be asked to
take additional courses to meet minimum training in linguistics.) Applicants
are required to submit a completed application, a writing sample, three letters
of recommendation, GRE scores (a minimum of 1050 on verbal and quantitative
combined is normally required; the analytical score is also considered), official
transcripts of all previous work, and a personal statement describing interests
and objectives. Foreign students whose language of education is not English
must also submit TOEFL scores. A minimum of 600/250/100 on the
paper-based/computer-based/IBT TOEFL is normally required. For these
foreign students, the TOEFL score will be considered as the verbal section of
the GRE when the TOEFL score is higher. In all cases, however, scores on all
sections of the GRE must be submitted. Foreign students whose native language
is not English and who are awarded a teaching assistantship must attend a one month
International Teaching Assistant Training Program at UD before
starting their academic studies. This training is conducted usually in August
each year and is free of charge. The TSE may be taken overseas at
any TOEFL center. Students should consult the appropriate section of the
catalog for details of this requirement.
Admission is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified
applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet
stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are
those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission
if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for Ph.D. students only and takes the form of
teaching assistantships, graduate assistantships and research assistantships.
Conditions on funding are stated in the Graduate Guidelines available from the
department's Director of Graduate Studies and on the department website
(http://www.ling.udel.edu/ling/).
Requirements For The Master's Degree
For the M.A. degree, students must
complete 30 credit hours planned in consultation with the student's advisor and
the Director of Graduate Studies or the M.A.
advisor. These credits must include
at least 21 credit hours in cognitive science or linguistics courses and at
least one 800-level seminar in cognitive science or linguistics. Full details
of all programs are available from the department's Director of Graduate
Studies or the Cognitive Science Graduate Advisor.
Combined B.S. and M.A. Option
Qualified undergraduate students in
the B.S. in Cognitive Science as well as students completing a bachelor’s
degree in related fields like Anthropology, Computer and Information Science,
Philosophy and Psychology (and other fields by application) may apply for the
Combined B.S. and M.A. option, which
combines the requirements of the undergraduate degree in cognitive science and the master's degree in
Cognitive Science and Linguistics. Whereas the traditional programs for the
B.S. and M.A. degrees involve 4 years of undergraduate work and 2
years of graduate work, the Combined B.S. and M.A. option enables students to earn both degrees
in a 5-year period. Students who complete the Combined B.S. and M.A. program will graduate with both a Bachelor of
Science degree in Cognitive Science and a Master of Arts degree in Linguistics
and Cognitive Science. Students who are granted
admission and are pursuing a degree other
than the B.S. in Cognitive Science will be awarded the undergraduate degree in
which they are enrolled and a Master of Arts degree in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science. Students
who are candidates for the Combined B.S. and M.A. option, and who complete the requirements for
the B.S. but fail to complete the additional M.A. requirements, will receive the B.S. degree,
or the bachelor’s degree of the program they are
enrolled in.
.
a. Admission into the Combined B.S. and M.A. Program
Students may apply for admission to the Combined B.S. and M.A. program at the end of the sophomore year. The
application process requires submission of a completed graduate application
form for review by the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee. Initial
admission will be based upon the student's ability to meet the following
recommended entrance criteria:
- Combined mathematics and verbal SAT scores of at least 1200
- An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25
- Completion of all core courses for the B.S other than CGSC
485
- Submission of an in-person writing sample, based on work completed in a
Cognitive Science course
Admission is competitive so meeting the minimal requirements for admission does
not guarantee admission nor does the failure to meet a requirement result in an
automatic rejection. The GRE is not required for admission to the Combined B.S.
and M.A. program by UD undergraduates.
b. Maintaining Status within the Program
Upon admission into the program and prior to the start of the junior year of
study, the student will meet with his graduate advisor and submit a planned
program of study, including all elective courses, to the Graduate Studies
Committee. Planned programs of study are due by the end of fall semester of the
student's junior year.
Continuation in the Combined B.S. and M.A.
program is contingent upon maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
in undergraduate courses with CGSC and LING designations and in graduate
coursework. Satisfactory progress includes following the prescribed program of
study.
Each student's progress and GPA will be evaluated at the end of each academic
year by the student's advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee. Students who
fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements or fail to show progress toward the
degree will be dropped from the Combined B.S. and M.A. program. They may, however, continue in the
undergraduate major unless their undergraduate progress is unsatisfactory
according to the rules in effect for the B.S. program.
c. Degree Requirements for the Master of Arts in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science and the B.S. in Cognitive Science
The graduate level course requirements for students in the Combined B.S. and
M.A. option are the same as those for
the M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive
Science. The course requirements for the degree include 30 credit hours planned
in consultation with the student's advisor and the Director of Graduate
Studies, which must include at least 21 credit hours in the Linguistics
Department and at least one 800-level seminar. The M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science is a flexible
program of study that provides training in both Linguistics and Cognitive
Science. Separate tracks are provided for students whose emphasis is clearly in
Cognitive Science or in Linguistics. In addition, students may propose a
program of study that combines elements of the Linguistics and Cognitive
Science tracks. See the Department's Graduate Policy Statement for additional
information. Students in the Combined B.S. and M.A. option must fulfill all graduate and
undergraduate course requirements for both the M.A. and their undergraduate degree.
d. Course Overlap
In the event that a student in the Combined B.S. and M.A. option completes a required graduate course
as an undergraduate, and elects to count that course toward the bachelor’s
degree, he will be required to substitute another graduate course, the choice
requiring approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. When a student
completes a 400-level undergraduate course that has content very similar to
that of a parallel 600-level graduate course, he must petition the Director of
Graduate Studies to substitute another graduate course for the 600-level course
in question.
e. Revisions to Planned Program of Study in Combined B.S. and M.A. Option
Students who wish to make changes to their program of study must first obtain
permission from their advisor. The advisor must then make a written request to
the Graduate Studies Committee to revise the program of study.
Requirements For The Ph.D. Degree
Students are required to take 60 credits beyond the B.A./B.S.: 51 credits in
courses proper and 9 dissertation credits. Students entering with a credited
M.A. /MS in an appropriate area as determined by the department must take 30
credits: 21 in courses proper and 9 in dissertation. All transfer credit must
be in accord with the rules of the Graduate Office; approval of transferred
courses is at the discretion of the Committee on Graduate Studies of the
Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science. Students must take LING
607 Phonology I, LING
609 Syntax I, LING
608 Phonology II, LING
610 Syntax II, CGSC
696 Psycholinguistics, and at least three four
800-level seminars in core areas of linguistics. No course can satisfy
two requirements except that the three four 800-level seminars
can count toward specialization requirements; transfer credit for these
requirements may be accepted, but only under the conditions stated above. It is
suggested that the remainder of the course work have an appropriate balance of
work in the subfields of linguistics and cognitive science and, at the
same time, be directed toward the major areas of research interest.
Students are required to take one major examination, the Qualifying Examination
and to write one publishable research paper for admission to Doctoral
Candidacy. After successful completion of all requirements, students are
required to write a dissertation followed by an oral defense.
Students whose native language is English are required to demonstrate
proficiency in a language other than English. The goal is for students to be
able to function as a professional in the field of linguistics in general and
in their chosen area of specialization. Proficiency may be either written or
spoken. Students are responsible for presenting a rationale for the selection
of a particular language and for requesting a speaking or reading proficiency
test. Students whose native language is not English will be assumed to have
proficiency in English and will have thereby satisfied the proficiency requirement.
The language requirements must be satisfied prior to acceptance of the
Dissertation Prospectus. No language examinations taken at any other school
will fulfill any language requirement.
Program In Cognitive Science
The program in Cognitive Science is administered by the Department of
Linguistics and Cognitive Science. See M.A.
and Ph.D. information (above) regarding the M.A. and Ph.D. in Linguistics and Cognitive
Science. While there is no Doctoral degree in Cognitive Science, the PhD in
Linguistics allows a secondary specialization in Cognitive Science, and
advanced degrees in related disciplines (e.g., Psychology) also permit students
to develop concentrations in the field. There are also regular graduate course
offerings in Cognitive Science that allow individualized training in the field.