(proposed changes
Department of Linguistics and
Cognitive Science Graduate Policy for the M.A. and Ph.D. in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science
Academic Year 2008-2009 (approved)
The M.A. and Ph.D. Program in
Linguistics and Cognitive Science
The Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science
offers programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science. The M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science, established
in 1994-1995, allows students to design programs of study in areas of
theoretical linguistics, cognitive science, and applied linguistics (including
teaching English as a second language). The Ph.D. degree which was established in 1985 is designed to furnish students with
a solid background in theoretical linguistics as well as to direct them to
advanced study in a particular area of specialization. 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).
The 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 (below) regarding the
M.A. and Ph.D. in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science.
Admission Requirements
Applications for admission are available from the
University's Office of Graduate Studies (phone number 302-831-2129). Electronic
applications are required and are available at
<http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/applicants/ > . Applicants should arrange
to have three letters of reference sent directly to:
The application deadline
for consideration for financial aid for Fall admission is February 1. It is in
the interest of candidates to apply early. Applicants who are not seeking
funding must apply by May 1. The deadline for Spring admission is November 1.
Because the Ph.D. program requires a progression of courses from Fall to
Spring, Spring admission is not recommended for applicants to the Ph.D. program
and is rarely granted.
Students with a
B.A./B.S. or M.A./M.S. in linguistics or in an appropriate related field may
apply (related fields include, but are not limited to, English, Modern
Languages, Psychology, Education, Cognitive Science, Philosophy, Mathematics,
and Computer Science). Students without
sufficient background in linguistics may be admitted with provisional
admission status and may be asked to take specific additional
courses to meet minimum training in linguistics.
Applicants are required
to submit the following:
·
A completed application form;
·
Official transcripts from all previous universities or
colleges;
·
GRE scores
(a minimum of 1050 on verbal and quantitative sections combined is required;
the analytical score is also considered);
·
Three
letters of recommendation;
·
A personal
statement describing interests and objectives;
·
A writing
sample.
Foreign students whose language of education is not
English must also arrange to have original TOEFL scores submitted; a minimum
score of 100 on the IBT (600 on the paper-based test, or an equivalent IELTS score of 7.0) is required for
admission. Foreign students who hold a university degree from an institution in
an English-speaking country are not required to submit TOEFL scores. Foreign
students whose native language is not English and who are awarded a teaching
assistantship must meet the
Admission to the
graduate program is competitive. Those who meet the stated requirements are not
guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements
necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Degree Requirements
The M.A. in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science
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 described below 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. Such individualized programs of study must
consist of 30 credit hours planned in consultation with the student's advisor
and the Director of Graduate Studies or the Cognitive Science Graduate Advisor.
These credits must include at least 21 credit hours in Linguistics or Cognitive
Science courses and at least one 800-level seminar in Linguistics or Cognitive
Science.
Cognitive Science Track
The Cognitive Science Track is appropriate both for
students whose ultimate goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in a Cognitive Science
discipline and for those who wish a terminal master's degree. For an M.A. in
the Cognitive Science track, students must complete 30 credit hours planned in
consultation with the student's advisor and the Cognitive Science Graduate
Advisor.
These credit hours must
include at least CGSC 670 (Elements of Cognitive Science), one 800-level
seminar in Cognitive Science, and six courses (18 credits) distributed over
three of the following areas: Human cognition, The Structure of Human Language,
Computation and Cognition, General Cognitive Science. The remaining six
credit hours are chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor. A
complete list of courses for each area can be found on the Cognitive Science
Program's website and can be obtained from the Cognitive Science Graduate
Advisor.
Linguistics Track
The Linguistics track is appropriate both for students
who wish to obtain a Ph.D. in Linguistics and for those who wish a terminal
master's degree.
To acquire an understanding
of the basic concepts of linguistics, students must take at least three courses
out of the following core courses in Linguistics:
1. LING 604 Structure of Language or LING
609 Syntax I
2. LING 603 Introduction to Phonology or
LING 607 Phonology I
3. LING 612 Morphology
4. LING 691 Semantics I
5. CGSC 696 Psycholinguistics
In addition, students
must take at least one advanced course in Linguistics. The following courses
count as advanced courses:
1. LING 608 Phonology II
2. LING 610 Syntax II
3. Any 800-level courses offered in the
Dept. of Linguistics
Appropriate
substitutions may be made with the approval of the student's advisor and the
Director of Graduate Studies. The remaining 18 hours of courses are to be
selected in consultation with the student's advisor and the Director of
Graduate Studies.
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 InformationScience, 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 and
master's degree programs in Cognitive Science and Linguistics and Cognitive
Science. Whereas the traditional programs for the B.S. and M.A. degrees in
Cognitive Science and Linguistics and Cognitive Science 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 with 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.
Admission into the Combined B.S. and M.A. Program
Students may apply for admission to the 4+1 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:
1. Combined mathematics and verbal SAT
scores of at least 1200
2. An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25
3. Completion of all core courses for the
B.S./B.A. other than CGSC 485
4. Submission of an in-person writing
sample, based on work completed in a Cognitive Science or Linguistics 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.
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 or her 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 the fall semester of the student's junior year.
Continuation in the 4+1
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.
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 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 and Cognitive Science 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 description of the M.A. 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.
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, the student will
substitute another graduate course. The choice will require the 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, the student must petition the Director of Graduate
Studies to substitute another graduate course for the 600-level course in
question.
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.
The Ph.D. in Linguistics and
Cognitive Science
Students are required to take a minimum of 60 credits
beyond the B.A./B.S.:
51 credits in courses
proper;
9 credits in
dissertation research.
Students entering with
an M.A./M.S. in an appropriate area as determined by the Department must take a
minimum of 30 credits: 21 in courses proper and 9 in dissertation research. All
transfer credit must be in accord with the rules of the Office of Graduate
Studies; approval of transferred degrees and courses is at the discretion of
the Committee on Graduate Studies of the Department of Linguistics and
Cognitive Science.
Included in the 51
credits must be the following:
A. All students must take (for a letter
grade, not as Listener or Pass/Fail):
1. LING 607 Phonology I
2. LING 609 Syntax I
3. LING 608 Phonology II
4. LING 610 Syntax II
5. CGSC 696 Psycholinguistics
B.. Students
must also take at least four 800-level seminars (twelve credits),
two in Linguistics and two in either Linguistics or Cognitive Science.
C. Students
must also take 24 credits (eight courses) of Linguistics or related courses, chosen in consultation with the
student's advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students must choose an
area of specialization, and will typically concentrate their course work in
their chosen area of specialization (in consultation with their advisor).
No course can satisfy two requirements except that the four
800-level seminars can count toward specialization requirements; transfer
credit for these requirements may be accepted, but only under the conditions
stated above.
A maximum of 6 credits
in independent study is normally permitted during the entire course of study.
All independent study must be taken at the 800-level. No independent study will
substitute for required courses.
Students may substitute
other courses for those listed above only by petitioning in writing the
Director of Graduate Studies. The substitution must be approved by the
departmental Committee on Graduate Studies.
Other requirements for
the degree:
Language Requirement
Students whose native language is English are required
to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. The goal of the
Language Requirement is for the student to be able to function as a
professional in the field of linguistics in general and, more specifically, in
the chosen area of specialization. Proficiency may be either written or spoken.
Each student is responsible for presenting a rationale for:
1. the selection of a particular language
and
2. requesting a speaking or reading proficiency
test.
The student should make
a written request to the Director of Graduate Studies which clearly outlines
the projected practical use for the language chosen. The Director of Graduate
Studies will appoint an individual or a committee to administer the exam, which
will be tailored to the student's request. For example, a student may wish to
do field work, and this might require an oral examination with a focus on
asking linguistic questions. Another may need reading knowledge to have access
to journals and books, and this might require translation of a short passage.
Still another may envision presenting papers at international conferences
and/or participating in subsequent discussions with foreign colleagues, and
this might require conversational skills.
Students whose native
language is not English will be assumed to have proficiency in English and will
have thereby satisfied the Language Requirement. (See the Admissions and
Financial Aid sections for more on English proficiency requirements.)
Students are encouraged
to fulfill the Language Requirement as soon as possible. The University
stipulates that it must be satisfied prior to acceptance of the Dissertation
Prospectus and before a student passes into Doctoral Candidacy (G2 status).
No language examination
taken at any other school will fulfill the Language Requirement.
Qualifying Examination
Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination is
the first requirement for admission to Doctoral Candidacy. The Qualifying
Examination is taken at the beginning of the third semester of study. The
examination is normally offered once a year, immediately before the start of
the Fall semester. Retakes are available in February, immediately before the
Spring semester. Students wishing to take the examination during a particular
semester must notify the Director of Graduate Studies no later than the last
day of classes of the prior semester.
All students in the Ph.D. program must take qualifying
exams in phonology and syntax. Possible grades on each are Pass, Retake, and
Fail. In order to be admitted to doctoral candidacy, a student must receive a
grade of Pass on both examinations. Examinations awarded the grade of Retake
may be repeated once only and this must be in the semester subsequent to
the initial examination. Examinations receiving the grade of Fail may not be
retaken, and a student receiving this grade will not be permitted to continue
in the program.
The examinations in each
area are prepared and evaluated, whenever possible, by more than one faculty
member specializing in that area. All students who are examined in a particular
semester will receive the same examination. Although examinations are in
written form, if, on the basis of the written examination, the examination
committee for a particular sub-field finds it desirable to examine a particular
candidate orally as well as in writing, the committee shall have the right to
do so.
Qualifying Paper
Following successful completion of the Qualifying
Examinations, students are required to submit, for approval of the Committee on
Graduate Studies, a qualifying paper in their major area. A substantial draft
of this paper must be submitted to the student's advisor by the end of the Fall
semester of the second year. The advisor must certify to the Committee on
Graduate Studies that an acceptable draft has been submitted. Before the
beginning of the student's third year, the final version of the paper must be
submitted and approved by the advisor and the Committee on Graduate Studies.
Students who do not comply with this deadline will not be permitted to continue
in the program.
The Committee on
Graduate Studies will appoint an evaluation committee for the paper. Possible
grades are Pass, Revise, and Fail. The grade of Revise indicates that in the
judgment of the committee, the paper will be acceptable with revision. The
grade of Fail indicates that the student should submit a different paper to
meet the requirements. Students whose paper has received the grade of Revise or
Fail will be allowed one semester to satisfactorily complete the requirement
for the research paper. Course papers may be submitted as a qualifying paper,
but a grade of A in a course does not imply that the paper is acceptable as a
qualifying paper.
Advanced Seminars
Both before and after advancement to candidacy, all
students are expected to participate in advanced courses and research forums.
Specifically, all students who have not yet advanced to candidacy are required
to enroll in at least one advanced seminar at the 3-credit level per semester;
all students who have advanced to candidacy and are in sustaining status are
required to register for one advanced seminar at the 0-credit level per
semester. All students are expected to participate in other research forums related
to the student's area of specialization (e.g., departmental colloquia, brown
bag or lab meetings).
Dissertation Prospectus
The final requirement for admission to candidacy is the
acceptance of the Dissertation Prospectus. Before the Fall semester of their
fourth year, each student must choose a dissertation director, form a
dissertation committee, and submit a Dissertation Prospectus for approval. The
dissertation director must hold a primary appointment in the Department of
Linguistics and Cognitive Science or be approved by the Committee on Graduate
Studies. There must be at least three other members, chosen by the student,
that are acceptable to the dissertation director, one of whom must be outside
the student's major area. At least 50 percent of the committee members must
have primary appointments in the Department of Linguistics and Cognitive
Science. In all cases the committee must be approved by the Chair of the
Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science. Any changes to the committee
after it has been formed must also be approved by the Department Chair.
The dissertation
committee will meet with the student to examine the proposal and the
qualifications of the student to carry out the proposed research. The results
of this review will be acceptance into candidacy or a re-examination to be held
at a later date to be determined by the dissertation director. The committee
may also require further course work if deficiencies are found.
Students whose research
proposals involve human volunteers must comply with all University and
governmental requirements, including obtaining human subjects approval from the
University's Office of the Vice Provost for Research.
Admission to Doctoral Candidacy
A student who has advanced to candidacy has completed
all of the requirements for the Ph.D. apart from the dissertation. Once a
student has advanced to candidacy and completed the minimum number of
dissertation credits, it is possible to enroll with 'sustaining' status. In
order to advance to candidacy, all of the requirements listed above must be
completed.
As part of the Ph.D.
requirements, students must also complete 9 credits of dissertation research. 9
credits of pre-candidacy study may also count towards satisfying this
requirement, provided that they are taken no earlier than the full semester
immediately preceding advancement to candidacy.
Dissertation
Students who have completed all of the above
requirements are allowed to write the dissertation. The dissertation director
has the responsibility of distributing the dissertation to the readers in ample
time for the dissertation to be read adequately; the director also must see to
it that the dissertation committee meet when necessary as a group to discuss
the progress of the dissertation. The committee is to administer a final oral
defense of the dissertation. Certification of successful defense is then
submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of the University.
Termination for Failure to Fulfill the Requirements
As described under individual requirements above,
students who do not successfully complete any of the requirements may be
terminated from the program. Students can grieve termination for failure by a
written application to the Committee on Graduate Studies within 14 days of
notification of failure. The department will notify the Office of Graduate
Studies if a recommendation for dismissal is approved by the Committee on Graduate Studies.
Course Load and Advisement
All full-time students are expected to register for four
courses (12 credit hours) a semester. Students are required to pre-register for
a full-time load each semester in consultation with their advisor, so that the
Department can plan for adequate course offerings.
All students will be assigned a temporary first-year
advisor when they enter the program. Since it is important for students to
begin to work with faculty members in their area of specialization as early in
their academic career as possible, students are encouraged to choose an advisor
in their area of specialization as early as their second semester of study and
are required to do so by the beginning of the third semester. Students
are free to change advisors at any time.
The departmental
Committee on Graduate Studies will continue to monitor students' progress throughout
their program of study. Each year, by February 1, students should submit a
progress report (using a form available from their advisor) to the Committee on
Graduate Studies via their advisor. The Committee on Graduate Studies will meet
to discuss and evaluate the progress of every student in the program. The
results of this procedure will be communicated to the students.
Financial Aid
The Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science
offers a small number of teaching assistantships, graduate assistantships,
and/or research assistantships to Ph.D. students only. The awards are granted
to full-time students, normally for four years (the amount of time a full-time
student needs to complete the Ph.D.), and are renewed each year based on
satisfactory progress in the program.
Students funded by the department normally serve as
RAs in a lab setting or as tutors during
their first year, but must be ready to
teach their own sections of undergraduate courses by the second year. The
Linguistics and Cognitive Science Department therefore requires that
first-year students whose native language is not English successfully complete
the University's ITA program and pass the UDIA and the University's Speak Test with a score of 45. The
ITA program is administered in August and January; we strongly advise students
to complete it in August. Students must
score 50 or higher on the Speak Test by the start of their second semester and
need to establish proof of their English proficiency by retaking the University
UDIA and SPEAK tests, scoring 250 and 55, respectively by the start of their
second year, or they will not continue to receive funding.
Students who are on a
nine-month contract are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week,
except during official university holiday breaks (Dec 22- Jan 2/3) and the week
of Spring Break. All other absences from campus (for example, extended absences
during the winter term) have to be approved by the departmental Committee on
Graduate Studies.
All students are evaluated
for their academic performance in early February of each year. In addition,
students on TA contracts are evaluated in early February of each year by the
Director of Undergraduate Studies; students on RA contracts are evaluated by
their research supervisor. Evaluations have to be forwarded to the Director of
Graduate Studies and the Department Chair. TA and RA support can be
discontinued if the evaluations are not satisfactory.
Departmental Operations
Upon matriculation, students are expected to provide
up-to-date address, telephone, and email information to the Linguistics and
Cognitive Science Department Office and to update them as necessary throughout
the time they are enrolled in the degree program. It is especially important
that students activate their University of Delaware email account (and set up
email forwarding if they use a different account). Students should obtain keys
to the Department and graduate student offices from the Linguistics and Cognitive Science Office. These
keys will be retained throughout the students' enrollment.
Each student will have a mailbox in the Linguistics and
Cognitive Science building, 46 E. Delaware Ave., and an account for the
copy machine and printer. Students will be charged per copy for the use of the
copy machine and printer at the end of each semester (price per copy will be
posted each year). There are graduate offices located at 46 E. Delaware Ave.,
shared by all graduate students. Students have access to computers and a
telephone. The telephone is set up for local calls only. The building has a
wireless network to enable students to use their own computers.
The Department runs a phonetics and phonology lab
located at 310 Allison Hall and a psycholinguistics lab located at 125
McKinley. Students and faculty can schedule the use of the lab by
contacting the lab coordinator. In addition, space for conducting experimental
research is available at 42 E. Delaware. Students and faculty should contact
the Department Office about the use of this space.
Graduate students in the
Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science run the Linguistics Association
of Delaware (
Students are encouraged to submit their work for
presentations at national and international meetings. The Department has a
small amount of funds for travel expenses to present accepted papers. Students
are expected to apply for travel awards from University sources (for instance,
from the Graduate Studies Office or the International Office) in order to
receive funds from the Department. A form is available from the Department
Office to apply for travel funds from the Department. Students must apply for
travel funds before they begin travel.