Master of Arts in Linguistics
Why study linguistics?
Because language is a window into the mind. Linguistics provides an understanding of the human capacity to acquire, perceive, and produce language and of language’s role in contemporary society.
M.A. Overview
Our M.A. program in Linguistics requires the student to develop a solid understanding of the core areas of the discipline in addition to an in-depth specialty in one of the many areas available through the research interests of the faculty. Areas of special strength in the graduate program include phonetics, phonology, syntax, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, first language acquisition, second language acquisition, semantics, and the study of indigenous languages.
The student will work with their academic advisor to devise a course of study that best suits the student's research interests.
The M.A. program usually takes two years. Students in the M.A. program complete a written Research Proposal and an Oral Examination of the Research Proposal, typically in their fourth semester of study. Students are required to take an Advanced II-level course to develop their understanding of research in their area of interest.
Admission to Graduate Studies
Admission Requirements
- All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy.
- Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.
- English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required.
Graduate Admission
Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of purpose, an official copy of transcript from baccalaureate granting institution and transcripts from institutions attended post-baccalaureate, 3 letters of recommendation, and a writing sample. Non-native speakers of English must meet English proficiency requirements as described on the Graduate Admissions website. New students are admitted each Fall. The application deadline for the Linguistics M.A. program is December 1.
Submit your graduate application online. For further information regarding the application process, including department-specific deadlines and required supplemental documentation, please visit the Admissions page of the department website, or contact the department's Graduate Program Coordinator, Alec Graham, alec.graham@ku.edu.
M.A. Degree Requirements
The Master of Arts in Linguistics requires a total of 33 hours and includes two completion options: one for students in the terminal M.A. program and one for students in the Ph.D. program. The Linguistics Graduate Student Handbook is available on the department’s website.
Course Work
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LING 794 | Proseminar | 3 |
| LING 705 | Phonetics I | 3 |
| LING 712 | Phonology I | 3 |
| LING 725 | Syntax I | 3 |
| LING 709 | First Language Acquisition I | 3 |
| or LING 715 | Second Language Acquisition I | |
| LING 735 | Psycholinguistics I | 3 |
| or LING 738 | Neurolinguistics I | |
| Research Methods Course (Select 1 course) | 3 | |
| Research Methods in Linguistics | ||
| Field Methods in Linguistic Description | ||
| Research Methods in Child Language | ||
| ELECTIVES (2 courses) to be determined by the student and the student’s advisor. Electives are NOT to include LING 850, LING 851, LING 852, or LING 998. For students in the Linguistics Ph.D. program, at least one elective course (3 credit hours) must be taken from the Advanced II-Level course list or Linguistics Seminar course list. | 6 | |
| Research Seminar Course (1 course) to be determined by the student and the student's advisor. | 3 | |
| Topics in Research in Experimental Linguistics: _____ | ||
| Research in Language Acquisition and Processing | ||
| Research in Field and Formal Linguistics | ||
| Completion Option | 3 | |
M.A. Research Project (required for all student in Linguistics Ph.D. program): LING 899 Master’s Research Project (3 credit hours) | ||
| OR | ||
M.A. Research Proposal (required for all students in terminal M.A. program). Students take an Advanced II-Level Course or Linguistics Seminar (1 course - 3 credit hours). Refer to Advanced II-Level Course and Linguistics Seminar Course listing. | ||
| Advanced II- Level Courses: | ||
| Phonetics II | ||
| Phonology II | ||
| Second Language Acquisition II | ||
| Syntax II | ||
| Morphology | ||
| Semantics | ||
| Psycholinguistics II | ||
| First Language Acquisition II | ||
| Neurolinguistics II | ||
| Language Variation and Change | ||
| Linguistics Seminar Courses: | ||
| Seminar in Phonetics | ||
| Seminar in Phonology | ||
| Seminar in First Language Acquisition | ||
| Seminar in Syntax | ||
| Seminar in Semantics | ||
| Seminar in Psycholinguistics | ||
| Seminar in Neurolinguistics | ||
| Seminar in Second Language Acquisition | ||
| Linguistic Seminar: _____ | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
M.A. Research Proposal and Oral Examination
All students in the terminal M.A. program complete a written research proposal in their final semester of the program. The written paper should include a detailed proposal of a research project and will be reviewed by a committee including the student’s advisor and two additional faculty members. When the committee approves the written work, the student will then defend their proposal in a final oral examination. The final oral examination will include a presentation by the student summarizing their research proposal followed by questions from the student’s committee. Further details can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook.
M.A. Research Project for Ph.D. Students
The Master’s research project should consist of a detailed research proposal and include pilot results and/or preliminary analyses. Students in the Ph.D. program should be able to continue working on the project with the aim of submitting it as a qualifying paper for the Ph.D. program.
An M.A. candidate in residence who has begun work on a research project must enroll for at least 1 credit hour of LING 899 Master's Research Project each semester (summer session excluded) until the thesis is completed.
The research project must be defended successfully in an oral examination. The oral exam is scheduled when all 3 committee members have indicated in writing their approval or disapproval of the research project for defense and at least 2 (including the chair) have approved scheduling the exam. The oral examination will typically last 1-2 hours.
Following the oral examination, the student's performance will be evaluated by the project committee and reported by a Progress-to-Degree form to Graduate Studies as the outcome of the Master's oral examination. The committee will evaluate the M.A. research project with the following grades: 0-fail, 1pass but cannot continue to the Ph.D. program, 2-pass and can continue to the Ph.D. program.
Electives
Electives should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor. Any course taken outside of the Linguistics Department needs to be approved by the student's faculty advisor to count towards program requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LING 707 | Phonetics II | 3 |
| LING 709 | First Language Acquisition I | 3 |
| LING 714 | Phonology II | 3 |
| LING 715 | Second Language Acquisition I | 3 |
| LING 716 | Second Language Acquisition II | 3 |
| LING 720 | Research Methods in Linguistics | 3 |
| LING 721 | Regression and mixed-effects modeling for language science | 3 |
| LING 726 | Syntax II | 3 |
| LING 727 | Morphology | 3 |
| LING 731 | Semantics | 3 |
| LING 735 | Psycholinguistics I | 3 |
| LING 737 | Psycholinguistics II | 3 |
| LING 738 | Neurolinguistics I | 3 |
| LING 741 | Field Methods in Linguistic Description | 3 |
| LING 742 | Neurolinguistics II | 3 |
| LING 743 | Language Variation and Change | 3 |
| LING 747 | North American Indian Languages | 3 |
| LING 782 | Research Methods in Child Language | 3 |
| LING 799 | Proseminar in Child Language | 2 |
| LING 807 | Seminar in Phonetics | 3 |
| LING 814 | Seminar in Phonology | 3 |
| LING 822 | Seminar in First Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING 826 | Seminar in Syntax | 3 |
| LING 831 | Seminar in Semantics | 3 |
| LING 837 | Seminar in Psycholinguistics | 3 |
| LING 842 | Seminar in Neurolinguistics | 3 |
| LING 860 | Seminar in Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING 910 | Linguistic Seminar: _____ | 1-3 |
| LING 739 | First Language Acquisition II | 3 |
| AAAS 502 | Directed Language Study: _____ | 5 |
| AAAS 503 | Directed Language Study: _____ | 3 |
| AAAS 504 | Directed Language Study I: _____ | 3 |
| CLDP 880 | Seminar in Child Language: Research Methods | 1-3 |
| EALC 701 | Practicum in Teaching Chinese | 1 |
| EALC 702 | Practicum in Teaching Japanese | 1 |
| EALC 703 | Practicum in Teaching Korean | 1 |
| EPSY 710 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| EPSY 711 | Lab for Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 1 |
| EPSY 803 | Using R for Data Analysis | 3 |
| EPSY 810 | Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models | 3 |
| EPSY 896 | Seminar in: _____ | 1-3 |
| JPN 762 | Modern Japanese Texts I | 3 |
| JPN 764 | Modern Japanese Texts II | 3 |
| JPN 801 | Directed Readings and Research in Japanese | 1-4 |
| LA&S 720 | Introduction to Language Teaching Research | 3 |
| LAC 602 | Topics in Latin American Studies: _____ | 1-3 |
| PSYC 790 | Statistical Methods in Psychology I | 3 |
| PSYC 791 | Statistical Methods in Psychology II | 3 |
| SLAV 679 | Topics in: _____ | 1-6 |
| SPAN 801 | Teaching Spanish in Institutions of Higher Learning | 3 |
| SPLH 716 | Speech Perception | 2 |
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- demonstrate an ability to reason analytically about language.
- design a novel study that critically evaluates a hypothesis about language and would generate new ideas about language.
- communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing about language.
- demonstrate integrity and responsibility in the conduct of linguistics research.