phd in english language teaching in usa

Fully Funded PhDs in Teaching English as a Second Language

Last updated May 15, 2022

As part of my series on  How to Fully Fund Your PhD , I provide a list of universities that offer full funding for a PhD in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). PhDs in Teaching English as a Second Language are able to find employment around the world in teaching, curriculum writing, various educational positions, and academia.

“Full funding” is a financial aid package for full-time students that includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend or salary for the three to the six-year duration of the student’s doctoral studies. Funding is typically offered in exchange for graduate teaching and research work that is complementary to your studies. Not all universities provide full funding to their doctoral students, which is why I recommend researching the financial aid offerings of all the potential Ph.D. programs in your academic field, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad.

You can also find several external fellowships in the ProFellow database for graduate and doctoral study, as well as dissertation research, fieldwork, language study, and summer work experience.

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1000+ fully funded programs in 60 disciplines?  Download the FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

The University of British Columbia (UBC)  

(Vancouver, BC Canada): All full-time students who begin a UBC-Vancouver Ph.D. program will be provided with a funding package of at least $22,000 for each of the first four years of their Ph.D. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships.

New York University

(New York, NY): The basic full-time Ph.D. funding package includes an annual stipend, tuition remission for required course work, and student health insurance through your fourth year. If you are accepted as a full-time NYU Steinhardt Ph.D. student without an alternate funding source, you are eligible for our generous funding package, which includes a scholarship and tuition remission.

University of Pittsburgh

(Pittsburgh, PA): The Department of Linguistics is able to offer several very attractive funding packages every year to well-qualified applicants for the Ph.D. program. Each full-time financial aid package comes with a fellowship covering all tuition and fees, full medical coverage, and a stipend for two terms of service.

Need some tips for the application process? See my article  How To Get Into a Fully Funded PhD Program: Contacting Potential PhD Advisors .

Also, sign up to discover and bookmark more than 1800 professional and academic fellowships in the  ProFellow database .

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Related Posts:

• Fully Funded PhD Programs in English
• Fully Funded Master's Programs in English
• Fully Funded PhD Programs in School Psychology
• Fully Funded Master's Programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
• Fully Funded PhD Programs in Mathematics

English Teaching Fellowships , Fully Funded PhD Programs , PhD in Teaching English as a Second Language

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English Education PhD

Doctor of philosophy (75 points).

The primary purpose of the doctoral programs in English Education at Teachers College is to advance knowledge relevant to the teaching and learning of English and to prepare expert teachers of English for careers as scholars, researchers, and teacher educators in the field of English education. ​​ The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in English Education is open to a wide array of scholarly interests and thrives on the diversity of backgrounds and experiences students bring with them. As a Ph.D. student, you will become conversant with the principal theories, research methods, and pedagogical traditions of the field of English education. The degree program leads to an original research project culminating in the development of a scholarly dissertation that contributes to knowledge in the field. Graduates often take up research careers in universities or other educational institutions upon completion of their Ph.D. 

Experiences and Exposures: 

• World-class faculty come together with a collaborative group of students from around the world to critically engage with theoretical and pedagogical stances that underpin English Education. 
• Engagement in the scholarly community via coursework, research experiences, and opportunities to write and present at scholarly conferences. 
• Supported by faculty mentors, students take on individual exploration of enquiries and conduct original research into issues of critical importance to the field of English Education.

Final Admissions Deadline:  January 15th

The final deadline for doctoral program applications is January 15th (with a December 1st as a priority deadline).

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to a faculty member regarding the admissions process for this program.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 75
• Entry Terms: Fall
• Enrollment Formats: Full-Time, Part-Time

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

Doctor of Philosophy in English Ed

The Doctor of Philosophy (75 credits) degree is designed to prepare candidates for positions in higher education as teachers and researchers whose scholarly activity is focused on the theoretical, philosophical, and pedagogical questions that define English education as a discipline for teaching and inquiry.

Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:

A&HE 5510 Seminar in Foundational Texts 1 

A&HE 5504 Research Paper: Teaching of English (co-requisite with A&HE 5149)A&HE 5149 Writing Research: Methods and Assumptions (co-requisite with A&HE 5504)

A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English

A&HE 7504 Dissertation Seminar: Teaching of English

A&HE 8904 Dissertation Advisement in the Teaching of English

A range of electives in literary and rhetorical studies

Four research methods courses for a total of at least 12 credits. It is recommended that candidates include at least two of the following:

A&HE 5150 Research in Practice

A&HE 5160 Qualitative Methodologies & Theoretical Frameworks

A&HE 6151 Narrative Research in English Education

A&HE 6152 Advanced Narrative Research in English Education

Students may also satisfy the requirement for research methods courses by completing approved courses in other programs and departments across the College.

Credit Requirements and Transfer Credits for the Ph.D. in English Education

The number of courses students take depends in part on the number of credits students transfer from previous graduate work at Teachers College. Students working toward the Ph.D. degree (75 credits) may transfer a maximum of 30 credits and will thus complete at least 45 credits while in the Ph.D. program. Approval of transfer of credits is always at the discretion of the advisor.

Coursework Restrictions

An academic advisor must approve all coursework in a student’s program plan, especially to ensure enforcement of the following College and Departmental policies:

No course that is “R” (attendance) credit or that is “P” (pass/fail) may be counted toward the Ph.D. aside from A&HE 6504 and A&HE 7504.

Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses in other colleges (usually GSAS) of Columbia University or at other universities within the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.

Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.

Candidates should take a minimum of two courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).

Doctoral Program Milestones Program Plan

During their first year of study, students in consultation with their advisor should complete, and file with the Office of Doctoral Studies, a program plan (the forms are available in the English education office and in the Office of Doctoral Studies) anticipating all the courses they will need to complete within the scope of their doctoral studies. This program plan should then be reviewed annually with the student’s advisor (and revised as necessary) giving student and advisor an annual measure of the student’s progress through the program

A&HE 5504: Research Paper in the Teaching of English

Before enrolling in A&HE 5504, students must have completed at least two research methods courses, have successfully completed the Certification 1 Examination, have discovered an area or problem of interest that they wish to study for their 5504 project, and have familiarized themselves with some of the available research literature on the topic or problem they propose to investigate. The research paper completed in A&HE 5504 allows a doctoral student to demonstrate the capacity to complete independent research and produce a research paper at a level of sophistication that promises success in undertaking a doctoral research project and doctoral dissertation. The completed A&HE 5504 research paper must be approved by faculty as qualifying the student to proceed to the next milestone in the doctoral program, the Certification 2 Examination.

Certification Examinations

Certification examinations certify a student’s expertise in the foundational texts, research traditions, and theoretical perspectives that represent the history of English Education as an academic discipline and that inform research in the more specialized field of study defined by a student’s anticipated dissertation project. Doctoral students in the English Education Program must pass two separate certification examinations. Examination 1 is a take-home examination, seven days in duration, covering the history of English education with a focus on one of the major curricular strands within the discipline. Examination 2, covering a specialized disciplinary area related to the student’s dissertation topic, is a take-home written examination to be completed within a time frame (up to one semester) set by the student’s faculty advisor. The topics and texts to be covered by the two examinations and the examination questions are determined by each student’s advisor in consultation with the student who will be examined.

Foreign Language Requirement

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in English education must demonstrate reading proficiency in at least one foreign language at a level of competence sufficient to read scholarly or professional work relevant to their own field of study. Students should contact the Office of Doctoral Studies for the current policy regarding satisfying this requirement. Courses in statistics or other past substitutes for a foreign language will not be accepted.

Dissertation Proposal (A&HE 7504)

The doctoral dissertation proposal consolidates the work candidates have done in courses, professional reading, and the two certification examinations. It is usually a 60 to 100-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research, usually presenting drafts of early chapters for the dissertation. Typically a proposal includes an introductory chapter describing the origins and aims of the project, a fairly complete review of the literature, a chapter on research methods, and some preliminary data and data analysis. The dissertation proposal must be accepted at a formal or informal hearing where at least two faculty members function as examiners. Students may not undertake the dissertation proposal until both certification exams have been completed successfully.

Award of the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree

Students become eligible to apply for the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree upon completing 75 credits of coursework and fulfilling each of the previous doctoral program milestones. Upon being awarded the M.Phil. degree, doctoral students become “candidates” for the Ph.D. degree. Applications for the M.Phil. degree can be filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies.

Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is the culminating research project of the doctoral program and constitutes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English Education. As candidates write their dissertations, they must enroll in A&HE 8904: Dissertation Advisement in Teaching English, which is designed to help them refine their thinking and revise their writing as they complete successive drafts of their dissertation.

The Advanced Seminar

What is known historically as the Advanced Seminar now functions as a pre-defense meeting of a portion (2-3 faculty members) of the Ph.D. candidate’s doctoral dissertation committee, which convenes to interrogate and advise the candidate on the dissertation in progress in order to ensure its successful completion. The committee may be convened at any point in a candidate’s progress toward completing the dissertation research, but is ordinarily convened for English education candidates at a point when the candidate can present a rough draft of the entire dissertation for scrutiny by the dissertation committee members. The committee is convened in response to a formal request filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS) by the candidate with the approval of the dissertation advisor. Candidates should consult the ODS early in the dissertation project to ensure that all procedural rules for convening the Advanced Seminar and reporting on its deliberations are properly observed.

Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense offers the opportunity for members of the candidate’s dissertation committee, all of whom have carefully read the dissertation, to interrogate the candidate on any and all dimensions of the candidate’s research and the written dissertation that is the product of that research. In most cases the committee will suggest minor revisions that the candidate is expected to incorporate into the dissertation before filing the final version. A typical defense, however, is less an interrogation than it is a collegial discussion of the candidate’s research project and findings with attention to next steps in the candidate’s research agenda and possibilities for revising and publishing the dissertation or sections of it. A successful dissertation defense marks both a moment of certification and a ritual initiation. At the conclusion of a successful defense, authorized doctoral faculty officially certify a candidate’s accomplishment in completing a major research study that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English education broadly defined, and thereby welcome the doctoral candidate into the community of scholars.

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Program Director : Yolanda Sealey Ruiz, Limarys Caraballo

Teachers College, Columbia University 327 Horace Mann Hall

Phone: 212.678.3070 Fax: 212.678.8197

Email: pa_enged@tc.edu

• English Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Advance Your Career

Students typically—though not exclusively—seek a Ph.D. in English Education as a means to a career in higher education. Graduates of our program are prepared to teach, conduct research, and/or serve in an upper-level administrative capacity at any institution of higher education, both teaching- and research-intensive. Doctoral students work with their faculty advisor to devise a plan of study that is tailored to their needs and interests. This plan includes approximately 60 credit hours beyond the Master’s degree, including coursework in language and literacy, research methodologies, and foundational principles of the College, such as social justice and culturally relevant pedagogies. All students are required to take a preliminary examination and complete a dissertation working under the direction of a committee of graduate faculty led by their advisor.

This residential program has rolling admission . Applications must be fully complete and submitted (including all required materials) and all application fees paid prior to the deadline in order for applications to be considered and reviewed. For a list of all required materials for this program application, please see the “ Admissions ” tab.

Application Deadlines

July 1 * is the deadline for Fall applications.

November 15 is the deadline for Spring applications.

March 15 is the deadline for Summer applications.

*Those applicants interested in being considered for any available PhD funding should submit completed applications by December 1 for the following Fall semester.

Program at a Glance

• Major/Department: Curriculum and Instruction
• Research Area: English Education
• Degree Objective: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Program Delivery: Residential
• Does this program lead to licensure? * No , this is a non-licensure program

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Curriculum and Instruction Foundations Core

15 credit hours

• EDCI 50000: Foundations of Literacy
• EDCI 58000: Foundations of Curriculum
• EDCI 58500: Multicultural Education
• EDPS 53000: Advanced Educational Psychology
• EDPS 53300: Introduction to Educational Research I: Methodology

Curriculum and Instruction Research Core

Minimum of 12 credit hours

• EDCI 61500: This course provides a foundation for understanding the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings and procedures used in conducting qualitative research.
• STAT 50100 or 51100: Introduction to Statistics. This course provides a foundation for understanding and applying basic concepts of descriptive and inferential statistical research design and analysis. PSY 60000 and SOC 58100 are also acceptable research courses. Consult with your major professor to choose the course most appropriate for your program of study.
• Qualitative research courses include EDCI 61600: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Education, COM 58300: Research And Assessment In Organizational Communication, ANTH 51900, ANTH 56500, ANTH 60500, SOC 60900
• Quantitative research courses include STAT 50200, STAT 51200, PSY 60100
• EDPS 63000: Research Procedures in Education is taken when students are ready to write their dissertation proposal. This course focuses on the design and presentation of educational research. Seminars which focus on qualitative or quantitative studies are offered under the same course number. Students should elect the option that is most suited to their research interests.
• Theoretical or mixed methods research courses include EDCI 62000: Seminar in Mathematics Education; EDCI 67300: Issues and Methods in Educational Technology Research; ANTH 60500: Seminar in Ethnographic Analysis; ENGL 61800: Research Design; ENGL 62400: Rhetorical History and Theory; ENGL 62500: Empirical Research on Writing; ENGL 63200: Critical Theory; ENGL 68000: Qualitative Research Methods; STAT 51400: Design of Experiments

Education Cluster Area

English Education students are required to take 12 credits of coursework focused on English education or related topics of study. Students typically draw from graduate courses offered by Language & Literacy faculty (EDCI courses at the 500 or 600 level) or seminars of interest in the English Department (ENGL courses at the 500 or 600 level). Students can also take undergraduate English methods courses at the graduate level by completing extra projects that are grad-level-worthy and/or serving as a TA for the course for course credit if they have teaching experience (see English Education flyer for a description of these courses). These classes are selected in consultation with your major professor.

In addition to a submitted application (and any applicable application fees paid), the following materials are required for admission consideration, and all completed materials must be submitted by the application deadline in order for an application to be considered complete and forwarded on to faculty and the Purdue Graduate School for review.

A completed master’s degree is required prior to admission.

Application Requirements

Here are the materials required for this application

• Transcripts (from all universities attended)
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• 3 Recommendations
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement
• International Applicants must meet English Proficiency Requirements set by the Purdue Graduate School

We encourage prospective students to submit an application early, even if not all required materials are uploaded. Applications are not forwarded on for faculty review until all required materials are uploaded.

How to Apply

When submitting your application for this program, please select the following options:

• Select a Campus: Purdue West Lafayette (PWL)
• Select your proposed graduate major: Curriculum and Instruction
• Please select an Area of Interest: English Education
• Please select a Degree Objective: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Primary Course Delivery: Residential

This program does not lead to licensure in the state of Indiana or elsewhere. Contact the College of Education Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) at [email protected] before continuing with program application if you have questions regarding licensure or contact your state Department of Education about how this program may translate to licensure in your state of residence.

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Ph.D. Program

The Stanford English department has a long tradition of training the next generation of scholars to become leaders in academia and related fields. Our Ph.D. program encourages the production of ambitious, groundbreaking dissertation work across the diverse field interests of our prestigious faculty.

Fusing deep attention to literary history with newer approaches to media, technology, and performance, our department carefully mentors students in both scholarship and pedagogy through close interaction with faculty. Our location on the edge of the Pacific and at the heart of Silicon Valley encourages expansive, entrepreneurial thinking about the interpenetration of arts and sciences.

Program Overview

The English Department seeks to teach and promote an understanding of both the significance and the history of British and American literature (broadly defined) and to foster an appreciation of the richness and variety of texts in the language. It offers rigorous training in interpretive thinking and precise expression. Our English graduate program features the study of what imaginative language, rhetoric, and narrative art has done, can do, and will do in life, and it focuses on the roles creative writing and representations play in almost every aspect of modern experience. Completing the Ph.D. program prepares a student for full participation as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.

Financial Support

We offer an identical five-year funding package to all admitted students with competitive funding available for a sixth year. Funding covers applicable tuition costs, Stanford Cardinal Care health insurance, and living expenses in the form of direct stipend, teaching assistantships or pre-doctoral research assistantships. The department, in conjunction with the School of Humanities and Sciences, is also committed to supporting students' involvement in professional activities and funds many of the expenses for research travel, summer language study, and participation in academic conferences. Student housing is not included in the funding package.

In addition to our standard doctoral funding package, the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) provides competitive funding to support individual doctoral students, student groups, and department-based projects. VPGE funding opportunities promote innovation, diversity, and excellence in graduate education. Explore their doctoral  fellowship  and other student  funding  opportunities.

The  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program cultivates and supports a highly-engaged, multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and delivers a diverse collection of educational experiences, preparing graduates to address complex challenges facing the world. Knight-Hennessy Scholars participate in an experiential leadership development program known as the King Global Leadership Program and receive funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford. Two applications must be submitted separately; one to Knight-Hennessy and one to the Stanford English graduate degree program by its deadline. Please refer to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program page to learn more and apply.

Teaching Requirements

One pedagogical seminar and four quarters of supervised teaching. Typically a student will teach three times as a teaching assistant in a literature course. For the fourth course, students will have the option of applying to design and teach a Writing Intensive Seminar in English (WISE) for undergraduate English majors or teaching a fourth quarter as a T.A..

• 1st year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
• 2nd year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
• 3rd/4th/5th years: Two quarters of teaching, including the possibility of TA'ing or teaching a WISE course.

Language requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages. One language requirement must be completed during the first year of study. The second language must be completed before the oral examination in the third year.

Candidates in the earlier periods must offer Latin and one of the following languages: French, German, Greek, Italian or Spanish. Candidates in the later period (that is, after the Renaissance) must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two languages for which  Stanford’s Language Center  regularly offers a reading course, administers a competency exam, or facilitates the administration of an American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Reading Proficiency Test (ACTFL RPT). In all cases, the choice of languages offered must be relevant to the student’s field of study and must have the approval of the candidate's adviser. Any substitution of a language other than one for which Stanford offers a competency exam must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Other requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. must satisfactorily complete the following:

• 135 units, at least 70 of which (normally 14 courses) must be graded course work
• Qualifying examination, based on a reading guide of approximately 70-90 works, to be taken orally at the end of the summer after the first year of graduate work.
• University oral examination covering the field of concentration taken no later than the winter quarter of the third year of study.
• Submission of the dissertation prospectus
• First chapter review with the dissertation advisor and the members of the dissertation reading committee.
• Dissertation, which should be an original work of literary criticism demonstrating the student's ability to participate fully as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.
• Closing colloquium designed to look forward toward the next steps; identify the major accomplishments of the dissertation and the major questions/issues/problems that remain; consider possibilities for revision, book or article publication, etc.

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Language Education and Multilingualism, PhD

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE Thursday, Nov. 9 Event Details Register Now

Our doctoral program in language education and multilingualism focuses on preparing you for research, teaching and administrative posts in colleges and universities, and for positions of educational leadership in the schools or in state education departments. The mission of our program is to foster the development of foreign/second/bilingual language education practitioners and researchers who can understand and analyze language teaching and learning, and language policy to improve language and content teaching and learning in diverse educational contexts.

On this page:

Why language education and multilingualism at ub.

The features of our program include:

• becoming familiar with groundbreaking inquiry processes and research methodologies
• carrying out principled, meaningful and rigorous research and applying it to real-world educational challenges
• collaborating with internationally recognized scholars who mentor students to engage in research studies
• developing an understanding of language theory and an ability to thoughtfully apply this theory
• engaging in scholarship that involves participation in the exchange of ideas and advancement of the field as a whole
• preparing scholars and educational leaders to pursue careers in academia, and occupy positions of leadership in American and global universities and colleges

Program Overview

Career Opportunities

You'll find our alumni leading their field as:

• deans of schools of education
• faculty and researchers in national and international universities and colleges
• federal, state and districtwide administrators of English as a second language, foreign and multilingual education
• international school administrators
• provosts and deans of international education
• scholars in foreign and second language education

Program Coursework

Your program of study requires 72 credit hours:

• Concentration — 24 credit hours 
• Research — 28 credit hours (21 credits of courses, 6 hours of research component/practicum, 1 credit of research analysis exam)
• Dissertation — 10 credit hours
• Relevant master's degree courses — 10 credit hours

Program Faculty

Tasha Austin

Assistant Professor Learning And Instruction

505 Baldy Hall Buffalo, NY 14260 Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-2455

Email: [email protected]

Janina Brutt-Griffler

Professor Learning And Instruction

562 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-4066

Email: [email protected]

Erin Kearney

Associate Professor Learning And Instruction

554 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-4058

Email: [email protected]

Lilliam M. Malave Lopez

553 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-4060

Email: [email protected]

Lynne R. Yang

Clinical Associate Professor Learning And Instruction

586 Baldy Hall North Campus Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: 716-645-3502

Email: [email protected]

Application Requirements

If you do not already hold a master's degree, you will be considered for admission if you have completed an otherwise field-relevant and highly rigorous undergraduate degree program or a collection of graduate courses not leading to a degree.

In an effort to make the application process more equitable, the GRE/MAT is no longer required for admissions consideration. If you still plan to take the GRE/MAT exam, you can send your scores through the testing agency, and they will automatically be added to your application; however, they are not required for admission consideration to this program.

Submit your completed online application, which includes:

• Application fee:  A $50 non-refundable application fee, submitted electronically through UB's ePayment system.
• Contact information for two individuals  who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter.
• Unofficial transcripts  from all colleges attended. (UB transcripts are automatically submitted for current UB students and alumni.)
• Sample of academic writing:  A sample of your academic writing (e.g., master's thesis, professional publication).
• Statement of interest:  Statement of your educational and career goals and objectives.

Admission Interview:  An interview is required to be considered for admission to this program.

Former/Maiden Name:  Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.

Admissions Decision: The admissions decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

In-State Residency Tuition

In order to qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.

If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See  Required Documents for Residency Application  for more information. 

International Applicant Additional Requirements

• Official original proof of your degree
• A copy of your passport biographical page
• TOEFL minimum score is 250 for computer-based test, 600 for paper- based test and 96 for internet-based test 
• IELTS minimum score is 7.0 overall
• PTE minimum score is 55 overall
• Financial documentation:   International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S.
• An official bank statement

All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.

We have a collection of frequently asked questions that may help you. If your questions are still unanswered, we are glad to help! Contact our admission office .

Questions About the Admission Process?

Office of Graduate Admission Graduate School of Education 366 Baldy Hall, North Campus 716-645-2110 [email protected]

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Educational linguistics, doctor of philosophy (ph.d.), you are here, a pioneering doctoral program with an enduring legacy of research in applied linguistics, language learning, and teaching..

The Educational Linguistics Ph.D. program focuses on language learning and teaching as well as the role of language in education. Our questions and concerns are situated squarely in educational policy and practice, informing and informed by interdisciplinary theory and research in linguistics, anthropology, psychology, sociology, history, and other fields.

What Sets Us Apart

About the program.

Our program promotes the view that language must be examined within the cultural contexts and social situations in which it occurs.

3–4 courses per semester (fall/spring semesters only)

Transfer courses 8 (electives only)

Duration of program 5–7 years

Culminating experience Candidacy examination, and dissertation

Our faculty and students are involved in generating research on language and learning in areas such as:

• Linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural aspects of (additional) language development
• Local and global perspectives on world language teaching policy and practice in K-12 and higher education
• The intersections of disability, language, school–parent partnerships, and education policy
• The historical and contemporary manifestation of raciolinguistic ideologies that frame the language practices of racialized communities
• How multilingual speakers use milimodal communication practices – such as gestures, laughter, actions, and learning materials – to resolve miscommunication
• How language, social interaction, institutions, and the Internet influence what students learn in schools
• The role of lanugage in all forms of learning

Our curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in linguistics and research methodology. Students customize their education by working with their advisor to choose electives from a wide range of course offerings from across the Penn campus. Introductory courses in language pedagogy and sociolinguistics are strongly encouraged for students with no background in these areas. 

For course descriptions and requirements, visit the  Educational Linguistics Ph.D. program in the University Catalog .

For a full list of courses offered at GSE, visit  Penn’s University Course Catalog .

Sample courses

• Linguistics in Education                                                                              
• Sociolinguistics in Education                                                                      
• Language Diversity and Education                                                             
• Second Language Development    
• Genealogies of Race and Language in Educational Research 
• Issues in Second Language Acquisition                                        
• Phonology I
• Citizen Sociolinguistics
• Classroom Discourse and Interaction
• Approaches to Teaching English and Other Modern Languages
• Anthropology & Education
• Theories of Reading
• Language in Culture & Society

Our Faculty

"I got to work with inspiring scholars doing cutting-edge work. I saw firsthand the process of writing, submitting, and publishing a journal article. I had so many experiences that shaped me as a scholar and that I continue to draw on in my research and academic writing."

Our Graduates

The Educational Linguistics Ph.D. program prepares candidates for teaching and research careers in colleges and universities worldwide, as well as careers in government, community, and private organizations.

Alumni Careers

• Associate Professor, Columbia Teachers College
• Assistant Professor, Indiana University
• Associate Professor, Malmö University
• Associate Professor, University of Iowa
• Associate Professor and Chair, Adelphi University
• Director of Educational Programming and Research, Center for Cultural, Art, Training and Education (CCATE)
• Senior International Baccalaureate World Schools Manager
• Assistant Professor of TESOL and Applied Linguistics in the English Department, Illinois State University
• Research and Evaluation Supervisor, William Penn School District
• Lecturer in Language Studies, Brown University
• Founder/CEO, Brilliant Bilingual
• Associate Professor of Language Education and Urban Social Justice Learning & Teaching, Rutgers University
• Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University
• Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne
• Assistant Professor of International Students, College of Charleston
• Assistant Professor of Linguistics, University of Louisville
• Assistant Professor, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education, University of Colorado, Denver
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow

Admissions & Financial Aid

Please visit our Admissions and Financial Aid pages for specific information on the application requirements , as well as information on tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, and fellowships.

Contact us if you have any questions about the program.

Graduate School of Education University of Pennsylvania 3700 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 898-6415 [email protected] [email protected]

Erica Poinsett Program Assistant [email protected]

Please view information from our Admissions and Financial Aid Office for specific information on the cost of this program.

All Ph.D. students are guaranteed a full scholarship for their first four years of study, as well as a stipend and student health insurance. Penn GSE is committed to making your graduate education affordable, and we offer generous scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.

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Working Papers in Educational Linguistics

Working Papers in Educational Linguistics  is a student-managed journal focused on the many areas of research within educational linguistics.

You May Be Interested In

Related programs.

• Educational Linguistics Ed.D.
• Intercultural Communication M.S.Ed.
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) M.S.Ed.

Related Topics

Department of English

Graduate Program Overview

Ph.D. Program in English at Princeton

The aim of the Princeton graduate program in English is to produce well-trained and field-transforming scholars, insightful and imaginative critics, and effective and creative teachers. The Ph.D. program is both rigorous and supportive. With two years of coursework and three years of research and teaching, all fully funded, it is possible to complete the degree in five years. We offer multiple funding opportunities for research fellowships in year six, should students need additional time for dissertation completion and for the academic job market, or for pursuing other career opportunities.

Princeton is a research institution with strengths across the disciplines, but it maintains a feeling of intimacy. In keeping with the goals of the University at large, the Department of English seeks to cultivate and sustain a  diverse , cosmopolitan, and lively intellectual community. Because this is a residential university, whose traditions emphasize teaching as well as research, the faculty is easily accessible to students and committed to their progress.

The  faculty  of the Department of English is notable for its world-renowned scholarly reputation, and commitment to teaching and close collaboration with colleagues and students. The faculty showcases wide-ranging interdisciplinary interests as well as a diverse range of critical approaches within the discipline. In addition to offering seminars in every major historical field of concentration, from medieval to contemporary literatures, we offer a wide range of theoretical specializations in fields such as feminist theory, gender and sexuality studies, psychoanalysis, Marxism, postcolonialism, environmental studies, political and social theory, and cultural studies. Students may also take courses in cognate departments such as comparative literature, classics, philosophy, linguistics, history, and art history.

Course of Study

The graduate program in English is a five-year program (with multiple opportunities for funding in year six) leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Students may not enroll for a Master of Arts degree. During the first two years, students prepare for the General Examination through work in seminars, and directed or independent reading. The third, fourth, and fifth years are devoted the writing of a dissertation, and to teaching in undergraduate courses. Through numerous funding opportunities, we are able to offer sixth-year students generous research support.

Although programs are flexible, during the first two years graduate students normally take an average of three courses per semester, to complete the required 12 courses by the end of the second year. The comprehensive General Examination is then taken at the beginning of the third year of study.

Students must also demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages before the completion of the General Examination.

Course Requirements

Graduate students are required to take a minimum of twelve courses over their first two years in the program, usually enrolling in three courses per semester.

Our distribution requirements are designed to acquaint each student with a diverse range of historical periods and thematic and methodological concerns. The Department values both historical expertise and theoretical inquiry, and assumes that our discipline includes the study of film, visual culture, and media studies.

Graduate Students in English must take courses in each of the following six areas:

• Medieval and Renaissance
• 18th Century and 19th Century
• Modern and Contemporary
• Race, Ethnicity, and Postcoloniality
• Gender and Sexuality

All distribution requirements must be taken for a letter grade. The six-course distribution requirement comprises 50% of the courses required for the degree, leaving sufficient room for intensive coursework in areas of specialization. 

While some graduate seminars may cover more than one field, students may not use one course to fulfill two or more distribution requirements at the same time. For example, a medieval course with a substantial commitment to theory may fulfill either the medieval and Renaissance or the theory requirements.

Each entering student is assigned a faculty advisor who works with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in planning course selection in the first and second years. After successfully submitting and presenting the dissertation proposal during the spring of the third year, students choose three faculty members to serve as their dissertation advisers.

Graduate Action Committee (GAC)

The Graduate Action Committee (GAC) is a representative group of graduate students in the Department that advocates for graduate student with faculty and administration. Among its primary goals are representing the concerns of the entire graduate student body, promoting intellectual and social interaction between faculty and graduate students, organizing an annual speaker series of distinguished academics, and improving the quality of graduate student life at Princeton. Every graduate student in the Department is welcome and encouraged to participate in GAC.

Working Group on Graduate Issues (WGGI)

The Working Group on Graduate Issues (WGGI) is a four- or five-person elected group of students who meet at several points during the academic year with the chair, director of graduate studies, and one additional faculty member to represent graduate student concerns.

In addition to participating in a variety of seminars and colloquia organized by the Department and other units at the University, graduate students are welcome to organize colloquia of their own. These may involve the discussion of an article or problem, the presentation of a paper, or a forum for debate.

Graduate students who have passed the General Examination are required to teach in undergraduate courses. While the minimum Department requirement is four hours, most students teach more than this. Students may conduct sections of large lecture courses, or direct precepts in upper-division courses. This teaching is supervised by experienced members of the faculty. The Department and University also offer, on an annual basis, a teacher training seminar and workshop. Advanced graduate students may co-design and co-teach courses with faculty through the  Collaborative Teaching Initiative . 

Library Collections

In addition to the general collections of Princeton’s libraries, Firestone Library has a number of special collections that are particularly rich in materials for study: one of the most important collections of medieval and renaissance manuscripts in the United States; works of the Restoration Period, with emphasis on drama; the theater collection, which contains materials for the study of theatrical history; extensive collections concerning the history and literature of the middle Atlantic and southern states; little poetry magazines; concrete and visual poetry; the Sinclair Hamilton Collection of American Illustrated books, 1670–1870; the Morris L. Parrish Collection of Victorian Novelists; the J. Harlin O’Connell Collection of the 1890's and the Gallatin Collection of Aubrey Beardsley; and the archives of major American publishing houses. The extensive Miriam Y. Holden Collection of Books on the History of Women is located adjacent to the Department’s literature collection in the Scribner Room.

Job Placement

We offer strong support and deep resources for students pursuing careers inside and outside academia. Our Job Placement and Career Resources page provides details, as well as information and statistics about recent academic appointments.

Admission  and Financial Aid

Competition for admission to the program is keen. About ten new students from a wide range of backgrounds are enrolled each year. The Department looks for candidates of outstanding ability and intellectual promise who have the potential to be lively, effective, and sympathetic scholars and teachers. Its judgments are based on letters of recommendation, transcripts, a personal statement, and a sample of the candidate’s academic writing. GRE scores are not required. Facility in foreign languages is also taken into account. To access the online application, please visit the  Graduate Admission Office .

All admitted students are fully funded. Fellowships are awarded by the Graduate School on the Department’s recommendation. Students are also eligible to apply for competitive external and internal fellowships, such as those offered by the Graduate School, the Center for Human Values, and the Center for the Study of Religion.

English Department

The Department offices, lecture halls, and seminar rooms are located in McCosh Hall. There are two libraries in McCosh Hall: the Thorp Library, home to the Bain-Swiggett Library of Contemporary Poetry, and the Hinds Library, the Department’s reading room and lounge. There is also a separate English Graduate Reading Room in Firestone Library, where reserve books for graduate seminars are kept on the shelves. It is adjacent to the Scribner Room, the Department's large non-circulating collection of books and journals.

The Graduate School provides University housing for about 65 percent of the graduate student body. New students have first priority. Although housing in the Princeton area is expensive, many graduate students find convenient and attractive private housing, sharing accommodations or investigating neighboring towns. There are also opportunities for graduate students to apply for resident positions in the undergraduate colleges.

Visiting Princeton

Applicants for admission are welcome to visit the campus at any time, and  tours  of the campus are available. Once the formal admissions period is over by the end of February, admitted students will be invited to campus and will have the opportunity to visit seminars, and meet with faculty and current graduate students.

English (English Education), PhD

• Program description
• At a glance
• Degree requirements
• Admission requirements
• Tuition information
• Application deadlines
• Program learning outcomes
• Career opportunities
• Contact information

Composition, Education Leadership, English Education, English language arts, Language, Reading, Secondary writing instruction, english, literacies, secondary reading instruction, teacher inquiry, teacher research, writing

This doctoral program is designed for students with a background in secondary language arts teaching who have diverse interests and professional goals. It is ideal preparation for your career as an expert teacher of English, or as a scholar, researcher, curriculum developer, teacher educator or leader in the field of English education.

The PhD program in English with a concentration in English education prepares students to examine the writing and reading practices of secondary students. Students also learn about the instructional practices of secondary English language arts teachers through emphasis of the relationship between pedagogy and research methodologies used to study the teaching of secondary English.

The curriculum comprises dynamic coursework, mentoring, interdisciplinary learning opportunities and community outreach.

Possible areas for research focus within this program include young adult literature, secondary reading and writing practices, new literacies, English language learning, critical literacy, and secondary English language arts curriculum and instruction development. The program encourages students to pursue coursework in other subdisciplines within the Department of English, such as rhetoric and composition, applied linguistics and literature, and coursework in the ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, such as literacy and educational research methodology.

Students benefit from the program's links to the Central Arizona Writing Project, which offers opportunities for related coursework, research, community outreach and teacher in-service programs.

The doctorate in English education prepares students to become professors of English education or to pursue other relevant opportunities in research and administration.

• College/school: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Location: Tempe
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: No

84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 credit hours) ENG 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Foundational Distribution (12 credit hours)

Advanced Studies Distribution (12 credit hours)

Internships (6 credit hours) ENG 784 Internship (6)

Specialization (9 credit hours)

Electives and Research (30 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) ENG 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Students must take 12 credit hours at the 500 level, selected from a list of approved courses in education, English, linguistics and applied linguistics for the foundational distribution.

Students must take at least three courses in the area of specialization.

When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If not approved, the 30 credit hours of coursework will be made up of electives and research.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's and master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with master's degrees in English education and related fields, such as English literature, applied linguistics, education, and rhetoric and composition will be considered. A minimum of three years of full-time teaching or volunteer work in secondary English language arts classrooms or in literate-rich settings is required.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample
• statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency; official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The one- to two-page statement should explain the applicant's interest in the program and how the applicant's background and preparation led to the specific career and research goals. Although applicants will not be expected to have a definite research topic, the statement should articulate the specific domain or research area the applicant hopes to pursue and possible research questions. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals familiar with the applicant's promise in English education, including one letter from a school principal and two letters from university professors. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:

• Design and conduct original research in the field of English Education.
• Produce written article-length work of publishable quality.
• Write a comprehensive book-length research study with theory, literature review, methods, analysis, and findings based on one's own research.

Careers for English education graduates include professions related to the field of language arts and literacy education in secondary schools.

Career examples include:

• curriculum developer
• department chair
• district level research specialist
• dual enrollment teacher
• faculty member (college, university)
• instructional leader
• literacy coach
• middle or high school English teacher
• state level curriculum specialist

Department of English | RBHL 170 [email protected] 480-965-3194 Admission deadlines

Online Ph.D. in Literacy: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Specialization

Request more information, meet the literacy needs of english learners through evidence-based practice..

Explore differentiated literacy instruction and develop theoretical and applied expertise to help you support English learners domestically and abroad.

Use the most up-to-date research to enhance teaching, curriculum design, and professional development in nearly any educational setting. Through online coursework, graduate ready to help English learners of all ages and backgrounds address the challenges they face.

Career Outlook: Teach English in the US or around the World

Qualified TESOL instructors are in high demand in the United States, especially in areas with significant immigrant and refugee communities like California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas, and other urban areas. 1 Even outside of the US experienced, trained teachers are greatly needed. Those with a TESOL degree are usually sought out for positions that go beyond teaching, such as teacher training, curriculum and materials development, and program administration. 2

Career Spotlight: Director of Literacy and ESL Services

As a director of literacy and ESL services, you supervise, mentor, and instruct faculty; create and review course materials; test and place students in TESOL programs; and mediate interactions between faculty and staff to mitigate concerns and take suggestions. You might also teach TESOL courses and take charge of administrative duties.

In this position, you can make up to $132,722 3 annually, depending on your experience and location.

Potential career titles:

• Supervisor for curriculum and instruction: TESOL
• Research specialist
• Higher education instructor

Curriculum: TESOL Skills to Help Students Thrive

Our courses are designated to meet the highest professional standards in TESOL set by the International TESOL Association. Learn to conduct in-depth examinations of linguistic differences and cultural characteristics of English learners in order to assess their academic needs and provide authentic, collaborative learning opportunities.

Engage with full-time, tenured St. John’s faculty members and benefit from their years of experience as national and international educators and their cutting-edge TESOL research. As you learn, connect with a dynamic and collaborative online learning environment.

In addition to 18 credit hours of core literacy courses and 15 credit hours of research required for the Ph.D. in Literacy, the TESOL specialization includes the following three courses:

• EDU 9001: Foundations of Bilingual and Second Language Education
• EDU 9003: Literacy Development for First and Second Language Learners
• EDU 9010: Linguistics for Teachers of English Language (ELL) and Exceptional Learners

Specialization Outcomes

• Examine principles, policies, educational models, research assessment, and technology in TESOL education.
• Learn the history of American education with an emphasis on linguistically diverse learner programs.
• Understand the theory and practice necessary to teach literacy and language arts to monolingual and linguistically, culturally diverse learners.
• Examine the cross-cultural framework for the study of birth through adolescent development, focusing on the effects of cultural heritage characteristics and socioeconomic levels.

More Specialization Options

Ph.d. in literacy: literacy.

Support literacy as the backbone of education from kindergarten to high school graduation, gain first-hand experience with expert faculty, and build a foundation for student success.

Help drive success among English learners with a specialization in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as part of your online Ph.D. in Literacy through St. John’s University. Contact us at 844-393-1677 or request more information today!

• “Teaching Opportunities in the United States.” (n.d.). TESOL International Association. Retrieved on October 6, 2022, from https://www.tesol.org/enhance-your-career/career-development/beginning-your-career/teaching-opportunities-in-the-united-states .
• “Teaching Opportunities Outside the United States.” (n.d.). TESOL International Association. Retrieved on October 6, 2022, from https://www.tesol.org/enhance-your-career/career-development/beginning-your-career/teaching-opportunities-outside-the-united-states .
• “How much does a Director of Literacy make?” (December 13, 2021). Glassdoor, Inc. Retrieved on October 6, 2022, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/director-of-literacy-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm .

Search NYU Steinhardt

Doctor of Philosophy English Education

Develop the research and writing skills you need to become an academic researcher or teacher educator in the field of English education. This doctoral program prepares you to build a career as a university researcher, English curriculum specialist in governmental and nonprofit educational organizations, or English teacher educator in post-secondary school systems.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

PhD in English Education: Secondary and College

New York City as Your Research Setting

Based in one of the most diverse urban settings in the world, NYU Steinhardt is an ideal location to conduct educational research. We partner with schools across New York City to provide opportunities for fieldwork, giving you a wide range of potential sites for conducting research. 

Small Classes and Doctoral Seminars

Courses in this program prepare you to conduct independent research in your area of interest. You'll design research proposals, implement a research agenda, and disseminate findings. You will also attend doctoral seminars that foster deep conversations on relevant texts and issues in the field. 

Work Closely with Our Renowned Faculty

Our faculty members are leading efforts in educational reform, and conducting research on issues like barriers to literacy acquisition and the relationship of public schooling to social, political, and economic contexts. With the guidance of your faculty mentor, you will research and prepare a doctoral dissertation.

Upon completion of your doctorate, you’ll be prepared for a career as a university researcher, Teacher educator in post-secondary school systems, and English education specialist in governmental and nonprofit educational organizations.

Funding for Full-Time PhD Students

NYU Steinhardt offers a competitive funding package for PhD students who study full time.  Learn more about our funding opportunities .

Online Info Session

In this session, NYU faculty share information about the PhD programs in the department of Teaching & Learning, including the PhD in Teaching & Learning, PhD in English Education, PhD in Bilingual Education, and PhD in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Faculty provide an overview of the programs and answer questions from potential applicants.

Questions 

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact Sarah W. Beck, Program Director at  [email protected] .

Take the Next Step

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

Education (PhD) – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Program at a glance.

• In State Tuition
• Out of State Tuition

Learn more about the cost to attend UCF.

This program is temporarily no longer accepting applications Fall 2024- Fall 2026.

Combining the interdisciplinary expertise of faculty in two Colleges, the PhD Track in TESOL offers students in-depth experiences in the research, theory, and practice of TESOL, as well as flexibility in selecting a complementary cognate that meets their professional goals.

The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) track in the Education PhD program requires at least 63 credit hours of study beyond the master's degree. The curriculum includes 24 credit hours of core courses, 15 credit hours of TESOL specialization courses, 9 credit hours of cognate courses, and 15 credit hours of dissertation. All students must also complete the candidacy examination.

Total Credit Hours Required: 63 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's Degree

University of Central Florida Colleges

Request Information

Enter your information below to receive more information about the Education (PhD) – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program offered at UCF.

Track Prerequisites

A master's degree in a closely related field.

Prerequisites

• TSL 6250 - Applied Linguistics in ESOL 3 Credit Hours
• TSL 6440 - Assessment Issues in TESOL 3 Credit Hours
• TSL 6642 - Issues in Second Language Acquisition 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 6401 - Statistics for Educational Data 3 Credit Hours
• TSL 5345 - Methods of ESOL Teaching 3 Credit Hours or TSL 5085 - Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms 3 Credit Hours

Degree Requirements

Required courses.

• IDS7500 - Seminar in Educational Research (1 - 99)
• IDS7501 - Issues and Research in Education (3)
• EDF7475 - Qualitative Research in Education (3)
• EDF7403 - Quantitative Foundations of Educational Research (3)
• EDF7463 - Analysis of Survey, Record, and Other Qualitative Data (3)
• IDS7502 - Case Studies in Research Design (3)
• EDF7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education (3)
• IDS 7502 - Case Studies in Research Design may be substituted for one of the approved research electives from group A listed in the Program Details section below. EDF 7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education may be substituted for one of the approved research electives from group B listed in the Program Details section below.

Specialization

• TSL6643 - Diachronic Analysis of Second Language Acquisition Processes (3)
• TSL6379 - Second Language Literacy (3)
• TSL6600 - Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition (3)
• TSL6252 - Sociolinguistics for ESOL (3)
• TSL7006 - Second Language Teacher Preparation (3)
• Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: A minimum of 9 credit hours of cognate courses must be approved by the adviser and graduate program director. Possible cognates include Communication Sciences and Disorders, Community College Teaching, Exceptional Education, Global and Comparative Education, Multicultural Education, Instructional Technology, Program Administration, Reading, and other related areas.

Dissertation

• Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: TSL 7980 - Dissertation Research Doctoral students must present a prospectus for the dissertation to the doctoral adviser, prepare a proposal and present it to the dissertation committee, and defend the final research submission with the dissertation committee.

Examinations

• A qualifying examination will be required during the first year of study as an intake, diagnostic tool to determine student proficiency in TESOL. A written candidacy examination will be required to be admitted to candidacy and will normally occur at the completion of course work.
• The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours: - Completion of all course work, except for dissertation hours. - Successful completion of the candidacy examination. - Successful defense of the written dissertation proposal. - The dissertation advisory committee is formed, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. - Submission of an approved program of study.

Additional Program Requirement

• Students must have completed a minimum of two college-level courses in a foreign language or basic proficiency in a foreign language as measured by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) oral proficiency interview (OPI) or other assessment approved by the program faculty before completion of 36 hours of study. Non-native speakers of English may use their native language to meet this requirement. This requirement may be satisfied prior to admission but must be satisfied prior to candidacy.

Grand Total Credits: 63

Application requirements, financial information.

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Fellowship Information

Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.

Group A (Course below may be taken in place of IDS 7502 - Case Studies in Research Design in fulfilling CORE requirement above)

• EDF 7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 7405 - Quantitative Methods II 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 7410 - Application of Nonparametric and Categorical Data Analysis in Education 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 7415 - Latent Variable Modeling In Education 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 7473 - Ethnography in Educational Settings 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 7474 - Multilevel Data Analysis In Education 3 Credit Hours
• EDF 7488 - Monte Carlo Simulation Research in Education 3 Credit Hours
• SPA 7495 - Doctoral Seminar II: Spoken and Written Language Disorders 3 Credit Hours (Communication Sciences Track students only)
• IDS 7938 - Research Cluster Seminar 3 Credit Hours

Group B (Course below may be taken in place of EDF 7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education in fulfilling CORE requirement above)

Independent Learning

The dissertation satisfies the independent learning experience.

• 1-800-NAT-UNIV (628-8648)
• Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education (BAECE)
• Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Development with an Inspired Teaching and Learning Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (California)
• Bachelor of Arts in English
• Bachelor of Arts in History
• Master of Arts in Social Emotional Learning
• Master of Education in Inspired Teaching and Learning with a Preliminary Multiple and Single Subject Teaching Credential and Intern Option (CA)
• Master of Arts in Education
• Master of Early Childhood Education
• Education Specialist
• Doctor of Education
• Doctor of Philosophy in Education
• Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
• Ed.D. in Organizational Innovation
• Certificate in Online Teaching (COT) Program
• Online Medical Coding Program
• Building Our Team Through Community Policing
• Inspired Teaching and Learning with a Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential
• Inspired Teaching and Learning with a Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Internship Option (California)
• Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (CA Option)
• Preliminary Education Specialist Credential: Mild/Moderate with Internship Option (CA)
• All Teaching & Education
• Associate of Science in Business
• Bachelor of Business Administration
• Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
• Bachelor of Arts in Management
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Science in Data Science
• Master of Public Administration
• Doctor of Criminal Justice
• Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership
• Doctor of Business Administration
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Business
• Post-Master's Certificate in Business
• Graduate Certificate in Banking
• Certificate in Agile Project Management
• All Business & Marketing
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• Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
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• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate
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• All Healthcare & Nursing
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• Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Analysis Degree
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Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD), English Language Learning

Courses start every monday, take the first step in your national university journey, 240k+ alumni worldwide, phd in english language learning.

For education professionals with a desire to be an active scholar in the field of education and make significant contributions to the existing body of knowledge, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education program can take both your research skills and career options to a higher level. The program begins with a review of theoretical frameworks to support your understanding of the role of theory in a PhD degree. Coursework combines this strong base of theoretical knowledge with an individualized focus to conduct research in pre-K-12, post-secondary, and adult learning environments as you contribute new and innovative findings to advance your field of educational specialization.

Why Earn Your Ph.D. in English with National University?

The English Language Learning (ELL) specialization prepares you to be a research scholar in the field. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and skills in preparation for continued investigation around teaching, assessing, and developing curricula for English language learners. The final course considers significant issues in ELL education, one of which may inspire your dissertation. Throughout the program, you’ll have a support system of advisors, faculty, and tools to guide you through coursework, research, and your dissertation process. Please note: if you’re seeking ELL/ESL certification, you should verify with state officials that this specialization meets applicable requirements. 

Admission Requirements 

A conferred post-baccalaureate master’s degree or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution or an international institution determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.

Dissertation Process

In addition to the foundational and specialization courses, each PhD student is required to complete a high-quality dissertation through a systematic process and sequential courses assisted by faculty. A PhD dissertation is a scholarly documentation of research that makes an original contribution to the field of educational study. The step-by-step process requires care in choosing a topic, documenting its importance, planning the methodology, and conducting the research. These activities lead smoothly into the writing and oral presentation of your dissertation.

Courses and Sequence

The PhD in Education program requires 60 credits for degree completion. Additional credit hours may be allowed as needed to complete your dissertation research. If granted, additional courses will be added to your degree program in alignment with the SAP and Academic Maximum Time to Completion policies. The estimated time needed to complete this program is 45 months.

Course Details

Course listings.

A PhD prepares you to make significant contributions to the body of literature within the education field. This course prepares you for understanding what theory is, recognizing theoretical frameworks within existing literature, connecting your research interests to existing theoretical frameworks, and justifying how your research will add to the wealth of current theories in the field.

Specialization Course 1

Your success as a scholarly professional will largely depend upon your communication skills, particularly in your written work. This course supports your development as a scholar who can publish in different types of research-based publications for a variety of audiences. You’ll practice synthesizing multiple sources, formulating arguments, and integrating feedback through iterative drafts of your work. These are key capabilities you’ll need as you submit your research in published manuscripts and presentations.

In this course, you’ll develop effective search and writing strategies to create a scholarly review of literature. The course emphasizes how to: (a) use effective literature search strategies; (b) develop a scholarly synthesis of research literature; (c) organize research literature around identified themes, including a study problem, purpose, and theoretical perspectives; and (d) focus on developing a scholarly exposition that reflects divergent viewpoints and contrasting perspectives. The overarching goal is for you to understand strategies for surveying scholarly literature that avoid bias, focus on educational, practice-based research problems, and address the requirements of a scholarly literature review.

Specialization Course 2

This course introduces you to the research process by exploring its underpinnings, examining its paradigms, and investigating the foundations of qualitative and quantitative methodologies used in educational studies. You’ll identify criteria for the development of quality research studies that are ethical, accurate, comprehensive, cohesive, and aligned. Specific course topics involve the ethics of conducting research; data collection and analysis techniques; and issues of feasibility, trustworthiness, validity, reliability, transferability, and rigor. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the concepts and skills associated with conducting theoretical and applied research.

Specialization Course 3

This course provides the foundational knowledge to become a critical consumer of statistical-based research and a skilled analyst of non-inferential quantitative data. Coursework focuses on understanding multivariate data, non-inferential and inferential statistical concepts, the conventions of quantitative data analysis, and interpretations and critical inferences in statistical results. You’ll use software applications to complete statistical computations and perform quantitative data analysis. The course culminates in a synthesis project to demonstrate your statistical skills and present your results using APA guidelines.

Specialization Course 4

Elective Course*

Specialization Course 5

A focus on qualitative research methodology and the designs and methods used to collect and analyze data in educational research. You’ll examine the principles of qualitative research and explore commonly used designs (also referred to as qualitative traditions or genres) with a focus on application and feasibility. Qualitative data collection and analysis methods will be examined for their suitability with regard to the research design selected. Alignment between qualitative designs and research methods, issues of trustworthiness, and the responsibilities of the qualitative researcher will also be explored.

Specialization Course 6

An exploration of quantitative research methodologies and associated designs and methods. You’ll examine paradigmatic perspectives along with the tenets and conventions of quantitative research. Topics for examination include feasibility, validity, reliability, variable operationalization, inferential designs, and analytic software applications used within the quantitative research paradigm. You’ll also look at the components of quantitative research designs that support meaningful studies within the field of education.

Select One of the Following Two Data Analysis Courses:

An exploration of advanced statistical principles and how to apply them to quantitative research. This course provides an overview of advanced statistical concepts used in empirical research, including inferential analyses. You’ll use SPSS software to perform advanced computations as you build independent, scholarly statistical skills. Coursework will emphasize multivariate data; the use, comprehension, and evaluation of sophisticated statistical concepts; and the proper presentation of statistical results.

This course builds on a foundational understanding of qualitative designs and measurements to focus on analyses of the data. Coursework takes you deeper into the skills and techniques necessary to ensure the appropriate analyses of qualitative data, including integrating relevant frameworks, verifying trustworthiness of the findings, and selecting suitable methods for presenting analyses and findings.

The doctoral comprehensive assessment is your opportunity to demonstrate your preparation for entering the dissertation phase as a PhD candidate. You’ll synthesize discipline-specific content with research designs and analysis methods to create a prospectus for a theoretically-based research study that focuses on furthering knowledge in the field of education. Whereas EdD research focuses on addressing a researchable problem with practical applications, PhD research has a focus on contribution to theory and the broader discipline of education. This course is begun only after all your foundation, specialization, and research courses have been completed, and your prospectus will likely become the foundation of your PhD dissertation. 

Students in this course will be required to complete chapter one of their dissertation proposal, including the following: a review of literature with substantiating evidence of the problem, the research purpose and questions, the intended methodological design and approach, and the significance of the study. A completed, committee-approved chapter one is required to pass the course. If you don’t receive approval to minimum standards, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval of chapter one.

In this course, you’ll work on completing chapters one to three of your dissertation proposal and receiving committee approval for the dissertation proposal (DP). Chapter two consists of the literature review, while chapter three covers the research methodology and design, including population, sample, measurement instruments, data collection and analysis, limitations, and ethical considerations. Completed, committee-approved chapters two and three are required to pass the course, as is a final approved dissertation proposal. If you don’t receive approval to minimum standards, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval of these requirements.

In this course, you’ll prepare, submit, and obtain approval of your Institutional Review Board (IRB) application. You’ll also collect data and submit a final study closure form to the IRB. If you’re still collecting data at the end of the 12-week course, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to complete data collection and file your IRB study closure form.

In this dissertation course, you’ll work on completing chapters four, five, and your final dissertation manuscript. Specifically, you’ll complete your data analysis, prepare your study results, and present your findings with an oral defense and a completed manuscript. A completed, committee-approved dissertation manuscript and successful oral defense are required to complete the course and graduate. If you don’t receive approval for either or both, you can take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval.

* The elective can be satisfied with any doctoral-level School of Education course. The course listed in the degree plan can be changed upon request. Contact your academic and finance advisor for assistance.

Specialization Courses

ESL-7100 Second Language Foundations

In this course, you’ll analyze how learning a new language differs from learning a first language, including learner experiences and processes that occur during second language acquisition. As you examine theories related to second language acquisition, you’ll also consider the role of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in acquiring the second language. You’ll also assess best practices and principles in various learning environments and create instructional plans and materials based on those principles.

ESL-7200 Teaching English Language Learners

This course offers a deeper exploration of theories, models, practices, and strategies related to teaching English language learners. You’ll consider knowledge and skills related to listening, speaking, reading, and writing English as you develop sheltered content lessons for diverse learners. Given the collaborative nature of teaching, you’ll also assess opportunities to confer with other professionals around effective instruction for English language learners. Throughout the course, you’ll consider diversity, equity, and inclusion as you design culturally responsive instructional materials and accommodations.  

ESL-7300 Assessing Diverse Learners

In this course, you’ll explore the assessment of diverse English language learners in various educational contexts from the perspectives of a leader-practitioner and research scholar. Your studies will include assessment differences, tools, and strategies for both content-area learning and language learning. You’ll also evaluate the role of technology in the assessment of diverse English language learners and examine the roles of teachers and other professionals in the evaluation and accountability of English language services and programs.

ESL-7400 Developing Curriculum for English Language Learners

Here you’ll examine frameworks for curriculum development, including the development of unit plans for both content-area and language learning outcomes related to reading, writing, and speaking English. You’ll also consider strategies for differentiating curricula and evaluating proficiency standards and guidelines for English language learners.

ED-7009 Educating a Diversity of Learners

Because today’s learners differ in gender, sexual orientation, age, cultural background, experiences, and abilities, modern educators must be able to appraise, assess, and argue the best means to reach such a variety. In this course, you’ll explore different means to address the nature of cultural diversity, its sources, and its importance to educators. You’ll also consider how districts can plan and prepare to meet the needs of diverse students, taking into consideration epistemological and axiological perspectives unique to many cultures.

ESL-7600 Issues in ELL Education

In this course, you’ll analyze historical contexts for English language learning and the current political, social, and educational implications of teaching English learners. You’ll consider research regarding the education of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as different ways to affirm students’ cultural identities. Along the journey, you’ll also evaluate strategies for teaching English language learners within contexts of English as a foreign language, English as a second language, and bilingual education.

Program Learning Outcomes

The PhD in Education program prepares you for making significant contributions to the body of knowledge in the broad field of education as well as a more narrowed area of instructional specialization. Learning outcomes include the ability to:

• Develop deep knowledge of educational systems, theories, and research in an area of expertise
• Interpret theories, research, and ideas for different audiences through multiple methods of communication
• Integrate ethical principles and professional standards for a specific discipline within the field
• Conduct autonomous or collaborative research using high-level analytical skills
• Contribute to the body of knowledge specific to a discipline within the field

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Program Disclosure

Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification.

Program availability varies by state. Many disciplines, professions, and jobs require disclosure of an individual’s criminal history, and a variety of states require background checks to apply to, or be eligible for, certain certificates, registrations, and licenses. Existence of a criminal history may also subject an individual to denial of an initial application for a certificate, registration, or license and/or result in the revocation or suspension of an existing certificate, registration, or license. Requirements can vary by state, occupation, and/or licensing authority.

NU graduates will be subject to additional requirements on a program, certification/licensure, employment, and state-by-state basis that can include one or more of the following items: internships, practicum experience, additional coursework, exams, tests, drug testing, earning an additional degree, and/or other training/education requirements.

All prospective students are advised to review employment, certification, and/or licensure requirements in their state, and to contact the certification/licensing body of the state and/or country where they intend to obtain certification/licensure to verify that these courses/programs qualify in that state/country, prior to enrolling. Prospective students are also advised to regularly review the state’s/country’s policies and procedures relating to certification/licensure, as those policies are subject to change.

National University degrees do not guarantee employment or salary of any kind. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review desired job positions to review degrees, education, and/or training required to apply for desired positions. Prospective students should monitor these positions as requirements, salary, and other relevant factors can change over time.

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Higher Degrees in English

The Graduate Program in English leads to the degrees of Master of Arts (AM) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The AM is an integral part of the doctoral program, and therefore only students who intend to pursue the PhD are eligible for admission to the Graduate Program in English.

The Program

The program takes from four to seven years to complete, with the majority finishing in five or six years. The first two years are devoted to coursework and, in the first year, to preparation for the PhD Qualifying Exam (the “General” exam) at the beginning of the second year. The second and third years are devoted to preparing for the Dissertation Qualifying Exam (the “Field” exam) and writing the Dissertation Prospectus. The fourth, fifth, and sixth years are spent completing the doctoral dissertation. From the third year until the final year (when they are generally supported by Dissertation Completion Fellowships), students also devote time to teaching and to developing teaching skills. Students with prior graduate training or those with a demonstrated ability may complete their dissertations in the fourth or fifth years. Students are strongly discouraged from taking more than seven years to complete the program except under the most exceptional circumstances.

The program aims to provide the PhD candidate with a broad knowledge of the field of English, including critical and cultural theory. Additional important skills include facility with the tools of scholarship—ancient and modern foreign languages, bibliographic procedures, and textual and editorial methods. The program also emphasizes the ability to write well, to do solid and innovative scholarly and critical work in a specialized field or fields, to teach effectively, and to make articulate presentations at conferences, seminars, and symposia.

The minimum residence requirement is two years of enrollment in full-time study, with a total of at least fourteen courses completed with honor grades (no grade lower than B-).

The minimum standard for satisfactory work in the Graduate School is a B average in each academic year.

• A minimum of 14 courses must be completed no later than the end of the second year.
• At least ten courses must be at the 200- (graduate) level, and at least six of these ten must be taken within the department. Graduate students in the English department will have priority for admission into 200-level courses.
• Beginning with the incoming class of 2020-21, two proseminars are now required as part of the ten required seminars.
• The remaining courses may be either at the 100- or the 200-level.
• Students typically devote part of their course work in the first year to preparing for the “General” exam, focusing increasingly on their field in the second year.
• Students are strongly encouraged to take at least two courses that engage extensively with texts in Literary Theory. Such courses should introduce works by writers such as Freud, Barthes, Derrida, Foucault, de Beauvoir, Fanon, Gates, Bhabha, and Jameson, and texts such as  The Poetics  by Aristotle,  The Birth of Tragedy  by Friedrich Nietzsche,  Mimesis  by Eric Auerbach, and  The Theory of the Novel  by Georg Lukacs. We recommend students consult with mentors and the graduate office if they need help finding courses that introduce these and similar works of theory.

Proseminars

• Beginning with the incoming class of 2020-21, two proseminars will now be required as part of the ten required seminars.

• The first-year proseminar (taken in the spring semester of the first year) introduces students to the theories, methods, and history of English as a discipline, and contemporary debates in English studies. The readings feature classic texts in all fields, drawn from the General Exam list. This first-year proseminar helps students prepare for the General Exam (taken at the beginning of their second year); it gives them a broad knowledge for teaching and writing outside their specialty; and it builds an intellectual and cultural community among first-year students.

• The second-year proseminar has a two-part focus: it introduces students to the craft of scholarly publishing by helping them revise a research paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of the course. It thus gives students the tools to begin publishing early in their career. It also introduces students to the growing array of alternative careers in the humanities by exposing them to scholars who are leaders in fields such as editing, curating, and digital humanities.

Independent Study and Creative Writing

• Students may petition to take one of the 100-level courses as independent study (English 399) with a professor, but not before the second term of residence.
• Other independent study courses will be permitted only in exceptional circumstances and with the consent of the professor and director of graduate studies (DGS).
• Only one creative writing course, which counts as a 100-level course, may count toward the PhD degree course requirements.

Credit for Work Done Elsewhere (Advanced Standing)

Once the student has completed at least three 200-level courses with a grade of A or A-, a maximum of four graduate-level courses may be transferred from other graduate programs, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Transferred courses will not count toward the minimum of ten required 200-level courses, but will be counted as 100-level courses.

Incompletes

No more than one Incomplete may be carried forward at any one time by a graduate student in the English Department. It must be made up no later than six weeks after the start of the next term.

In applying for an Incomplete, students must have signed permission from the instructor and the DGS, or the course in question may not count toward the program requirements. If students do not complete work by the deadline, the course will not count toward the program requirements, unless there are documented extenuating circumstances.

Language Requirements

A reading knowledge of two languages is required. Normally, Latin, Ancient Greek, Old English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian are the accepted languages. Other languages, including ASL and computer languages, may be acceptable if the DGS deems them relevant and appropriate to a student’s program of study. Students may fulfill the language requirements:

(1) by passing a two-hour translation exam with a dictionary; (2) by taking a one-term literature course in the chosen language, when conducted in the language and/or the readings are in the language (DGS approval may be necessary in some cases) (3) or by taking two terms of Old English*, elementary Latin or Ancient Greek.

Any course taken to fulfill the language requirement must be passed with a grade of B- or better. Literature-level language courses count for course credit ; elementary language courses do not. *Please note that only the spring semester of Old English will count towards the graduate course requirement (as a 100-level course, or as a 200-level course in the case of ENG 200d) when taken to fulfill a language requirement.

Examples of past language exams can be found  here .

The (Non-Terminal) Master of Arts Degree

In order to apply for the AM degree, students must complete, with a grade of B+ or better, no fewer than a total of seven courses, including a minimum of four English courses, at least three of which must be at the graduate (200-) level, and one additional course that must be taken at the graduate level, but may be taken in another department. Students must also fulfill at least one of their departmental language requirements.

General Exam

At the beginning of the second year, students will take a 75-90 minute oral exam, based on a list of authors and/or titles which the Department will make available for each entering class in the summer prior to its arrival. The examiners will be three regular members of the department (assistant, associate, or full professors), whose names will not be disclosed in advance.

Candidates whose performance on the exam is judged inadequate will be marked as “not yet passed” and must retake the exam at a time to be determined. If candidates do not pass on the second attempt, they will not be able to continue in the program.

Note: Students must fulfill at least one language requirement by the end of the first year in order to be eligible to take the General Exam.

Field Oral Exam

The purpose of the Field Oral exam is twofold: to discuss an emerging dissertation topic, and to examine students' preparation in primary teaching and the scholarly field(s) they mean to claim, particularly field(s) related to the dissertation. Students should be prepared to display knowledge of the field(s) in general based on the books and articles listed in their field bibliography.

The order of events in the exam is up to the committee and student to establish beforehand, but typically the exam has two parts: a discussion of the field(s) in which the proposed dissertation situates itself and in which the student intends to teach; and a discussion of the dissertation topic. The exam should assess both the viability of the thesis topic and the preparedness of the student to pursue it at this time. The level of preparedness should be clarified between the student and committee in their meetings before the exam. The discussion of the dissertation topic should substantially aid the student in writing the prospectus, due six weeks after the exam.

In some field exams, there is already a clear idea of the dissertation, one that the student has already discussed with the committee. The discussion in the exam can thus dive more deeply into the details of the project. In other field exams, the student's dissertation project is not yet fully formed, and the exam actively contributes to fleshing out the formation of the project's scope and direction. The committee and student should agree beforehand on the specific format and scope of the exam.

The two-hour examination is typically taken before the end of the Fall Reading Period of the third year of graduate study, although it is possible to take it as late as the end of February, should the need arise. The exam is conducted by a three-person examination committee, chosen by the individual student, normally from among the tenured and ladder faculty of the English department, (the chair is chosen by May 15 of the second year, and the remaining examiners by no later than September 1 of the third year). One faculty member acts as chair of the committee and often assists the student in selecting other members. The committee, or some part of it, will likely continue to serve as individual students’ dissertation advisors.

During the exam, students are asked to describe and discuss their dissertation project, and to demonstrate an adequate knowledge both of the major primary works and of selected scholarly works in the field(s) as they relate to their dissertation.

The twin purposes of the exam--representing the chosen field, and giving a first account of a dissertation project--are represented by two separate bibliographies, each consisting of primary and scholarly works, drawn up by the student in consultation with the examination committee. There may be considerable overlap between these two bibliographies.

At least four weeks before the exam, the student should meet with the committee, present the two bibliographies (of the chosen field(s) and of the dissertation project), and discuss the format of the exam.

The exam is graded Pass/Fail.

Dissertation Prospectus

The dissertation prospectus, signed and approved by three advisors (or two co-advisors, with a third committee member to be added at a later date), is due to the Graduate Office six “business weeks” after passing the Field Oral Examination. The “business weeks” do not include the Winter Recess, so a student passing the exam four weeks before Winter Recess begins, for example, would have another two weeks after the start of classes in the Spring Term to complete the prospectus.

The prospectus is neither a draft chapter nor a detailed road-map of the next two years work but a sketch, no longer than seven to ten pages, of the topic upon which the student plans to write. It gives a preliminary account of the argument, structure, and scope of the intended treatment of the topic. The overview will be followed by a bibliography.

The prospectus is written in consultation with the dissertation advisors, who will meet with students at least once in the spring of the third year to discuss the prospectus and to draw up a timetable for the writing of the dissertation.

In planning a timetable, students need to bear in mind (1) that two draft chapters of the dissertation must be completed by the middle of their fifth year, if they are to be eligible to apply for completion fellowships in their sixth year, and (2) that students generally enter the job market in the fall of their sixth year, with at least two final chapters and a third draft chapter completed. They should also remember that term-time fellowships and traveling fellowships may be available to them in the fifth year, but that these require applications which are due as early as December or January of the fourth year.  Note: The timetable described above can be accelerated if a student so wishes and is in the position to do so.

Article Submission and Professional Writing Workshop

Students are required to submit an article to a scholarly journal by the end of their 5th year (acceptance is not required). Failure to do so would result in the loss of good standing. This is encouraged for all students, but is a requirement beginning with the incoming class of 2015-16. In conjunction with this new requirement, the department has established a professional writing workshop open to English department students only. Attendance will not be required but expected of students in residence. Students will be expected to take the course at some time before the beginning of the 6th year, and ordinarily in the spring of their 5th year. The course will be graded Sat/Unsat.

Dissertation Advising

Students should assemble a group of faculty members to supervise the dissertation. Several supervisory arrangements are possible: students may work with a committee of three faculty members who share nearly equal responsibility for advising, or with a committee consisting of a principal faculty advisor and a second and third reader. In the first scenario, one of the three faculty members will be asked to serve as a nominal chair of the committee; in the second scenario, the principal advisor serves as chair. If the scope of the project requires it, students should consult the DGS about including a faculty advisor from a department other than English or from another university.

The advising mode chosen will be indicated to the department when the prospectus is submitted. Regardless of the structure of advising, three faculty readers are required to certify the completed dissertation. If it is deemed useful, chapter meetings between the student and the entire committee may be arranged in consultation with the chair.

The Dissertation

After the dissertation prospectus has been approved, candidates work with their dissertation directors or their dissertation committee. All of the designated advisors must approve the final work.

The doctoral dissertation is expected to be an original and substantial work of scholarship or criticism, excellent in form and content. The department accepts dissertations on a great variety of topics involving a broad range of approaches to literature. It sets no specific page limits, preferring to give students and directors as much freedom as possible.

Dissertation Defense

The Dissertation Defense will be a necessary part of receiving the PhD, though it will not be a pass/fail examination. The defense is required for all students who entered the program in 2007 or after.

The form of the defense is as follows:

• Each student’s defense will be a separate event
• In addition to the student and the advisors, the participants typically include any interested faculty and any interested graduate students
• The Graduate Office will announce the upcoming defense to all members of the department, unless otherwise specified by the student
• The event will start with a 15–20 minute presentation by the student and last at most 90 minutes
• If a student has left Cambridge and cannot return easily for this purpose, the defense may be held remotely

Arrangements will be overseen by the Graduate Office but conducted by the student (as with the Fields examination); students will be required to send an email to the Director of Graduate Studies and to the Graduate Program Administrator, with a copy to their advisors, indicating the day, time, and location of the defense.

The meeting for a November, March, or May degree must take place any time after advisors have signed off on the dissertation (by signing the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate) and, in the case of the May degree, at least a week before Commencement. In practice, however, the student will need to defend after advisors have signed off and before advisors disperse. That period will normally be between 1–14 May, and most probably in the early days of May. It is up to the student to coordinate the arrangements.

Students begin teaching in their third year*. Ordinarily they teach discussion sections in courses and in the department’s program of tutorials for undergraduate honors majors.

Preparation for a teaching career is a required part of students’ training, and Teaching Fellows benefit from the supervision and guidance of department members.

Teaching fellows are required to take English 350, the Teaching Colloquium, in their first year of teaching. In addition, they are encouraged to avail themselves of the facilities at the Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.

*English graduate students wishing to teach in their 2nd year must have 1) passed Generals, 2) completed all required course work by the end of their first year OR must have previous comparable teaching experience, and 3) received written authorization from the Director of Graduate Studies and the GSAS Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid.

Doctoral Conferences "Colloquia"

The Department of English’s  Doctoral Conferences (commonly referred to as “Colloquia”) bring together students and faculty from Harvard and other institutions to discuss current research in literature. Colloquia meet regularly throughout the academic year, and all Harvard graduate students and faculty should feel free to attend any of them, regardless of primary field(s) of interest.

Careers and Placement Seminar

As students near the end of their dissertation writing, they may take a seminar preparing them to seek academic and other employment. Students learn about the job application process, develop cover letters and CVs, and practice presenting their work in interviews and job talks, all in a rigorous and supportive environment. Students should leave the seminar with strong materials for the job market, confident identities as the expert scholars and teachers they have become, and clear articulations of how they will contribute to literary studies in the years ahead. The seminar supplements and formalizes the extensive informal placement advising offered in the department.

Graduate Student Progress Timeline

This document  provides a year-by-year breakdown of requirements for satisfactory progress in our program.

• Guidelines for Admission
• Teaching Fellows
• Fellowships
• Graduate Prizes
• Resources for Grad Students
• English PhD Alumni Network & Placement Information

Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, PHD

On this page:.

At a Glance: program details

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

The PhD program in linguistics and applied linguistics focuses on the scientific study of human language and the application of that study to the human condition.

Students in this program select a research specialization in formal linguistics, applied linguistics or some combination within these fields of study.

The curriculum provides professional training in linguistics and applied linguistics with focused research in several linguistic subfields, including syntax, semantics, phonetics, phonology, pragmatics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, language contact and change, language planning, Indigenous American linguistics, language documentation and revitalization, second language acquisition, second language teaching and learning, teaching English to speakers of other languages, global Englishes and computer-assisted language learning.

The doctoral program in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics focuses on the study of human language and the application of that study to the human condition.  Students in this program will choose a research specialization which can be formal linguistics, applied linguistics, or some combination of these areas.  The curriculum will provide training in linguistics and applied linguistics with focused research in several areas such as phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.  Second language acquisition and second language teaching and learning, TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages), language contact and change, including World Englishes, are also research possibilities in addition to sociolinguistics, language planning, discourse analysis, language and cognition.

Matthew Prior , Director

Kira Assad, Program Manager

Faculty in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

Doctoral Examinations

Doctoral Procedures and Timeline

Teaching Assistantships

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a foreign language exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (18 credit hours) APL 555 Disciplinary Discourses (3) APL 601 Introduction to Applied Linguistics (3) LIN 511 Phonetics and Phonology (3) LIN 514 Syntax (3) LIN 515 American English (3) or LIN 516 Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis (3) LIN 655 Advanced Disciplinary Discourses in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics (3)

Electives and Research (33 credit hours) LIN 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Specialization (21 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) LIN 799 or APL 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, then 30 credit hours is made up of additional electives and research coursework which must include LIN 510, if they have not previously taken it or its equivalent.

Students must demonstrate evidence of competent knowledge of a natural language other than modern English, to be selected by the student and subject to the approval of the chair of the dissertation committee. The language requirement must be completed before the student is eligible to take the doctoral examinations. This requirement may be met by any of the following:

• earning a "B" or higher (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in a 400- or 500-level course in an appropriate (approved) language
• demonstrating comparable proficiency by taking a language examination, administered by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student's supervisory committee
• demonstrating native-speaker proficiency, as determined by the School of International Letters and Cultures, in a language approved by the student's supervisory committee
• earning a "B" or higher (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in both ENG 530 Old English and ENG 531 Old English Literature or the equivalent of each
• holding a bachelor's degree in an approved foreign language
• having fulfilled a foreign language requirement toward a previously awarded master's degree that was completed within five years of the semester for which the student was admitted to the doctoral program
• two years (four semesters) of successfully completed college-level coursework (no more than six years prior to admission to the degree program) at least at the 100 and 200 levels with a "C" or better for languages which the School of International Letters and Cultures does not offer or does not offer above the 200 level

The foreign language requirement must be in a language approved by the student's doctoral supervisory committee.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample relevant to the field
• statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency. More information about English proficiency requirements can be found the school website . Please note that official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The well-considered one- to two-page statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, proposed research specialization, any secondary field of interest and why the applicant wishes to pursue a PhD in linguistics and applied linguistics at Arizona State University. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Independent research expertise: Students will be able to design and carry out an original research study in their discipline and subdisciplines.
• Scholarly writing expertise: Students will demonstrate the ability to produce written scholarly work at a level expected by the profession and consistent with the degree program.
• Critical analysis expertise: Students will demonstrate the ability to explain, synthesize and critique existing scholarship in their research area.

Career Opportunities

Graduates with research expertise in linguistics and applied linguistics work in a variety of professional contexts, such as academia, government, business, health care, legal settings, publishing, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.

Career examples include:

• computer-assisted language learning expert
• data analyst
• forensic linguist
• language policy or documentation expert
• language program director or coordinator
• language researcher
• linguistic consultant
• program and curriculum developer
• teacher trainer
• university professor

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

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• 480/965-3194

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Students interested in studying rhetoric, composition, literacy studies, or English education at UM should apply to the interdisciplinary Joint PhD program in English and Education (JPEE). Students in this program have written dissertations on rhetorical theory, literacy, feminist theory, new media composition, disability studies, queer theory, applied linguistics, English language studies, ethnic studies, creative writing studies, and writing assessment. All JPEE students have the opportunity to pursue research projects collaboratively with faculty, including social justice- and activist-oriented research, in addition to individual dissertation research. All students are guaranteed five years of full funding, and there is additional support for conference travel, research projects, and summer research and writing. To date, the program has a 100% placement for graduates who have chosen to pursue tenure-track faculty positions in education and English departments in colleges and universities; program graduates also sometimes choose to pursue opportunities in educational nonprofits, school districts, and government-sponsored agencies Students in JPEE work closely with those in other PhD programs in both the English Department and the School of Education and take courses in both units. However, JPEE maintains its own admissions process, exam schedule, and support structure. To learn more about the program and how to apply, visit our JPEE Program Page .

Program Newsletter

These are the recent issues of the Program's newsletter:

• 2018  (PDF)
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MA/PhD in English Language and Literature

Program Overview

Our MA/PhD in English Language and Literature is an integrated program that allows students to earn an MA on the way to the PhD. We do not admit students for a terminal MA degree. The program receives over 250 applications of admission each year and typically enrolls an entering class of 10-14 students, all of whom receive funding.   

The MA/PhD program offers two tracks: one in Literature and Culture, the other in Language and Rhetoric. Within each track, students will develop individualized programs of study in close consultation with faculty mentors. Intellectually, there is substantial connection between work in these areas of the department: faculty teaching in the Language and Rhetoric track are certainly thinking about matters of culture, just as faculty teaching in Literature and Culture clearly attend to the nature and politics of language. Students in either track can and do take courses in the other.

However, these two tracks offer distinct forms of professional training and accreditation: students in the Literature and Culture track are trained to conduct research and to teach in literary and cultural studies (e.g., in fields such as Victorian literature, ecocritism, or contemporary speculative fiction). Students in the Language and Rhetoric track are trained to conduct research and to teach in areas broadly related to language-in-use (e.g., in fields such as composition studies, rhetoric, history of English, applied linguistics, literacy, and writing pedagogy). Their research might study practices in the composition classroom or might address topics in discourse analysis, language policy, and translingualism. On completion of the PhD, Literature and Culture students are qualified to apply for jobs teaching in their area of literary or cultural study; students in Language and Rhetoric are qualified to apply for jobs in rhetoric and composition studies, applied linguistics, or writing program administration. When applying to the program, applicants must choose between these two tracks and may not apply to both simultaneously.

Department faculty work across a range of historical periods (Medieval, Early Modern, 19 th , 20 th , and 21 st centuries) and methodological frameworks with a focus on the study of discourse, literacy, textuality, genre (including speculative fiction and SF), gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, postcoloniality, indigeneity, disability, environment, media, and public culture. For a fuller snapshot of the work we do, please consult our faculty profiles . 

Application Information

Application materials are due December 1. (If December 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the deadline is the following Monday.)  Offers of admission are usually made by mid-March.  

• How to Apply
• Application Checklist

For frequently asked questions, please see our  MA/PhD FAQ  page. 

Funding Opportunities

We offer a funding package to all admitted MA/PhD students. The funding package includes a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a monthly stipend during the academic year through an Academic Student Employee position. In general, duties include teaching one English class, assisting in a large lecture and leading quiz sections, or assisting in program administration.

PhD students also have opportunities to compete for fellowships and scholarships offered through the Department of English.

• Check out our other Funding Opportunities

MA/PhD Degree Requirements

MA/PhD degree requirements can be found here: PhD Degree Requirements .

Students who enter our PhD program without a related master’s degree will be required to complete an MA in the first two years. More information can be found here:  MA/PhD Degree Requirements: Master's Degree .

Placement & Alumni

A recent survey of our graduates from 2008-2018 showed the following employment rates:

• 43% in tenure-track positions
• 43% in other academic positions (not tenure-track)
• 8% in professional careers

Dissertation abstracts from recent graduates can be found here: Graduate Research .

Check out our  PhD Alumni Spotlight page where recent alumni have shared their current job placements, highlights from their time at UW, and advice for current and prospective students. 

Contact an advisor

• We welcome questions and correspondence from prospective graduate students at  [email protected]
• Meet our Graduate Staff
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Graduate School

General Information

Program offerings:, director of graduate studies:, graduate program administrator:.

The aim of the Princeton graduate program in English is to produce well-trained and field-transforming scholars, insightful and imaginative critics, and effective and creative teachers. With two years of coursework and three years of research and teaching, all fully funded, it is possible to complete the degree in five years. We offer multiple opportunities for a fully funded sixth-year, should students need additional time for dissertation completion.

In keeping with the goals of the University at large, the Department of English seeks to cultivate and sustain a diverse, cosmopolitan, and lively intellectual community. Because this is a residential university, whose traditions emphasize teaching as well as research, the faculty is easily accessible to students and committed to their progress.

The faculty of the Department of English is notable for its world-renowned scholarly reputation, and commitment to teaching and close collaboration with colleagues and students. The faculty showcases wide-ranging interdisciplinary interests as well as a diverse range of critical approaches. In addition to offering seminars in every major historical field of concentration, from medieval to contemporary literatures, we offer training in fields such as gender and sexuality studies, psychoanalysis, Marxism, American studies, African American studies, Latinx studies, Asian American studies, postcolonial studies, environmental humanities, digital humanities, political and social theory, book history, performance studies, film and media studies, and poetry and poetics. Students may also take courses in cognate departments such as comparative literature, classics, philosophy, linguistics, history, and art history.

Additional departmental requirements

Sample of critical writing, approximately 25 pages in length, preferably in the student’s proposed field of study. This sample must be a sustained piece of writing, not the total of several smaller works, and can be an excerpt from a larger work.

Program Offerings

Program offering: ph.d., program description.

The graduate program in English is a five-year program (with multiple opportunities for funding in the sixth year) leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. Students may not enroll for a Master of Arts degree. During the first two years, students prepare for the General Examination through work in seminars, and directed or independent reading. The third, fourth, and fifth years are devoted the writing of a dissertation, and to teaching in undergraduate courses. Through numerous funding opportunities, we are able to offer sixth-year students generous research support.

During the first two years of the program, graduate students normally take an average of three courses per semester, to complete the required 12 courses by the end of the second year. Each entering student is assigned a faculty adviser who works with the director of graduate studies to help plan course selection.

Our distribution requirements are designed to acquaint each student with a diverse range of historical periods and thematic and methodological concerns. The Department values both historical expertise and theoretical inquiry, and assumes that our discipline includes the study of film, visual culture, and media studies.

Graduate Students in English must take at least one course in each of the following six areas:

1. Medieval and Renaissance

2. 18th Century and 19th Century

3. Modern and Contemporary

5. Race, Ethnicity, and Postcoloniality

6. Gender and Sexuality

All distribution requirements must be taken for a letter grade. The six-course distribution requirement comprises 50% of the courses required for the degree, leaving sufficient room for intensive coursework in areas of specialization.

Although some graduate seminars may cover more than one field, students may not use one course to fulfill two or more distribution requirements. For example, a medieval course with a substantial commitment to theory may fulfill either the medieval and Renaissance or the theory requirements.

Language(s)

Students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages as soon as possible after enrollment. The language requirement must be satisfied before the completion of the general examination.

General exam

The general examination, taken in October of the third year, is the main qualifying examination for the Ph.D. The purpose of this examination is to help students become strong job candidates with wide-ranging knowledge of two or more fields. The examination committee consists of three faculty members, who assist the student in preparing a reading list for the examination. Students elect to be examined either on two major fields, or one major and two minor fields. Students also decide, in consultation with their examination committee, which examination format is most appropriate for them: an eight-hour written examination, or a two- hour oral examination.

Qualifying for the M.A.

Students normally qualify for the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree on the way to the Ph.D. by completing the general examination. Students who leave the Ph.D. program for various reasons may also be awarded the M.A. by satisfactorily completing all required course work, the course distribution requirement, and the language requirement.

All graduate students who have passed the general examination are required to teach in undergraduate courses. Although the minimum Department requirement is four hours, most students teach more than this. The Department offers many opportunities for teaching experience in conjunction with its large and popular undergraduate program. Students may teach in the writing program, conduct sections of large lecture courses, or direct precepts in upper-division courses. This teaching is supervised by experienced members of the faculty. Additionally, several collaborative teaching opportunities with department faculty are available each year. The Department and University also offer, on an annual basis, teacher training seminars.

Post-Generals requirements

The third, fourth, and fifth years are devoted to teaching in undergraduate courses and to the writing of the dissertation. Through numerous funding opportunities, the Department offers sixth- year students generous support with time off from teaching to complete their dissertation. After completing the general examination, all students participate in a dissertation seminar led by a faculty member in which they draft a dissertation proposal. This dissertation proposal becomes the basis of a one-hour oral examination, after which students continue to work on the dissertation with the guidance of their faculty advisers. Upon successful submission of the dissertation proposal but no later than the beginning of the fourth year, each student chooses three Department faculty members who will serve as their dissertation advisers.

Dissertation and FPO

A final public oral examination is given after each candidate’s dissertation has been read and approved by their dissertation faculty advisers. The examination has two parts. The first consists of a twenty-minute lecture, covering the following topics: a justification of the subject treated; an account of possible methods of treating the subject and a justification of the method chosen; an account of any new contributions made; and a consideration of the possibility of future studies of the same kind, including an account of plans for future scholarship and publication. During the second part of the examination, the student answers a series of questions from advisers and other members of the audience. At the end of the FPO, faculty consult and offer feedback to the student.

• Simon E. Gikandi

Associate Chair

• Russ Leo (acting)
• Gayle Salamon

Director of Graduate Studies

• Joshua I. Kotin

Director of Undergraduate Studies

• Eduardo L. Cadava
• Andrew Cole
• Bradin T. Cormack
• Maria A. DiBattista
• Jill S. Dolan
• Jeff Dolven
• Diana J. Fuss
• William A. Gleason
• Gene Andrew Jarrett
• Claudia L. Johnson
• Meredith A. Martin
• Lee C. Mitchell
• Jeff Nunokawa
• Sarah Rivett
• Esther H. Schor
• D. Vance Smith
• Nigel Smith
• Robert E. Spoo
• Susan J. Wolfson

Associate Professor

• Zahid R. Chaudhary
• Sophie G. Gee
• Kinohi Nishikawa
• Tamsen O. Wolff
• Autumn M. Womack

Assistant Professor

• Monica Huerta
• Robbie Richardson

Lecturer with Rank of Professor

• Rhodri Lewis

Senior Lecturer

• Sarah M. Anderson
• Kristina Chesaniuk
• Spencer A. Strub

Visiting Professor

• Gauri Viswanathan

Visiting Lecturer

• Don Mee Choi

For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

Permanent Courses

Courses listed below are graduate-level courses that have been approved by the program’s faculty as well as the Curriculum Subcommittee of the Faculty Committee on the Graduate School as permanent course offerings. Permanent courses may be offered by the department or program on an ongoing basis, depending on curricular needs, scheduling requirements, and student interest. Not listed below are undergraduate courses and one-time-only graduate courses, which may be found for a specific term through the Registrar’s website. Also not listed are graduate-level independent reading and research courses, which may be approved by the Graduate School for individual students.

AAS 522 - Publishing Journal Articles in the Humanities and Social Sciences (also COM 522/ENG 504/GSS 503)

Aas 555 - toni morrison: texts and contexts (also eng 536), art 561 - painting and literature in nineteenth-century france and england (also eng 549/fre 561), com 532 - publishing articles in literature, art, and music studies journals (also art 531/eng 591/mus 533), com 535 - contemporary critical theories (also eng 538/ger 535), com 547 - the renaissance (also eng 530), com 553 - the eighteenth century in europe (also eng 546/gss 554), com 572 - introduction to critical theory (also eng 580/fre 555/ger 572), eng 511 - special studies in medieval literature, eng 514 - middle english religious literature, eng 522 - the renaissance in england, eng 523 - renaissance drama, eng 532 - early 17th century (also com 509), eng 543 - the 18th century, eng 545 - special studies in the 18th century, eng 550 - the romantic period, eng 553 - special studies in the nineteenth century, eng 555 - american literary traditions (also gss 555/las 505), eng 556 - african-american literature (also aas 556), eng 558 - american poetry, eng 559 - studies in the american novel, eng 563 - poetics, eng 565 - the victorian novel (also gss 565), eng 566 - studies in the english novel, eng 567 - special studies in modernism (also mod 569), eng 568 - criticism and theory (also ams 568/mod 568), eng 571 - literary and cultural theory (also aas 572/com 506), eng 572 - introduction to critical theory (also com 590/hum 572), eng 573 - problems in literary study (also com 596), eng 574 - literature and society, eng 581 - seminar in pedagogy, eng 582 - graduate writing seminar, env 596 - topics in environmental studies (also ams 596/eng 517/mod 596).

Doctoral Program

The Ph.D. program emphasizes rigorous theoretical work that has at its base a firm empirical foundation in language data. 

Students are provided with a broad-based background in linguistics, teaching experience in the classroom and other forums, and opportunities for original and high-quality research.  Our Ph.D. students write dissertations on a wide range of topics spanning and bridging many subareas of the field.  See our Ph.D. Alumni  page for dissertation titles and job placement information.

Overview of the Program

Through the completion of advanced coursework and strong methodological and analytical training, the Ph.D. program prepares students to make original contributions to knowledge in linguistics, to articulate the results of their work, and to 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. 

Students generally complete the program in five years

• Coursework in core areas of linguistics, chosen by each student in consultation with faculty advisors to build the foundation that best suits their interests and goals.
• Fall Quarter: Includes seminar to introduce students to the research of faculty in the department
• Winter Quarter: Includes participation in small research groups or in one-on-one apprenticeships
• Spring Quarter: Includes beginning to work on the first of 2 qualifying research papers

Years 2 and 3

• Balance shifts from coursework to development of research skills
• Students complete two qualifying papers and then selects a principal advisor and committee for their dissertation by the end of year 3.

Years 4 and 5

• Devoted to dissertation and advanced research

Teaching Experience

As they move through the Ph.D. program, students also gain teaching experience by serving as teaching assistants in their second, third, and fourth year of graduate study. They also have access to the many programs provided by Stanford's Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning , including the varied resources of the Teaching Commons .

Offers of admission to the Linguistics Ph.D. program include funding for the full five years of doctoral study, including tuition and stipend, regardless of citizenship. 

We also encourage our applicants to apply for as many external fellowships and scholarships as they are eligible for; a compilation of funding opportunities for Linguistics graduate students can be found on our  Fellowship and Funding Information page .  Applicants should note that the deadlines for these fellowships are typically in the fall of the year prior to admission.

In addition, the  Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program is designed to build a multidisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world's greatest challenges. Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars . KHS admits up to 100 applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS's leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your PhD studies at Stanford. Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 9, 2024. Learn more about  KHS admission .

Additional information is available about the student budget , Stanford graduate fellowships , and other support programs .

Outside the classroom, there are many opportunities, both formal and informal, for the discussion of linguistic issues and ongoing research, including colloquia, workshops, and reading groups.

Partnership Opportunities

Although not part of the formal doctoral program, there are numerous opportunities for research and development work at the Center for the Study of Language and Information and  off-campus at local companies.  

Admissions Information

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• PhD in Education - Overview
• Program Delivery

The Ph.D. in Education equips students to systematically examine the theoretical and practical challenges evident across the P-20 educational pipeline to address the issue of inequity. The degree program will prepare individuals for careers in academia, research, and policy centers, as well as for high-level administration and curricular positions at educational institutions and agencies.

The program offers seven concentrations:

• Comparative and International Education 
• Higher Education Leadership
• Mathematics Education
• Science Education

The educational objectives for the PhD in Education are the following:

• To advance research on inequity issues within the full P-20 educational pipeline.
• To prepare students to use original and existing research to transform educational practice.
• To equip future educational researchers with innovative teaching experience and cutting-edge transdisciplinary research experience to become attractive job candidates on the academic market.
• To prepare candidates to create a collaborative learning community that integrates all the various educational contexts.
• To prepare candidates to be critical thinkers who focus on leadership, policy, ethics, and social justice.

Candidates for the PhD in Education degree must complete a minimum of 54 academic credit hours, pass the comprehensive exam, and submit and successfully defend a research-based dissertation. All students in the program will be expected to complete academic core and research courses of 27 credits and concentration courses of 27 credits. The concentration courses are presented on the the relevant pages and in the PhD Program Handbook .

The Core 27 credits consist of the following:

Academic Core (9 Credits):

• ASLP 600 Introduction to Doctoral Studies and Academic Writing (3)
• ASLP 640 Race and Public Policy in Education (3)
• ASLP 642 Equity and Social Justice in Education (3)

Research (15 Credits)

• ASLP 620 Introduction to Educational Research (3)
• ASLP 700 Methods of Inquiry (3)
• ASLP 710 Quantitative Research Methods (3)
• ASLP 712 Qualitative Research Methods (3)
• *Students will complete an additional 3 credits of advanced research electives related to their chosen methodology.

Dissertation (3 credits)

• ASLP 997/998 (3)

The department offers different delivery options for each concentration. For a full listing please click here .

Students in concentration areas that offer both the High and Low Residency option will be required to select their delivery mode upon admission into the program. Students who wish to switch their delivery option will need to make a formal request to the program direction with an acceptable reason.

Prospective students should complete this brief interest form to be connected to a faculty member for more information.

Admissions Deadlines:

• Priority deadline for those seeking graduate student funding : January 15
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Research: March 1
• Community College Leadership: July 1
• Comparative and International Education: March 1
• Higher Education Leadership: March 1
• Mathematics Education: July 1
• Science Education: July 1
• Urban Educational Leadership: March 1

The School of Graduate Studies coordinates the application process. 

Our program offers three types of funding:

• Graduate Research Assistantships
• Graduate Teaching Assistantships
• Tuition Awards

Many of our students also leverage their Tuition Remission benefits from local institutions like the   USM schools ,   JHU , or   Morgan State . Tuition Remission is determined and coordinated by your institution. We encourage you to speak with your HR representative about how to use these benefits. 

Contact Information

Dr. Frimpomaa Ampaw Chair Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy Banneker Building #315J

P: (443) 885-1908 E: [email protected]

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