nyu linguistics phd application

Online Application for the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) at New York University

To start a new application:   Click "Start New Application" at the bottom of this screen. To continue an application:   Click "(year) Application" on the left side of the screen below. Submitting your online application, including all required supporting materials, must be completed by no later than the application deadline of the program to which you are applying. This includes not only documents you are required to upload, but also materials that are sent by others such as official test scores and letters of recommendation.  Please refer to the Instructions section of your online application for our complete policies and procedures. You may submit only one application to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) for consideration in a given term. If you submit more than one application to GSAS for a term, all applications submitted after the first one will be held and will not be considered for admission. Thus, please determine carefully the one GSAS program to which you will apply.  Applicants are permitted to submit admissions applications to two (or more) programs if they are within different schools at NYU . For example, you may apply to a program in GSAS and to a different program at the Steinhardt School. However, you may not apply to both Computer Science and Economics at the same time because both are within GSAS. If you choose to apply to programs that are in different schools, it will be necessary to complete and submit separate applications and pay each school a separate application fee. The following NYU graduate schools are separate from GSAS: Tandon (Engineering), Tisch (Arts), Sackler (Medicine), School of Law, Steinhardt (Culture, Education and Human Development), Stern (Business), Public Health, Wagner (Public Service), Silver (Social Work) and Gallatin (Individualized Study).

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Department of Linguistics

as.nyu.edu/linguistics 10 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003-6636 • 212-998-7950

Chair of the Department

Professor Davidson

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Clinical Professor Harves

Linguistics is the science of human language. It seeks to determine that which is necessary in human language, that which is possible, and that which is impossible. While linguists work to determine the unique qualities of individual languages, they are constantly searching for linguistic universals—properties whose explanatory power reaches across languages. The discipline of linguistics is organized around syntax (the principles by which sentences are organized), morphology (the principles by which words are constructed), semantics (the study of meaning), phonetics (the study of speech sounds), phonology (the sound patterns of language), historical linguistics (the ways in which languages change over time), sociolinguistics (the interaction of language with society), psycholinguistics, and neurolinguistics (the representation of language in the brain). Current research by faculty members extends across the field, including topics in the interaction of syntax and semantics, phonetics and phonology, languages in contact, pidgin and creole languages, urban sociolinguistics, and computer analogies of syntactic processes.

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Linguistics (BA)

Program description, recommended work outside of the department , honors in linguistics.

Linguistics is the science of human language. It seeks to determine that which is necessary in human language, that which is possible, and that which is impossible. While linguists work to determine the unique characteristics of individual languages, they are constantly searching for linguistic universals—properties whose explanatory power reaches across languages. The discipline of linguistics is organized around syntax (the principles by which sentences are organized), morphology (the principles by which words are constructed), semantics (the study of meaning), phonetics (the study of speech sounds), phonology (the sound patterns of language), historical linguistics (the ways in which languages change over time), sociolinguistics (the interaction of language with society), psycholinguistics, and neurolinguistics (the representation of language in the brain). Current research by faculty members extends across the field, including topics in the interaction of syntax and semantics, phonetics and phonology, languages in contact, language change, urban sociolinguistics, and computer analogies of syntactic processes.

New York University's Department of Linguistics has established itself as a top linguistics program in the United States and the world, covering an extensive range of subfields including: phonetics/phonology, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, morphology, neurolinguistics, language acquisition, and computational linguistics.

The Linguistics Department has eighteen core faculty members, one Global Distinguished Professor, and several visiting professors and scholars each year, with eight laboratories and research groups.

To meet standards currently set in the field of linguistics it is suggested to gain competence in one or more of the following areas during one’s undergraduate studies: (1) a foreign language; (2) psychology, for issues of language and the mind, and anthropology, for issues of language and culture; (3) mathematics or logic, for an understanding of modern algebra and mathematical logic; (4) philosophy of language; and (5) one or more computer languages for computational linguistics. Majors and minors in linguistics should avail themselves of NYU study away programs where appropriate. Note that any course substitution or transfer credit toward a required course for the major must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies.

The Department of Linguistics offers an honors track. The requirement for graduation with honors in linguistics is an honors thesis of 40 to 50 pages, typically the culmination of a year’s work, and two advanced courses chosen with the honors thesis adviser.

Students who are excelling in the linguistics major are highly encouraged to develop an honors project as early as the second semester of their sophomore year. It is expected that students who pursue honors work in the Department of Linguistics have sufficient preparation and background (i.e., high-level coursework) in a field of linguistics, which is not always the case for students in the joint majors with French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Admission to the honors program is by application in the second semester of junior year. To be eligible, a student must have a GPA of 3.65 overall as well as in linguistics. Applications are due to the director of undergraduate studies by April 15 and must include a one- to two-page description of the topic that the student wishes to investigate in the senior thesis. The student must identify a faculty member in the Department of Linguistics who has agreed to supervise the project, and the description of the thesis is written in consultation with this faculty adviser.

New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU.  For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply . 

Program Requirements

The major in Linguistics requires nine 4-credit courses (36 credits) as outlined below.

The foreign language requirement is satisfied upon successful completion through the Intermediate level of a language. This may be accomplished in fewer than 16 credits, but those credits must then be completed as elective credit.

With permission, students may choose from CSCD-UE 221 Intro to Audiology , CSCD-UE 231 Anatomy/Physiology of Speech/Hearing Mechanism , and/or CSCD-UE 241 Neuroanatomy and Physiology/Communication and count them toward the major as electives. These courses are offered by the Depart ment of Communicative Sciences and Disorders in the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, but do not count against CAS students’ allowance of 16 credits taken outside of the College in the other schools of NYU. (However, they cannot be applied toward the 64-credit UA residency requirement for internal and external transfers to the College.)

Note that  LING-UA 11 Sound and Language  is only taught in the fall; it is a prerequisite for  LING-UA 12 Phonological Analysis , which is only offered in the spring.

Sample Plan of Study

Or one of the following courses:

• LING-UA 14 Language Change
• LING-UA 15 Language & Society
• LING-UA 23 African American Vernacular English
• LING-UA 30 Language in Latin America
• LING-UA 57 English Dialects

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have:

• An understanding of how to approach the study of human language scientifically.
• The ability to question assumptions and debunk certain myths about language use and linguistic variation.
• The skills to analyze linguistic data in the subfields of phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and sociolinguistics.
• Knowledge of methods used to analyze linguistic variation in different social contexts.
• The capability to carry out linguistic research and present results and arguments in both oral and written work.

Grade Policy

Other major policies, nyu policies, college of arts and science policies, program policies.

No grade lower than C (or any course taken Pass/Fail) may be counted toward the major or toward a joint major.

In some cases, courses taken for a major in the Department of Linguistics may be applied to the requirements of another major or minor if the departments consider this appropriate. Students must then obtain written approval for the shared course(s) from the directors of undergraduate studies of both departments. No student may double count more than two courses between two majors (or between a major and a minor, or between two minors).

All linguistics majors, joint majors, and combined majors must select and register for linguistics courses with the advice of the director of undergraduate studies in the linguistics department.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

A full list of relevant academic policies can be found on the CAS Academic Policies page . 

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Doctor of Philosophy Communicative Sciences and Disorders

Get the training you need to become an academic researcher and scholar. Through rigorous research experience, intensive course work, and collaboration with faculty mentors, you'll gain the skills for a career as an independent researcher in communicative sciences and disorders.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

Doctor of Philosophy in Communicative Sciences and Disorders

Your Academic Experience

Careers and outcomes, doctoral funding.

We welcome students with degrees in communicative sciences and disorders as well as related fields like psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience, with a strong and demonstrated interest in CSD-based research and scholarship to apply to our program.

The goal of the PhD in Communicative Sciences and Disorders is to develop outstanding scholars trained as strong independent researchers and teachers. You will learn to perform cutting-edge research on speech, language, and swallowing in both typical and atypical populations. 

Once accepted, you will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members actively pursuing both basic science questions about the nature of communication sciences and the application of these questions to clinically diverse populations. The degree offers a rigorous mentorship process pairing individual students with a primary faculty advisor to develop a tailored program of study, including a research-focused lab rotation and teaching experience, to broaden your training. Learn more about our curriculum and degree requirements .

Current doctoral students are pursuing a wide range of research topics based on their specific interest areas, such as swallowing, speech and language disorders, multilingualism, acoustic biofeedback, noninvasive brain stimulation, and neuroimaging.

This field is positioned at the border of basic human science and applied clinical science. Our doctorate trains you to be an independent investigator and educator poised to contribute to each of these areas of inquiry. 

You will be presented with the opportunity for a variety of interdisciplinary experiences and skills to enhance your research career. The structure of our degree leads you to engage in scholarly, publishable research endeavors, positioning you for academic positions in a field with a well-documented shortage of faculty candidates.

NYU Steinhardt and the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders offer all full-time PhD students a complete funding and mentoring program. The funding is designed to help PhD students undertake full-time study and research, to participate in superior academic and scholarly experiences, and to complete their studies in a timely manner.

Students in the PhD program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders receive five years of fellowship (full tuition and fees, student health insurance, and a living stipend of ~$32,000). There are also opportunities to teach in order to supplement the scholarship. 

All admitted full-time PhD students in CSD are awarded a full funding package and are assigned to a faculty mentor. There is no special application for this funding program.

More Information 

To read more, please request the latest PhD Student Handbook.

For specific research queries about the doctoral degree, please contact the faculty member whose interests most reflect your own. Learn more about  our faculty members' active research . 

Learn more about our current doctoral students .

Questions 

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact Tara McAllister at [email protected] .

Communicative Sciences and Disorders

665 Broadway, 9th floor New York, NY 10012 Phone: 212-998-5230

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Applied Linguistics, Doctor of Philosophy

Department of English

College of Arts and Letters

If language is humanity's most useful tool, then applied linguistics, as the study of language, puts that tool to work. The focus of applied linguistics is on trying to resolve language-based issues that people encounter in the real world (Grabe 2002). This dissertation-based degree allows students to customize their coursework and research around such areas as second language studies, teaching and assessment of language skills, corpus linguistics, grammar and discourse, pragmatics, psycholinguistics, and speech perception and production.

University Requirements

To receive a Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses, from one or more disciplines, ranging from at least 60 - 109 units of graduate-level courses. Most plans require research, a dissertation, and comprehensive exams. All plans have residency requirements regarding time spent on the Flagstaff campus engaged in full-time study. The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement

PhD students pursue a diverse range of applied linguistic issues in preparation for their careers as researchers, teacher trainers, or leaders in fields related to teaching and learning second languages, including:

• computer-assisted language learning (CALL)
• corpus linguistics
• grammar and discourse
• language planning and policy
• language testing and program evaluation
• language variation
• literacy       
• register analysis
• second language acquisition
• second language teaching and learning
• speech perception and production

Our faculty work closely with individual students, helping them to develop as colleagues in applied linguistics. As a result, our PhD students have outstanding records of publication and participation in major conferences such as TESOL and AAAL. Graduates of our program have also been highly successful at obtaining tenure-track faculty positions at major universities. Student Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the PhD in Applied Linguistics, students will have:

• Advanced critical and analytical knowledge of the structure and uses of the English language, English language discourse processes and genres, the development of second language learning processes in their diverse cultural contexts, and the assessment of both language program effectiveness and individual language proficiency.
• Ability to address issues of language learning in real world settings
• Ability to address both language program effectiveness and individual language proficiency.
• Ability to contribute to innovative and effective English language teaching practices in the State of Arizona and elsewhere.
• Ability to integrate use of technology into language instruction and research.
• Ability to synthesize information and approaches across a range of core topics in Applied Linguistics, such as language acquisition, language in society, English grammar, and the development of language curricula and programs.
• Understanding of the many issues relevant to cross-cultural communication.
• Comprehensive preparation and professional orientation for advanced research in PhD programs.
• Ability to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret original and important empirical research.
• Ability to contribute as active professionals in Applied Linguistics and related fields.
• Expertise and qualifications to contribute significantly in professorial positions to the growth and development of Applied Linguistics.

Graduate Admission Information

The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:

• Transcripts.
• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies. Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy .

Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• GRE® revised General Test
• Two letters of recommendation
• Writing Sample
• Personal statement or essay
• Resume or curriculum vitae

Official TOEFL iBT/IELTS scores taken within the last 2 years are required for international applicants. Please see department website for information regarding minimum score requirements.

Doctoral Requirements

This Doctoral degree requires 81 units distributed as follows:

• Master's-level Coursework: 36 units
• Statistics Coursework: 9 units
• Seminars: 9 units
• Graduate Electives: 12 units
• Dissertation: 15 units

Take the following 81 units:

Master's-level Coursework (36 units)

• Coursework relevant to your research interests. (36 units)

Statistics Coursework (9 units)

• Prerequisite: Admission to TESL M.A. or Applied Linguistics Ph.D.">ENG 668 , Prerequisite: ENG 668">ENG 768
• Approved PhD Seminars

Seminars (9 units)  

Graduate Electives (12 units)

• Graduate electives, chosen in consultation with your dissertation committee. (12 units)

Dissertation (15 units)

• ENG 799 , for the research, writing, and oral defense of an approved dissertation (15 units)
• 15 units of dissertation credit may be applied to your degree; however, you may end up taking additional units since you must enroll each term while you're working on your dissertation.

Additional Information

In addition, you must:

• Complete a screening process.
• Complete a qualifying exam.
• Fulfill Northern Arizona University's residency requirements (For more information about residency and other requirements that pertain to this degree, see the policy on Requirements for the Doctoral Degree, PhD .
• Pass an oral exam on your dissertation (Dissertation Defense).

Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

Campus Availability