Graduate Program
The curriculum is designed to assure that Ph.D. students receive an adequate grounding in all of the fundamental areas of linguistics, while leaving them the freedom they need to become independent researchers. The first year is devoted to course-work, to give students a strong foundation, and to enable them to quickly begin contributing to the research life of the department. Beyond the core, students are relatively free to design their own program of study both within the discipline and across disciplines, within a framework of requirements set by the field and the graduate school. This program is organized in consultation with a Special Committee of the student’s own choosing. Committee members represent the student's major and minor subjects. Minors may be chosen from disciplines other than linguistics, so that it is possible, for example, for a Ph.D. student to major in General Linguistics and minor in such areas as Computer Science, Latin American Studies, or Cognitive Studies. The Special Committee system makes the Ph.D. program maximally flexible and allows students to avail themselves of the entire university's resources.
Progress towards the degree is attained by (1) completing the core course requirements, (2) passing the Admission to Candidacy Exam, (3) completing and defending dissertation.
A. Core Courses
Students normally complete courses equivalent to the following:
Historical Linguistics (LING 3314)
Phonology II (LING 4402)
Syntax II (LING 4404)
Semantics I (LING 4421)
Field Methods (LING 6600)
A course in linguistic structure (e.g. morphology, phonetics) or language use (sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics)
Research workshop (LING 6604)
The Research Workshop provides students with an opportunity to develop an original research paper through a number of revisions, some of which are presented to an audience of fellow students. The final version is presented at a year-end conference.
B. In-depth Language Study
The Field has an in-depth language study requirement, which may be satisfied by
(1) two semesters of formal language study of a single language [ex. Chinese 1101/Chinese 1102], or
(2) Structure of Language X (e.g. LING 4430, Structure of Korean), or
(3) Language Typology (LING 4400).
C. Ancillary skill sets
In the course of research a student may need to master one or more ancillary skill sets. These might be familiarity with other languages of scholarship, or training in statistics, logic, or programming. The student, in consultation with his/her committee, is expected to determine which skills need to be acquired and how and when this should be done.
A-Exam and B-Exams
Students in the Ph.D. program are required to take an Admission to Candidacy Exam
(A-Exam). All doctoral students must take the Examination for Admission to Candidacy before beginning their seventh semester of registration unless special permission is obtained from the Dean. The format of this exam varies from case to case, depending on the expectations of the Special Committee. The Field requires that the candidate submit to the committee in advance of the exam two research papers of high quality in two distinct areas and to have completed a study of the history of a subject of his or her choice (typically related to the proposed dissertation topic). This can be done by completing an independent study course with the chair or a committee member, or in some other way deemed appropriate. In addition, the Special Committee will normally ask the candidate to prepare written answers to two questions, and to submit a dissertation prospectus of ten to twenty pages. Students should consult with members of their Special Committees well in advance of the examination date about the specific expectations. Candidates who pass the A-Exam and who do not already have an M.A. in linguistics may be awarded a special M.A. at that time.
The B-Exam (thesis defense) is taken after completion of the Ph.D. dissertation. The B-Exam includes a presentation of the highlights of the dissertation followed by questions from the committee and others in attendance.
M.A. Program
We do not offer a Master's program. The exception is through the Employee Degree Program (a benefit for Cornell employees).
Contact the Graduate Field Assistant for more information (lingfield@cornell.edu or 255-1105).
Teaching and Research Assistantships
Admitted graduate students are supported with a combination of fellowship and teaching assistantship support. Prospective students should make every effort to investigate other potential sources of aid (see the Funding and Career Placement page).
After the first year, most students are supported with a teaching assistantship of some kind. A linguistics teaching assistantship involves the student in one of various undergraduate courses in the basic areas, and entails leading sections, holding office hours, and grading assignments and exams. We also have teaching assistantships in language courses. All of these positions provide not only financial support, but also valuable teaching experience. Applicants who feel that they may qualify for a teaching assistantship in a commonly-taught language (Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, etc.) should indicate this on their application and describe their language background in detail in their application letter.
