PhD in Linguistics

Human language is a multifaceted phenomenon. It is simultaneously a property of individual minds and of whole speech communities, and thus both internal and external to us. It both shapes and is shaped by our societies over time. It is a combination of sound (or sign), which has physical properties that can be measured, and meaning, which does not. Accordingly, becoming a linguist involves mastering a variety of methods, both quantitative and qualitative. The PhD in Linguistics at Boston University aims to produce scholars who are versatile enough to be experts in both of these aspects of linguistic inquiry, yet skilled enough to do cutting-edge research in a particular subfield of the discipline. We offer a solid grounding in a range of research methods, including field methods, quantitative methods, and computational methods.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a PhD in Linguistics are expected to demonstrate:

• A broad knowledge of the discipline.
• A deeper knowledge in a specialized area or subfield.
• The ability to carry out a significant piece of independent research (which implies knowledge of and ability to use research methodologies in order to complete the research).

Course Requirements

The PhD in Linguistics requires successful completion of 64 units at the graduate level, including:

• CAS LX 703 Phonological Analysis
• CAS LX 722 Intermediate Syntax: Modeling Syntactic Knowledge
• CAS LX 732 Intermediate Semantics: The Grammatical Construction of Meaning
• Six additional courses, two in each of two of the following areas, and one in each of the other two areas:
  • Advanced courses in phonetics, phonology, or the phonology/morphology interface (normally including CAS LX 706)
  • Advanced courses in syntax, the syntax/morphology interface, semantics, or pragmatics (normally including CAS LX 723 and/or LX 736)
  • Linguistic research methodology
  • Language acquisition or the study of language as a social or a historical phenomenon
• Two Graduate Proseminars in Linguistics, CAS LX 801 and CAS LX 802
• Six additional graduate-level courses (including up to 8 units of directed study) in linguistics or related fields sufficient to define a specialization that will be the area within which the dissertation is written. These courses will be decided upon by the student in conjunction with their advisor, whose prior approval is required. Note that CAS LX 601 Phonetics, LX 621 Syntax, and LX 631 Semantics will not be counted toward the PhD course requirements.

Language Requirement

All students pursuing a PhD in Linguistics are required to demonstrate graduate-level reading proficiency in two foreign languages (one of which may be English, for non-native speakers) by the end of the third year of enrollment. Language proficiency can be demonstrated through a language examination, successful completion of a noncredit graduate-level foreign language reading course offered by Boston University, or the equivalent of two years of undergraduate study of the language at Boston University.

Qualifying Examination

A candidate for the doctoral degree must satisfactorily complete two substantial research papers in different areas of the field (the first by the end of the fourth term, the second no later than the sixth term of enrollment). Each Qualifying Paper (QP) will be planned and carried out under the supervision of a Linguistics faculty member with expertise appropriate to the relevant project; it will be defended orally and approved by an examining committee, composed of the first and second reader, as well as a third faculty member determined by the DGS in consultation with the student. A brief proposal for each QP must be submitted, with signed approval of a first and second reader (who have been approved by the DGS and who have agreed to advise the student on the proposed project) by mid-October of the academic year in which the project must be completed.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

Candidates shall demonstrate their abilities for independent study in a dissertation representing original research or creative scholarship. A prospectus for the dissertation must be completed and approved by the readers, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Department Chair. Candidates must undergo a final oral examination in which they defend their dissertation as a valuable contribution to knowledge in their field and demonstrate a mastery of their field of specialization in relation to their dissertation. All portions of the dissertation and final oral examination must be completed as outlined in the GRS General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree.