Ph.D. in Linguistics
Gallaudet's Ph.D. program in Linguistics, with a focus on ASL and other signed languages, gives students the opportunity to specialize in a range of theoretical and applied areas related to signed languages, including phonology, syntax, morphology, cognitive linguistics, sociolinguistics, first and second language acquisition, applied and engaged linguistics, multimodality, and language documentation.
Admissions
Successful applications include a letter of interest that identifies a prospective Ph.D. advisor. Applicants are encouraged to contact the prospective advisor and the Linguistics Graduate Coordinator ahead of time to discuss the admissions process. Applicants also submit a CV, transcripts, and a sample of their academic work; the Graduate Admissions webpage lists detailed information about the application process and requirements.
Required Coursework Credits for Graduation
Students who have already completed the 41 credits required for the Gallaudet LIN M.A. are required to complete a minimum of 36 additional credits (24 required credits and 12 elective credits) for the LIN Ph.D. For these students, the doctoral curriculum consists of a total of 77 credits of coursework plus dissertation research.
Students who enter the LIN Ph.D. program without a Gallaudet LIN M.A. are required to complete a minimum of 62 credits (26 required M.A. credits, 24 required Ph.D. credits, and 12 elective credits) plus dissertation research. These students must also successfully complete the Qualifying Exam and Viva Exam. Although these students are not typically awarded an incidental M.A. on the way to the Ph.D., this option is available upon completion of the entire M.A. in Linguistics, which includes an additional 15 elective credits.
All Ph.D. students must complete the following courses (24 credits): Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities (LIN 741), Phonology III (LIN 801), Generative Linguistics III (LIN 802), Cognitive Linguistics III (LIN 827), Guided Research Project (LIN 880, taken twice), Concept Paper (LIN 883), and Dissertation Proposal Development (LIN 890).
All Ph.D. students must also complete a minimum of 12 elective credits, to be chosen by the student in consultation with the student's advisor. Electives outside of Linguistics are subject to approval by the Linguistics faculty, and these courses should focus on aspects of linguistic theory, application, or research related to the student's professional or academic goals. Some electives may also be taken through the Consortium of Colleges and Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Guided Research Project (LIN 880), GRP Reader and GRP Presentation Milestones
For the Guided Research Project (GRP), students design and conduct an independent research project under the guidance of their dissertation advisor. The GRP typically is related to the student's dissertation topic, but is not required to be. LIN 880 is taken twice, and the final GRP paper is evaluated by both the advisor and a GRP reader who is a Linguistics faculty member external to the project. The GRP paper must be considered satisfactory by both evaluators in order for the student to continue in the Ph.D. program.
Students are required to give a presentation on their GRP, similar to what would be given at a professional conference. This is a formal presentation, 20 minutes in length with 10 minutes for discussion and/or Q&A. Faculty evaluate the presentation in areas of content, presentation, and language use, and students receive feedback from the faculty. Successful completion of the GRP presentation is required to continue in the Ph.D. program.
Concept Paper (LIN 883), Field Exam and Concept Paper Presentation Milestones
The Concept Paper serves as a transition from students' preparatory coursework to their dissertation proposal. This paper includes a statement of the research question(s) and a review of relevant literature, and focuses primarily on (a) defining the key concepts relevant to the student's anticipated research plans and (b) making the underlying theoretical assumptions explicit. The Concept Paper must be completed in the first 10 weeks of LIN 883 in order to provide time for the Field Exam and Concept Paper Presentation to occur. LIN 883 may be taken twice, at the discretion of the Linguistics faculty.
The content of the Field Exam is determined by the student's Concept Paper. Three examiners (the LIN advisor for the Concept Paper, a second LIN faculty member with expertise in some area relevant to the student's Concept Paper, and a third LIN faculty member who does not work in the area of the student's Concept Paper) conduct in-depth questioning in areas pertinent to the Concept Paper topic. Student responses are evaluated by all three examiners together as a Pass with Distinction, Pass, Unsatisfactory or Fail. Students who receive an Unsatisfactory score on the Field Exam are required to retake the exam; students who Fail the Field Exam are dismissed from the program. Students who retake the Field Exam and receive either a score of Unsatisfactory or Fail are dismissed from the program.
After successful completion of the Field Exam, students give a presentation on their Concept Paper. This is a formal presentation, similar to what would be given at a professional conference, 20 minutes in length with 10 minutes for discussion and/or Q&A. Faculty evaluate the presentation in areas of content, presentation, and language use, and students receive feedback from the faculty. Successful completion of the Concept Paper Presentation is required to continue in the Ph.D. program.
Dissertation Proposal Development (LIN 890) and Proposal Defense Milestone
Each student seeking a Ph.D. is required to complete a research-based dissertation on a topic acceptable to their dissertation committee. LIN 890 is the course in which students develop their dissertation proposal. LIN 890 may be taken twice, at the discretion of the Linguistics faculty. The proposal defines a project of appropriate scope, extends the literature review from the Concept Paper, and outlines an appropriate research design and methodology. Students meet regularly with their dissertation advisor for guidance and discussion, but are expected to pursue the bulk of the work independently. Once the full committee deems the proposal defendable, a defense date is set.
All Ph.D. coursework must be completed or be on track to be completed by the semester the proposal defense occurs. Successful defense of one's dissertation proposal is the candidacy examination for the LIN Ph.D. program.
Dissertation Research (LIN 900) and Dissertation Defense Milestone
Once students have successfully defended their dissertation proposal, they advance to Dissertation Research. LIN 900 may be taken multiple times, provided students earn a passing grade each semester.
The dissertation is a research project designed to provide new understanding of a topic, and includes a thorough and thoughtful review of the relevant literature, description of methodology, analysis, and discussion and conclusion elucidating the significance of the findings. The dissertation process is discussed in detail in the Gallaudet University Dissertation and Thesis Handbook.
The maximum time allowed for completion of the dissertation is seven years from the start of the LIN M.A. degree or six years from entrance into the Ph.D. program for those without a LIN M.A. degree. Any extension beyond this deadline will require the approval of the doctoral committee, the Graduate Program Coordinator, the School Director, and the Associate Dean of Graduate Education.
Ph.D. Coursework
24 required credits, LIN 880 is taken twice
26 additional required credits, only for students who did not complete the Gallaudet M.A. in Linguistics
12 elective credits (selected sample of offerings)
| LIN 510 | Introduction to First and Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LIN 522 | Psycholinguistics of Sign Languages | 3 |
| LIN 525 | Cognitive Linguistics and Translation | 3 |
| LIN 537 | Depiction, Iconicity, and Gesture | 3 |
| LIN 543 | Bilingualism | 3 |
| LIN 572 | Language Documentation | 3 |
| LIN 573 | Corpus Linguistics | 3 |
| LIN 811 | First Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LIN 812 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LIN 841 | Discourse Analysis | 3 |
Elective offerings vary each semester. Electives outside of LIN are subject to approval by the Linguistics faculty.
Typical Program of Study for students who did not complete the Gallaudet M.A. in Linguistics
Year I - Fall
Complete Qualifying Exam during the Year 1 Fall Semester.
Year I - Spring
Year II - Fall
Complete Viva Exam during the Year 2 Fall Semester.
Year II - Spring
Present Guided Research Project during the Year 2 Spring Semester.
Year III - Fall
| LIN 802 | Generative Linguistics III | 3 |
| LIN 883 | Dissertation Concept Paper | 3 |
| | Elective #2 | 3 |
Complete the Field Exam and Present Concept Paper during Year 3 Fall Semester.
Year III - Spring
| LIN 827 | Cognitive Linguistics III | 3 |
| | Elective #3 | 3 |
| | Elective #4 | 3 |
Year IV - Fall
| LIN 890 | Dissertation Proposal Development | 3 |
Defend Dissertation Proposal during Year 4 Fall Semester.
Year IV - Spring (and onward)
Program Outcomes
1. Specialized knowledge:
a. Demonstration of in-depth familiarity with current literature relevant to their chosen topic of research.
2. Critical evaluation:
a. Ability to critically compare and evaluate claims from the linguistics literature and argue for or against them in a coherent manner.
3. Formulation of research questions:
a. Ability to independently formulate clear and tractable research questions related to their individual projects, and develop a systematic and culturally responsible plan for answering them, including identification of data needed to further the investigation.
4. Dissemination and communication:
a. Ability to communicate information about sign language linguistics competently and respectfully to the field, the Deaf communities, and the greater public.
5. Ethical conduct as researchers
a. Demonstrating academic integrity and responsible conduct in their research practices with transparency and respect to the communities involved.