Graduate
Degree Requirements for the PhD in Linguistics With Specialization in Sociolinguistics
The School of Arts and Sciences requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate for a PhD degree; credits earned for the MA count toward this total. Students who received their MA degree in the department can normally use all earned credits toward the PhD degree; entering students may transfer a maximum of 24 credits, provided the course work is the equivalent of that taught in the department. In the rare case of a student entering without the equivalent of the linguistics core courses for the MA in linguistics (see that entry), those courses must first be completed.
In addition to these departmental requirements, PhD students must fulfill and adhere to requirements set by the University of Pittsburgh generally, as found in the graduate and professional bulletin, and requirements set by the School of Arts and Sciences, found in the handbook of policies and requirements.
Courses
Core courses (may have been fulfilled at the MA level):
Morphology
Syntactic Theory
Phonetics and Phonemics
Phonology
One course in advanced phonology
One course in advanced syntax
Sociolinguistics
Research Methods in Applied Linguistics and Sociolinguistics
Sociology 2004: Central Themes in Social Theory
One course in cultural anthropology
Two courses from the following:
Discourse Analysis
Language Contact
Sociology of Language
Variation Analysis
There is considerable room for elective courses after fulfilling these requirements. Students are encouraged to study widely in both linguistics and social theory, and seminars in sociolinguistics are offered regularly. Note that up to 12 credits of the required 72 may be taken as doctoral dissertation study.
Preliminary Examination
By the end of the third term of doctoral study, students are expected to have established their eligibility to continue toward the PhD degree by passing the required preliminary screening examination.
Language Requirements
Reading proficiency in two non-English languages is required for the PhD degree. This requirement is satisfied by examination. Ordinarily one of these two languages will be French, German, Spanish, or Russian. Students whose native language is not English and who complete their PhD work with an average grade of B (3.0 grade point average) or better will have fulfilled this requirement automatically.
In addition to the basic language requirement, the department requires one term of study with a grade of B or better in a non-Indo-European language. This latter requirement is waived if one of the languages chosen for the basic two-language requirement is non-Indo-European.
Comprehensive Examination
A comprehensive examination precedes admission to candidacy and dissertation research. This examination is in practice a series of two papers of publishable quality. One paper must be in a core area of linguistics (defined as phonetics, phonology, morphology, or syntax).
Dissertation
When the student has successfully completed the PhD comprehensive examination, the student must prepare a dissertation proposal and present it in a formal dissertation overview meeting. Upon approval of the proposal, the student will be admitted to candidacy for the PhD. The student must then prepare and submit a dissertation that is a contribution to linguistic knowledge. A four-person doctoral committee will direct the dissertation and administer the required oral defense after the dissertation has been submitted. The student chooses the chair of the doctoral committee, and together they select the remaining committee members, subject to the approval of the departmental chair. One of the committee members must be from outside the Department of Linguistics. The dissertation defense is open to all members of the University community, and all graduate faculty members who attend have the right to pose questions to the candidate.