Degree Requirements in Brief
For the Ph.D.:
- The program requires 60 credits of course work, including 25 credits
corresponding to the required courses. The 60 credits may include up to
30 transfer credits.
- Students must begin to work on their First Examination Qualifying Paper (QP1) by
their 36th credit, including transfer credits, and they are required to
complete it before the 45th credit.
- Students must fulfill two language requirements. The language requirements
may be satisfied at any time after entering the program, but before the
completion of 60 credits (see Language Requirements).
- The Second Examination Qualifying Paper (QP2) must be completed before the 10th semester.
The Second Examination generally (but not necessarily) covers the student's
area of specialization for his/her proposed dissertation research.
- Within one semester of passing the Second Examination, the student prepares
a dissertation research proposal.
- Finally, Ph.D. students must write a dissertation and take a Third Examination,
which is the Dissertation Defense.
Required Core Courses
- Ling 70100 Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics
- Ling 71300 Phonology I
- Ling 72100 Syntax I
- Ling 72300 Semantics I
Select two of the following (Ph.D):
- Syntax II
- Semantics II
- Phonology II
- Morphology
- Linguistic Phonetics
Select two of the following four categories, select one course from each
selected category:
- Structure of a language
- FLA, SLA, Learnability
- Sentence processing, Computational, Psycholinguistics
- Spanish in the US, Sociolinguistics
- Modern Linguistic Theories
For the M.A.:
En Route M.A.: Students are eligible for receiving an en route M.A.
upon completion of the First Examination (QP1), 45 credits, and passing one
language exam.
M.Phil. and Advancement to Candidacy: A doctoral student is advanced
to candidacy when he or she has completed 60 credits with a grade average
of at least B, passed both language exams, and passed the Second Exam. Upon
advancement to candidacy, doctoral students are eligible for the Master
of Philosophy degree.
Language Requirements
Doctoral students must satisfy two language requirements. One is the "translation
requirement," and the other is the "scholarly requirement." Additional information
can be found on the Language Requirements
page.
First Examination / Qualifying Paper I
Level I Ph.D. students must pass the First Examination
or Qualifying Paper (QP1). The QP1 will consist of original research,
this will determine whether a student is qualified to continue toward the
Ph.D. Students must begin the First Exam by the time they have
completed 36 credits, and they are required to pass it by the time they
have completed 45 credits.
Second Examination
All Ph.D. students must take a formal Second Examination or the Second
Qualifying Paper(QP2). The purpose of the Second Examination is to ensure
that the student has achieved the necessary competence in his or her focus
of specialization to carry out dissertation research. The Second Exam is
not a dissertation proposal.
All students are required to have successfully completed the Second Examination
no later than the end of their fifth year (tenth semester) to remain
in the program.
Dissertation Proposal
A dissertation proposal must be defended in the semester following the passing of the Second Exam. The student
must select a Dissertation Committee of at least 3 Graduate Center faculty. One of these will be the Dissertation Supervisor.
Third Examination
The Third Examination is the student's dissertation defense.
Optimum time line to graduate from the program based on full-time study (3 courses per semester)
- Year I
Fall - Course credit (11)
Introduction to Theoretical Ling. 3
Phonetics + Practicum 4
Syntax I + Practicum 4
Spring - Course credit (11)
Phonology I + Practicum 4
Semantics I + Practicum 4
Secondary Requirements 3
- Year II
Fall - Course credit (11)
Semantics II + Practicum 4
Phonology II + Practicum 4
Secondary Requirements 3
Spring - Course credit (9)
QP Workshop 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
1st QP Evaluation
- Year III
Fall - Course credit (9)
Select 2nd QP Committee
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Spring - Course credit
Elective/IS 3
Elective/IS 3
Elective/IS 3
- Year IV
Fall - Course credit
Select Dissertation Committe
Advancement to candidecy if 60 credits fulfilled
Dissertation Proposal Defense
Language Requirements (2)
Spring - Course
Dissertation Supervision
- Year V
Fall - Course
Dissertation Supervision
Spring - Course
Dissertation Defense
The Third Examination is the student's dissertation defense.