Graduate Program

Application Deadlines

	M.A.	Ph.D.
Fall semester:	March 31	December 15
Spring semester:	October 31	None accepted
Summer semester:	March 31	None accepted

All applications seeking financial aid must be received by December 15.

Degrees Offered

M.A. in Linguistics

The Department of Linguistics offers the Master of Arts degree in linguistics with flexibility in selection of an area of study. This degree is offered under Plan I (24 hours plus thesis) or Plan II (32 hours) according to the regulations set forth in earlier pages of this catalog, except that a minimum of 12 hours of 500-level courses is required.

Minimum prerequisites for pursuing the M.A. in linguistics are 12 hours of basic linguistics, including introductory linguistic analysis, phonetics, phonological analysis, and grammatical analysis. Deficiencies in these prerequisites may be made up after admission to the program but such course work may not be counted toward the degree.

Candidates for the master's degree must complete 21 hours of core course work, including 3 hours in each of the following areas: phonology (502, 503), morphosyntax (512), psycholinguistics (560, 565, 566, 567, 568), sociolinguistics (531, 533, 535, 539), language change (546), and two of the following three areas: discourse/syntax (523, 529, or a seminar on a relevant topic), cognitive linguistics (519, 525, or a seminar on a relevant topic), and typology (513, 517, 548, or a seminar on a relevant topic). The remaining required hours are selected by the candidate, with the approval of the Graduate Advisor.

Plan I students are required to undergo an oral examination of the master's thesis. Plan II students are required to take a written comprehensive examination.

Computational Linguistics

In addition to the course work for the Linguistics M.A., the concentration in Computational Linguistics requires five prerequisite Computer Science courses: CS 151, CS 201, CS 251, CS 257, and CS 351; three recommended graduate-level Computer Science courses: CS 438, CS 451, and CS 527; and, two elective courses chosen in consultation with the student’s department advisor. If the student has opted for Plan I, they are required to take nine thesis hours in addition to two of the recommended CS courses. One of three Master’s examination questions must address an area of Computational Linguistics.

Native American Languages of the Southwest

The Department of Linguistics offers the M.A. in Linguistics with a concentration in Native American Languages of the Southwest. The program is designed so as to take advantage of the resources in the Departments of Linguistics, Native American Studies, and Anthropology, as well as the College of Education. The concentration in Native American Languages is designed to fit with the department’s interest in functional grammar and sociolinguistics. Candidates for the M.A. degree under the thesis Plan I must complete 24 hours of course work in linguistics plus at least eight thesis hours and candidates under the non-thesis Plan II must complete 32 hours of course work in linguistics. The candidate will choose one of three focus areas: 1) field research on Native American languages, 2) issues in bilingual education, or 3) Navajo studies. Four courses in the chosen focus area, and one course from either of the other two focus areas, are required.

Ph.D. in Linguistics

Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly selective. The following criteria must be met: 1) completion of course work equivalent to the University of New Mexico M.A. in Linguistics with an average of B+ or better; 2) Pass with Distinction on the University of New Mexico M.A. Comprehensive Exam or equivalent, and the submission of a research paper of publishable quality; and 3) willingness of a University of New Mexico Linguistics faculty member to serve as the student’s mentor.

The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 48 graduate credit course work. This may include up to 30 hours of appropriate courses from the M.A. but at least 18 hours must be work beyond the M.A. At least 24 hours must be completed at UNM and at least 18 hours must be at the 500 or 600 level. Students must fulfill the following requirements: 1) a graduate phonology course (502 or 503); 2) an advanced course in phonetics or phonology (505, 506, or a seminar in phonetics or phonology); 3) a course in each of the following areas: discourse/syntax (523, 529, or a seminar on a relevant topic); cognitive linguistics (519, 525, or a seminar on a relevant topic), and typology (513, 517, 548, or a seminar on a relevant topic); 4) at least one methods courses; and 5) three advanced seminars in the areas of preparation for the comprehensive examination. These required courses include some that were required for the MA and courses taken for that degree may be included as fulfilling the requirements for the Ph.D. as well.

Research skills required for the Ph.D. are 1) reading, writing, and conversational ability in a language other than the student’s native language (this requirement may be fulfilled by 4 semesters of college language courses with a grade of B or better); 2) knowledge of the structure of a non-Indo-European language; and 3) coursework in statistics up to and including analysis of variance or the equivalent.

At the end of their coursework Ph.D. candidates are required to take a comprehensive examination over three areas of specialization.

Contact the department for more detailed information on admissions and requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. programs or consult the Web site, http://www.unm.edu/~linguist.

Computational Linguistics

The Ph.D. in Linguistics with a concentration in Computational Linguistics requires that the student complete a minimum of 48 hours of graduate credit course work that includes up to 30 hours of appropriate courses from the M.A., but at least 18 hours must be course work beyond the M.A. At least 24 hours must be completed at UNM and at least 18 hours must be at the 500 or 600 level. Students must fulfill the following requirements: 1) One 500-level course each in phonology, grammar and discourse, and computer science beyond what is required for the M.A.; 2) at least one methods course (which may include an appropriate course from Computer Science); 3) three advanced seminars in the areas of preparation for the comprehensive examination; 4) a comprehensive examination over three areas of specialization, two of which shall be in the core areas of linguistics, and one in the area of computational linguistics; 5) reading, writing, and conversational ability in a language other than the student’s native language plus proficiency in a computer language; 6) knowledge of the structure of a non-Indo-European language; and 7) course work in formal modeling or quantitative methods.

Speech and Hearing Sciences

The Department offers a concentration in the linguistics doctoral program for students interested in combining the study of Speech and Hearing Sciences with Linguistics. Requirements for students who have a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology are: LING 504; LING 522; LING 531; LING 567; LING 502 or 503; LING 523; LING 532, 533, or 535. Requirements for students who have a master’s degree in Linguistics: SHS 510; LING 506; SHS 431; SHS 550; SHS 507; SHS 530 or LING 560; one additional SHS course on disorders. Requirements for all students in the concentration: a second graduate course in phonetics and phonology (chosen from LING 502, 503, or 505); LING 529; and the following: graduate level courses in statistics, research methods (not SHS 506), and three seminars in the areas of specialization for the comprehensive examination (specific courses must be approved by the Committee on Studies). Students in the concentration must also meet all other requirements for the Linguistics Ph.D.

Keys and Symbols Reference