PhD Program...?

Question

I'm thinking about going back to school to get a doctorate in linguistics. Can anyone tell me what I should expect as far as a PhD program goes? Also, I'm curious about my dissertation. How will I go about the research? And most importantly what should I write about? Am I assigned a topic? How long should I expect to be in school if my BA is completely unrelated to linguistics? I'd appreciate any input you all have. Thank you.

Answer 1

If you are looking at PhD programs in linguistics in the US, you are going to have a very difficult time gaining admission unless you have a strong background in the study of linguistics.

If you have no background at all, I would suggest taking a few courses in linguistics at the undergraduate level before you apply to graduate programs. Linguistic anthropology (or any course in which you learn IPA notation) should be your first class.

Graduate students choose graduate programs by looking at the faculty, and finding scholars whose specific scholarly interests are similar to their own. Knowledge of current literature in the field is essential in order to take the first steps toward applying to the appropriate programs. It is also crucial to know what one's subfield will be.

For example, in linguistics, one can study applied linguistics, theoretical linguistics, sociolinguistics, neurolinguistics, computational linguistics, etc. Some graduate programs are appropriate for one subfield, but not for others.

When graduate students enter a PhD program, they take coursework for two years or so, and then spend the next one or two years taking language exams and qualifying exams, and researching and writing their dissertation proposal. They select topics for the dissertation by having a deep knowledge of literature in their subfield of specialization, and identifying a problem or issue in need of further study. In concert with their advisor, they formulate a bibliography and a proposal, get that proposal approved, and then commence to write. It usually takes a year or more to finish researching, writing, and defending the dissertation.

In addition to doctoral programs, there are some "terminal Masters" or "Masters only" programs in linguistics that accept students who are not prepared for doctoral work. However, even these programs do require some background in the field in order to gain admission.

Best wishes to you.

Answer 2

You should expect a lot of hard work!! Read extensively and pick a topic that suits your interests. The Dissertation topic might be something which you have read about and would like to contribute to its body of knowledge, or you might ask your supervisor for guidance and direction from a general idea that you have. a PhD is usually anything from two to four years (and above) depending on whether its part time or full time or whether you take some time off. As a post grad, you will be expeced to do a lot of research (Books, Newspapers, internet etc) to support your arguements. It might take a lot of background reading since you have no foundation for a linguistics degree. Good Luck