GRADUATE STUDIES IN HISPANIC LINGUISTIC

Application information for prospective applicants for fall 2008

To learn more about the fields of linguistics and Hispanic linguistics,
check out the following two websites:

Hispanic Issues on line:Fall,2006(Part II)

The Domain of Linguistics at the LSA

Information for admitted students in M.A.

Information for admitted students in Ph.D.

Information for Non-Degree Students

Handbook for New Students

M.A. IN HISPANIC LINGUISTICS

Our M.A. programs are designed to:

• Provide students a greater breadth and depth of study in their chosen fields;
• Prepare students for successful careers in such areas as business, publishing, administration, government, and teaching;
• Prepare students to enter doctoral programs in their chosen fields at this or other universities.

Residence Requirements

At least 28 semester hours must be earned as a degree candidate at UIC. At the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies and in consultation with the Graduate Adviser, a maximum of (8) semester hours of graduate credit earned elsewhere may be applied toward the completion of the M.A. If not applied to the undergraduate degree, up to eight hours of graduate-level credit earned at UIC may be applied to the M.A. degree. Note: Students must be in the program at least ONE year before applying for transfer credit. In addition, you will need original transcripts plus a copy of the syllabus. Approved transfer credit may not be applied to required courses.

Course Requirements

During their first semester, students must take Span 502, Theoretical and Research Foundations of Communicative Language Teaching. In addition, all students must complete at least three (3) courses at the 500 level , not including Independent Study hours (Span 596).Students must take Span 502 -Theoretical and Research Foundations of Communicative Language Teaching. In addition, all students must complete at least three courses at the 500 level besides any Independent Studies Hours (Span 596).

Concentration 1: Descriptive and Theoretical Linguistics

Required courses:
Span 402 (Syntax)
Span 404 (Phonology/Morphology)
Span 500 (Research in Hispanic Studies)
Span 505 (Seminar in Descriptive Linguistics)
One other course at the 500 level
One course in Spanish or Latin American literature
All courses should be chosen in consultation with your Graduate Adviser

Concentration 2: Hispanic Applied Linguistics

Required courses:
Span 402 (Syntax)
Span 404 (Phonology/Morphology)
500 (Research in Hispanic Studies)
Span 556 (Second Language Learning)
Span 507 (Seminar in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism)
One other course at the 500 level, chosen in consultation with the Graduate Adviser.

Completing the degree

To fulfill the requirements for the M.A. degree, candidates must pass a final M.A. Comprehensive Examination which is offered during the last month of Spring semester. The M.A. degree must be completed within five (5) consecutive years from the original date of registration for the degree at UIC.

Ph.D. IN HISPANIC LINGUISTICS

The Ph.D. program aims to:
• provide students specialized and professional-level knowledge of their fields;
• train students through theory and practice to teach at the university level;
• prepare them to participate in the various activities of their professional fields;
• train them to research and write lectures and publishable papers;
• guide them in their choice of dissertation topic; and
• supervise the writing of the dissertation.

The Ph.D. program in Hispanic Studies offers two areas of specialization:

(1) Hispanic Literatures and Cultures, and
(2) Hispanic Linguistics.

Students who choose Linguistics as their area of specialization may select from the following three concentrations:

(a) Descriptive and theoretical linguistics
(b) Second language acquisition
(c) Sociolinguistics.
The awarding of the doctoral degree will depend on successful completion of the required credits of coursework, satisfactory performance in the preliminary exams, meeting the departmental language requirement, professional behavior as a student and a teaching assistant, and the completion, defense, and deposit of the doctoral dissertation.

Concentration 1: Descriptive and Theoretical Linguistics
A minimum of eight (8) graduate courses (32 hours), which should include Span 403 and Span 405. Three courses may be taken outside the department. At least two courses for the concentration must be in general linguistic theory.

Concentration 2: Second Language Acquisition
A minimum of ten (10) courses (40 hours) distributed in three areas:
SLA (Span 556, Span 557, and 2 other courses)
Linguistics/Language Analysis (4 courses)
Research Methods (2 courses).

Concentration 3: Sociolinguistics
Students may focus on one of the following Tracks:
• Bilingualism and Heritage Language Development
• Dialects and Variation
• Discourse Analysis
Each track consists of a minimum of eight (8) graduate courses (32 hours), which must include:

Span 403, Span 405, Span 406, Ling 556, Ed 503.
Additionally, two (2) courses are required in the Track area chosen:
Bilingualism and Heritage Language Development: Span 507, and Span 540
Dialects and Variation: Span 408, and Ling 480)
Discourse Analysis: Span 505, and Ling/Eng 553)

Ph.D. Requirements

Requirements for All Specializations

Spanish 502.
Minimum semester hours required: 96 from the baccalaureate

Residence Requirements

No more than 25 percent of the hours required for the Ph.D. degree may be transferred from another program.

Teaching Requirements

Unless exempted by the Director of Graduate Studies, all Ph.D. students must serve as teaching assistants for at least four semester hours teaching elementary or intermediate Spanish.

Language Requirements

Students in the Descriptive and Theoretical Linguistics and the Sociolinguistics concentrations must present evidence of:
• Advanced knowledge of a modern Romance language in addition to Spanish
• Reading knowledge of one other ancient or modern language.
For students in the Second Language Acquisition concentration, the language requirement consists of a minimum of one (1) year of study of a non-Romance language. Students may take two semesters of one language, or a semester each of two different languages, to complete the requirement.
The requirement for foreign language competence in both areas of specialization may be satisfied by evidence from the applicant’s prior record (university grades, supervised study in a foreign country, etc.). The requirement may also be satisfied by passing a proficiency test prior to the doctoral examination.

Completing the Ph.D. Degree Requirements

All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within nine consecutive years from the original date of registration at UIC for students entering with a B.A. For students who enter with an M.A., the length of time for completion of all requirements is seven years.