Penn State College of the Liberal Arts Department of Applied Linquistics

Academic Programs

Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics

The Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics provides students with a broad theoretical grounding and research experiences in examining the nature of language and language learning. The specific goals of the program are to prepare scholars:

  • to apply their understandings of the theoretical and empirical complexities of language and language learning in addressing everyday and extraordinary language-related issues
  • to develop research agendas around relevant questions and appropriate investigative methods
  • to apply their understandings of the scholarship of teaching and research in diverse social and institutional contexts
Coursework
Ph.D. students are required to complete a minimum of 45 credits beyond the M.A. degree. Course offerings accommodate a wide range of student needs and interests. Areas of study include: classroom discourse; language teaching and learning; teacher education; corpus linguistics; discourse analysis; language and cognition; language, culture, and identity; language, health, and aging; language ideology; sociocultural theory; and World Englishes. Students work closely with their faculty advisors to choose courses in their areas of study. Students also complete a sequence of courses in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Roundtables and Guest Lecture Sessions
In addition to coursework, all Ph.D. students participate in the regularly scheduled departmental roundtable sessions and guest lectures. These events bring together faculty and graduate students in settings outside of the classroom to engage in discussions of mutual interest. The sessions include presentations and discussions of research-in-progress by members of the APLNG community as well as presentations by visiting speakers. The graduate student body also organizes regularly scheduled social events that bring faculty and students together in more informal settings to share ideas and develop affiliations.
Teaching Apprenticeships
In addition to regular TA teaching duties, Ph.D. students who are ABD are provided with opportunities to team-teach graduate courses in their areas of specialization with faculty members. In these experiences, students work with their faculty mentors to design course materials, prepare classes and assess student learning.
Professional Development Opportunities
Organized by a department committee composed of faculty and graduate students, professional development opportunities are made available to students throughout the academic year that help prepare them for the various stages of PhD work, including a series of informal discussions on topics such candidacy and comprehensive examinations and dissertation writing. In addition, opportunities are made available that help students to identify and prepare for careers in the field. These include practice rehearsals for conference presentations, workshops on writing-for-publication and grant proposals, and seeking and interviewing for academic positions.
Graduate Student Funding
All admitted Ph.D. students are eligible for departmental funding. For more information on funding possibilities, please click here.

For more detailed information on the Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, please view our graduate handbook.

For information on how to apply to the Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, please click here.