The Department of Applied Linguistics is an intellectually engaged community dedicated to the scholarly and professional development of its graduate students. The Ph.D. program in Applied Linguistics is shaped by the scholarship and teaching interests of the department’s outstanding faculty. Faculty members have national and international reputations in their areas of specialization and serve as journal editors, on editorial boards, and in responsible positions for national and international professional organizations. Students come from around the world to study with the faculty. Their varied backgrounds and interests contribute to a vibrant community of scholars.
Teaching and Research Apprenticeships
Faculty work with students to develop their teaching and research skills. Doctoral students have 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.
In addition to teaching experiences, all graduate students have opportunities to work alongside faculty members on research projects. These opportunities provide them with practical experiences in designing research studies and collecting and analyzing data.
Graduate students are assigned to Teaching or Research Assistantships on a yearly or as-needed basis. These assignments are made based on several considerations including the instructional needs of the program, knowledge or capabilities required for the success of research projects, and student preference.
Research Support Grants
Financial support for research is available on a competitive basis. The Department offers travel funding each year to students who will be actively participating in a conference as a presenter or organizer. Every Ph.D. student is eligible for a semester off from teaching when writing the dissertation. In addition, we actively encourage our students to apply for external grants and we provide assistance with these applications.
Community Life
Outside of the classroom, a variety of department-sponsored activities are provided to enhance the intellectual and professional lives of both faculty and students. We have regularly scheduled departmental roundtable sessions and guest lectures where faculty and graduate students are able to engage in discussions of research-in-progress by members of the applied linguistics community as well as by visiting speakers. Reading and discussion groups are also part of our activities. The graduate student body also organizes social events that bring faculty and students together in more informal settings to share ideas and develop affiliations.
The documents and links below provide information about everyday life as a graduate student in State College.
State College Area Resource List is a guide provided by Global Connections for the Penn State community to find International Restaurants & Groceries, English Language Classes & Tutoring, Cultural Resources, Community & Family Resources, Health & Medical Care, Office Supplies, Electronics & Used Items, Housing, Banks, & Transportation.
Guidebook for New Graduate Students, Postdocs and Faculty Who Are New to the USA is an information package created by some Penn State individuals that covers topics such as social security number, bank accounts, credit cards, housing, phone, Internet, insurance, transportation, taxes, legal advice, climate issues, food and shopping, activities, and kids care.
Child Care for Graduate Student Parents at Penn State provides information about childcare options and financial assistance programs available to graduate student parents at Penn State.
Pregnancy and Parenting Rights and Resources, provided by the Gender Equity Center at Penn State, is a document that outlines the civil rights of individuals with pregnancy or parental status.
Student Emergency Resources is a quick reference guide outlining emergency funding options and support resources available to Penn State students
Off-Campus Student Support is a Penn State service from the Student Affairs office that helps students who live off-campus or are preparing to live off-campus. You can request a consultation with Off-Campus Student Support staff who are available to meet by phone, Zoom, or in-person.
Token Transit App (CATABUS) is an app to download on phones if you need bus transportation in State College.
You can consider joining the following Buy Nothing Facebook groups where people in the State College area donate household items – State College/Westerly Parkway Elem School: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2843184335748799/;
State College/Park Forrest: https://www.facebook.com/groups/634022017365090/;
Lemont/Houserville: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1000813613782895.
Penn State IT offers Software Walkthrough sessions to assist students, faculty, and staff with commonly used Penn State software. These sessions are free of charge and can be scheduled as either remote or in-person appointments. You can submit your request online using the Software Walkthrough Session Request Form at least 24 hours before your desired session time.
Placement
The Department is building an outstanding record of placing its students in academic and professional positions. We advise and mentor our students as they consider career possibilities. We hold workshops for students to organize and refine their materials for the job market and to prepare them for interviews and campus visits.
We believe that you will find graduate study in the Department of Applied Linguistics at Penn State to be an exciting and rewarding experience.