Academic Programs
Cornell offers Degree Programs leading to the Ph.D. and the M.A. in
Linguistics. Most graduate students in the Field of Linguistics are working toward the Ph.D. degree.
Both programs are designed to provide a thorough grounding
in contemporary linguistic theory while allowing full access to Cornell's
varied resources. The Graduate School sets the minimum number of residence
units at two semesters for the M.A. and six for the Ph.D., but prescribes
no fixed number of courses and credits (see Guide to Graduate Study). The
Field of Linguistics has established a language requirement and a core
curriculum for each degree program. Within these limits, students organize
their own program of study in consultation with a Special Committee of
their own choosing. Committee members represent the student's major and
minor subjects. Minors may be chosen from disciplines other than linguistics,
so that it is possible, for example, for a Ph.D. student to major in General
Linguistics and minor in such areas as Computer Science, Latin American Studies, or
Cognitive Studies. The Special Committee system makes degree programs maximally flexible
and allows students to avail themselves of the entire university's resources. In addition,
for the Ph.D. degree, students must pass two examinations set by their Special Committee:
the Admission to Candidacy Examination (A-exam), and the Thesis Examination (B-exam).
A regular course load for students without teaching appointments is four courses per semester. Students
who are teaching normally take three courses per semester.
Aside from the Research Workshop,
which is offered only as an S/U course, linguistics courses should be taken under the letter
grade option. After the A-Exam, courses may not be taken for credit.
To assure Ph.D. students an adequate grounding in all of the fundamental areas of
linguistics, the field has defined a "core" requirement in the areas of Syntax, Phonology, Semantics,
Historical Linguistics, and Field Methods. Candidates are expected to achieve a level of knowledge in these areas
equivalent to that normally acquired by taking the courses Phonology II, Syntax II, Historical Linguistics,
Semantics I, and Field Methods.
Ph.D. students
are expected to take one other general linguistics course either in the area of linguistic structure
(e.g., morphology, phonetics) or in the area of language use (e.g., sociolinguistics,
psycholinguistics, language contact). In addition, Ph.D. students must participate in the Research Workshop
in conjunction with another workshop (no seminars) or Independent Study during the fall semester
of their third year. The Research Workshop provides students with an opportunity to develop an original
research paper through a number of revisions, some of which are presented to an audience of fellow students.
The final version is presented at a year-end conference.
A list of courses in linguistics and related areas is available from the department office at the
beginning of each semester. In addition, students should watch the Linguistics Field bulletin board
for announcements of seminars on special topics in linguistics.
Many of the advanced courses in the department take the form of one-time-only Linguistics 700 seminars.
It is also possible for students to arrange for independent study courses on topics of mutual interest with
faculty members. These require the submission to the department of a statement listing the objectives of the
proposed study.
A) Before taking the Admission to Candidacy examination, Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate
a reading knowledge of a language other than English with a significant scholarly
literature relevant to their research interest. For languages for which the College Placement Test
or a Cornell Language Placement Test is available, a score of 620 or above satisfies this requirement.
A 500-word translation exam will be offered once a semester as an alternative option. Native ability (in a language other
than English), an undergraduate degree in the language, or if you are awarded a teaching assistantship
in one of these languages, can also satisfy this requirement.
B) In addition, the Field has an in-depth language study, which may be satisfied by
- two semesters of formal language study of a single language (e.g. Thai 101/102), or
- Structure of Language X (e.g. LING 430, Structure of Korean), or
- Language Typology (LING 400).
Nearly all students in the Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences who apply to Cornell's doctoral programs are eligible for Mellon Fellowships which provide a first-year stipend of $17,500 and tuition. For information on the Mellon Fellowships see www.woodrow.org/mellon/.
We do not offer a Master's program. The exception is through the Employee Degree Program (a benefit for Cornell employees).
Contact the Graduate Field Assistant for more information (lingfield@cornell.edu or 255-1105).
Applicants and continuing students nominated by the Field of Linguistics
are eligible for a variety of fellowships offered by the Graduate School.
Since the number of awards is limited, however, prospective students
should make every effort to investigate other potential sources of aid,
such as the National Science Foundation fellowship program, the Foreign
Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships of the U.S. Office of
Education, and the Social Science Research Council Fellowships.
Many graduate students in linguistics support themselves through Teaching Assistantships in
linguistics and language courses. These positions provide not only
financial support, but also valuable teaching experience. Applicants who
feel that they may qualify for a Teaching Assistantship in a commonly-taught language
(Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, etc.) should indicate this
on their application and describe their language background in detail in their application letter.
The Field of Linguistics requires that applicants take the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE) and have the results reported to the Graduate
School.
The GRE graduate school code for Cornell is 2098.
Applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL and have the official score reported to Cornell from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Only students who have studied for two or more years at a college or university where English is the language of instruction located in a country where English is the native language are exempt from the TOEFL.
In September 2005, Educational Testing Service provided a new Internet-based Test (iBT) version of the TOEFL. This new version will test all four language skills important for effective communication: writing, listening, reading, and speaking. Each section has its own score, and the Graduate School has set the following minimum scores for admissions:
Writing: 20
Listening: 15
Reading: 20
Speaking: 22
The Graduate School will continue to accept scores for Computer Based (cBT) (250 minimum for Linguistics) and Paper Based (600 minimum) versions of the TOEFL that were taken within two years of the date the student submitted the application for admission. Please note that the cBT and Paper-based tests are being phased out by Educational Testing Service. ETS will send results directly to the Graduate School so long as the applicant indicates Cornell's institutional code on the exam. (Cornell's institutional code for all versions of the TOEFL is 2098).
In evaluating applications, the Admissions Committee seeks to identify
students with a genuine aptitude for advanced work in linguistics. There
are many ways in which such aptitude can be demonstrated. An outstanding
undergraduate degree in linguistics is clearly a favorable sign, but it is
by no means indispensable. A background in foreign languages, or in a
related discipline such as psychology or anthropology, can be equally
important; indeed, many outstanding graduate students in linguistics, both
at Cornell and elsewhere, begin their graduate careers with very little
formal coursework in linguistics on their record. Applicants should bear
this in mind when writing their Statement of Purpose, and give a clear and
specific account of their interest in linguistics. Naturally, applicants
who have already taken courses in linguistics should describe their
experience and enclose a sample of their written work if possible.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
all Graduate School requirements (refer to www.gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/web_guidelines_online.html#app)
three recommendations
GRE general test
TOEFL minimum score of 250
optional sample of written work
FALL ADMISSION ONLY.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 15.
If material is missing from your application, you will be notified by e-mail (preferred)
or a postcard will be sent to your current address.
On-line application: www.gradschool.cornell.edu/index.php?p=102
Requests for further information should be addressed to:
E-mail : lingfield@cornell.edu
Phone : (607) 255-1105
Please send all application materials to:
Linguistics Program
203 Morrill Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853-4701
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cornell.edu