phd linguistics scotland

Support & development

The graduate school.

The Graduate School is a friendly and supportive study environment for research students studying subjects within Humanities & Social Sciences.

Our staff will support you through your studies and you'll become part of a community of students who get involved with our workshops, seminars and competitions.

Postgraduate Certificate in Researcher Professional Development (PgCert RPD) for MPhil/MRes

Our PgCert RPD programme aims to ensure you get the most out of your current research activities at Strathclyde and helps you prepare for your future career as a researcher.

We'll help you recognise and develop your transferrable skills that'll have a positive impact on your research, now and in the future.

Find out more about the PgCert RPD programme .

The University Careers Service can help you with everything from writing your CV to interview preparation. Take a look at our careers service pages to get more information.

Student support

From financial advice to our IT facilities, we have a wide range of support for all students here at Strathclyde.  Get all the information you need at Strathlife .

Our research

Our research focuses on advancing our theoretical understanding of speech and language difficulties, and developing and testing novel management approaches that impact directly on patient wellbeing and service delivery.

International students

We've a thriving international community with students coming here to study from over 140 countries across the world. Find out all you need to know about studying in Glasgow at Strathclyde and hear from students about their experiences.

Entry requirements

A first-class or upper second-class UK Honours degree, or overseas equivalent.

The Applied Linguistics programme is intended for students from a linguistics background or those who have an interest in communication disorders but who have not completed a qualifying degree in speech and language therapy (SLT). If you have an SLT qualification you can register for the Speech and Language Therapy pathway if this is preferable.

Prospective Applied Linguistics students should develop proposals to match areas of research expertise held by members of staff* and are encouraged to contact potential supervisors in advance of their application.

Before you apply

If you're interested in studying for a PhD or MPhil in Applied Linguistics, the first thing you need to do is to find out if there’s a supervisor available to oversee your studies.

Next, you'll need your research proposal. Read our guidelines on writing your PhD proposal .

The application

During the application you'll be asked for the following:

• your full contact details
• transcripts and certificates of all degrees
• proof of English language proficiency if English isn't your first language. For postgraduate studies, we require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent (no individual test score below 5.5, the test must be taken within two years of the programme start date)
• two references, one of which must be academic
• funding or scholarship information
• research proposal of 250 to 1,000 words in length, detailing the subject area and topic to be investigated

By filling these details out as fully as possible, you'll avoid any delay to your application being processed by the University.

When applying, you'll be asked to upload:

• your research proposal
• scans of degree certificates/transcripts
• two reference letters
• confirmation of funding

Most PhD students start in October, so they move forward as one cohort, but you can start at any time of year (people often have to defer until they find funding.) Keep an eye on our funding databases for any forthcoming Strathclyde research studentship opportunities:

• Postgraduate research opportunities
• University scholarships

You'll need to identify your research supervisor before you finalise your application, preferably as soon as possible. When you've identified a potential supervisor, based on how well your research interests match theirs, drop them an email to introduce yourself. In the email, make sure you attach a draft of your research proposal along with a copy of your CV. Don't worry about how rough your research proposal may be at this stage – you'll have help from our School of Psychological Sciences and Health to refine it.

If your chosen supervisor if available to work with you, they'll confirm this and nominate a potential second supervisor. As soon as a second supervisor is confirmed, an offer of study will be sent to you through Pegasus, our online application system.

When you accept our offer, you'll receive a full offer in writing via the email address you provide.

Accepting an offer

When you've accepted our offer, we'll need you to fulfil any academic, administrative or financial conditions that we ask.

UK or EU students

If you're applying as a UK or EU student, you'll then be issued with your registration documentation.

Start date : Oct 2023 - Sep 2024

Applied linguistics, start date : oct 2024 - sep 2025, start date : oct 2025 - sep 2026, humanities & social sciences graduate school.

Telephone: +44 (0)141 548 8400

Email: [email protected]

Lord Hope Building, Level 1 141 St James Road Glasgow G1 0LT

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Doctoral (PhD) degrees in languages and culture

As a doctoral (PhD) student in the School of Modern Languages you will be part of a vibrant interdisciplinary postgraduate community. You will work with academic supervisors who will provide you with subject expertise and guidance to help you plan and manage your research while the School’s researcher development programmes give you the skills you need as an independent researcher.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified students whose research interests reflect those of the School and who have the potential to make an original contribution to learning in their subject.

As well as the PhD degree, the School of Modern Languages offers supervision for two research-based Masters degrees – the Master of Studies by Research (MSt (Res)) and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil).

The School of Modern Languages also offers joint-doctoral degrees through the Global PhD programme . Global PhDs give students the chance to undertake research at both St Andrews and an international partner institution and lead to a jointly awarded degree from the two institutions.

Research areas

The School of Modern Languages is the largest modern languages department in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.

The School is distinguished by the breadth of its research which spans language, literary, and cultural studies across eight distinct language areas – Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Persian, Russian, and Spanish – but also a range of cultural-historical epochs from the middle ages to the present day. This expertise is complemented by the School’s comparative literature scholarship.

In the most recent UK national research assessment exercise (REF 2021) the School of Modern Languages was ranked first in Scotland with 83% of our research and impact judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent.

Applicant research interests

Applications are welcomed from students whose research interests reflect those of the School. Applications relating to the following broad themes are particularly welcomed:

• comparative studies
• creativity and performance
• environmental humanities
• gender and sexuality studies
• history, politics, and society
• medical humanities and cultures of science
• medieval and early modern studies
• memory studies
• postcolonial and transnational studies
• translation studies and linguistics

Before applying for admission you should identify a member of the School’s academic staff with interests in, or closely related to, the area that you want to research. Applications can only be considered if there is a member of academic staff who is available to supervise your doctoral studies and who has relevant research expertise – see academic staff profiles .

Please contact the School if you are unable to find a possible supervisor – email [email protected]

Once you have identified a possible supervisor, you should contact them to discuss your research interests before applying for admission.

Research community

As a doctoral student at the University of St Andrews you will be part of a growing, vibrant, and intellectually stimulating postgraduate community. St Andrews is one of the leading research-intensive universities in the world and offers a postgraduate experience of remarkable richness.

Student community

St Leonard’s Postgraduate College is at the heart of the postgraduate community of St Andrews. The College supports all postgraduates and aims to provide opportunities for postgraduates to come together, socially and intellectually, and make new connections.

St Leonard’s Postgraduate College works closely with the Postgraduate Society which is one of the most active societies within the Students’ Association. All doctoral students are automatically welcomed into the Postgraduate Society when they join the University.

School community

The School of Modern Languages hosts a year-round programme of research seminars in which you will be invited to participate. Opportunities to engage with the School’s wider research community are also provided through its four research centres and institutes and its highly successful Byre World series, an annual programme of events bringing modern languages and cultural studies research to the local community.

Researcher development

In addition to the research skills that you will develop through your doctoral studies, you will have access to GRADskills – a free, comprehensive training programme to support your academic, professional, and personal development. Within the School of Modern Languages you will have the opportunity to gain teaching and lecturing experience and full training is provided to support students who teach.

Fees and funded studentships

Tuition fees.

Tuition fees vary according to where you live and the degree you will be studying for – see  advice on fee status and current fees .

Studentships

The University offers a number of funded studentships for doctoral students. These include University-funded awards made through St Leonard’s Postgraduate College and externally-funded awards made by the Scottish Graduate School for the Arts and Humanities .

Most awards are made on the basis of academic merit and are open for applications from November to January – see current studentships and funding opportunities .

Loans are available for UK and EU nationals with settled status resident in England or Wales undertaking doctoral study anywhere in the UK. Full details are available from Student Finance England and Student Finance Wales .

Advice for prospective students

Applications must be submitted online – see how to apply for admission .

Entry requirements

You must hold a UK undergraduate degree with upper second-class honours or better or an equivalent international qualification. Applicants will normally be expected to hold a postgraduate Masters degree in a relevant subject.

If you are from outside the UK you must also meet the English language requirements .

Research proposal

Your application must include a research proposal of up to 2,000 words. Your research proposal should describe the question(s) that your research will address, the method that you will use to do this, and the ways in which your research would make an original contribution to learning in your subject.

Application period

Early application is strongly encouraged and you should submit your application before the end of December to be considered for admission the following September. However, late applications will be considered.

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Further advice

For further advice about doctoral study in the School of Modern Languages, please email [email protected] .

Examples of past PhD projects

This is an indicative list of some of our successful PhD projects, which demonstrate the areas of research available within the School.

• The acquisition of Bradford English dialect features by adult speakers of Pakistana heritage’
• The Dislocation of the Catalan-Spanish Statue Quo and the Emergence of an Alternative Collective Horizon: A Discursive Analysis of Catalonia’s ‘Right to Decide’
• Federico García Lorca’s Poetry in English: Translating the Margins
• Arrivals in Rome: entangling and disorientating the city in contemporary art and text
• Making Hamlet German: Forms of Translation and Recreation
• Of Kings and Clowns: Representations of Leadership in Contemporary Egyptian Theatre, 1967-2018
• Forging Diplomacy Abroad and At Home: French Festival Culture in a European Context, 1572-1615
• Multispecies ruptures: stories of displacement and human-plant relations from Donbas, Ukraine
• The Politics of Poetic Experimentation: Reimagining the History of Alternative Poetic Movements in Early Modern and Modern Persian Poetry (1800-1960)
• Paul Valéry’s Politics of Hesitation: Europe, Myth and the Voice of the Other
• From Hadit  to  Adab : The Development of  'Ilm  Narratives in Classical Arabic Literature. A Case Study on the  Kitab al-adab  of Ibn Abi Sayba (d. 235/849) and the  Kitab al-'ilm of Ibn Qutayba (d. 276/889)
• Responding to War: Peace Activism, WWI Literature, and Remembrance’
• Gender, Queer Imagery and Queer Visibility in the German Democratic Republic
• Cinema Plays History: National Socialism and the Holocaust in Counterfactual Historical Films of the Twenty-first Century
• The Zapatista Discursive War: Literary Subversion in Subcomandante Marcos’ Writings (1994-2017)

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Linguistics, MRes

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Introduction

The Masters of Research in Linguistics offers training and subject background to conduct research in Linguistics, with a fully tailored programme that covers methods required for your dissertation work and advanced seminars on topics related to your research interests. You will review literature in the field and challenge assumptions in research, undertaking an individual research project and gaining skills to enable you to eventually embark on doctoral study.

Study Information

At a glance.

Our MRes in Linguistics gives you specialist training and subject knowledge to conduct research in the field of Linguistics. The programme centres on developing your own individual research project, with a fully tailored training programme that covers methods required for your dissertation work and advanced seminars on topics related to your research interests.

Our taught courses enhance your knowledge of advanced Linguistics. You will address different methodological approaches while developing intellectual and practical skills in specific areas of linguistic study and receive specific training in qualitative and quantitative methods. You will learn through lectures, seminars, and collaborative analysis to challenge your thinking, with opportunities to engage in discussion to appreciate different perspectives among peers and course tutors.

Our highly qualified academics will provide expert feedback and guidance to enhance your research skills. You will develop transferable skills in writing, communication, and research that can be applied working in areas such as language data analysis, language documentation, lexicography, technical writing, and publishing. The programme will also give you a solid foundation to progress into a PhD in Linguistics. Language & Linguistics at Aberdeen is especially strong in combining formal and applied Linguistics, affording candidates a plethora of career choices both inside and beyond academia.

The final component of the degree involves completing a dissertation project. You will receive feedback and support to use the research skills gained to formulate and answer your own research questions through independent work.

What You'll Study

Compulsory courses.

• LN5047 Qualitative Approaches to Linguistic Research (30 credits)

Optional Courses

• LN5046 Advanced Topics in Linguistics A (30 credits) OR an additional 30 credits in the School of LLMVC at Level 5, to be agreed with the programme coordinator.
• LN5547 Quantitative Approaches to Linguistic Research (30 credits)
• LN5546 Advanced Topics in Linguistics B (30 credits) OR an additional 30 credits in the School of LLMVC at Level 5, to be agreed with the programme coordinator.
• LN5934 Dissertation in Linguistic Research ( 60 credits)

We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page .

Fee Information

Additional fee information.

• In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses .
• For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our Tuition Fees page .

International Applicants

More information about fee status, living costs, and work allowances for international students is available here .

Scholarships

Self-funded international students enrolling on postgraduate taught (PGT) programmes will receive one of our Aberdeen Global Scholarships, ranging from £3,000 to £8,000, depending on your domicile country. Learn more about the Aberdeen Global Scholarships here .

To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database .

Why Study Linguistics?

• Review literature in the field of Linguistics, with a specific focus on research methods used.
• Receive expert feedback and guidance from highly qualified academics.
• Develop transferable skills to enhance your prospects in a variety of language-related careers. 
• Obtain knowledge and training in advanced linguistics to undertake independent research.
• Benefit from a diverse student community and support from experts in Linguistics.

Interested in this programme?

Entry requirements, qualifications.

The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

A 2.1 Honours degree or the equivalent in Linguistics or a relevant cognate discipline in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.

English Language Requirements

To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

IELTS Academic:

OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0

OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21

PTE Academic:

OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency:

OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Read more about specific English Language requirements here .

Document Requirements

You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.

Additional details for international applicants, including country-specific information, are available here .

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

Eligible self-funded postgraduate taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Explore our Global Scholarships, including eligibility details, on our dedicated page.

There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.

• More information on employability at the University of Aberdeen
• More information on the Careers and Employability Service

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Information about staff changes, get in touch, contact details.

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18 Best universities for Linguistics in Scotland

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Scotland ranked based on their research performance in Linguistics. A graph of 1.77M citations received by 81K academic papers made by 18 universities in Scotland was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Edinburgh

For Linguistics

2. University of Glasgow

3. University of St Andrews

4. University of Aberdeen

5. University of Strathclyde

6. University of Dundee

7. University of Stirling

8. Heriot-Watt University

9. Glasgow Caledonian University

10. Edinburgh Napier University

11. Queen Margaret University

12. University of the West of Scotland

13. Robert Gordon University

14. Abertay University

15. Scotland's Rural College

16. University of the Highlands and Islands

17. Glasgow School of Art

18. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Closest to Scotland states to learn Linguistics

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in Scotland

PhD TESOL Research

The PhD in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Research is a unique course helping you to develop your research skills to a professional level and supporting your learning through taught modules.

• Start date September 2024, September 2025
• Application deadline $value
• Duration PhD full-time: 36 to 48 months, PhD part-time: 60 to 96 months
• Mode of study full time, part time
• Delivery on campus

This PhD course is entirely dedicated to TESOL Research. This doctorate will be of interest to those who have a background in languages, linguistics, applied linguistics, or a related field, as well as to language teaching practitioners who have a keen interest in research. This course will develop your research skills and set you on the path to becoming an autonomous researcher. The PhD is a significant qualification which will mark you out as an expert researcher in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages. You’ll achieve new skills in understanding complex matters, sharpen your problem-solving abilities, increase your confidence as a researcher and expand your knowledge of the field while also enjoying the PhD experience. We’ll support you throughout your time on the PhD TESOL Research. Before embarking on your thesis investigation, the course will foster your research skills development through seven taught modules on TESOL which focus on research methods and educational theories. Our PhD in TESOL Research will provide you with an opportunity to go beyond what would be required from a Masters of Research (MRes) and an Educational Doctorate (EdD) in that you’ll produce a substantial 60,000 + word thesis. The academic environment at the University of Stirling will not only give you freedom and challenges, but it will also provide you with numerous chances for intellectual debate with fellow experts. Your PhD journey will shape your future like no other qualification – academically, professionally and personally.

By graduation, you’ll be a well-rounded professional researcher who:

• has knowledge of the wider educational field,
• is proficient in the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods,
• has the skills needed to research any area within TESOL, and
• is able to make a contribution to scholarly knowledge and professional practice.

Top reasons to study with us

Study abroad.

As a student on our PhD TESOL Research course you have the fantastic opportunity to gain valuable work experience teaching English to speakers of English as a foreign language in 33 European countries.

The University of Stirling has also developed close working partnerships with two universities around the world to make finding a placement as seamless as possible and give you tailored teaching and learning opportunities. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for a placement with:

Leuphana University of Lüneburg , Germany

Undertake class observation, small group work supervision and teaching assistance in a local high school. During the school holiday, you will have a chance to work with materials development or with writing support at the university.

Next-Level Solutions, France

Your placement will be based at After School an English language learning centre in the area of Chatou in the city of Paris. You will undertake class observation, teaching assistance and teach in the language centre and also in local elementary, junior and senior schools.

Iwate University , Japan

Your placement will be based at Iwate University in the city of Morioka, which is the capital of Iwate.

You will undertake class observation, assist in workshops with local teachers, and teach undergraduate students about teaching English to young learners.

Flexible learning

If you’re interested in studying a module from this course, the Postgraduate Certificate or the Postgraduate Diploma then please email Graduate Admissions to discuss your course of study.

Research overview

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, Educational research at the University of Stirling was ranked top 20 in the UK for impact and research environment, with 100% of our research impact and environment in Education classed as world-leading or internationally excellent. Our expert teaching team are on hand to introduce you to cutting-edge empirical and theoretical research in a multi-disciplinary and professional environment.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

You should usually have a minimum of a Masters degree in TESOL, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Languages or similar subject from a university in the United Kingdom or elsewhere (provided that the degree levels are comparable to those in the UK).

We also welcome enquiries from you if you don’t have this formal qualification but have relevant research experience through your professional practice. In this case, you’ll be asked to undertake a task to demonstrate your research skills.

Irrespective of your academic background, you’re expected to have excellent language and numeracy skills and a willingness to engage with the research field in TESOL.

International entry requirements

View the entry requirements for your country.

Application procedure

As part of the application process, you’re asked to answer each of the following questions in 500 to 1,000 words:

• Why are you interested in the course?
• What problems or foci are you particularly interested in researching?
• What kind of research methods might you employ?

The first question should be addressed in your personal statement. Although you do not have to submit a research proposal to apply for this PhD course, we would appreciate it if you could answer the second and third questions in the field dedicated to your research proposal. This way, we will be able to check whether there are two suitable supervisors for you at the University.

Please use our PhD TESOL Research Application Further Questions form to answer the second and third questions and upload it to your online application.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

• IELTS Academic or UKVI 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each sub-skill.
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 67 overall with a minimum of 62 in each sub-skill.
• IBT TOEFL 94 overall with 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 20 in listening and 22 in speaking.

See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.

Pre-sessional English language courses

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses .

Course details

Course details.

The taught modules in this ground-breaking PhD in TESOL Research course are delivered on a face-to-face and blended basis. The delivery style such as lectures, workshops and student presentations are carefully selected to suit the module content and your needs.

TESOL students are invited to join the Faculty’s Educational Practice/Theory Research Group and the TESOL Researcher Development Group. TESOL doctoral students are also invited to our English Language Teaching and Research (ELTR) events, which are delivered by leading researchers and professionals.

The University of Stirling achieved five stars for teaching in the QS Stars University Ratings 2024.

Assessments for the taught modules will vary depending on their respective learning outcomes and may include presentation, annotated bibliography, essay, and research proposal. For each 20-credit module, you’ll be asked to produce a piece of work which is equivalent to a 3,000-word essay. Your final assignment will be the production of original research to be reported in a 60,000+ word thesis.

Students who have passed three of the 20-credit modules (including two core) but do not proceed to the other taught modules will exit with a Postgraduate Certificate in TESOL Research.

Students who have passed six of the 20-credit modules (including the four core) but do not proceed to TESOL Research Practice (TESPR03) will exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in TESOL Research.

Candidates who have passed all seven taught modules but do not proceed to the Thesis (TESPR04) will exit with an MRes in TESOL Research.

Course director

Dr Marty Chamberlain , Course Director

+44 (0)1786 467733 [email protected]

The TESOL unit includes a number of internationally renowned academics such as Professors Adrian Blackledge, Angela Creese, and Dr Marty Chamberlain.

Ask an expert in TESOL

Fees and funding

Fees and costs.

This fee is charged as an annual course fee. If you need to extend your period of study or repeat study, you will be liable for additional fees. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fees policy .

Doctoral loans

If you're domiciled in England or Wales you may be eligible to apply for a doctoral loan from your regional body:

• English students can apply for a loan of up to £28,673 from  Student Finance England .
• Welsh students can apply for a loan of up to £28,395 from  Student Finance Wales .

Funding 

Eligible international students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000.  See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students .

University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship .

Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our  Postgraduate Merit Scholarship .

If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances.

Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships.

Additional costs

There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees .

Cost of living

If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.

Find out about the cost of living for students at Stirling

Payment options

We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay

After you graduate

There are thousands of qualified teachers of English to speakers of other languages worldwide but only a small proportion of these practitioners are able to conduct high-quality systematic research in TESOL. Your PhD in TESOL research will equip you with much needed research skills, allowing you to produce research which is at the forefront of education. The PhD degree will open up numerous possibilities for furthering your professional and academic career.

Employability skills

We’re committed to enhancing your employability. Once you register for the PhD in TESOL Research, you’ll have access to the first-class services offered by the University, which you can use even after your graduation.

Within TESOL, we additionally provide you with a tailored workshop series entitled My career in TESOL. This is aimed at developing your awareness of continuous professional development, your knowledge of job market requirements and your confidence in applying for jobs.

Your time as a PhD student at Stirling will not only help you to develop your research skills, but it will also provide you with a thorough understanding of how to evidence these skills when seeking a new post or applying for a promotion.

Companies we work with

The PhD is taught by experienced researchers who have extensive connections in the field of TESOL, including publishers and governmental organisations such as the British Council. You’ll have a chance to network with a range of other key players in the field who are invited to deliver workshops and seminars in our ELTR (English Language Teaching and Research) event series.

Related courses

• MSc Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• MSc Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Online)

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PhD in Linguistics: Theoretical and Applied Linguistics

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The Linguistics Section is unique in the UK because it integrates theoretical and applied linguistics in a single academic department. The Linguistics Section provides great variety and flexibility in course contents, subject-specific training, and diversity of intellectual interactions. PhD topics in the range of research specialisms represented in the Section and beyond the Section in the MMLL Faculty are accepted. Students may choose to focus on a theoretically oriented study of the language sciences (e.g., interest in the syntactic organisation or sound structure of different languages or in the analysis of meaning in semantics and pragmatics) but may also be interested in a more applied direction of Linguistics (e.g. language acquisition, language processing, data mining of language corpora) or may choose to look at Linguistics from a specific language point of view (e.g., Italian linguistics). 

In British universities, the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is traditionally awarded solely on the basis of a thesis, a substantial piece of writing that reports original research into a closely defined area of enquiry. Within linguistics, some PhD students may do most of their work in libraries, spend part of their time collecting and analysing fieldwork data, or carry out experiments in the phonetics laboratory or psycholinguistics laboratory. The completion of the PhD thesis is generally expected to take three to four years. It is also possible to take a part-time route, and the expected timeframe would be five to seven years. 

In addition to providing specialist supervision, the Linguistics Section and the MMLL Faculty run a programme of professional training for the benefit of all research students. The programme includes seminars and workshops on library resources, giving conference papers, publishing, applications and interviews, teaching skills, specialist linguistics training, and film-making. The School of Arts and Humanities runs a central programme covering a range of topics from PhD skills training, to language training and writing and editing skills. If you wish, you are likely to be given the opportunity to gain experience in small-group teaching from Colleges. There may also be opportunities to gain some experience in language teaching in the Faculty.

In addition to providing special supervision, both the Linguistics Section and the MMLL Faculty run a programme of professional training for the benefit of all research students.  The programme includes seminars and workshops on library resources, giving conference papers, publishing, applications and interviews, teaching skills, specialist linguistic training, and film-making. The University runs a central programme covering a range of topics from PhD research development to language training and writing and editing skills. Students also have access to a Social Sciences research methods training programme. If you wish, you are likely to be given the opportunity of gaining experience in small group teaching for colleges. There may also be opportunities to gain some experience in language teaching in the MMLL Faculty.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, candidates will have acquired excellent skills, experience, and knowledge to undertake postdoctoral work (research and teaching) or other related professions.

For Cambridge students applying to continue from the MPhil by Advanced Study to a PhD, the minimum academic requirement is an overall distinction in the MPhil.

For Cambridge students applying to continue from the MPhil by Thesis to a PhD, the usual academic requirement is a pass in the MPhil.

All applications are judged on their own merits, and students must demonstrate their suitability to undertake doctoral-level research.

If the Master's degree from which the applicant is progressing is not the MPhil in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, the Master's degree has to contain a substantial Linguistics component. 

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages .

Departments

This course is advertised in the following departments:

• Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics
• Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, department of theoretical and applied linguistics this course is advertised in multiple departments. please see the overview tab for more details., course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:.

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Michaelmas 2025

Funding deadlines.

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2025, Lent 2026 and Easter 2026.

Similar Courses

• Linguistics and Language Sciences (Research) MPhil
• Linguistics and Language Sciences (Taught) MPhil
• Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence MPhil
• Education (Research in Second Language Education) MPhil
• Education (Research in Second Language Education) PGCE entry only MEd

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Research degrees (mphil/phd) in linguistics.

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Key information

Home student fees (full-time) : £4,860 per year Home student fees (part-time) : £2,430 per year Overseas student fees (full-time) : £22,490 per year Overseas student fees (part-time) : £11,245 per year

Please note that fees go up each year.   See  research fees  for further details.

We normally require a 2.1 bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) plus a Masters degree in appropriate subject area plus one reference. In exceptional cases we may accept applicants who do not meet these criteria if they show evidence of a strong Masters degree and/or appropriate level of relevant work experience. International applicants should also see  Doctoral School English language requirements

Course overview

The MPhil/PhD in Linguistics is a research training programme which combines foundational and advanced courses in the core areas of linguistics, training on research methods and research work leading to a dissertation. 

The Department is strongly research-oriented, and through a combination of courses, advanced seminars and individual supervision, aims to provide the intellectual discipline, knowledge and skills required of a well-rounded researcher. Supervision is offered in theoretical, descriptive and comparative linguistics, translation and language pedagogy. Depending on the research topic, it may also be possible to arrange joint supervision with specialists in other departments.

Why study Linguistics at SOAS?

• UK Top 10 in the 2021 QS World University Rankings
• Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
• we've also been ranked 4th for research environment - with 100% of our research ranked as 'internationally excellent' and 85% as 'world-leading' - and 8th for research outputs in the REF 2021
• SOAS is unique in the UK for offering a range of subject combinations that include the opportunity to study the languages, literature, and cultures of Africa, Asia and the Near and Middle East
• unrivalled staff expertise in the UK and worldwide in a wide range of Asian, African, Middle Eastern and Australian languages
• access to SOAS’s library, one of the UK’s five dedicated national research libraries
• dedicated Linguistics Resource Room, with computers, sound-proofed recording booth, video and audio editing facilities

The PhD programme in Linguistics is a rigorous, structured training programme with different activities and requirements taking place throughout the period of the programme.

All students register in year 1 of the programme as MPhil students. The upgrade from MPhil to PhD registration takes place at the end of the first academic session for full time students (or at the end of the second academic session for part time students).

All new MPhil/PhD students are provided with a supervisory committee of three members, comprising a main or primary supervisor, and a second and third supervisor. The split in time commitment across the supervisory committee is 60:25:15. In the first year students are expected to meet their main supervisor on a bi-weekly basis for a period of at least one hour.

The student’s primary supervisor is always a member of the Department in which the student is registered. The second and third supervisors, who act in a supplementary advisory capacity, may be from the same Department, or other Departments/Centres in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures or in Departments/Centres in the other Faculties of the School.

Depending on the nature of the research, joint supervision is sometimes recommended, under the direction of two primary supervisors. In such cases the student has only one further supervisor on their committee.

The student’s progress is further overseen by the Departmental Research Tutor.

In the first year, students prepare for research by following the research training seminar (RTS) in Linguistics convened by the Departmental Research Tutor and supported by the generic training on offer in the Academic Development Directorate (ADD).

Students may also be encouraged by supervisors to attend additional taught courses relevant to their research and to their training needs. These may include specialist disciplinary, language or regional culture courses or research training in other Departments outside the Faculty.

All MPhil/PhD students are encouraged to attend the talks of the departmental seminar series, or those organised by the Centre for Language Pedagogy or the Centre for Translation Studies. In addition, there are special PhD seminars in which advanced PhD students present their work and which are open to staff and students.

Year 1 full-time students (year 2 for part-time students)  are required to submit a core chapter and research proposal (of about 10,000 words), typically including the following elements:

• research rationale and context of proposed research
• main research questions
• literature review
• theoretical and methodological framework and considerations
• proposed research methods
• ethical issues (where applicable)
• outline structure of PhD dissertation
• schedule of research and writing
• bibliography

Adjustments to one or more of these sections, including additions or deletions where appropriate, are possible by prior arrangement between the students and lead supervisors.

The upgrade process from MPhil to PhD status is based upon an assessment of the core chapter and research proposal by the student’s research committee, and upon on a 20-30 minute oral presentation, followed by discussion. The oral presentation is given to Departmental staff, supervisory committee members and research students. This is followed by an interview of 10-15 minutes between the student and the committee.  On successful completion of the upgrade process, students are formally upgraded to PhD and proceed to the second year. (If the assessors consider there to be shortcomings in the core chapter or research proposal, students will be asked to revise it to their satisfaction before the upgrade to PhD status can be confirmed.) Students are not normally permitted to proceed to the second year until the upgrade process has been completed.

The second year (or part-time equivalent) is normally spent engaged in research. This may be by any combination of fieldwork and research in libraries and material collection as agreed between the student and the supervisor(s).

The third year (or part time equivalent) is devoted to writing up research for the PhD thesis. During this time, students will normally give a presentation in the PhD seminar series organised by the Departmental Research Tutor, which is open to staff members and other research students. During the third year (or part time equivalent) students will present draft chapters to their main supervisor for comment, before completing a final draft of the thesis. Once a full draft is complete, the work is assessed by all members of the supervisory committee and the student can either submit the thesis or move on to Continuation Status to be given a further 12 months to complete the thesis and submit for examination.

The thesis must be completed within 48 months from the time of registration (or part time equivalent).

The thesis – not to exceed 100,000 words in length – is examined by two leading authorities in the field.

PhD degrees are awarded by SOAS from registration in 2013 and are subject to SOAS regulations.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Teaching and learning

Research in the department.

Research interests of the faculty are wide-ranging and span the world's languages, from Chinese to Arabic, Swahili to Korean, Mongolian to Japanese. This focus on Asian and African languages, combined with the unparalleled access to the considerable language and regional expertise of other SOAS researchers constitutes a unique resource for the study of theoretical, comparative and descriptive linguistics, language documentation and description, language pedagogy and translation.

Some recent research theses

• Sarah Croome: CDA of Cornish language revitalisation discourse
• Yingying Mu: Language choice in a multilingual village n S-W China
• Ellen Foote: Sign language policy in Burma
• Zeina Eid: Family language policy - maintenance of Lebanese-Arabic in the UK

Academic staff research areas

Dr Yan JIANG 蔣嚴 蒋严 PhD (London)  Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and the Languages of China

Semantics (formal, cognitive, lexical), pragmatics (relevance theory, formal pragmatics), Chinese linguistics (syntax, semantics and pragmatics of Mandarin, Wu and Yue dialects), dynamic syntax, Chinese rhetoric, linguistic theory of translation, literary stylistics 

Dr Christopher Lucas BA (LONDON) MPhil PHD (CANTAB) Senior Lecturer in Arabic Linguistics

Historical linguistics, Arabic linguistics, the syntax-semantics interface, pragmatics, philosophy of language, Dynamic Syntax, Relevance Theory, Arabic language, Afro-Asiatic languages

Professor Lutz Marten MA PHD (LONDON) Professor of General and African Linguistics

Syntax, semantics, pragmatics and their interfaces, historical and comparative linguistics. Bantu languages and linguistics, language and society in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Professor Julia Sallabank BA (Hons) OXON, MA (LONDON) PhD (LANCASTER) Professor in Language Support and Revitalisation

Sociolinguistics, language support, language policy, revitalisation methods, literacy practices in endangered languages, Guernesiais NB: not be available to take on new students in 2020/21.

Professor Justin Watkins BA (LEEDS) MA PHD (LONDON) Professor of Burmese

Burmese language and literature; Mon-Khmer and Tibeto-Burman languages; phonetics and speech acoustics computer lexicography; sign languages in South East Asia

Scholarships

Fees and funding

Fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

Please note that fees go up each year.

See  research fees  for further details.

Graduates of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with skills in written and oral communication, analysis and problem solving.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

• Africa Matters
• Amnesty International
• Arab British Chamber of Commerce
• BBC World Service
• British High Commission
• Council for British Research in the Levant
• Department for International Development
• Embassy of Jordan
• Ernst & Young
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
• Middle East Eye
• Saïd Foundation
• TalkAbout Speech Therapy
• The Black Curriculum
• The Telegraph
• United Nations Development Programme
• UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
• Wall Street Journal

Find out about our  Careers Service.

Dr Yan JIANG 蔣嚴 蒋严

Semantics, pragmatics, Chinese linguistics

SOAS Voices

Languages are disappearing. SOAS alum Ross Perlin is part of the fight to preserve them 

Alum Dr Ross Perlin discusses his new book 'Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues in New York' and how his MA at SOAS shaped his career. 

RISE UP: Revitalising Languages and Safeguarding Cultural Diversity

Prominent possessors.

Investigating the phenomenon of "prominent internal possessors" from a theoretical and cross-linguistic perspective.

Morphosyntactic variation in Bantu: Typology, contact and change

Exploring linguistic similarities within a sample of Bantu languages.

Crossroads: Investigating the unexplored side of multilingualism

Investigating multilingualism and language contact between three languages spoken at the “crossroads” – a group of neighbouring villages in the Casamance area of Senegal.

Engaged humanities in Europe: Capacity building for participatory research in linguistic-cultural heritage (ENGHUM)

Implementing an innovative scientific strategy and capacity building at universities across Europe.

Arabic and contact-induced language change

Improving our understanding of how and why languages tend to change when they come into contact, with a particular focus on Arabic.

Related content

Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD) in Translation Studies

Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD) in Translation Studies at SOAS University of London

SOAS journal explores negative feelings towards Nigerian pidgin English

A reflection on Yorùbá language changes among London families, and an analysis of why some university students feel negatively towards Nigerian Pidgin English are some of the research papers published in a new SOAS journal.  

Department of Linguistics

The Department of Linguistics at SOAS University of London.

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Course type

Qualification, university name, phd in scotland.

415 degrees at 14 universities in Scotland.

Customise your search

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About Postgraduate

Nutrition and dietetics is a field of applied science which focuses on the science of food, nutrition and their impact on human health. It encompasses a range of topics related to diet, lifestyle and overall well-being, and professionals in the field work to promote good dietary habits, prevent and manage diseases and provide individuals with personalised advice.

A PhD in nutrition and dietetics is the highest formal qualification which can be studied at university. It is an advanced programme that is designed for people seeking to conduct original research, often aiming to build new knowledge in areas such as nutrition-related diseases, dietary interventions and public health nutrition.

For PhD entry, you’ll usually need a postgraduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics, or a related health science or biochemistry-oriented field, as well as a significant amount of professional experience. There are 13 PhD courses in the UK, offered by 11 different universities.

What to expect

You can expect to spend three to four years studying a full-time course, or four to six years if you choose to attend on a part-time basis. Typically, you’ll work on a research project with a small supervisory team of academic experts, and there’s a high likelihood you’ll collaborate with other allied health researchers and professionals to build an interdisciplinary approach to your work.

You may choose to specialise in a particular area such as public health nutrition, management of disease in children or adults, or the effect of diet in ageing and the metabolism. You will write a thesis which is typically 50,000 to 100,000 words in length, and your research will contribute new insights to the field.

You’ll graduate with the ability to make a significant impact on public health and nutrition, and with the experience to take on senior roles in a wide range of organisations.

Related subjects:

• PhD Agriculture, Animal Care, and Veterinary Science
• PhD Archaeology
• PhD Architecture
• PhD Biology and Life Sciences
• PhD Building, Planning and Construction Management
• PhD Chemistry
• PhD Communications and Media
• PhD Computer Science and Information Technology
• PhD Creative Arts and Design and Illustration
• PhD Economics
• PhD Education
• PhD Electronic and Electrical Engineering
• PhD Engineering
• PhD English Literature
• PhD Environmental Health and Safety, Protection and Conservation
• PhD Financial Management and Accounting
• PhD Food Science and Technology, Nutrition and Dietetics
• PhD Gallery, Conservation and Museum Studies and Museology
• PhD Geography and Earth Sciences
• PhD Health Care Management and Health Studies
• PhD History
• PhD Humanities and Social Sciences
• PhD Industry, Logistics, Manufacturing and Production
• PhD Journalism and Publishing
• PhD Languages
• PhD Law and Legal studies
• PhD Leisure, Hospitality Management and Event Management
• PhD Linguistic Studies
• PhD Literature
• PhD Management, Business and HR
• PhD Marketing and PR
• PhD Mathematics
• PhD Music Technology and Production and Sound Engineering
• PhD Nursing and Midwifery
• PhD Other Sciences and Research
• PhD Performing and Dramatic Arts, Acting and Music Studies
• PhD Philosophy
• PhD Physics
• PhD Physiotherapy and other Therapies
• PhD Psychology
• PhD Religious Studies and Theology
• PhD Social Work, Community Work and Counselling Skills
• PhD Sports and Recreation
• PhD Surgery, Medicine and Dentistry
• PhD Tourism and Travel

• Course title (A-Z)
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Health Economics & Health Technology Assessment iPhD

University of glasgow.

Our aim is to be the world-leading centre for health economic and health technology assessment research and education, working to improve Read more...

• 5 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)

MRes/ MPhil/ PhD Biomedical engineering

University of strathclyde.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering is an international centre of excellence in postgraduate teaching and research. It offers a Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)

PhD Intercultural Research

Heriot-watt university.

The focus of our Intercultural Research at Heriot-Watt is on the interface between cultures. It seeks to build understanding of Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree

Mental Health iPhD

Our research strength is identifying the causes of mental disorders and suicide to develop clinical trials of novel complex Read more...

MPhil, PhD Chemistry

You can study an PhD over the course of three or four years. These degrees are available for study within any of our research groups Read more...

Economics research at Heriot-Watt is focused around our two research centres The Spatial Economics and Econometrics Centre (SEEC) The Read more...

Biochemistry and Biotechnology iPhD

Our research aims to answer fundamental questions about how cells and organisms work at the molecular and biochemical level. We study the Read more...

PhD/MPhil Accounting & finance

We provide research training in both accounting and finance which will prepare you for a demanding career as an academic a professional Read more...

PhD Accounting

Our accounting research looks at the relationship between the accounting profession, governance and society and explores the nature and Read more...

Diabetes, Renal, Endocrine & Metabolic Medicine iPhD

Our aim is to better understand the mechanisms of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases affecting people with the conditions covered by our Read more...

PhD/ MPhil Applied Linguistics

You can study an MPhil over one year or a PhD over three years, with the option of studying on a part-time basis. The Speech & Language Read more...

PhD/MPhil Psychology

Heriot-Watt University’s mission is to create and exchange knowledge that benefits society, and in keeping with this, our psychology Read more...

Infectious Disease iPhD

We take a highly interdisciplinary approach to the study of infectious disease that combines mathematical and statistical modelling with Read more...

PhD/ MPhil/ MRes Architecture

Research opportunities The Department of Architecture's research portfolio is varied, covering the vast area between buildings and cities Read more...

PhD Marketing

The main mission of our Marketing subject research group is to advance and disseminate knowledge in the important field of marketing. Our Read more...

Nursing and Health Sciences iPhD

The Nursing & Healthcare School has a thriving community of postgraduate research students, from both the United Kingdom and overseas. Read more...

PhD/ MPhil Chemical & process engineering

Our research uses advances in science and mathematics to develop solutions to challenges faced by industry and society. These challenges Read more...

PhD Logistics

We are internationally renowned for our cutting edge research on Logistics. Our Logistics Research Centre (LRC) has a world class Read more...

Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences iPhD

Cardiovascular disease is projected to remain the single leading cause of death over the next two decades, accountable for considerable Read more...

• 5 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

PhD/ MPhil/ MRes Civil & environmental engineering

Located in the heart of Glasgow’s City Centre, we offer a unique combination of expertise including civil, environmental, chemical, Read more...

1-20 of 415 courses

Course type:

• Distance learning PhD
• Full time PhD
• Part time PhD

Qualification:

Universities:.

• SRUC Scotland's Rural College
• The University of Edinburgh
• University of Aberdeen
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• University of Stirling
• University of St Andrews
• Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education
• Robert Gordon University
• Abertay University
• University of the West of Scotland
• Glasgow School of Art

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• Postgraduate study
• Taught degree programmes A‑Z

English Language & Linguistics

Postgraduate taught  

English Language & Linguistics MSc

This Masters will equip you with the key linguistic and technical research skills to explore the structure and everyday use of English, past and present, from early medieval manuscripts to Renaissance letters, from speech to semantics, from language experiments to investigating vast text corpora. If you have little or no background in English Language and Linguistics, we have a range of introductory courses which progress to more advanced courses, allowing you to develop theoretical and methodological background for you to carry out your own research study. If you have taken language and linguistics courses before, and want to deepen your interests, we offer advanced courses which will allow you to deepen your existing understanding and skills, to carry out your own research project.

• Academic contact: [email protected]
• Teaching start: September
• Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
• MSc: 12 months full-time; 24 months part‑time

Register your interest for more information

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Why this programme

• You can study options from a wide range of historical and contemporary areas of English Language and Linguistics.
• Its flexibility allows you to tailor the course to your own interests, so you can gain research expertise and key linguistic, technical, and study skills in the analysis of spoken and written English across all periods of English.
• We cater both for students who have little or no background in linguistics and also for students with a background in language and linguistics who wish to carry out more sophisticated independent research in a particular area.
• Your courses will be taught by expert academic staff who have directed and are currently directing research projects (e.g. Seeing Speech, Sounds of the City,  One Speaker Two Dialects, the Scots Syntax Atlas (SCOSYA), Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech (SCOTS) among others).
• We have outstanding resources in English Language and Linguistics, such as the Glasgow University Archives, Special Collections (which includes a large collection of medieval and renaissance manuscripts and early printed books) and the Glasgow University Laboratory of Phonetics (with a speech recording studio).
• You can, if you wish, select one or two of your options from other available courses in the College of Arts & Humanities.
• We have close links with the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities and the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science, giving you access to additional training courses for graduate students.

Programme structure

You will take:

• One core course
• Five optional courses. Two in semester one and three in semester two.
• You will also produce a research dissertation.

Semester One

Core course.

• RESEARCH TRAINING COURSE 1: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

Optional Courses

Optional courses may include:

• HISTORY OF ENGLISH (PGT)
• INTRODUCTION TO PHONETICS (PGT)
• INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLINGUISTICS (PGT)
• SEMANTICS OF ENGLISH (PGT)
• INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLINGUISTICS (PGT)
• TOPICS IN PHONETICS
• TOPICS IN SOCIOLINGUISTICS
• EARLY MODERN MANUSCRIPTS FOR RESEARCH

Alternatively, you may choose one of your options from any appropriate course offered by the College of Arts & Humanities, subject to availability.

Semester Two

• RESEARCH TRAINING COURSE 2: DISSERTATION PREPARATION
• CORPUS LINGUISTICS (PGT)
• LANGUAGE AND THE GLOBAL CAMPUS: LINGUISTIC ISSUES IN THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
• CRITICAL APPROACHES TO LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
• EDITING HISTORICAL ENGLISHTEXTS (PGT)
• EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND DATA ANALYSIS
• INTRODUCTION TO OLDER SCOTS (PGT)
• MEDIEVAL MULTITUDES: EXPLORING MIDDLE ENGLISH TEXTS (PGT)
• METHODS IN PHONETICS (PGT)
• METHODS IN SOCIOLINGUISTICS (PGT)
• OLD ICELANDIC LANGUAGE (PGT)
• MULTILINGUALISM: INDIVIDUALS, INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIETY
• CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN SEMANTICS (PGT)
• MSC DISSERTATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS

Programme alteration or discontinuation The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract .

Career prospects

Some students take our programme as a secondment from an ongoing teaching or professional education position. Others continue into employment in language teaching, journalism, or other kinds of industrial or commercial research. The programme is also an excellent foundation to doctoral research.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2024-25

• Full-time fee: £10650
• Part-time fee: £1184 per 20 credits

International & EU

• Full-time fee: £25290

International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit of  £2000 within four weeks  of an offer being made.

Deposits: terms & conditions

This programme requires some students to pay a deposit to secure their place.

If you are an international student, we will only issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) once the deposit has been paid.

Your offer letter will state:

• how to pay the deposit payment
• the deadline for paying the deposit

The following guidelines will apply in determining whether a deposit will be refunded. Where the deposit is refunded, a 25% handling fee will be deducted.

Deposits will be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:

• Where the University is unable to offer you a place.
• Where the applicant has personal circumstances such as illness, bereavement or other family situations that has prevented them coming to the UK. Medical or other proof may be requested.
• Applicant can prove that they have applied for a visa to attend the University of Glasgow, but the VISA has been refused. The applicant must have shown 'real intent' to study at the University of Glasgow but has been unable to obtain their visa.
• Applicant does not meet his / her conditions of offer: this may be academic or language test requirements. Satisfactory evidence must be uploaded to the student’s applicant self-service to prove that they have not met the conditions of their offer (note that applicants who do not meet the language condition of their offer must show reasonable attempt to meet this, i.e. they must provide a language test which was taken after the date that the deposit was paid).

Deposits will not be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:

• Applicant has decided to defer – in this situation the University will retain the deposit and credit it against the applicant’s account for securing their place for the following year of entry.

Refund requests must be made within 30 days of the programme start date stated on your offer letter.

Requests made after this date will be subject to discretion.

• Find out more about Deposits

Additional fees

• Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
• Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
• Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

• University of Glasgow College of Arts and Humanities South Asia Award

The College of Arts and Humanties warmly welcomes applications from highly qualified applicants to our masters programmes. We are offering 4 scholarships for postgraduate taught programmes for Academic Session 2024-25.

• College of Arts and Humanities Widening Participation Postgraduate Taught Schol

The College of Arts and Humanities is pleased to be offering Widening Participation Postgraduate Taught scholarships to support with studying a one-year postgraduate taught programme (either full-time across one year, or part-time across two years) in the College.  The scholarships include a full fee waiver at the 'Home' tuition fee rate and a stipend (the stipend rate for 2024/25 is £17,039) and are available to candidates who meet the University's Widening Participation criteria. 

• Beatrix Whistler and James McNeill Whistler Scholarship

The Beatrix Whistler and James McNeill Whistler Scholarships originate with an important collection of works by Whistler gifted by Miss Rosalind Birnie Philip to the University in 1935. Since then, and thanks to further gifts and acquisitions, the Hunterian has come to hold one of the two leading collections of Whistler’s work in the world and History of Art (SCCA) has become an international centre of expertise for the study of Whistler and his 19th century world.  

At her death in 1958, Miss Birnie Philip, Whistler’s heir and executrix, bequeathed the remainder of her art collection to the University, together with part of her residual estate for the purpose of establishing a scholarship scheme for students engaged in any branch of learning within the College of Arts & Humanities. In 2019, the Whistler scholarships scheme was revised in acknowledgement of the continuing links between Miss Birnie Philip’s 1958 bequest of artworks and her wish to support student learning at the University. 

The Whistler Scholarships are open to students in all disciplines of the College of Arts & Humanities. The award committee is willing to consider both individual applications AND joint applications (from up to THREE students). Innovative interdisciplinary work is particularly encouraged. However, students may only involve themselves in the submission of ONE application (individual OR joint).

The Whistler Scholarships cover travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses ONLY. 

• Southeast Asia Distinction Award

The University of Glasgow is excited to announce the new Southeast Asia Distinction Award for highly qualified students from this region. This scholarship is available to students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme on any eligible degree programme for Academic Session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.

• GREAT Scholarships 2024- Greece, Nigeria, Egypt and Turkey

In partnership with the British Council and the GREAT Britain Campaign, University of Glasgow is offering 4 scholarships to students in Greece, Nigeria, Egypt and Turkey applying for postgraduate courses in any subject (excluding MBA and MSc by Research courses). All eligible courses can be viewed under the 'eligible programmes' tab on this webpage. 

The scholarship offers financial support of £10,000 to students pursuing one-year postgraduate study in the UK. This discount cannot be combined with another University scholarship.

• The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship

The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship is accelerating exceptional Disabled Students through masters’ programmes into leadership positions to create change.

Do you have ambitions to change the world? Are you pioneering in your field? Are you creating change for Disabled People? Let us open some doors.

We are searching for individuals who choose to use their lived experience of disabling barriers to make a difference. To create change.

Applications open 2pm 15 January 2024.

Please see  Snowdon Trust, Investing in Disabled Students  website for more details.

• Banco de Mexico

The Mexican National Bank (Banco de Mexico) provides special loans for students who wish to undertake a programme of postgraduate study. The University of Glasgow in partnership with Bank of Mexico FIDERH is offering a fee discount to holders of a Bank of Mexico FIDERH loan. See the FIDERH website for further information.

• Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans

Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans are EU-guaranteed loans with favourable pay-back terms. They’re designed to help prospective students finance their Master’s courses in an Erasmus+ Programme country while leaving as little of a lasting economic footprint as possible.

The scheme is designed to provide postgraduate students with the means to pay their tuition and living expenses – thereby allowing individuals to focus on their degree instead of managing their bank balance. The programme aims to be as inclusive as possible, working under the following guidelines:

• No need for collateral from students or parents - ensuring equality of access
• Favourable, better-than-market interest rates
• Pay-back terms that allow graduates up to two years to find work before beginning repayment.

Please visit the  Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans website  for more information.

• Climate Leadership Scholarships

Cop26 was held in Glasgow from 31 st October – 12 th November 2021 and the University of Glasgow recognises the importance of universities in tackling the climate emergency. Glasgow is part of the newly formed  Cop26 Universities Network , a growing group of over 80 universities working together to promote a zero-carbon future. Alongside vital research being carried out by our academics, Glasgow recognises that urgent action is needed on our campuses, and we aim to be carbon neutral by 2030.  We believe that the climate emergency can only be addressed by implementing long-term sustainability policies and our Green Glasgow strategy details our action plan for the next decade.

In recognition of the vital need for action to combat the climate emergency the University of Glasgow is excited to launch our Climate Leadership Scholarships. We have 20 scholarships available to UK students entering any of our Colleges on a PGT programme which engages with the climate emergency.

As a world-changing research-led University we are committed to supporting the next generation of researchers working across disciplines to address the climate emergency.

• PGT Excellence Scholarship

The University of Glasgow has a total of 20 PGT Excellence Scholarships available to UK students entering any of the University’s Colleges.

• DAAD-University of Glasgow 1-year Master’s grant

The University of Glasgow will offer a full tuition waiver to those students that successfully apply and are nominated by DAAD to the University. DAAD offers a monthly stipend of EUR 1,100 (for the academic year 2024/2025) and travel bursary of EUR 250.00 as well as health, accident, and personal liability insurance coverage in addition to the full tuition fee waiver from the University of Glasgow.

Wichtige Hinweise zu DAAD-Stipendien - DAAD (general info on DAAD tuition fee reimbursement)

Current list of tuition reduction / waiving offers (not including U Glasgow yet) : Stipendien für ein Masterstudium im Ausland - DAAD - Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst

• Chevening Scholarship

Chevening Scholarships are the UK government's global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations. The scholarships are awarded to outstanding scholars with leadership potential. Awards are typically for a one year Master’s degree at universities across the UK. There are over 50,000 Chevening Alumni around the world who together comprise an influential and highly regarded global network.

For further information, please refer to the  Chevening website .

• Colfuturo Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia

The University of Glasgow offer discounts to all successful Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia (Colfuturo) scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.

• Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Schemes

Commonwealth Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are offered to citizens from low and middle income Commonwealth countries. The majority of Scholarships are funded by the UK  Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO ),  with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.

• Vice Chancellor EU Award

The University of Glasgow continues to be committed to ensuring a strong relationship with our existing and future EU students, and supporting EU talent to make their home at the University of Glasgow.  

We appreciate the challenging financial implications that have arisen for our European applicants, and are therefore delighted to offer the Vice Chancellor EU Award to highly qualified new incoming EU students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline for Academic Session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.  This discount cannot be combined with another University scholarship.

Applicants that graduated from the University of Glasgow or completed a Study Abroad year, Exchange programme or International Summer School at the University of Glasgow, are eligible for the Alumni discount and this can be combined with the Vice Chancellor EU Award.

• EU Welcome Award

We appreciate the challenging financial implications that have arisen for our European applicants, and are therefore delighted to offer the EU Welcome Award to new incoming EU students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme for Academic Session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a £5,000 tuition fee discount.  This discount cannot be combined with another University scholarship.

Applicants that graduated from the University of Glasgow or completed a Study Abroad year, Exchange programme or International Summer School at the University of Glasgow, are eligible for the Alumni discount and this can be combined with the EU Welcome Award.

• University of Glasgow African Excellence Award

The University of Glasgow African Excellence Award aims to support high achieving students from across Africa in their journey to become Future World Changers.  We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.  

The University is offering up to 15 scholarships for International students from Africa, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2024/25.  The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.  

• Emerging Asia Award

The University of Glasgow is proud to introduce an exciting new award designed to support students from a selection of underrepresented 'frontier and developing' Asian countries . 

The University of Glasgow is offering 8 scholarships for highly qualified international students from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Students must be starting a one-year postgraduate taught masters programme, in any discipline, for the academic session 2024/25. The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver with stipend for one year that can not be combined with any other scholarships. 

• University of Glasgow African Partners Award

The University of Glasgow African Partners Awards aims to support high achieving students from across Africa in their journey to become Future World Changers.  We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.  The scholarship is exclusively for students, alumni and staff of the University partners across Africa:  African Partners List 2024 .

The University is offering up to 5 scholarships for International students from Africa, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2023/24.  The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.  

Applicants much hold an offer of a place for a postgraduate taught one year Masters programme for September 2024 intake (offer is not needed to apply but applicants will require an offer to be considered for interview, and should take programme application timelines into consideration as detailed on programme webpages)

• University of Glasgow International Leadership Scholarship

The University of Glasgow has several International Leadership Scholarships available to International students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline for Academic Session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fees discount.

• University of Glasgow Caribbean Partners Award

The University of Glasgow Caribbean Partners Awards aims to support high achieving students from our partner The University of the West Indies in their journey to become Future World Changers.  We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.  The scholarship is exclusively for students, alumni and staff of The University of the West Indies.  

The University is offering up to 5 scholarships for students, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2024/25.  The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.  

Those who apply must hold an offer of a place for a postgraduate taught one year Masters programme for September 2024 intake (offer is not needed to apply but applicants will require an offer to be considered for interview, and should take programme application timelines into consideration as detailed on programme webpages);

• CONICyT (La Comsion Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica de Chile)

The University of Glasgow offers a 25% discount to all successful CONICyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.

• University of Glasgow Caribbean Excellence Award

The University of Glasgow Caribbean Excellence Award aims to support high achieving students from across the Caribbean in their journey to become Future World Changers.  We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.  

The University is offering up to 5 scholarships for International students from the Caribbean, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2024/25.  The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.  

• India Merit Award

The University of Glasgow is proud to announce a new India Merit award for 2024 entry to acknowledge highly qualified Indian postgraduate taught offer holders. The scholarship is awarded as a £5,000 tuition fee discount. This discount cannot be combined with another University scholarship.

• University of Glasgow Chancellor's Award

The University of Glasgow has 40 Chancellors Award Scholarships available to students from low and middle income countries, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline, in academic session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.

• CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) / FUNED Agreement

CONACYT offers a non-refundable scholarship, a monthly stipend and medical insurance of an approximate total of $20,000 USD (in the case of the UK, no medical insurance grant is given since students are already covered by the National Health System) The University of Glasgow offer a 30% discount to all successful CONACyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.

• University of Glasgow Chancellor's Award (Nigeria)

The University of Glasgow has 10 Chancellors Award Scholarships available to Nigerian students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline in academic session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.

• Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)

Eligible full-time and part-time students, undertaking an eligible postgraduate course, can apply for a tuition fee loan up to a maximum of £7,000 towards their course. Eligible full-time postgraduate students can apply for a living-cost loan of up to £4,500.  

This support extends to online Masters or Postgraduate Diplomas, and not to the online Postgraduate Certificate courses.

For more information visit the SAAS website .

• Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)

If you’re an English student looking to study a taught Masters programme in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan. Students from England are able to apply for a non-means tested   Postgraduate Master’s Loan  of up to £11,570   to help with course fees and living costs. You have to  repay your Postgraduate Master’s Loan  at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.

If you’re studying by distance learning, you can also apply.

• Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students

If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

Postgraduate Master's Finance

If you’re starting a full-time or part-time Postgraduate Master’s course (taught or research based) from 1 August 2019, you can apply for Postgraduate Master's Finance and receive up to £17,000 as a combination of grant and loan:

• a maximum grant of £6,885 and loan of £10,115 if your household income is £18,370 and below
• a grant of £1,000 and loan of £16,000 if your household income is not taken into account or is above £59,200.

For more information visit  Student Finance Wales

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan

If you’re starting a full-time or part-time postgraduate Doctoral course (such as a PhD) from 1 August 2019 you can apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan of up to £25,700.

• Alumni Discount

In response to the current unprecedented economic climate, the University is offering a 20% discount on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni, commencing study in Academic session 2024/25. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, International Summer School programme or the Erasmus Programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships.

• Postgraduate Access Scholarship

The University of Glasgow is pleased to be offering Postgraduate Access Scholarships to support Home students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University. Applications are particularly welcomed from applicants who met any of our widening participation criteria , or equivalent, at undergraduate level. The value of each scholarship is £4,000 and they are for students undertaking a one or two year Taught Masters programme. For two year Taught Masters programmes, the scholarship is available in year one only.

• Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)

If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.

Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.

For more information visit  www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate  .

• Sanctuary Scholarships

The University of Glasgow is offering up to 20 Sanctuary Scholarships for applicants to the University, who have been forced to travel to the UK for humanitarian reasons and are facing challenges in progressing onto Higher Education. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught students at the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2024/25. Please note that you must have applied to the University before submitting an application for this scholarship. The scholarship will meet the cost of tuition fees for the duration of your programme, for applicants who are unable to access mainstream funding through Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) or Student Finance . The Sanctuary Scholarship also provides a £5,000 per year stipend, to assist with study costs. In addition, if the eligibility criteria for university accommodation is met, this will also be provided for the duration of your degree, if required. For more information on the accommodation criteria, please see the  Accommodation Services section  on the website.

Undergraduate students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs only, if successful.

Postgraduate Taught Masters students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs and a partial tuition fee waiver, to cover any shortfall not met by your Postgraduate Masters tuition fee loan.

• The Dima Alhaj Scholarship

The Dima Alhaj Scholarship was set up in 2024 in memory of a University of Glasgow alumna.  After graduating,  Dima worked in Gaza with the World Health Organization as a patient administrator at the limb reconstruction centre, as part of the trauma and emergency team and was tragically killed in Gaza in November 2023.  The Scholarship is open to a Palestinian National who is living in or has been forced to leave the State of Palestine due to humanitarian reasons. The chosen applicant may be domiciled in any country but must be a Palestinian National.  The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught applicants to the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2024/25.

• The Clan Gregor Society Prize

The Clan Gregor Society is offering an award to new entrants to the University of Glasgow who descend from Clan Gregor. Prospective students will be asked to submit an application highlighting areas of consideration such as academic excellence and financial need. The award is open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants for 2024 entry.

The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

We normally expect applicants to have obtained a 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification (for example, GPA 3.0 or above).

In your application, please include:

• a 200-word statement on why you wish to take the MSc in English Language & Linguistics
• a sample of your own written work (approx. 2,000 words). This can be from a previous degree you have completed. You are required to submit material that is entirely your own original work, except where clearly indicated.
• at least one academic reference.

Further information regarding academic entry requirements: [email protected]

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

• 7.0 with no subtests under 6.5
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test
• IELTS One Skill Retake accepted.

Common equivalent English language qualifications

Toefl (ibt, my best or athome).

• 94; with Reading 19; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 24
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements , this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

• 66 with no subtest less than: Listening 59;Reading 60; Speaking 59; Writing 74
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

• 185 overall, no subtest less than 176

Oxford English Test

• Oxford ELLT 8
• R&L: OIDI level no less than 7 with Reading: 25-26 and Listening: 18-19
• W&S: OIDI level no less than 8.

Trinity College Tests

Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Pass with Pass in all sub-tests.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

• students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have complete their degree in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
• students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our  enquiry form

International students

We are proud of our diverse University community which attracts students and staff from over 140 different countries.

• Find out more about entry requirements and other country-specific information
• International student support & visas

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

• A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
• A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
• Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
• One reference letter on headed paper
• Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
• Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
• A copy of the photo page of your passport (Non-EU students only)

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see  how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form. 

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see  Application System Help .

• Name and Date of birth:  must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
• Contact Details : Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
• Choice of course : Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
• Proposed date of entry:  Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
• Education and Qualifications : Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
• English Language Proficiency : Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
• Employment and Experience : Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference : Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

Application deadlines

September 2024.

• International & EU applicants : 26 July 2024
• UK applicants : 16 August 2024

Related programmes

• Applied Linguistics [MSc]
• Speech, Language & Sociolinguistics [MSc]
• TESOL: Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages [MSc]
• TESOL: Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages [MEd]

Related links

• How to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
• Postgraduate research opportunities A-Z
• How to apply for a postgraduate research degree
• Fees and funding

Postgraduate events

Open Days, information sessions, campus tours, events near you

Postgraduate prospectus

Applied Linguistics, Doctor of Philosophy

Department of English

College of Arts and Letters

If language is humanity's most useful tool, then applied linguistics, as the study of language, puts that tool to work. The focus of applied linguistics is on trying to resolve language-based issues that people encounter in the real world (Grabe 2002). This dissertation-based degree allows students to customize their coursework and research around such areas as second language studies, teaching and assessment of language skills, corpus linguistics, grammar and discourse, pragmatics, psycholinguistics, and speech perception and production.

University Requirements

To receive a Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses, from one or more disciplines, ranging from at least 60 - 109 units of graduate-level courses. Most plans require research, a dissertation, and comprehensive exams. All plans have residency requirements regarding time spent on the Flagstaff campus engaged in full-time study. The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement

PhD students pursue a diverse range of applied linguistic issues in preparation for their careers as researchers, teacher trainers, or leaders in fields related to teaching and learning second languages, including:

• computer-assisted language learning (CALL)
• corpus linguistics
• grammar and discourse
• language planning and policy
• language testing and program evaluation
• language variation
• literacy       
• register analysis
• second language acquisition
• second language teaching and learning
• speech perception and production

Our faculty work closely with individual students, helping them to develop as colleagues in applied linguistics. As a result, our PhD students have outstanding records of publication and participation in major conferences such as TESOL and AAAL. Graduates of our program have also been highly successful at obtaining tenure-track faculty positions at major universities. Student Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the PhD in Applied Linguistics, students will have:

• Advanced critical and analytical knowledge of the structure and uses of the English language, English language discourse processes and genres, the development of second language learning processes in their diverse cultural contexts, and the assessment of both language program effectiveness and individual language proficiency.
• Ability to address issues of language learning in real world settings
• Ability to address both language program effectiveness and individual language proficiency.
• Ability to contribute to innovative and effective English language teaching practices in the State of Arizona and elsewhere.
• Ability to integrate use of technology into language instruction and research.
• Ability to synthesize information and approaches across a range of core topics in Applied Linguistics, such as language acquisition, language in society, English grammar, and the development of language curricula and programs.
• Understanding of the many issues relevant to cross-cultural communication.
• Comprehensive preparation and professional orientation for advanced research in PhD programs.
• Ability to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret original and important empirical research.
• Ability to contribute as active professionals in Applied Linguistics and related fields.
• Expertise and qualifications to contribute significantly in professorial positions to the growth and development of Applied Linguistics.

Graduate Admission Information

The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:

• Transcripts.
• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies. Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy .

Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• GRE® revised General Test
• Two letters of recommendation
• Writing Sample
• Personal statement or essay
• Resume or curriculum vitae

Official TOEFL iBT/IELTS scores taken within the last 2 years are required for international applicants. Please see department website for information regarding minimum score requirements.

Doctoral Requirements

This Doctoral degree requires 81 units distributed as follows:

• Master's-level Coursework: 36 units
• Statistics Coursework: 9 units
• Seminars: 9 units
• Graduate Electives: 12 units
• Dissertation: 15 units

Take the following 81 units:

Master's-level Coursework (36 units)

• Coursework relevant to your research interests. (36 units)

Statistics Coursework (9 units)

• Prerequisite: Admission to TESL M.A. or Applied Linguistics Ph.D.">ENG 668 , Prerequisite: ENG 668">ENG 768
• Approved PhD Seminars

Seminars (9 units)  

Graduate Electives (12 units)

• Graduate electives, chosen in consultation with your dissertation committee. (12 units)

Dissertation (15 units)

• ENG 799 , for the research, writing, and oral defense of an approved dissertation (15 units)
• 15 units of dissertation credit may be applied to your degree; however, you may end up taking additional units since you must enroll each term while you're working on your dissertation.

Additional Information

In addition, you must:

• Complete a screening process.
• Complete a qualifying exam.
• Fulfill Northern Arizona University's residency requirements (For more information about residency and other requirements that pertain to this degree, see the policy on Requirements for the Doctoral Degree, PhD .
• Pass an oral exam on your dissertation (Dissertation Defense).

Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

Campus Availability

Simon Fraser University Engaging the World

Department of linguistics.

• A-Z directory

Support the Department of Linguistics 

Graduate students, meet our new cohort of linguistics graduate students.

Benjamin (Ben) Chung

My name is Ben (he/him), and I come from a mixed Korean and Ashkenazi Jewish background. Having lived in what is now called Vancouver for a decade, I moved here originally via the United States to complete my BA in First Nations and Endangered Languages and Linguistics at the University of British Columbia. Since then, I have had the joy and privilege to work with First Nations regionally on language documentation, archiving, and curriculum development initiatives over the last seven years. I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with communities with a focus on speech variation and dialect vitality during my MA. Aside from linguistics, I enjoy cooking, cooking shows, and strength training. I am also usually found with my pet sidekick, Sundae (a chiweenie named after the popular Korean blood sausage), in tow.

Romina Hashemi

Hi! My name is Romina (she/her), and I did my undergrad in Waterloo, Ontario, where I double majored in Statistics and English. Academically, I have a wide range of interests, spanning rhetoric, new media studies, gender studies, and, of course, linguistics! Within linguistics, I am primarily interested in corpus linguistics, critical discourse analysis, and construction grammar. I enjoy finding technical solutions to problems I encounter during coursework and research. Outside of school, I enjoy collecting hobbies, including baking, making jewellery, learning Persian calligraphy, and lugging my camera around on hikes! 

Elijah Lazar

Hello, my name is Elijah Lazar and I've just begun the Accelerated Master’s program in Linguistics. I attended SFU for my bachelor’s degree, where I majored in French with an extended minor in Linguistics. In terms of research focus, I am interested in the domain of sociolinguistics and I'm passionate about multilingualism. Under my supervisor, Dr. Suzanne Hilgendorf, I aim to study the global phenomenon of World Englishes, notably in multilingual contexts. Outside of academia, I am a proud member of the SFU wrestling team, where I have competed in NCAA wrestling for the past 4 years. In addition, I am passionate about language learning, travel, and skiing. 

Gento Okawa

Hello! My name is Gento (he/him). I was born and raised in Japan. I graduated from Waseda University this March and I’m now pursuing an MA at SFU Linguistics under Dr. Mary O’Brien. I like to play soccer and table tennis, and I go skiing every winter. I'm really excited to ski in Canada. I enjoy travelling and I’ve been to Taiwan, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau so far. I'm eager to visit European countries. My areas of interest for research and study are phonetics and phonology, with a focus on L2 pronunciation and sound symbolism. 

Amber Rynearson

Hi! I’m Amber (she/her), and I’m from Portland, Oregon. I received my BA in English Studies, with a concentration in Linguistics, as well as a TEFL certificate from Western Oregon University in 2020, and I am excited to continue my studies at SFU. I am interested in both sociolinguistics and corpus linguistics, and look forward to delving into subfields, like language policy and linguistic landscape. Outside of academia, I spend most of my time training Brazilian jiu jitsu (arguably too much). When I have the chance, I also enjoy reading from my never-ending TBR list, running and then telling people how far I ran, attempting to cross stitch, baking bread and hugging trees. 

Ha Eun (Hannah) Shim

Hello! My name is Ha Eun Shim (she/her), but you can call me Hannah. I'm from Seoul, South Korea. I received my BA in English Language and Literature from Ewha Woman’s University, where I developed a broad interest in psycholinguistics, speech perception, phonology, and phonetics. Currently, I have a growing interest in interdisciplinary research between Linguistics and Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), as well as Human–Robot Interaction (HRI), and I'm excited to delve deeper into these topics at SFU. Outside of academia, I enjoy hiking, camping, travelling, and taking in nightscapes and scenic views. I'm also a fan of cozy cafes and good coffee!

• Schools & departments

Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships

Information about eligibility and the application process

In order to attract the best and brightest PhD students, the University seeks to offer not only unparalleled research facilities and superb supervision, but also to provide development opportunities which will support our research students as they progress beyond their PhD, through an exciting scholarship scheme.

The scholarship covers the University tuition fee as well as a stipend matching the UKRI stipend rate (£18,622p.a. for 2023-4). Subject to satisfactory progress, the scholarships are awarded for between three and four years as agreed by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, or pro-rata for part time.

Eligibility

• Open to UK and overseas students applying to start their first year of study for an on-campus research degree in 2024-2025.
• Applicants must have already applied for admission to a full-time or part-time on campus PhD research programme of study at the University. 
• These awards cannot be held concurrently with fully-funded scholarships but can be held with partially-funded scholarships and will be reduced pro-rata.
• Existing PhD students (i.e. those in their 1st or 2nd year of doctoral study) are not eligible for this award.
• Applicants must be of outstanding academic merit and research potential. Candidates must have, or expect to obtain, a UK first class or 2:1 honours degree at undergraduate level or the international equivalent.
• Other factors such as financial status, nationality and the proposed field of study are not taken into account.
• The University will not generally consider candidates who have already obtained a PhD, or formal equivalent, as a result of direct research training.

Application process and deadlines

• Complete the application for your PhD programme by Monday, 13th November 2023 . You must complete this step in order to get access to the scholarship application form.
• The College Research Award application becomes available on the application hub in December each year.