Our department offers A. M. and Ph.D. degree programs in Linguistics, and SC. M. and Ph.D. degree programs in Cognitive Science. Students are admitted to the department as a whole. They choose the program in Cognitive Science or Linguistics at the beginning of their second year.
Degree requirements for the Ph.D. in Cognitive Science
The Ph.D. program in Cognitive Science prepares students for productive careers as scientists and teachers. More specifically, by the time the degree is completed each graduate is expected to:
- be widely knowledgeable about the field of cognitive science, the questions it seeks to address and the methodologies used to study these questions;
- have sufficient skill in cognitive science methodologies in order to be able to conduct high quality independent research;
- have developed teaching skills commensurate with the responsibilities of a college-level faculty member;
- have read extensively and deeply in at least two substantive areas of cognitive science, one of which will be the student’s dissertation area;
- be able to read, interpret, synthesize, and build upon published literature in cognitive science empirically and/or theoretically; and
- have made an independent research contribution to the field.
Each student in Cognitive Science designs an individual program in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, her/his faculty research advisor, and any other faculty who can provide needed advice on any aspect of the program. Students in their fourth year or beyond are also expected to give an informal talk on their research at least once a year.
1. First year project (Also required for the Ph.D. in Linguistics)
By the beginning of the student's second year of residency, he or she will have completed a written report on a research project carried out under the supervision of a research committee consisting of that student's advisor and at least two other faculty members. The project is designed to involve incoming students in research right away, and many first-year projects become published articles. The student must also pass an oral examination based on this research.
2. Course and distribution requirements
Ph.D. students in Cognitive Science must complete ten substantive courses in Cognitive Science and related disciplines including the graduate proseminar (COGS 2000) in the first semester and three semesters enrollment in COGS 2200 (one in each of the three major areas of cognitive science: language, perception, and cognition). The graduate proseminar will be taught jointly by the faculty, with the purpose of presenting foundational ideas and major issues in each area and provides a common experience for new graduate students. The three semesters of COGS 2200 insure a common background and breadth of training in cognitive science, and provide an introduction at the graduate level to these core areas in the field.
In addition to the four required courses above, students must complete at least six additional courses that will allow the student to obtain both the methodological proficiency outlined in (#3) below, and subject-matter knowledge in both a primary and a secondary area of expertise. Each student defines a primary and secondary area in consultation with her/his advisor, committee and the Direction of Graduate Studies. The student plans course work in Cognitive Science or related fields, often supplemented by research experience and independent reading, to establish the necessary expertise levels in each area.
For purposes of defining the primary and secondary areas of expertise, students should consider the field to be divided into five general categories (indicated in italics below). A primary area of expertise consists of substantial knowledge of a specialized aspect of one of the five general categories and will typically require at least two specialized courses beyond the COGS 2200 level. Example primary areas are shown for each of the general categories, but a student may propose a primary area that is not on this list.
Perception and action
Visual perception of 3D shape, motion, objects, scenes, faces; perceptual and cognitive control of action, locomotion, spatial navigation; auditory perception of complex sounds, speech, events, and the localization of real-world sounds.
Higher level cognition
Concepts; knowledge representation; learning, memory and cognitive control of memory; reasoning and problem-solving; inductive inference; causal reasoning; decision-making; social cognition; development of any of the preceding cognitive functions.
Computational/Formal models of cognition and language
Brain-like computing; Bayesian modeling; dynamical systems modeling; neural network modeling; computational linguistics, including models of natural language learning, understanding, production, parsing; formal linguistics, including Categorical grammar and other theories of syntax, model-theoretic semantics, and the syntax/semantics interface.
Cognitive neuroscience
Neural bases of cognitive functioning including: language (neurolinguistics), reasoning, perception, categorization, memory, executive control.
Psycholinguistics and language
Language acquisition, including infant speech perception, acquisition of segmentation, phonology, syntax; adult speech perception production, and phonetics; language comprehension and production at the lexical, syntactic, and semantic levels; evolutionary and biological bases of language.
A secondary area of expertise is defined as knowledge beyond that gained through successful completion of a 2200 course and typically requires at least one specialized course beyond that level. The secondary area must be selected from a different general category than the primary area or may be chosen from one of the principal subfields of linguistics (e.g., phonology, semantics, syntax, etc.).
3. Methodological proficiency
Each student must demonstrate proficiency in at least two methods important to conducting research in Cognitive Science. These include: linguistic analysis, experimental and statistical methods, computational modeling, computer programming, speech analysis and synthesis, field and survey methods, and neurophysiological/neuroimaging techniques. Proficiency may be demonstrated by the successful completion of appropriate courses in Cognitive Science or related departments, or by competent use of a particular method in the student's own research. The student's research advisor and committee will determine the methodologies in which the student must demonstrate proficiency and the means by which such proficiency is to be demonstrated.
4. Preliminary Examination
Each student must write a preliminary examination, the first draft of which is usually submitted before the beginning of the spring semester of the third year. The preliminary examination is designed to give students experience in writing an independently authored, substantial, theoretical or interpretive review of some area of Cognitive Science that is of publishable quality. For this reason, the preliminary examination process is similar to the journal submission process in which an initial submission undergoes a review by an editor (the student's advisor) and reviewers (the other committee members), and is then revised on the basis of the review for final evaluation.
The paper must meet the standards set by the student's preliminary examination committee, which will consist of the student's advisor and at least two other appropriate faculty members (at least one of whom must hold an appointment in the Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences). Certification of Doctoral Candidacy will be made after the student has successfully completed the preliminary examination and the course requirements listed in #2, and #3 above.
5. Teaching Requirement
Every student must complete at least four semesters of supervised teaching practice. All graduate students are urged strongly to participate in the Teaching Certificate Program of the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning.
6. Dissertation Proposal, Dissertation, and Defense
Each student must complete an acceptable dissertation and oral defense based on a significant research contribution to Cognitive Science. A thesis topic should be chosen and a committee formed by the end of the third year, and the research should be discussed with them over the following summer. A dissertation proposal must be submitted to the committee by December 1 of the fourth year, and defended before a meeting of the student's faculty committee, preferably before the last day of classes of the Fall semester of the student's fourth year.
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Degree requirements for the Ph.D. in Linguistics
The Ph.D. program in Linguistics prepares students for productive careers in linguistics itself (including, but not limited to, careers in teaching and research at the university level) or in areas that relate to linguistics, such as artificial intelligence, machine translation, speech recognition development, speech pathology and other clinical applications of linguistics, and other areas related to the study of language. By the time the degree is completed each graduate is expected to:
- understand the principles governing the structure of language by studying the traditional "core" areas (phonetics/phonology, syntax and semantics). Students are also expected to gain an understanding of how the principles governing the structure of language illuminate and interact with either behavioral, neural, or computational approaches to the study of language by acquiring familiarity with one or more additional area such as psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, computational linguistics, and/or language acquisition. Students will be familiar with the ways in which an understanding of linguistic structure provides insights into one or more of these areas and how these areas in turn shed light on our understanding of linguistic structure;
- have sufficient methodological skills in one area (whether it be formal linguistics, computational linguistics or one of the areas using experimental methodologies) to conduct independent research, and have sufficient familiarity with the basic methodology of a second area (analytic thinking; computational expertise; and/or experimental techniques) to be able to critically evaluate the literature in that area;
- have developed teaching skills appropriate to the field and commensurate with the responsibilities of a college-level faculty member;
- have an in-depth knowledge of the literature in the students' dissertation area; have an understanding of the literature in closely related areas, and have the skill to approach new literature and results as they appear, as well as the skill to critically evaluate this literature; and
- have made an independent research contribution to the field.
Each student in Linguistics designs an individual program in consultation with the Linguistics Director of Graduate Studies, her/his faculty research advisor, and any other faculty who can provide needed advice on any aspect of the program. Every student is expected in each year to be engaged either in active research or (at the earlier stages of a graduate career) a program of familiarization with the background results and questions in a specific area that will lead to active research. Students in their fourth year or beyond are also expected to give an informal talk on their research at least once a year.
1. First year project
A first-year research and/or literature review project, including a written report and presentation, is required for the Ph.D. in Linguistics. This can be a piece of independent research, or it can also be a critical evaluation of and synthesis of the literature on some particular question. It must demonstrate an ability for independent critical thinking, an ability to synthesize past results on a particular area, and demonstrate an understanding of the research results in the context of broader questions within the field.
2. Course Requirements
Ph.D. students in Linguistics must complete 10 substantive courses in Linguistics and related disciplines, including either taking or auditing the graduate proseminar (COGS 2000). In addition, Ph.D. students in Linguistics must demonstrate familiarity with the following three areas, usually by taking two courses in each area:
- Phonetics and phonology: to be demonstrated by at least one course in phonetics and at least one course in phonology
- Syntax and semantics: to be demonstrated by at least one course in
syntax and at least one course in semantics
- Acquisition, computational linguistics, neurolinguistics and/or psycholinguistics: to be demonstrated by at least two courses in these areas. The two courses may be from the same or from different areas.
3. Foreign Language Requirements
Proficiency in one foreign language must be demonstrated. A native speaker of a language other than English may offer English as the required language. Proficiency may be demonstrated by the completion of an approved course with a grade of B or better; by the passing of an ETS Language test with a score of 550 or better; or by other arrangements made in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.
4. Major Paper
Each student must write a major paper during the third year, which will be a piece of research in some area and will demonstrate an understanding of how the research relates to the students' chosen area. The particular form and content are set in consultation with a committee of three faculty members, consisting of the student's advisor and two other faculty members. Once the committee has accepted the paper, an oral presentation will be scheduled.
The major paper and associated oral presentation should demonstrate:
- ability to do substantial original research within the chosen area;
- an understanding of the previous literature and results with the area;
- an understanding of how the particular topic of the paper ties in to more general issues and results of the field. This will often be demonstrated primarily during the oral presentation.
The oral presentation of the paper consists of a presentation by the student, followed by questions from the audience.
Certification of Doctoral Candidacy will be made after the student has successfully completed the major paper. The timetable for the major paper is the same as the timetable of the preliminary examination for the Ph.D. in Cognitive Science.
5. Teaching Requirements
Every student must complete at least four semesters of supervised teaching practice. All graduate students are urged strongly to participate in the Teaching Certificate Program of the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning.
6. Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation
Upon completion of the language requirement and the Major Paper and oral presentation, a stuŽdent is advanced to candidacy and should (if s/he has not already done so) choose an advisor for the dissertation. The advisor will normally be a member of the Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences Department; outside advisors are possible when approved by the departmental faculty.
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