Linguistics, MA MA
Related Certificates
Overview
The Department of Linguistics offers master’s and doctoral degrees and a graduate certificate in Adult/University-Level Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
Program Type
Master’s
Program Format
On Campus
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:
- Undergraduate major in linguistics or related field (e.g, languages, psychology, anthropology, philosophy).
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
- Three letters of recommendation to the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies from persons familiar with applicant’s academic ability and achievement.
- A sample of academic writing.
- A reason statement.
- Though not required, submission of scores on the Graduate Record Examination may enhance the application.
Applicants may be admitted with course deficiencies provided that the deficiencies amount to no more than two courses.
The student is expected to satisfy deficiency requirements within three enrolled semesters. The deficiencies are monitored by the Graduate School and the individual graduate program unit. No course credits earned in making up deficiencies may be counted as program credits required for the degree. Applicants should contact the Linguistics Department office for additional information and deadlines.
Credits and Courses
Students admitted to the master’s program earn the degree by completing a minimum of 30 credits of graduate coursework, submitting a final project, and passing an oral examination on the final project. Students who demonstrate a capacity for doctoral work and wish to earn a PhD at UWM are advised to proceed as rapidly as possible to doctoral status. No more than 30 credits earned at the master’s level may be included in the 54 credits required for the PhD.
The MA in Linguistics requires 30 graduate credits, including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Areas of Linguistics | ||
| LINGUIS 715 | First Language Acquisition | 3 |
| or LINGUIS 720 | Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | |
| LINGUIS 750 | Introduction to Phonetics | 3 |
| LINGUIS 755 | Semantics | 3 |
| LINGUIS 761 | Introduction to Phonology | 3 |
| LINGUIS 764 | Introduction to Syntax | 3 |
| LINGUIS 768 | Language in its Various Forms: | 3 |
| or LINGUIS 770 | Historical and Comparative Linguistics | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 elective credits distributed among 400- to 800-level courses in linguistics and related fields as approved by the student’s major professor | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Students who completed any of the required courses as undergraduates will substitute another course selected in consultation with their major professor.
Application to all graduate programs are completed through the UWM Graduate School. Please see their website for detailed information about the application process and contact them with questions.
We also have provided information about applying to one of the Linguistics graduate programs and our admissions criteria:
Teaching and Research Assistantships are the primary form of financial support for Linguistics graduate students. These positions provide a salary and tuition remission. Some small scholarships are also available. Click below for more details.