Welcome to the Educational Linguistics Program
Welcome to doctoral studies in Educational Linguistics at the University of New Mexico! This manual is designed to help you understand and successfully complete the steps necessary to finish the interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Educational Linguistics at UNM. It will acquaint you with the resources available to you in the Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (LLSS) in the College of Education & Human Sciences, in the Department of Linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences, and in the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS), as well as the requirements set by the Educational Linguistics program and OGS.
Policies and procedures for obtaining a doctoral degree are laid out here in general form. You should regularly consult your faculty advisor, your committee on studies, and/or the program coordinator for assistance. It is up to you to be sure that you complete all steps toward the awarding of your degree in a timely and appropriate manner.
In addition to this manual, you should carefully review the University of New Mexico Catalog. You are responsible for completing the requirements of the catalog under which you were admitted to the graduate program. If there are changes in the requirements during your studies, you have the option to complete the requirements in place when admitted or to complete the new requirements. Catalogs are available online on the UNM web site: https://catalog.unm.edu/. Pathfinder, UNM’s student handbook and calendar, is the source of much crucial information on rights and responsibilities, sexual harassment, grievance procedures, student standards, and other policies and regulations. This handbook reproduces some of the most important information from the UNM Catalog. Please be aware that university and department requirements and procedures may be revised at any time
The LLSS Department administers the Educational Linguistics Program and we ask that you keep the LLSS Department informed of your progress toward the degree on a timely basis. In particular, please keep in mind that all forms and documentation required by OGS must be processed through the program coordinator and the LLSS Department administrator.
We wish you all the best as you begin your program here. If there is any way that the program can assist you further, please do not hesitate to ask.
Program Requirements
The program of studies for each student is tailored by the individual in consultation with his/her faculty advisor and Committee on Studies, and is approved by the Committee on Studies and the coordinator of the Educational Linguistics faculty.
Students should always confirm with his/her faculty advisor that they are following the correct Program of Studies.
Program of Studies
The program of studies for each student is tailored by the individual in consultation with his/her faculty advisor and Committee on Studies, and is approved by the Committee on Studies. Requests for transferring courses are submitted to the Committee on Studies along with appropriate course descriptions and syllabi. If the transfer is approved by the Committee on Studies, the transferred courses are listed on the Program of Studies submitted as part of the Application for Candidacy.
Each Program of Studies must meet the following requirements:
1. At least 72 credit hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree. This requirement must include the following (the same course may be counted in two or more of the following areas, but only once for the 72 credit hour requirement):
| Core Courses (24 credit hours) | |
| EDPY 502 | Survey of Statistics in Education (or similar course as determined by an advisor) |
| LING 504 | Phonological Analysis |
| LING 522 -or- LING 523 | Grammatical Analysis Functional Syntactic Theories |
| LING 531 | Language in Society |
| LING 567 | Psychology of Language |
| LLSS 640 | Seminar in Language-Literacy |
| LLSS 645 | Seminar in Educational Studies |
| One course in Advanced Research Methods in Linguistics and/or Education (other Research Methods courses may be recommended by an advisor based on area of inquiry). Suggested courses include: | |
| LLSS 605 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods |
| LLSS 623 | Ethnographic Research |
| Area Electives (24 credit hours) | |
| Courses selected to fulfill area electives should supplement and strengthen the student’s professional preparation in education, educational research, linguistics, and the area of research focus, and should be selected in conjunction with the student’s advisor and Committee on Studies. No more than 12 credit hours may be taken in any one department. Course options include, but are not limited to: | |
| EDPY | 500- or 600-level |
| LING | 500- or 600-level |
| LLSS | *400-, 500- or 600-level |
| OILS | 500- or 600-level |
| PORT | 500- or 600-level |
| SPAN | 500- or 600-level |
| Area of Focus (24 credit hours) | |
| At least 24 credit hours in an area of focus in Educational Linguistics. Courses in this area are determined in consultation with an advisor and/or Committee on Studies. |
2. At least 18 credit hours of dissertation (699) must be completed. No more than 9 credit hours may be taken each semester,
Other Course Requirements
- At least 24 credit hours must be completed at UNM.
- A maximum of 45 credit hours may be transferred from other institutions.
- At least 18 credit hours must be completed at the 500- or 600-level.
- No more than 24 credit hours may be completed in "Problems", "Readings", or "Workshops".
- Competency in a language other than English is required for graduation. The minimal acceptable level of competency is a grade of "B" in a fourth semester of a college-level course, or its equivalent.
The Program Requirements for the 2021-22 academic year are also listed in the University Catalog at https://catalog.unm.edu/catalogs/2021-2022/colleges/education-human-sciences/educational-linguistics/graduate-program.html.
Application Information
New applicants: The application process, including the submission of all relevant documents for all programs at UNM, is now online and can be initiated at this website: http://grad.unm.edu/prospective-students/apply-now.html. Application guidelines for the Educational Linguistics Program are available online at https://catalog.unm.edu/catalogs/2021-2022/colleges/education-human-sciences/educational-linguistics/graduate-program.html.
Additional questions may be addressed to the program office (505-277-0437) or to Dr. Bee Chamcharatsri, the program coordinator (bee@unm.edu). In addition, potential applicants are encouraged to contact Educational Linguistics faculty in their areas of interest to learn more about our program and faculty. A complete discussion of graduate study requirements can be found in the online UNM Catalog catalog.unm.edu/catalogs/2021-2022/graduate-program.html. Contact Margaret Gonzales, unit administrator at margo@unm.edu, for information on the fall new student orientation.
Three letters of recommendation and a letter of intent are required parts of the application packet. In addition, a writing sample is required; you should submit a copy of the M.A. thesis or a research paper of high quality. The program in Educational Linguistics does not require graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.
Applicants who completed the M.A. at UNM within the last three semesters must file a “Request for Change or Addition of Degree or Graduate Unit” form, together with:
- A writing sample,
- Three new letters of recommendation, and
- A new letter of intent.
ADMISSIONS PROCESSES
The Selections Committee of the Educational Linguistics faculty will review complete applications and collectively decide on the suitability of the applicants for our areas of program strength, subject to review by the entire faculty. The decision-making process will include considerations of balance of interests within the program, compatibility of applicant interests with program faculty, and the current limit on admissions.
ALL Applicants: The letter of recommendation forms and letter of intent follow-up information can be found by clicking on “Admission Forms” on this web site: http://grad.unm.edu/resources/gs-forms/index.html. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include letters from professors, who taught them in their last degree-seeking program.
Checklist for U.S. Applicants
The Self-Managed Application packet consists of:
- Application for Admission: on the application, applicants should write:
- On line 15, Degree Sought……………………………Ph.D.
- On line 16, Graduate Unit…………………………….Ed Ling-LLSS
- On line 17, Major Code………………………………Ph.D. ELNG
- Application fee of $50.00
- Completed and signed Graduate Application/Residency Form
- All undergraduate and graduate transcripts of all colleges you have attended. (Exception: UNM transcript.) Note that you will need TWO official copies of all transcripts: one sent to the Office of Admissions and one to the LLSS Department)
- Three recent letters of recommendation from professors or other persons who can comment on your teaching, scholarship, and potential for doctoral study and research.
- A letter of intent clearly describing your background and areas of interest and why you feel the Educational Linguistics Program at the University of New Mexico is well suited to help you meet your goals. Guidelines for writing a letter of intent are provided on the following web page under “Admission Forms”: http://grad.unm.edu/resources/gs-forms/index.html
- A sample of academic writing, usually an MA thesis or research paper of high quality.
- Resume or curriculum vitae.
International students: In addition to the Educational Linguistics application, international applicants must submit application materials to UNM’s Global Education Office, which can be accessed on-line at http://geo.unm.edu/admission/graduate/index.html.
Application Deadline
The deadline for Ph.D. candidates is December 1, for admittance for the following Fall semester. Applications to the doctoral program are reviewed shortly after this deadline.
Checklist for International Applicants -- See current information at the Global Education Office (GEO) website: http://geo.unm.edu/admission/graduate/index.html
Submit an application packet consisting of items a-h above PLUS:
- Completed financial guarantee form. (Please note that this form must be submitted with your application. This form may be downloaded at: http://www.unm.edu/admissions/guidelines/IntlCertFinancialResponsibility_BB7C.pdf
- Evidence of English language proficiency - IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge. The Educational Linguistics program adheres to the general English language proficiency requirements of UNM. Please check the website of the Global Education Office for current cutoff scores. http://geo.unm.edu/admission/graduate/requirements/index.html or you may call them at (505) 277-5892.
