Please note:
To view the current Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar.html.
Linguistics
The areas of specialization in this program are: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, computational linguistics, documentation and linguistic analysis of North American Indigenous Languages, historical and comparative linguistics, first and second language acquisition, neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the university admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 in the SFU Calendar. Students must also demonstrate a substantial background in linguistics and research methodology. Direct doctor of philosophy (PhD) program admission without a master of arts (MA) in linguistics, or equivalent, is normally not possible.
Program Requirements
This program consists of course work, two qualifying papers, and a thesis for a minimum of 47 units.
Students must complete in the first year of enrollment
Designed to help students develop practical skills that will support their professional development as linguists, including writing research articles and preparing conference presentations, as well as critically evaluating and discussing influential works in the field. It is designed for second year students who are actively working on research projects, theses, and qualifying papers, so that they can share key literature related to their research and present their on-going work to benefit from the feedback of their cohort.
An introduction to professional aspects in the field of Linguistics. Course consists of seminars, lectures and workshops. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
An introduction to professional aspects in the field of Linguistics. Course consists of seminars, lectures and workshops. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
and four graduate courses*
and two qualifying papers
Qualifying Paper for a PhD student. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisite: All PhD coursework in Linguistics.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| G100 | TBD |
Qualifying Paper for a PhD student. Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Prerequisite: All PhD coursework in Linguistics.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| G100 | TBD |
and a thesis
* must be approved by the supervisor. Only one directed research course allowed.
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements in 12 terms (four years).
Other Information
Qualifying Papers
Students are expected to complete two qualifying papers by the sixth term. At least one of the papers will be in an area outside of the student's main area of research, and unrelated to the thesis. The paper is evaluated by a committee of at least two faculty members, one of them being the supervisor.
Thesis Proposal
Candidates submit a written thesis proposal to the supervisory committee which defines the intended original research and the relationship between it and existing scholarship. After submission, the student presents the proposal at a departmental colloquium no later than the end of the ninth residence term. The written proposal must be approved by the supervisory committee prior to the start of substantive research.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.