Programs by Campus

Bloomington

Linguistics

College of Arts and Sciences

Departmental E-mail: lingdept [at] indiana [dot] edu

Departmental URL: https://linguistics.indiana.edu

(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)

Curriculum

Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

Degrees Offered

Master of Arts in Linguistics, Master of Science in Computational Linguistics, Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Master of Arts in Linguistics

Admission Requirements

Admission to the M.A. program will be based on evaluations of (1) undergraduate grade record, (2) three letters of recommendation, and (3) undergraduate exposure to linguistics and related course work. Students not satisfying requirement (3) may be admitted but may be required to do course work prerequisite to introductory graduate courses.

Thesis

Optional; maximum of 4 credit hours.

Final Examination

None.

Course Requirements

A total of 30 credit hours, including L520, L541, L542, L543 and L546, and one of the following four: L530, L544, L670, or a course in psycholinguistics/language acquisition. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be achieved in these six core courses. Additional electives as approved by the department. Specific course requirements may be met by taking a higher-level course in the same area. A minimum of 20 credit hours must be from linguistics department offerings.

Foreign Language Requirements

Reading knowledge of one foreign language approved by the department and knowledge of the structure of a language or languages other than English and outside the student’s general language family. (The L653-L654 sequence may satisfy the second part of this requirement.)

Master of Arts in Linguistics with a Concentration in Computational Linguistics

Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field which addresses the use of computers to process or produce human language. Linguistics contributes to this field an understanding of the special properties of language data, and also provides theories and descriptions of language structure and use. Com­putational linguistics is largely an applied discipline concerned with practical problems. Typical applications include natural language processing, machine translation (translating from one language to another), speech synthesis, speech production, information retrieval (finding relevant documents or parts of documents in large collections of texts), cognitive modeling, and, in general, almost anything dealing with natural language interfaces.

Course Requirements

The master’s track in computational linguistics consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours to include L541, L542, L543, L545, and L645. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be achieved in these five core courses. Students must also fulfill a specialization course requirement by taking two of the following courses: Q520 (Cognitive Science), L614 (Linguistics), L615 (Linguistics), L665 (Linguistics) or seminar courses such as Z543 (ILS), L715 (Linguistics), or L7XX (Linguistics) approved by the student’s academic advisor. Three additional electives must be taken. A minimum of 20 credit hours must be from linguistics department offerings. Outside electives must be approved by the student’s academic advisor.

Programming Language Requirement

L555 or a computer programming course (or the equivalent) approved by the student’s academic advisor.

Foreign Language Requirement

Knowledge of the structure of a language or languages (other than English) outside the student’s general language family.

Master of Science in Computational Linguistics

Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field addressing the computational analysis and production of human language. The field is situated between linguistics, computer science, and cognitive science, borrowing insights from linguistics and methodology from computer science.  Computational linguistics is largely an applied discipline concerned with practical problems. Typical applications include machine translation (translating from one language to another), information retrieval (finding relevant documents or parts of documents in large collections of texts), cognitive modeling, sentiment analysis (for example in product reviews), automatic summarization, and computer assisted language learning.  

Course Requirements

The M.S. in Computational Linguistics consists of a minimum of 33 credit hours, 39 if the student needs to fulfill the Math and Logic Foundation, which consists of S520 (Department of Statistics) and Q520 (Cognitive Science Program). Required courses include L545, L645, L665, L715, L614 and A594 (offered by the Department of Computer Science in the School of Informatics). In addition, students must select a specialization in morpho-syntax—L543 plus one of L544, L546, or L643—or in morpho-phonology—L542, plus either L544 or L642. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be achieved in these ten core courses. Two additional electives must be taken from the following lists:

Linguistics: L520, L541, L542, L543, L544, L546, L615, L642, L643, L646, L7xx (relevant seminars)

Computer Science: A590, B555, B651, B659

Informatics: I529, I532, I534

Information and Library Science: Z534, Z639

Cognitive Science: Q550

Programming Language Requirement

L555 or equivalent course or knowledge approved by the department.

Bachelor of Science/Master of Science (3+2) in Computational Linguistics

Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field incorporating insights and methodology from linguistics, computer science, and cognitive science.  It is essentially an applied discipline concerned with practical problems in the computational analysis and production of human language. Typical applications include machine translation (translating from one language to another), information retrieval (finding relevant documents or parts of documents in large collections of texts), cognitive modeling, sentiment analysis (for example in product reviews), automatic summarization of texts, and computer-assisted language learning. This accelerated program permits students to obtain both B.S. and M.S. degrees in five years, providing them with the requisite skills for industry jobs in information technology.

Admission to graduate status

For admission to the master’s level of the B.S./M.S. Program, students must have completed at least 32 hours of core requirements towards the B.S. degree, with a Major GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of admission to the program.

Students in the program are normally classified as undergraduates until the end of the first semester in which 120 or more hours of credit toward graduation have been earned. During this semester, students in good standing, defined as a Major GPA of at least 3.0, must submit the standard application to the University Graduate School and initiate the transition to graduate status. If the transition to graduate status is delayed beyond this time, master’s status will normally revert to undergraduate B.S. status. Students are advised to check on the effect that transition-to-graduate status may have on existing undergraduate funding; the possibility of graduate funding is conditional upon transition to graduate status. Those not in good standing at this time are dropped from the program and reclassified as undergraduate B.S. students.

Students in the B.S./M.S. program must complete at least 15 hours of coursework while registered in graduate status. Normally, this would encompass no fewer than two semesters.

Course Requirements

The B.S./M.S. in Computational Linguistics consists of a minimum of 133 credit hours in six areas. Required courses include the following:

General Education and College CASE Requirements

English Composition; Mathematical Modeling; World Languages and Cultures/CASE Foreign Language requirement (4 semesters of FL or equivalent); CAPP course; Public Communication; Arts and Humanities (2 courses); Social and Historical Studies (2 courses); Natural and Mathematical Sciences (4 courses); Diversity in the United States (CASE DUS, 1 course)

Math and Logic Foundation

Mathematics M212, Statistics S320, Philosophy P250 or Cognitive Science Q250

Core UG Computational Requirements

Linguistics L203, L245, L306, L307, L310, L415, L435, L445; Computer Science C211, C212, C241

Outside Concentration

(12 credit hours in one department) The following disciplines are appropriate for an outside concentration: cognitive science, computer science, informatics, mathematics, psychology, or a foreign language (the latter must be different from the language used to fulfill the WLC requirement). Alternatively, students can fulfill this requirement through a minor offered by any of these departments.

Graduate Specialization Requirements

Linguistics: L614, L645, L665, L715;

Computer Science: A594 and either B401 or B403;

Library & Information Science: Z534 or Z639

In addition, students must select a specialization in morpho-syntax—L543 plus one of L544, L546, or L643—or in morpho-phonology—L542 plus either L544 or L642. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be achieved in these nine core courses.

Three additional electives must be taken from the following lists:  

Linguistics: L520, L541, L542, L543, L544, L546, L615, L642, L643, L464, L7xx (relevant seminars).  One of these electives will be waived if the student has taken L308, L315, or L325 during the undergraduate phase of the degree program. 

Computer Science: A290, A590, B503, B555, B651, B659;

Informatics: I529, I532, I534;

Library and Information Science: Z517, Z543, Z604, Z637, Z639, Z641;

Cognitive Science: Q351, Q520, Q550.

Internship

(Optional 2-3 credit hours) Students have the option of participating in a summer internship between the 4th and 5th years.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Ph.D. program will be based upon evalua­tion of (1) previous academic record, (2) three letters of recommendation, (3) previous exposure to linguistics and related course work, and (4) compatibility of interests with those of the faculty.

Fields of Study

The doctorate is normally pursued in areas such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, historical linguistics, African linguistics, computational linguistics, and sociolinguistics. Other concentrations, including a combined degree with cognitive science, are also possible with the approval of the department.

Course Requirements

A minimum of 90 credit hours, including dissertation. Specific requirements include L501 or a similar course in research methods, and one graduate course each in phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics, and in three of the following five areas: morphology, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, typology or psycholinguistics/language acquisition. At least 12 credit hours in linguistics at the 600-700 levels, with requirements as follows: at least two courses at the 600 level.  Three credit hours must be in 700-level linguistics classes. Moreover, systematic engagement in four semesters of departmental workshops and colloquia is required. Students should plan to attend workshops and colloquia which are scheduled during the semester.  Systematic engagement entails documented attendance at approximately 75% of the scheduled colloquia and workshops for each semester. Additional course requirements may be set by the student's advisory committee.

Minor

The choice of a minor field should be agreed to by the student’s advisory committee. The specific requirements for the minor are established by the department that grants the minor. The student is responsible for ascertaining what those require­ments are and for meeting them.

Advisory Committee

All students in the Ph.D. program will select an advisory committee consisting of at least three faculty members, one of whom should normally represent the student’s minor field. The committee must be selected no later than the end of the semester following the completion of the master’s degree at Indiana University, or, in the case of students entering the program with master’s degrees from other institutions, no later than two semesters after matriculation. Students admitted directly into the PhD program without a master’s degree should select their committee no later than their second year of study.

Students will plan their programs with the advisory committee, which will be responsible for counseling students with regard to the qualifying examination, setting the examination, and administering it.

Foreign Language Structure

Knowledge of the structure of a language other than English and outside the student's general language family (choice to be determined in consultation with the student's advisory committee). The structure requirement can be fulfilled in three ways: (1) by completing a one-semester course on the structure of some language; (2) by completing a two-semester elementary level sequence of a language; (3) by completing the field methods sequence L653-654.

Research Tools Requirements

(1) Reading or speaking knowledge of a foreign language rel­evant and applicable to doctoral study in the student’s research area, and (2) proficiency in a research skill appropriate to the student’s research area, including, but not limited to, reading knowledge in an additional foreign language, statistics, logic, programming, methods in social science research, or field methods. Proficiency is normally demonstrated by two semes­ters of appropriate instruction. Students may not count field methods classes for both the foreign language structure and research tools requirement. The choice of appropriate research tools is to be determined in consultation with the student’s advisory committee.

Qualifying Examination

Comprehensive; the examination is on two distinct areas of lin­guistics - one primary, one secondary - and requires the student to develop five research proposals and one research paper. Specific focus and scheduling of the ex­amination is determined by the student’s advisory committee.

Research Proposal

After nomination to candidacy, the student will select a research committee composed of no fewer than three mem­bers of the Department of Linguistics faculty and an outside representative. This committee must approve the proposed dissertation topic.

Final Examination

Oral defense of dissertation. This defense is open.

Ph.D. in Linguistics with a Concentration in African Languages and Linguistics

Course Requirements

A minimum of 90 credit hours, including dissertation. Specific requirements include A501, L653-L654, one graduate-level course each in phonetics, phonology, syntax, and historical linguistics, plus at least two additional courses in linguistics at the 600-700 levels. Where appropriate, additional courses may be assigned by the student’s advisory committee.

Foreign Language Requirements

Three languages: (1) proficiency in two foreign languages, one of which must be an African language and the other normally French or German; and (2) knowledge of the structure of a foreign language or language group other than Romance or Germanic.

(All other requirements are the same as the above for the Ph.D. in Linguistics.)

Ph.D. in Linguistics with a Concentration in Computational Linguistics

Course Requirements

A minimum of 90 credit hours, including dissertation. Specific requirements include L545, L555, L615, L645, one graduate-level course each in phonetics, phonology, syntax, and at least 6 additional credit hours in linguistics at the 600-700 levels. Where appropriate, additional courses may be assigned by the student’s advisory committee.

Research Tool Requirements

The student must demonstrate proficiency (1), in the basics of discrete mathematics or mathematical linguistics, which can be met by courses such as L611 or Q520; and (2) in programming techniques, with working knowledge of at least two program­ming languages.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying exam is comprehensive; the examination is on two distinct areas of computational linguistics and/or linguis­tics. At least one of the qualifying examinations must entail a practical software artifact. The artifact may be a program, a computational grammar, an implemented scheme for corpus annotation, or some other approved artifact. The other exami­nation may take the form of a written paper (of publishable quality) or a written exam. Specific focus and scheduling of the examination is determined by the student’s advisory commit­tee.

(All other requirements are the same as the above for the Ph.D. in Linguistics.)

Ph.D. Minor in Linguistics

Doctoral students in other departments may choose linguis­tics as an outside minor. Twelve (12) credit hours of approved courses are required; at least nine (9) credit hours must be from courses offered in the Department of Linguistics. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) or higher must be achieved in these courses. The specific program for satisfying this requirement should be developed in consultation with a linguistics faculty member serving as a minor representative on the student's advisory committee.

Ph.D. Minor in African Languages and Linguistics

The minor consists of a minimum of four courses (12 credits) including the following: (1) one course in an African language at the 600 level or higher, (2) A501, and (3) two additional courses in African languages or linguistics approved by a linguistics faculty member serving as a minor representative on the student's advisory committee. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better must be achieved in these courses.

Ph.D. Minor in Computational Linguistics

The minor consists of a minimum of 15 credit hours of course work, including the following: (1) L545 and L645, (2) one of L503, L541, L542, L543, or L546 and (3) two specialization courses taken from the following: L665 (Linguistics), B651 (Computer Science), Q520 (Cognitive Science), S522 (Speech and Hearing Sciences), Z543 (ILS) and seminar courses such as L700 or L715 (Linguistics) or other courses (such as L614) approved by a linguistics faculty member serving as a minor representative on the student's advisory committee. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) or higher must be achieved in these courses.

Academic Bulletins

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