PhD - Doctorate in Linguistics
Graduate Coordinator: Prof. Lior Laks (Lior.Laks@biu.ac.il)
- Degree Specializations
- Doctorate in Linguistics Programs
- Provisional Admission
- Dissertation Proposal
- Dissertation
- Seminar Papers
- Linguistics Colloquium
- Continuing as a Graduate Student
- Foreign Language Requirement
- Financial Aid and Assistantships
- Applications
In order to apply to the Linguistics Doctorate program, an applicant needs an MA degree with a GPA of 87 or higher, with a thesis grade of 87 or higher. The applicant must also find a research advisor from within the department's Faculty members. The policies, rules, and procedures established by the School of Graduate Studies serve as the framework and set the standards for the Department's Graduate Committee.
If you have any questions related to Doctorate in Linguistics or if you wish to apply for the Linguistics Doctorate program in Bar-Ilan University, please contact the office or the Graduate Coordinator, Prof. Lior Laks (Lior.Laks@biu.ac.il)
Doctorate in Linguistics - Degree Specializations
The Linguistics Division has strengths in both theoretical and applied linguistics. The Linguistics Doctorate program gives students the opportunity to specialize in one or more of a broad range of topics, including phonology, morphology, formal syntax and semantics, the syntax/semantics interface, pragmatics, psycholinguistics, language acquisition, language disorders, neurolinguistics, bilingualism, reading, and more. Each Linguistics Doctorate student with his/her advisor constructs an individualized program. The Doctorate in Linguistics program may include specialization in a combination of two or more areas of linguistics, as well as in other fields such as brain sciences, psychology, computer science or philosophy. Specializations can also involve research in the structure or use of a specific language or languages.
Applicants are admitted into the Linguistics Doctorate program only if there is a faculty member able and willing to direct the research; therefore, Linguistics Doctorate candidates are highly urged to read about the research interests and fields of specialization of our faculty members to see if any of the active fields of research in the department match their interests.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Programs
There are three Linguistics Doctorate programs:
- The Regular Doctorate in Linguistics is for students with an MA degree in linguistics with a thesis graded 87 or higher.
- The Direct Linguistics Doctorate is for students who have completed a BA in linguistics with exceptionally high grades and outstanding recommendations from their teachers.
- The Combined MA/PhD is for students who have completed coursework and a thesis proposal for an MA which the Graduate Committee in Linguistics considers of PhD quality and who move directly from the MA program to the Linguistics Doctorate program.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Provisional Admission
Students are sometimes recommended for admission on the condition that they first complete a certain number of courses and/or write a major paper equivalent to an MA thesis; this includes students whose previous studies were in fields other than linguistics, such as Psychology, Philosophy, Computer Science, or Education. In such cases, students are usually required to take up to 5 supplementary/prerequisite courses before they can be formally admitted as Linguistics Doctorate students. Students who meet these conditions and who show other evidence of ability for advanced research are recommended by the department for admission. These minimal criteria do not guarantee admission.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Dissertation Proposal
Linguistics Doctorate applicants must find an advisor from the Department's Faculty before applying to the Department. Once admitted a student should immediately start working on a research proposal, which is due one year from the date of admission into the Doctorate in Linguistics program. After the proposal has been completed and approved by the advisor, it is reviewed by at least two other lecturers - one from Bar-Ilan University and one from outside the University. Once the reviews are received and corrections (if required) are made, the dissertation proposal is submitted via the Department office to the School of Graduate Studies PhD Committee with the required forms.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Dissertation
When completed, the PhD dissertation is submitted to the advisor for approval, and then is submitted by the student, via the Department office, to the School of Graduate Studies PhD Committee with the required forms. The PhD Committee solicits anonymous reviews from two reviewers. This process usually takes from two to six months.
Format GuidelinesDoctorate in Linguistics - Seminar Papers
Graduate students are expected to provide evidence of independent scholarship. The seminar paper is the primary medium towards this end. Each lecturer determines the requirements and the grading criteria in graduate courses. According to University regulations, papers must be handed in before the beginning of the following academic year, unless an earlier time has been set by the lecturer/professor. Permission to submit late papers is granted in special circumstances by the School of Graduate Studies PhD Committee. Students who wish to submit a late paper must apply to this committee via the INBAR system.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Colloquium and Conferences
Advanced Linguistics Doctorate students are strongly encouraged to join the community of linguists by participating in scholarly meetings open to the public (colloquia and conferences).The departmental linguistics colloquium takes place about every two weeks on Tuesday afternoons and features speakers from the department and from other universities presenting research on a wide range of topics. You are encouraged to attend these meetings to broaden your understanding of linguistics and find out about all sorts of interesting topics and methods of research. Linguistics Doctorate students are required to attend the departmental linguistics colloquium for one full year during their graduate education in the department. All graduate students are encouraged to attend national and international conferences organized at the University. Some funding is available for Linguistics Doctorate graduate students giving papers at international conferences abroad.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Continuing as a Graduate Student
According to University regulations, the minimum grade which can be counted toward a Doctorate in Linguistics is 60%. Graduate students in the English Department are expected to maintain an 80% average. The Department enforces the University rules on plagiarism very strictly.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Foreign Language Requirement
Linguistics Doctorate students studying in the department are exempted from the foreign language requirement.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Financial Aid and Assistantships
There are several sources of funding for Doctorate in Linguistics studies. Presidential Fellowships consist of three to four years of support, which includes Linguistics Doctorate tuition remission and a stipend of approximately 4000 NIS per month. These awards are granted on a competitive basis to students who show high academic promise and commit themselves to a full-time study program to allow them to complete the Linguistics Doctorate degree within the three or four year period specified in the Fellowship contract. A second source of funding for Doctorate in Linguistics studies is the University Scholarships Committee, which grants sums of approximately 6,000 NIS on the basis of academic merit and financial need. Private sources of funding are sometimes available from foundations. Finally, some Linguistics Doctorate students receive support as Research Assistants from research grants, and others have been employed as Teaching Assistants.
Doctorate in Linguistics - Applications
Important Notice! Before your Linguistics Doctorate application can go to the Bar-Ilan University PhD Committee, it must first be approved by the Department of English Literature and Linguistics. Those who register through the university website first and then later rejected by the department will not be refunded the initial registration fee. Therefore make sure to contact us first before applying via the university's general online system.
Linguistics Doctorate students can be admitted at any point during the academic year. However, students wishing to enroll in Fall courses should apply to the department no later than July 31st, while students wishing to enroll in Spring courses should apply to the department no later than December 31st.
Applications to the Linguistics Doctorate Program should include the following:
- CV
- Scanned formal transcripts of prior studies (all of them), including all the course names, instructors and grades
- Scanned diploma(s)
- A writing sample in English, such as a seminar paper or an honors/MA thesis
- A letter describing your research interests, about 1-2 pages long
To apply to the Doctorate in Linguistics program:
1. Step One: Linguistics Doctorate Applications should be sent via e-mail to the Linguistics Graduate Coordinator, Prof. Lior Laks, with a copy to the Graduate Registrar, Judie Liri. Be sure to include the documents listed above in your email.
2. Step Two: Should you receive a notice from the Department of English Literature and Linguistics recommending your acceptance (via email from Prof. Laks), you must then apply though the university's general online system. You will be required to pay the application fee.
