The Graduate Linguistics Department was founded in 1989, in collaboration between Payap University and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). Today over one hundred and fifty graduates from Asia, the Pacific Rim, the Americas and Europe belong to the Linguistics Department alumni.
Southeast Asia hosts many languages belonging to five entirely different language families: Tai-Kadai, Tibeto-Burman, Hmong Mien, Austroasiatic and Austronesian. Relatively little is known about the number, classification and affiliation of individual languages in the region, and many of them are endangered. Only appropriately trained linguists can investigate these languages, provide guidance to the many communities who aspire to document, preserve and cultivate their cultural heritage, and skillfully translate or train to translate materials into their language. With an eye to meeting this need, the Linguistics Department offers a strong field-linguistics focused degree right in the center of where these languages are spoken.
The Linguistics Department aims to train future linguists who are able to promote the analysis, description and documentation of the languages spoken particularly in Asia, fostering the ability of language communities to develop and maintain their own languages, including the production of quality translation.
Graduates of the program have the knowledge, ability and skill to:
- Apply linguistic theory to analyze, describe and document any language;
- Use effective methods of language study and research;
- Produce quality translation, examine and assess translated documents, and adapt them for successful communication;
- Assist non-dominant language communities to cultivate and develop their own heritage languages within the context of their national language.
Theses and Independent Studies
Curriculum Structure
Core courses:
- All students must complete three (3) core courses:
- AL603 Phonological Analysis;
- AL605 Grammatical Analysis;
- AL608 Sociolinguistics
Elective courses:
- Students will select electives appropriate to their program of study in consultation with their program advisor.
- Students who choose the Thesis option must choose six (6) elective courses including a methods course for a total of eighteen (18) credits.
- Students who choose the Independent Study option must select eight (8) elective courses including a methods course for a total of twenty-four (24) credits
Final projects:
To fulfill the graduation requirements, students must write either a Thesis or an Independent Study paper.
- Students who choose the Thesis option will write and defend a Thesis for a total of twelve (12) credits.
- Students who choose the Independent Study option will write and defend an Independent Study paper for a total of six (6) credits. NOTE: Students who choose this option must also take an oral comprehensive examination after the completion of all coursework requirements and before the final defense.
THESIS option:
Core Courses | 9 credits |
Elective Courses | 18 credits |
Thesis | 12 credits |
Total Number of Credits | 39 credits |
INDEPENDENT STUDY option:
Core Courses | 9 credits |
Elective Courses | 24 credits |
Independent Study | 6 credits |
Total Number of Credits | 39 credits |
Learn more at the Linguistics Department website
Faculty
Learn more at the Linguistics Department website