Master of Arts in Linguistics Postgraduate Program By University of Iowa |Top Universities

Master of Arts in Linguistics

Subject Ranking

# 251-300QS Subject Rankings

Main Subject Area

LinguisticsMain Subject Area

Program overview

Main Subject

Linguistics

Study Level

Masters

Department of Linguistics graduate programs emphasize theory and research. Students interested in non-university careers also may take courses in applied linguistics and other fields as an option in the M.A. program. Iowa's linguistics department has particular strengths in phonology, syntax, and second language acquisition (SLA). The phonology curriculum emphasizes current theoretical perspectives, including optimality theory, and the collection, description, and interpretation of novel phonological and phonetic data. Courses feature extensive work in data analysis and problem solving, focusing on construction and evaluation of phonological theories, particularly in light of new empirical data. The syntax curriculum includes the dual emphases of empirical and theoretical perspectives. It offers a variety of foundational courses that build analytic and argumentation skills, as well as specialized course work on current issues in syntactic theory. The courses consist of intensive work in problem solving. They combine discovery and description of new linguistic data with exploration of the implications of such facts in testing and constructing syntactic theories. The curriculum in second language acquisition includes courses that provide an overview and analysis of current SLA research conducted within the generative framework, with emphasis on explaining the linguistic competence of second language learners in terms of universal grammar (UG), the innate language acquisition device. Work focuses on experimental research investigating the influence of the first language, theories of UG access, and related topics. The Master of Arts in linguistics requires a minimum of 31-37 s.h. of graduate credit with thesis, or 37 s.h. without thesis. A student's advisor must approve all courses that count toward the degree. Career Advancement A master’s degree with TESL emphasis qualifies graduates to teach English as a second language in the United States or overseas. Unique teaching opportunities worth exploring include those with the Peace Corps and Teach for America. A number of companies, such as Microsoft, Xerox, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, and other high-tech firms, regularly hire employees with linguistics degrees. Opportunities also exist for government work, for example, as a special agent linguist for the FBI.

Program overview

Main Subject

Linguistics

Study Level

Masters

Department of Linguistics graduate programs emphasize theory and research. Students interested in non-university careers also may take courses in applied linguistics and other fields as an option in the M.A. program. Iowa's linguistics department has particular strengths in phonology, syntax, and second language acquisition (SLA). The phonology curriculum emphasizes current theoretical perspectives, including optimality theory, and the collection, description, and interpretation of novel phonological and phonetic data. Courses feature extensive work in data analysis and problem solving, focusing on construction and evaluation of phonological theories, particularly in light of new empirical data. The syntax curriculum includes the dual emphases of empirical and theoretical perspectives. It offers a variety of foundational courses that build analytic and argumentation skills, as well as specialized course work on current issues in syntactic theory. The courses consist of intensive work in problem solving. They combine discovery and description of new linguistic data with exploration of the implications of such facts in testing and constructing syntactic theories. The curriculum in second language acquisition includes courses that provide an overview and analysis of current SLA research conducted within the generative framework, with emphasis on explaining the linguistic competence of second language learners in terms of universal grammar (UG), the innate language acquisition device. Work focuses on experimental research investigating the influence of the first language, theories of UG access, and related topics. The Master of Arts in linguistics requires a minimum of 31-37 s.h. of graduate credit with thesis, or 37 s.h. without thesis. A student's advisor must approve all courses that count toward the degree. Career Advancement A master’s degree with TESL emphasis qualifies graduates to teach English as a second language in the United States or overseas. Unique teaching opportunities worth exploring include those with the Peace Corps and Teach for America. A number of companies, such as Microsoft, Xerox, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, and other high-tech firms, regularly hire employees with linguistics degrees. Opportunities also exist for government work, for example, as a special agent linguist for the FBI.

Admission requirements

7+

Tuition fee and scholarships

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More programs from the university

The University of Iowa is a major national research university located on a 1,900-acre campus in Iowa City in southeast Iowa, on the Iowa River near the intersection of U.S. Interstate Highways 80 and 380. Iowa is composed of 11 colleges, the largest of which is the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, enrolling most of Iowa's undergraduates. The Henry B. Tippie College of Business, the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Law, Nursing, Pharmacy, enroll undergraduates, and with the Colleges of Dentistry and Public Health provide graduate education in conjunction with the Graduate College.More than 28,000 students enroll at Iowa each year. Some 64 percent come from Iowa, 21 percent from adjoining states, and 8 percent from the remaining states. International students from 106 countries make up 7 percent of the University's enrollment. The faculty numbers about 1,200 and there are about 13,000 staff. The total annual operating budget is about $1.2 billion, and there are more than 119 major buildings, most of them within walking distance of one another. Adding to the population are more than a million visitors each year who come to enjoy cultural events and art exhibits, to attend Big Ten athletic events, and to participate in the many conferences and educational programs scheduled at the University year-round.Established in 1847, Iowa has won international recognition for its wealth of achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Iowa was the first U.S. public university to admit men and women on an equal basis and the first institution of higher education in the nation to accept creative work in theater, writing, music, and art as theses for advanced degrees. It established the first law school and the first educational radio station west of the Mississippi, broadcast the world's first educational television programs, and developed and continues to hold preeminence in educational testing.The University has world renowned research programs in genetics, hydraulics, and speech and hearing, and has recorded major innovations in agricultural medicine, biocatalysis, biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences, and pharmacology education. Its graduate programs in audiology, printmaking, creative writing, speech-language pathology, and nursing service administration are first-ranked. Iowa scientists, including James Van Allen, have been pioneers in space research, designing and building research instruments for more than 50 successful U.S. satellites and space probes. The University of Iowa operates one of the nation's most advanced and comprehensive university-owned teaching hospitals. It also has developed the most technically advanced driving simulator in the world.

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The University of Iowa is a major national research university located on a 1,900-acre campus in Iowa City in southeast Iowa, on the Iowa River near the intersection of U.S. Interstate Highways 80 and 380. Iowa is composed of 11 colleges, the largest of which is the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, enrolling most of Iowa's undergraduates. The Henry B. Tippie College of Business, the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Law, Nursing, Pharmacy, enroll undergraduates, and with the Colleges of Dentistry and Public Health provide graduate education in conjunction with the Graduate College.More than 28,000 students enroll at Iowa each year. Some 64 percent come from Iowa, 21 percent from adjoining states, and 8 percent from the remaining states. International students from 106 countries make up 7 percent of the University's enrollment. The faculty numbers about 1,200 and there are about 13,000 staff. The total annual operating budget is about $1.2 billion, and there are more than 119 major buildings, most of them within walking distance of one another. Adding to the population are more than a million visitors each year who come to enjoy cultural events and art exhibits, to attend Big Ten athletic events, and to participate in the many conferences and educational programs scheduled at the University year-round.Established in 1847, Iowa has won international recognition for its wealth of achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Iowa was the first U.S. public university to admit men and women on an equal basis and the first institution of higher education in the nation to accept creative work in theater, writing, music, and art as theses for advanced degrees. It established the first law school and the first educational radio station west of the Mississippi, broadcast the world's first educational television programs, and developed and continues to hold preeminence in educational testing.The University has world renowned research programs in genetics, hydraulics, and speech and hearing, and has recorded major innovations in agricultural medicine, biocatalysis, biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences, and pharmacology education. Its graduate programs in audiology, printmaking, creative writing, speech-language pathology, and nursing service administration are first-ranked. Iowa scientists, including James Van Allen, have been pioneers in space research, designing and building research instruments for more than 50 successful U.S. satellites and space probes. The University of Iowa operates one of the nation's most advanced and comprehensive university-owned teaching hospitals. It also has developed the most technically advanced driving simulator in the world.

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Postgrad programs 295