ADMISSIONS

Application

General admissions information, instructions about applying, and the online application for admission can be accessed by visiting the Graduate Admission web site.

The Ph. D. program application deadline is:

In view of competition for top Fellowships, the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences has set December 1st as the priority deadline for receipt of applications. However, applications may be submitted after that date. Please ensure that supporting materials are received as quickly as may be feasible. If December 1st falls on a weekend, the application and materials will be due by the following Monday.

Admissions Criteria

Applicants for admission to the graduate program are expected to have a bachelor's degree in Linguistics or other appropriate field, and knowledge of at least one foreign language. At the least, applicants are expected to have completed an introductory course in general linguistics. The Department of Linguistics accepts applications for admission to the fall term only.

How to Apply

To apply, prospective students must first complete the USC online graduate application. In addition to the standard information required by the University, applicants must upload all supporting documents to this online system.

After completing the online graduate application, applicants must also send certain materials to USC and the Linguistics Department. All applicants are required to completed the following:

 

The following applications materials must be uploaded and submitted through the on-line web application system :

  • Online web application.
  • $85 USD application processing fee (pay on-line).
  • Statement of Purpose with specific information about interests and goals.
    This can be uploaded into the on-line application system.
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation from academic sources. Recommenders must submit their recommendations through the on-line system. Hard copy letters will not be accepted.
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
  • TOEFL scores (for international students from non-English speaking countries are usually required).
  • Copy of unofficial academic transcripts from each institution attended.
    (International students must include all your transcripts, degrees, and diplomas in both their original language and in English translation.)
  • One research paper written or translated in English.

 

The following must be submitted by mail to the USC Office of Admissions:

  • GRE Scores (Graduate Record Examination)
    GRE scores are valid for five years.
    ETS School Code: 4852, ETS Department Code: 2903
  • TOEFL scores (for international students from non-English speaking countries are usually required).
    TOEFL scores are valid for two years.
  • Official Academic Transcripts from each institution attended. (International students: please submit transcripts, degrees, and diplomas in both their original language and in English translation.)


    Transcripts and GRE scores
    should be sent to this address:

     

    USC Office of Admission
    GRADUATE
    University Park Campus
    Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915

    Any materials sent via Fed Ex, DHL or
    other express mail services must be
    addressed to:

    USC Office of Admission
    3601 South Flower Street
    Tyler 1
    Los Angeles, CA 90089-0911

Financial Support

The Linguistics department has traditionally been able to support most of its students on an
ongoing basis through merit fellowships and teaching assistantships.

USC College Fellowships

Outstanding applicants are considered for the College Doctoral Fellowship, which emphasizes training for the professoriate and is the highest award offered to Ph.D. students in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The College Doctoral Fellowship offers incoming students five years of financial support consisting of two years of fellowship and three years of teaching assistantship.  In addition, the award features summer stipend funding and funding for research expenses.

Applicants with exceptional qualifications may be awarded the Graduate Merit Award, a competitive award offered to students aiming towards a Ph.D. in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The Merit Award offesr incoming students five years of financial support consisting of two years of fellowship and three years of teaching assistantship.

Graduate School Fellowships

The Graduate School administers a program of fellowships for outstanding students working toward a Ph.D. at USC who are considering a career in university teaching and research. All applicants to the Ph.D. program are considered for these fellowships and no separate application is necessary.

Assistant Lectureships (Department of Spanish and Portuguese) and Teaching Assistantships

Qualified incoming students in the area of Hispanic Linguistics may be offered an assistant lectureship through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Students are required to complete an application for assistant lectureships. Support through teaching assistantship in other departments (particularly French and Italian, and East Asian Languages and Cultures) is also sometimes available. Students are required to complete an application for teaching assistantships with the respective departments.

  • English Requirement for Graduate Teaching Assistants
    Admitted international students offered assistant lectureships or teaching assistantships must demonstrate adequate English oral communication skills before assuming classroom or language laboratory duties. International assistant lecturers and teaching assistants must achieve a score of 6.0 or better on the oral portion of the Internationals Student Exam (ISE) or on the International Teaching Assistants oral test administered by the American Language Institute. A score of 5.0 or higher on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) will exempt students from having to undergo any oral testing. Students who fail to achieve one of these scores will not be cleared for teaching duties. (For more information about the USC English requirement for international teaching assistants, visit the American Language Institute.)

Other Forms of Financial Support at USC

For more information on other forms of financial assistance available at USC, please see the 'Financing Graduate Study' section of the USC Application for Graduate Admission.

USC and Los Angeles Resources: