Graduate Degree

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The Department of Linguistics at Ohio University offers a Master of Arts degree in applied linguistics with a strong theoretical foundation. The program prepares students to become professional teachers of English to speakers of other languages, as well as to join other professions specializing in the study and interpretation of language. In addition, the Department offers four non-European languages: Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, and Swahili; and it trains future teachers of these languages. Finally, it offers several languages using a self-instructional model: Siswati, Somali, Sudanese Arabic, Twi (Akan), Thai, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Kikuyu, and Khmer (Cambodian).

All graduate students take a basic core of linguistics courses and pedagogical courses, including a teaching practicum requirement; they must also complete a final exit requirement (typically a thesis or an extended research paper) and give a presentation in the department or at a professional conference. Core courses include Phonology, Syntax, Sociolinguistics, Theories of Language Learning, TESOL methods courses, Testing, CALL, Reading and Writing in TESOL, and Research Methods. Elective courses include Bilingualism, Historical Linguistics, Semantics, Field Methods, and selected courses from other departments. Internships are also available to give students an opportunity to gain professional experience in other teaching settings, including English for children and nonacademic adults, curriculum development, and program administration.

A certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is also offered for individuals planning on teaching English overseas. This certificate does not have official transcript status, nor is it valid for teaching English in American public schools. Required courses are LING 550, 575, 580, 582 and 510). For more information, see TEFL Certificate.

The Department has a strong record of preparing students for Ph.D. study elsewhere. Approximately one-fourth to one-third of our M.A. graduates go on to advanced study at some time in their careers, and they are admitted to top-ranked theoretical and applied programs in universities in America and other countries.