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PhD

For more information see the Handbook

MA

For more information see the Handbook

Indigenous Language Revitalization

51³Ô¹ÏÍøoffers Ad Hoc MAÌý²¹²Ô»å PhD programsÌýin Indigenous Language Revitalization for members of communities whose languages are threatened. TheseÌýprogramsÌýareÌýdesigned to provideÌýresearchÌýconcepts, methods,Ìý²¹²Ô»å skillsÌýthat will helpÌýgraduatesÌýinÌýtheirÌýefforts toÌýcontribute to theÌýmaintenance, documentation, and revitalization ofÌýtheir communities'Ìýlanguages and knowledgesÌýthrough interdisciplinary approaches. TheÌýadÌýhocÌýnature of theÌýprogram allows students toÌýcreate a tailored program of study by combiningÌýrelevant graduate-level courses from different disciplinesÌýaccording to theirÌýindividualÌýstrengths and interests. Note that these programs are not virtual or hybrid; courses are completed at McGill's downtown campus.Ìý

Admissions

Successful applicants will have a native speaker's knowledge of an Indigenous language of the Americas or Pacific, or a demonstrated commitment to learning it as a second language, as well asÌýdemonstratedÌýinterestÌý²¹²Ô»å capacityÌýin the scholarly and practical work related to language revitalization. Ìý

The application portal is . Applications for admission for Fall 2026 for both the Ad Hoc MAÌý²¹²Ô»å Ad Hoc PhD programs are dueÌýJanuary 15, 2026.Ìý

Applicants will be asked to provide: a CV, a 2-page statement of interest, a writing sample, previous transcripts, and 2–3 reference letters; additional details can be found on the admissions portal. Applicants will typically have a Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field. In special circumstances, however, admission to a Qualifying Year (QY) may be considered. Please contact Graduate Program Director, jessica.coon [at] mcgill.ca (Jessica Coon), for more information.

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The Ad Hoc programs in Indigenous Language Revitalization will soon be housed in the new Faculty of Arts Institute for Indigenous Research and Knowledges. In the interim, the programs areÌýadministered by the Department of Linguistics.ÌýThe Ad Hoc MA and PhD programs in Indigenous Language Revitalization are organized by the Program Committee:Ìý

• Noelani Arista, Director, FAIIRK; Associate Professor, History & Classical StudiesÌý
• James Crippen, Assistant Professor, Linguistics
• ,ÌýGraduate Program Director;ÌýProfessor, LinguisticsÌý
  Ìý

Ad Hoc MAÌý

The MAÌýprogramÌýis aÌýtwo-yearÌýthesis degreeÌýprogramÌýconsisting of 7 approved 3-credit courses at the 500, 600 or 700 level (21 credits), 2 graduate research seminars (6 credits)Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌýthe MA thesis (18 credits).ÌýÌýÌý(Total = 45 credits)Ìý

CourseworkÌý

Specific courses will be chosen according to the student’s interests, and in consultation with supervisors and the program GPD. Typically, all students will completeÌýINLG 501: Indigenous Language Revitalization, and at least one ofÌýINLG 611: Linguistics for Indigenous Language StudyÌýorÌýINLGÌý621: Indigenous Knowledge Systems Analysis.ÌýAdditionalÌýcourses will be selected based onÌýinterestsÌý²¹²Ô»å course availability. With approval from the Program Committee, up to two courses may be completedÌýeither as independent tutorials, or through exchangeÌýat another institution.Ìý

Students will also completeÌýtwo semesters of Graduate Research SemesterÌý(INLG 601–602) in their second year.ÌýTheÌýGraduateÌýResearchÌýSeminarÌýengages students inÌýtopics onÌýprofessional developmentÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýoffers an opportunity to presentÌý²¹²Ô»å review the student’sÌýongoing research.Ìý

MA thesisÌý

According toÌýGPS thesis guidelines: "A thesis for the Master's degree must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate the ability to carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner according to disciplinary norms. An exhaustive review of work inÌýtheÌýparticular fieldÌýof study isÌýnot necessarilyÌýrequired.ÌýExpectationÌýfor the level of original scholarship at theÌýMaster’sÌýlevel varies with the discipline. The thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain (see section: withholding a thesis from circulation temporarily)."Ìý

The MA thesis committee should be formed by May 15th of theÌýstudent’sÌýfirst year. The committee must consist of at least 2 membersÌýincludingÌýthe supervisor or co-supervisors;ÌýtypicallyÌýthe supervisor will be a member of the Ad Hoc Program Committee.ÌýA thesis proposal should normally beÌýcompletedÌýby AugustÌý30th ofÌýthe first year.ÌýÌý

Timeline and deadlinesÌý

Ìý

Ad Hoc PhDÌý

The Ad Hoc PhD programÌýis designed as a 5-year research-intensive program whichÌýprovides interdisciplinary training inÌýresearch skills, conceptual tools, and knowledge disseminationÌýto multiple audiences, with a focus on conceptual and practical skillsÌýneeded to pursue professional opportunities related to Indigenous language documentation and revitalization within and beyond academia.ÌýThe program culminates in the preparation of a thesis, which is written under the direction of a supervisory committee, and which is expected to constituteÌýoriginalÌýscholarship and a new contribution to knowledge.Ìý

The PhD program requires students to take 9Ìýapproved 3-credit coursesÌýat the 500, 600, or 700 levelÌý(27 credits),Ìý2Ìý3-creditÌýgraduate research seminars (6 credits),Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌýtwoÌýcoursesÌýinÌýassociationÌýwithÌýQualifyingÌýPapers (INLGÌý701 and 702,Ìý0 credits).ÌýStudents are free to take additional coursesÌýas long asÌýresearch progress is satisfactory.Ìý

CourseworkÌý

Specific courses will be chosen according to the student’s interests, and in consultation with supervisors and the program GPD. Typically, all students will completeÌýINLG 501: Indigenous Language Revitalization, and at least one ofÌýINLG 611: Linguistics for Indigenous Language StudyÌýorÌýINLG 621: Indigenous Knowledge Systems Analysis.ÌýAdditionalÌýcourses will be selected based onÌýinterestsÌý²¹²Ô»å course availability. With approval from the Program Committee, up to two courses may be completed either as independent tutorials, or through exchange at another institution.Ìý

Students will also complete two semesters ofÌýGraduateÌýResearchÌýSeminarÌý(INLG 601–602) in their second year.ÌýThe Graduate Research Seminar engages students in topics on professional development and offers an opportunity to present and review the student’s ongoing research.Ìý

QualifyingÌýPapersÌý

BeforeÌýproceedingÌýto thesis research, each studentÌýmustÌýcomplete theÌýtwo PhD Qualifying PapersÌý(QPs)ÌýwhichÌýconstituteÌýthe equivalent ofÌýaÌýcomprehensive examÌýin this program.ÌýStudentsÌýwriteÌý²¹²Ô»å defend two research papers —ÌýQualifying PaperÌý1Ìý(INLGÌý701) andÌýQualifying PaperÌý2 (INLGÌý702) — each focusing on a different sub-fieldÌýrelated to Indigenous Language Revitalization. For eachÌýQP, candidates will prepare a paperÌýwhich presents original researchÌý²¹²Ô»å isÌýsuitable forÌýdissemination to a wider scholarly audience, such asÌýpresentation at a conference and/orÌýpublicationÌýin an academic journal; work from one or both QPs may feedÌýintoÌýthe PhD thesis. Successful completion ofÌýQPsÌý1 and 2 is a prerequisite to furtherÌýsupervisedÌýresearch for the doctoral dissertation.ÌýÌý

PhD ThesisÌý

The writing and examination of the doctoral thesis is governed by theÌýguidelinesÌýlaid out byÌýMcGillÌýGraduate and PostdoctoralÌýStudies. Please seeÌýthoseÌýguidelines for information on the requirements of a thesis, its preparation,Ìý²¹²Ô»å details around the doctoralÌýdefence.Ìý

Content of the Thesis:ÌýAccording to theÌýGPSÌýguidelines: "A thesis for the doctoral degree must constituteÌýoriginalÌýscholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge.ÌýIt must show familiarity withÌýpreviousÌýwork in the field and mustÌýdemonstrateÌýabilityÌýto plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner.ÌýThe research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field.ÌýFinally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain."ÌýÌý

SelectionÌýof Committee and Dissertation Proposal:ÌýThe thesis committee should be formed within two months after completion ofÌýQualifying PaperÌý2. The thesis proposal is due 5 months after completion ofÌýQualifying Paper 2. The committee and student should agree together on the format and length of theÌýproposalÌý²¹²Ô»å the proposal should be made in close consultation with the committee. Committee membersÌýindicateÌýtheir approval by signing the proposal or by email. This proposal must be sent to the Graduate Program Director including the committee in the email and uploaded toÌýmyProgressÌýwhere it becomes part of the student’s official record.Ìý

Timeline and deadlinesÌý

Language Acquisition Program (PhD)

Interdisciplinary Language Acquisition Program (LAP)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Linguistics: Language AcquisitionÌý

For more information see the Handbook

Qualifying Year

Applicants whose application files show strong evidence for truly outstanding potential despite a lack of background in linguistics may be considered for admission to aÌýQualifyingÌýYearÌý(QY).ÌýÌýSeveral studentsÌýhave successfully used this program to transition into the field of linguistics from other fieldsÌý(e.g., from Math, or Political Science).ÌýThe QYÌýin Linguistics is very small and very selective - we typically admit no more than one QY student perÌýyear, and sometimes none.Ìý

The application procedure for theÌýQualifyingÌýYearÌýis the same as for our M.A. and Ph.D. program, with an application deadline that is usually in early December, to be admitted for the fall term of the followingÌýyear.ÌýWe do not offer funding for the QY.

The Qualifying yearÌýpermits students to make up the gaps in their background by taking appropriate undergraduate courses.ÌýStudents in the QY will normally be required to take the following undergraduate courses: Phonetics (LING 330), Phonology I (LING 331), Syntax I (LING 371), Introduction to Semantics (LING 360), Morphology (LING 440), plus three other courses.Ìý

Students typically take a QY in order to apply for a M.A. or a Ph.D, program in Linguistics in the followingÌýyear.ÌýAdmission to the QY does not automatically guarantee subsequent admission to our M.A. or Ph.D. program.

For more information see the Handbook

500 Level Courses

500 level courses are high-level seminar courses, usually intended forÌýstudents in honours programs and graduate level students.

Course	Syllabus
LING 520. Sociolinguistics 2. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) This course is not offered this catalogue year. Description A seminar on variationist "micro-sociolinguistics", including a survey of the most important primary literature on sociolinguistic variation and introduction to sociolinguistic fieldwork. Winter Prerequisite: LING 320 or permission of instructor. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 521. Dialectology. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description An introduction to the theory and methods of dialectology (the study of regional variation in language) with an emphasis on connections with linguistic theory. Students will also acquire a practical knowledge of major differences among dialects of English, and will gain hands-on experience in the planning, implementation and analysis of a dialect survey. Winter Prerequisites: LING 330 and LING 320. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 530. Acoustic Phonetics. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) This course is not offered this catalogue year. Description This course will introduce students to the fundamental principles of acoustic phonetics, focusing on an acoustic model of sound production by the vocal tract and the principles and techniques of acoustic analysis of speech. Classes will be a mix of lectures and hands-on lab-based activities and class discussions. Fall Prerequisites: LING 201 and LING 330 or permission of instructor Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 531. Phonology 2. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Exploration of current issues in phonology. Winter Prerequisite: LING 331 or permission of instructor. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 545. Computational Semantics with Neural Networks Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Exploration of how to represent the meaning of words, phrases, sentences, and discourse using neural networks, and tying these ideas to formal semantics. Critical evaluation of existing neural networks and their resulting representations, their limitations, and investigation of new network architectures or training procedures to solve these issues. Prerequisites: LING 345 or COMP 345 or LING 445 or COMP 445 or COMP 551 or COMP 550 or equivalent machine learning courses Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 545. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Fall 2025
LING 571. Syntax 2. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description This course extends and refines the theory of grammar developed in , while introducing some primary literature and developments (in certain modules of the grammar such as phrase structure, wh-movement, and binding). Fall Prerequisite: LING 371 Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý

600 Level Courses

Course	Syllabus
LING 601. Graduate Research Seminar 1. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description A seminar dedicated to graduate student research and professional training. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 602. Graduate Research Seminar 2. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description A seminar dedicated to graduate student research and professional training. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 610. Linguistic Field Research. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Explores theoretically relevant questions in a less familiar and under-studied language, working with a language consultant. Basic methods of how to approach a new language and culture in the field are covered, as well as issues of language documentation and language preservation. Prerequisites: LING 631 and LING 671 Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Fall 2025
LING 611. Analysis of an Indigenous Language. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Engages with primary research into linguistic and grammatical properties in an Indigenous language or language family of North America. Topics covered include: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics; historical and comparative research; as well as topics at the intersection of language and culture. Evaluates linguistic theories with respect to empirical data from an Indigenous language, and covers how Indigenous languages have shaped linguistic theory. The language of study will vary from year to year. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 620. Experimental Linguistics: Methods. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Introduction to experimental research methods for linguists. Prerequisite: PSYC 305 or equivalent Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 630. Phonetics 3. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Introduction to the current state of the field of phonetics, covering articulation, acoustics, and theories of perception and production. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 631. Phonology 3. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Foundations of phonological theory, focusing on issues in segmental and prosodic structure. Fall Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Fall 2025
LING 635. Phonetics and Phonology 4. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Advanced course on current issues in phonetic and phonological theory. Winter Prerequisite(s): LING 631 and LING 630, or permission of instructor. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 640. Fundamentals of Morphology. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) This course is not offered this catalogue year. Description Introduction to current theoretical notions that seek to define a well-formed word structure, including headedness, morphological subcategorization, feature percolation and cyclicity. Fall Restriction: Not open to students who have taken LING 440 Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 645. Computational Research on Language. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Introduction to computational tools and methods for addressing research questions in language sciences, including analysis of text and speech datasets. Prerequisites: LING 631 and LING 671 or permission of instructor. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Fall 2025
LING 650. Testing Theories in the Laboratory. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description A course combining linguistic theory and appropriate experimental methods. Students will work on theoretical problems and develop techniques to test them experimentally. They will learn how to design and run experiments, and to evaluate experimental results and present them in a theoretical context. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 651. Topics in Acquisition of Phonology. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) This course is not offered this catalogue year. Description An examination of theoretically informed work on the first language acquisition of phonology. Prerequisites: LING 331 or LING 631 or permission of instructor. A course in language acquisition is highly recommended. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 660. Semantics 3. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Introduction to the basics of natural language semantics. Fall Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 661. Advanced Formal Methods. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description This course presents the formal methods used in the study of syntax or semantics. Topics include basic set theory as well as partial orders and lattices. Prerequisite: LING 660 or LING 671. Restriction: Not open to students who have taken LING 560. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 665. Semantics 4. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Further introduction to the basics of natural language semantics. Winter Prerequisite: LING 660. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 671. Syntax 3. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description In-depth overview of current issues in theoretical syntax. Emphasis will be placed on the logic and development of argumentation in syntactic theory. Fall Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 675. Syntax 4. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Continuation of . Winter Prerequisite: LING 671 Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 682. Selected Topics 1. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 View offerings for or in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Intensive study of a selected topic in linguistics. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Fall 2025
LING 683. Selected Topics 2. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Winter 2026 View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Intensive study of a selected topic in linguistics. Winter Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 688. Tutorial 1. Credits: 3 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025 View offerings for or in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Independent study of a selected field or topic. Restriction: Permission of instructor. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý
LING 690. M.A. Thesis Submission. Credits: 18 Offered by: Linguistics (Graduate Studies) Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 View offerings for or or in Visual Schedule Builder. Description Research, writing and submission of the M.A. thesis on an approved subject. Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.	Ìý

700 Level Courses

Awards

Past award recipients can be found on the People page.

Ìý

Forms

Letter of Understanding

Letter of Understanding

PhD Forms

Evaluation Paper Committee Form

Evaluation Paper Post-Defense Form

PhD Thesis Committee Form

MA Forms

MA Thesis committee form

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