Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism

PhD Programs

Second Language Acquisition, Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, Hearing & Speech Sciences, the Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS), Second Language Education & Culture (SLEC), Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL)

Information for Prospective Students

Research in bilingualism and second language acquisition at the University of Maryland spans a number of different programs and institutes. The PhD program in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is housed within the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, and offers a flexible degree program with a primary focus on adult second language learning. The program's main areas are the cognitive and (psycho)linguistic foundations of second language acquisition, and issues of assessment of proficiency and aptitude. The program is not focused on classroom practice. For those interested in classroom practice, more appropriate programs might be Second Language Education & Culture (SLEC) or Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL), two programs in the College of Education. Students with a primary interest in bilingualism from childhood onwards should consider the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology. This program is housed within the College of Education, but its research spans both naturalistic and classroom learning settings. Bilingual language development - in typically developing and atypical learners, and in aphasia - is a growing area of interest in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences. The Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL) houses a large research group in second language acquisition, with a particular interest in expert learners, and the The National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) has a focus on research that supports foreign language classroom teaching. Many graduate students in second language acquisition hold assistantships or participate in research at CASL or NFLC.