PhD in Applied Linguistics (Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics)

PhD in Linguistics About

PhD Linguistics is a doctorate-level course that can be completed in a minimum of 2 years. A PhD Linguistics candidate researches topics like Advances in Historical and Comparative Linguistics, Dialectology, Bilingualism and Multilingualism, etc.

Students should complete their Master’s degree with more than 55% marks in the relevant stream to be considered eligible to apply to this course. 

Admission to this course will be done based on marks scored by candidates in national-level entrance exams. Some of the most popular PhD Linguistics Entrance Exams in India are GATE, UGC-NET, etc.

This course aims to learn the basics and in-depth research on linguistics, complete a thesis, and successfully establish a career in the same field. The average course fee to pursue this program ranges between INR 20,000 and INR 1,00,000.

After successfully earning a PhD Linguistics degree, one can get hired as a Translator, professor, Forensic Linguist, etc.

Major employment areas that students can work in on completing this course include the Data or IT Sector, News and Media, Educational Sector, Hearing Centres, etc. 

The average salary package for these candidates ranges from INR 35,000 monthly and above. It depends on the level of the company, and organization and also on the skill, experience, and expertise of the candidate.

PhD in Linguistics Course Highlights

PhD in Linguistics Entrance Exam

UGC NET

Jadavpur University Entrance Test

PhD in Linguistics Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for admission into PhD Linguistics courses will differ from institute to institute. The general eligibility criteria for the top colleges are as follows:

• A master's degree from a recognized university or institute in the same specialization.
• A minimum aggregate of at least 55% and above must have been scored at the master’s level.
• Some universities also require the candidates to submit a research proposal that outlines the topic of research and the methodology of the research.

Duration of PhD in Linguistics

Selection Criteria for PhD in Linguistics

The selection criteria for a PhD in Linguistics program may vary, but generally, universities consider the applicant's academic performance, research experience, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and GRE scores. Some programs may also require an interview or writing sample as part of the selection process.

PhD in Linguistics Admission Process

• Most colleges and universities follow an entrance-based process for admission to PhD Linguistic courses.
• On cracking the entrance test, the candidate’s research topic, proposal, methodology, etc. are checked and an interview is held.  

Entrance Based Admission

Most colleges and universities offer admission to PhD Linguistics based on entrance exams like GATE, UGC NET, etc.

The step-by-step procedure for entrance-based admission is as follows: 

Step 1: Students have to register on the official website.

Step 2: Fill out the application form with the correct details.

Step 3: After examination, a cutoff list will be released on the website. Seats will then be allotted to candidates based on their scores in the entrance exam.

Step 4: Some colleges also conduct personal interviews and group discussions for admission to this course.

Step 5: On meeting all the eligibility criteria, a student will then be offered admission to the course.

PhD in Linguistics How to Apply

To apply for a PhD in Linguistics program, students should research the admission requirements of their target universities and complete the application process before the deadline.

They should gather official transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation and prepare a statement of purpose that outlines their research interests and goals.

They may also need to pay an application fee and submit additional materials, such as a writing sample or research proposal.

PhD in Linguistics Application Process

The application form for a PhD in Linguistics program can usually be found on the university's website.

The application process typically involves completing an online application form, submitting official transcripts, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and any additional materials required by the university.

The application fee varies by university and may range from Notified Soon.

Fee Structure for PhD in Linguistics

1. The fee for a PhD in Linguistics program varies depending on the university and the program's duration.
2. The cost may include tuition, fees, and other expenses such as textbooks, housing, and research expenses.
3. Some universities offer financial aid, scholarships, or assistantships to help students cover the cost of their education.

Syllabus of PhD in Linguistics

Job Scope After PhD in Linguistics

Audiologist: They work in the health sector where the professionals use technology, problem-solving skills and linguistics skills to identify and treat hearing issues, balance problems, tinnitus and other similar auditory disorders.

Translator: Translator’s job is to read through or hear written words in another language and translate them to other languages. They are hired in legal companies, media companies and also work in business and technical fields.

Lexicographer: A Lexicographer works as an author or editor of a dictionary. They plan, update definitions, add new words with definitions to the dictionary. They also decide which words to leave out when updated.

Broadcaster: A Broadcaster works in the media industry in either television or radio. The job role of the broadcaster is to write and rehearse scripts, choose music to play, consult with producers to produce new content, interview guests, present traffic and latest news and also review books, films etc.

Psycholinguist: Psycholinguists is a scientific job where one investigates and psychological processes of how the human mind works with languages. They work on speech development, language development and make advancements in the field.

Career Opportunities After PhD in Linguistics

• Research Institutes: Linguists can work in research institutes focusing on language-related topics such as language acquisition, computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. These positions involve conducting research, publishing findings, and possibly collaborating with other researchers and organizations.
• Government Agencies: Government agencies often employ linguists for various roles such as language policy development, language assessment, translation and interpretation services, and linguistic analysis for national security or law enforcement purposes.
• Language Technology Companies: With the increasing demand for natural language processing (NLP) and speech recognition technologies, there are opportunities for linguists in companies developing language-related software, such as virtual assistants, translation tools, and text analytics platforms. Roles may include linguistic research, data annotation, and software development.
• Publishing and Media: Linguists can work in publishing companies, producing language-related educational materials, dictionaries, language learning software, and linguistic research publications. Additionally, linguists may contribute to media organizations as language consultants, editors, or writers, particularly in areas such as language variation and style guides.
• Language Teaching and Training: Linguists may pursue careers in language teaching and training, both in academic settings and in corporate environments. This could involve teaching courses in linguistics, language acquisition, or applied linguistics, as well as providing language training for professionals in fields such as business, healthcare, or government.
• Consulting: Linguists with expertise in areas such as forensic linguistics, language policy, or communication disorders may work as consultants for law firms, corporations, government agencies, or non-profit organizations. They may provide expert testimony, language analysis, or strategic advice related to language issues.
• Non-Profit Organizations: Non-profit organizations working in areas such as language preservation, literacy, immigrant and refugee services, or language rights may employ linguists in roles such as program development, research, advocacy, and community outreach.
• International Organizations: Linguists may find opportunities with international organizations such as the United Nations, UNESCO, or the World Health Organization, working on language-related projects such as language preservation, multilingual education, or language policy development.
• Freelance Work: Some linguists choose to work as freelance consultants, offering services such as language analysis, translation, editing, or language teaching on a project basis.

PhD in Linguistics Top Colleges

Some of the top universities offering a PhD in Linguistics program include:

Admission Process for PhD in Linguistics

• Application for the entrance exam 
• Result declaration
• Entrance pass scholar calling for the interview and document verification
• Provisional registration for pre Ph.D. course work classes
• Coursework classes shall be attended as scheduled by University
• Course work examination
• Result declaration of coursework
• Submission of synopsis ( 2 spiral bound copies with soft copy of synopsis)
• Departmental research committee meeting scheduled by University
• A registration letter shall be issued
• Research work started by scholar
• 6 progress reports shall be submitted
• Soft copy thesis submit
• plagiarism report check by the university
• Final after the plagiarism report soft copy thesis shall be sent to experts for evaluation
• After the consent of experts pre-submission, one set spiral binding shall be submitted
• After the successful presentation of the pre-submission thesis 3 copies of hard bound thesis shall be  submitted
• Viva shall be conducted as scheduled by University, Degree Awarded.

Document Required for PhD in Linguistics

1. Documents (10th onwards)
2. Aadhar Card/Pan Card, Caste Certificate
3. Migration Certificate (Original)
4. NOC (From Organization/ Institute/ University)
5. Affidavit (undertaking)
6. Guide Willing
7. Assignments
8. Synopsis (3 copies), Progress Report
9. Library No Dues
10. Lab Letter
11. Thesis Hard copy (Spiral binding)
12. No Dues, Thesis (6 hard copies)
13. Affidavit -Submission (on Rs 100 Stamp and Notary Attested)
14. C.D Soft copies (Thesis & Synopsis)
15. Conference Certificate - 2
16. Research Papers -2 (with ISSN No.)
17. summary (page limit 20-30) -3 Copies 
18. Plagiarism Report Below 10%

FAQs About Ph.D. Program 

Q.1 - What is the procedure for Ph.D. Admission to the University?

ANSWER: - The Ph.D. and M.Phil. programs of prestigious Universities are conducted and guided strictly as per the provisions and regulations dictated by the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D./M.Phil. Degrees) (1st Amendment) Regulations, 2018 and subsequent amendments. The entire procedure for admission to the research programs encompasses a Research Entrance Exam (RET) and then an Interview/Viva Voce. The performance of a candidate in the RET is given 70% weightage, and the remaining 30% weightage is given to his/her performance at the Interview.

Q.2 - What are the modes of pursuing M.Phil. & Ph.D. programs at the University?

ANSWER: -Both the full-time and part-time modes are available at the University for pursuing its Ph.D. programs and only the full-time mode is available for the M.Phil. program in the desired subjects/fields. These highly-qualitative and prolific research programs are available in a rather broad range of fields/subjects. At University, the minimum time duration of the M.Phil. and Ph.D. programs is 1.5 Years and 3 Years, respectively, in general.

Q.3 - Are the Ph.D. and M.Phil. Degrees granted by any University valid abroad?

ANSWER: -Yes, of course. If the University is properly recognized under section 2(f) of the UGC Act of 1956 and is a prestigious member of the AIU (the Association of Indian Universities). It is an M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees granted in various fields/subjects are duly valid across India and the world.

Q.4 - What are the main eligibility criteria for participating in the University Research Entrance Exam (RET)?

ANSWER: -The following are the main eligibility conditions for participating in the RET: - A rigorous Master’s Degree in the proposed subject/field obtained from any recognized university/institution located in India or abroad, with a minimum 55% marks in aggregate or an equivalent grade. Candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC/Differently-abled categories are given a 5% relaxation in respect of this eligibility criterion. Candidates with an M.Phil. degree in the proposed field/subject, or have qualified for the UGC (JRF) Examinations/ NET/ SET/ SELT, etc., will be allowed to appear directly for the interview, without appearing in the RET. Impressive academic records, and any prior experience in research work, will be given additional advantages.

Q.5 - What relaxations are granted to the reserved categories for Ph.D. Admission to the University?

ANSWER: - Candidates belonging to the categories of SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, and so on, are given all relaxations prescribed by the Govt. of India and the UGC. These relaxations are provided in form of 5% reduced marks for them at post-graduation, and also in the minimum qualifying marks at RET. Thus, candidates belonging to these categories only need to score a minimum of 45% marks at RET, to qualify for the final interview.

Q.6 - How will be the pattern of RET?

ANSWER: - The syllabus or pattern of RET consists of subject-specific matters, research methodology, and aptitude (covering logical reasoning, numerical ability, analytical reasoning, statistics, etc.).Thus, RET will contain a total of 70 multiple-choice questions (MCQs).

Q.7 - Are M.Phil. Holders/UGC- NET (including JRF)/ UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF)/ SLET/ GATE exempted from appearing at RET?

ANSWER: - Yes. The holders of M.Phil. degrees in their respective fields/subjects are made exempt from appearing in RET. The same is the situation in cases of aspiring candidates who have qualified exams like UGC-NET (including JRF)/ UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF)/ SLET/ GATE, etc.

Q.8 - How is the application fee paid?

ANSWER: - The Application Fee (i.e. the fee for getting participating in RET) can be paid online or offline, like the Application Form. Payment Modes: DD (in Favor of the University) / NEFT/ Cash Deposit.

Q.9 - Do working candidates require to obtain NOC from employers for pursuing research at any University?

ANSWER: - Yes, necessarily. Working Professionals who are interested in research at any University are required to obtain the NOC (No Objection Certificate) from their respective employers, to avert any intrusion ever during the entire doctoral course.

Q.10 - Does an M.Phil. holder require to undergo Ph.D. coursework?

ANSWER: - Yes. M.Phil. holders are again required to undergo the coursework in Ph.D. at some Universities. However, their prior knowledge in the field/subject will be very supportive to them for learning and performing efficiently during the Ph.D. program.

Q.11 - Can I pay the yearly program/course fee in installments?

ANSWER: - Yes, you can pay the yearly course fee as many as in two installments, but well within the yearly session.

Q.12 - Does Any University provide any scholarship or stipend to pursuing scholars?

ANSWER: - Yes, of course. Many Universities offer scholarships as well as stipends to meritorious and talented candidates who undertake research studies at the University. Scholarships are granted to those candidates who come under the top 21 by scoring higher marks in RET and interviews. And, stipends are provided to those scholars who also give lectures to UG or PG students at the University, in addition to doing their Ph.D. coursework. The amount of the monthly stipend will be commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and capabilities and may go up to Rs. 20,000.

Q.13 - What other facilities are provided to research scholars at the University Campus?

ANSWER: - All necessary and constructive resources, amenities, and facilities are offered by well-established and prestigious universities to research scholars in various streams/subjects. These facilities include the following - spacious and peaceful study rooms, erudite and well-experienced academicians and research experts, Wi-Fi and diverse IT devices, state-of-the-art laboratories, well-stocked libraries, lavish R&D amenities, separate amenities for lodging and foods for male and female candidates, peaceful and constructive environment within the university campus, and many other comforting and convenient facilities and services.