PhD in Linguistics - Signed Languages in Austin United States | University of Texas at Austin

The Department of Linguistics provides graduate programs for both Master's and Doctoral degrees, with a strong focus on theoretical linguistics across all specializations. The curriculum ensures comprehensive training in five fundamental linguistic disciplines: phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and field methods. Specialized courses are available in the department's key focus areas, including phonetics and phonology, syntax and semantics, descriptive and documentary linguistics, computational linguistics, and signed language linguistics, along with topics aligned with faculty expertise. Students can also pursue relevant courses in departments like Anthropology, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Computer Science, Philosophy, Psychology, and Statistics, as well as various language departments.
The Linguistics Department at The University of Texas at Austin has a distinguished history of pioneering research in signed language linguistics. This work spans experimental phonetics of signed languages, grammatical structures, sociolinguistic aspects of signing communities, historical developments, multilingualism among signers, and first- and second-language acquisition of signed languages. Studies conducted here extend beyond American Sign Language (ASL) to include sign languages from Brazil, Mexico, Tajikistan, and emerging sign systems in Peru and Mexico. There is no fixed course sequence for students focusing on signed language linguistics. Those interested in psycholinguistics should follow coursework relevant to that field, while syntax-oriented students would take the standard syntax curriculum. Regularly, students participate in a dedicated research seminar (LIN 389V) on signed language linguistics.