SLAT Second Language Acquisition and Teaching at the University of AZ

The SLAT doctoral degree program is an interdisciplinary program, designed to provide rigorous advanced training for researchers, teachers, and administrators concerned with second language acquisition, learning, and teaching.

Courses for the degree are offered by graduate faculty in the following departments: Anthropology, Classics, East Asian Studies, English, French and Italian, German Studies, Language Reading and Culture, Linguistics, Near Eastern Studies, Psychology, Russian and Slavic Languages, Spanish and Portuguese, Special Education Rehabilitation and School Psychology, Speech and Hearing Sciences, and Teaching and Teacher Education.

B2. Specializations

Students may choose from specializations in (1) Second Language Analysis (grammar; contrastive linguistics/interlanguage studies), (2) Second Language Use (discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, language policy/planning, rhetoric, pragmatics), (3) Second Language Processes and Learning (second/foreign language acquisition: theory and research), or (4) Second Language Pedagogical Theory and Program Administration (ESL/FL methods, curriculum development, testing and evaluation, reading and writing, educational technology). These are further defined in section A3.

B3. Entrance Requirements

Admission to the program is based on the following kinds of evidence: (1) excellent prior academic performance in a related field as indicated by an official transcript; (2) three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the student’s academic performance; (3) an example of the student’s scholarly writing on a topic related to the proposed area of study or a critical review of a book which is relevant; (4) a current GRE Aptitude test (must be within the 5 year limit); and, (5) for international students, a current TOEFL exam (must be within the two (2) year limit), and evidence of oral proficiency in the form of TSE scores or a ten minute tape recording, containing both spontaneous speech samples (5 minutes) and samples of oral reading from a text (5 minutes).

A recent course in current methods of teaching second/foreign language is prerequisite for admission to the program. With approval of the admissions committee, a strong applicant may be admitted before completing a methods course. Such students must fulfill the methods requirement, generally by the end of their first year in the program.

B4. Application Procedures

Applicants to SLAT should follow the procedures as specified by the Graduate College. The address is:

Graduate Admissions Office
The University of Arizona
P.O. Box 210066
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0066

E-mail: gradadm@lorax.admin.arizona.edu
URL: http://www.gradadmin.arizona.edu

Required Documents include:

· A completed Graduate College application form for admission that must be submitted by February 1st for domestic applicants, December 1st of the prior year for International Applicants;
· One official transcript from each university/college attended;
· A $50 application fee.

International students must also submit:

· A completed SLAT Program application packet that must be submitted by December 1st of the prior year
· “Supplementary Graduate Application for Admission” (Financial Guarantee Form), which certifies funds for educational and living expenses;
· Current Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores (minimum score 550 or 213 on the computer based test[CBT]), examination results must be within the two year limit;
· Evidence of oral proficiency in English in the form of TSE scores or a tape recording, containing both spontaneous speech samples and samples of oral reading from text.

The following additional supporting application material should be included with those documents sent directly to the SLAT Program Director, Transitional Office Bldg., Rm. 211, 1731 East Second Street, P.O. Box 210014, Tucson, AZ 85721 0014.

· A completed SLAT application form, which includes a statement of purpose and a summary of teaching experience, second or foreign language study, and travel or work abroad, along with any other relevant information. Applicants should indicate which of the four specializations within SLAT (listed in Section A3 above) they would be most likely to select as a major and which as a minor (if applicable);
· Current Official test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), examination results must be within the five year limit;
· Three academic letters of reference;
· An example of the applicant’s scholarly writing on a topic related to the proposed area of study (a substantive term paper is acceptable), or a critical review of a book that is relevant.

All supplemental information must be received before February 1 (December 1 of the prior year for International Applicants), in order for an applicant to be considered for Fall admission. No new students will be admitted to SLAT in mid year (January).