Graduate

For graduate advisement and more information about the MA in Linguistics, contact the Linguistics program graduate advisor Dr. Caroline Smith, e-mail: caroline@unm.edu

Master of Arts in Linguistics

The Navajo Language Program itself does not offer a Master of Arts in Navajo Language. As part of the Department of Linguistics at UNM, students interested in getting a graduate degree studying the Navajo Language should apply through the Department of Linguistics, which offers a Master of Arts in Linguistics with a concentration in Native Languages of the Southwest with a focus in Navajo.

The candidate must take the following courses:

  • NVJO *501 — Navajo Linguistics
  • NVJO *511 — Navajo Verb System I
  • NVJO *512 — Navajo Verb System II
  • NVJO *515 — Advanced Navajo

Additionally one course must be taken from: Field Research, Native American Languages or Issues in Bilingual Education.

General Requirements of MA Proram

Plan I : 24 hours coursework and 6 hours thesis

Plan II : 32 hours coursework only, no thesis

  • A minimum of 12 hours of 500-level coursework is required under either plan.
  • All work, including transferred coursework, must be completed within 7 years.
  • To remain in good standing in the program the student is expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Coursework Requirements

The entering MA student is expected to have completed 18 hours of basic linguistics courses including the following courses or their equivalents:

  • Introductory Linguistics, Phonological Analysis, Phonetics
  • Grammatical Analysis, Sociolinguistics, Psycholinguistics

Deficiencies in these prerequisites may be made up after admission to the MA program.