Take your language-teaching expertise—and your career—to the next level in our part-time doctoral program.
Are you a world language educator who wants to engage deeply in research to improve your practice? Do you aspire to leadership positions in world language education? Would you like to pursue a doctorate while continuing to work full-time? The part-time Ed.D. in Educational Linguistics is designed for early to mid-career professionals like you.
What Sets Us Apart
About the Program
In addition to coursework on language and learning, doctoral students engage deeply in research into their practice as they prepare their dissertation.
No more than 2 courses per semester – part-time program only
Duration of program5–9 years (depending on the number of graduate-level transfer courses)
Culminating experienceCandidacy examination, and dissertation
- Part-Time
The Ed.D. in Educational Linguistics is designed for mid-career language educators who have a strong commitment to addressing questions of curriculum development, instructional practice, program design, teacher development, and assessment from a research-based, practitioner-oriented perspective. Coursework focuses on language and learning in areas such as:
- Language pedagogy, curriculum development, and language teacher education
- Second language socialization and development
- Research methods in language education
- Language policy and language use in primary, secondary, and post-secondary classrooms
Ed.D. students have the opportunity to demonstrate expertise in these areas by generating and applying research knowledge to program design and professional practice. Candidates receive additional training as teacher-educators, have opportunities to engage deeply in research on their practice, and are able to advance their careers as language educators and trainers of instructors in language programs.
Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in linguistics and research methodology, with the goal of generating and applying research knowledge to program design, mentoring, and instructional practice. Furthermore, candidates customize their education by working with their advisor to choose electives from a wide range of course offerings from across the Penn campus.
For information on courses and requirements, visit the Educational Linguistics Ed.D. program in the University Catalog.
For a full list of courses offered at GSE, visit Penn’s University Course Catalog.
Sample courses
- Linguistics in Education
- Sociolinguistics in Education
- Language Diversity and Education
- Second Language Development
- Genealogies of Race and Language in Educational Research
- Issues in Second Language Acquisition
- Phonology I
- Syntax I
- Citizen Sociolinguistics
- Classroom Discourse and Interaction
- Approaches to Teaching English and Other Modern Languages
- Anthropology & Education
- Theories of Reading
- Language in Culture & Society
Our Faculty
Our Graduates
The Ed.D. in Educational Linguistics prepares you to lead initiatives in world language education. You work closely with faculty mentors to develop the theoretical and technical expertise necessary to pursue leadership positions as leaders of language programs in colleges and universities, primary and secondary schools, private language schools, and online environments.
Admissions & Financial Aid
Please visit our Admissions and Financial Aid pages for specific information on the application requirements, as well as information on tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, and fellowships.
Contact us if you have any questions about the program.
Financial Aid
Graduate School of Education
University of Pennsylvania
3700 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-6415
admissions@gse.upenn.edu
finaid@gse.upenn.edu
Erica Poinsett
Program Assistant
epoinset@upenn.edu
Please view information from our Admissions and Financial Aid Office for specific information on the cost of this program.
Penn GSE is committed to making your graduate education affordable, and we offer generous scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.
Related News & Research
Working Papers in Educational Linguistics is a student-managed journal focused on the many areas of research within educational linguistics.