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

#1 Penn GSE is ranked #1 Graduate School of Education by U.S. News & World Report
  Work full time while earning your doctorate
  Be part of a vibrant Ivy League community of researchers and practitioners

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.

Application deadline
December 1, 2022
Entry term(s)
Fall
Course requirements
16 courses (10 required; 6 electives)
Typical course load

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

Schedule
  • Part-Time
Programs for Working Professionals
Overview

Designed for working professionals, the Ed.D. in Educational Linguistics is a part-time program for early- to mid-career world language educators. Candidates gain a solid foundation in:

  • linguistics
  • bi/multilingualism
  • second language development
  • language policy
  • research methods

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.

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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

  • Educational Linguistics                                                                               
  • 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

Penn GSE Faculty Yuko Goto Butler
Yuko Goto Butler
Professor
Ph.D., Stanford University
Penn GSE Faculty Yumi Matsumoto
Yumi Matsumoto
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
Penn GSE Faculty Asif Agha
Asif Agha
Professor of Anthropology, Penn Arts & Sciences
Ph.D., University of Chicago
Penn GSE Faculty Catherine DiFelice Box
Catherine DiFelice Box
Lecturer of Educational Practice
Ed.D., Teachers College, Columbia University
Penn GSE Faculty Anne Pomerantz
Anne Pomerantz
Professor of Practice
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Penn GSE Faculty María Cioè-Peña
María Cioè-Peña
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., The Graduate Center-CUNY
Penn GSE Faculty Christina Frei
Christina Frei
Executive Director, Language Instruction, Penn Arts & Sciences
Ph.D., University of California at Davis
Penn GSE Faculty Santoi Wagner
Santoi Wagner
Senior Lecturer
Ed.D., Teachers College, Columbia University
Penn GSE Faculty Betsy R. Rymes
Betsy R. Rymes
Professor
Ph.D., UCLA
Penn GSE Faculty Nelson Flores
Nelson Flores
Associate Professor
Ph.D., The Graduate Center of the City of New York
Penn GSE Faculty Iryna Kozlova
Iryna Kozlova
Lecturer of Educational Practice
Ph.D., Georgia State University
Penn GSE Faculty Robert Moore
Robert Moore
Senior Lecturer
Ph.D., University of Chicago
Penn GSE Faculty Nancy H. Hornberger
Nancy H. Hornberger
Professor Emeritus of Education
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

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 Information

Contact us if you have any questions about the program.

Office of Admissions and
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

Program Contact

Katherine O'Morchoe
Program Manager
omorchoe@upenn.edu

Tuition & Fees >

Please view information from our Admissions and Financial Aid Office for specific information on the cost of this program.

Financial Aid >

Penn GSE is committed to making your graduate education affordable, and we offer generous scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.

How to Apply

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