LINGUIST List 5.1038

Fri 23 Sep 1994

FYI: SLA PhD at Carnegie Mellon

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1. "Michael W. Harrington", SLA PhD at Carnegie Mellon

*Please direct all inquiries to modlang-admissionsandrew.cmu.edu*

NEW Ph.D. PROGRAM IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AT CMU

The Department of Modern Languages at Carnegie Mellon University is
pleased to announce the establishment of a new doctoral program in
Second Language Acquisition, beginning Fall, 1995. The program is
interdisciplinary in scope and crosslinguistic in emphasis. Drawing
on CMU's long tradition of interdisciplinary research, the faculty of
the Department of Modern Languages joins with collaborating faculty
from the Departments of Psychology, Philosophy and Computational
Linguistics, Statistics, and English to provide a rich setting for
research on second language learning and use. Reflecting a commitment
to crosslinguistic research, research in the context of multiple
languages is strongly encouraged, and successful applicants are
required to have a high level of proficiency in at least one
language other than English.

RESEARCH PROGRAM

The program seeks to develop the analytic, interpretive, and modelling
skills necessary to do original research on qualitative and quantitative
aspects of the acquisition, use, and maintenance of second languages.
Three core areas of research draw on the strengths of the faculty and
the CMU setting:

1. Cognitive processes underlying the acquisition and use of a second
language.Issues of interest include symbolic and subsymbolic approaches
to L2 knowledge, the interface of language and cognition, the role of
innate structures, transfer,and cognitive aspects of bilingualism

2. Sociocultural context mediating the language learning process.
Issues of interest include social interactionist approaches, attitudes
toward language learning, bilingualism and cultural identity, and
learning contexts.

3. Learner-centered variables facilitating success in second language
learning. Issues of interest include learner strategies, individual
differences (working memory, cognitive style, personality variables),
interactional style, and computer-learner interaction.

Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university with
internationally recognized programs in engineering, technology, science,
liberal arts, and the fine arts, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Funding is available for qualified applicants with native-like proficiency
in French, German, Spanish or Japanese.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact:

Graduate Program Admissions
Carnegie Mellon University
Department of Modern Languages
Baker Hall 160
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
telephone: 412-268-5669 fax: 412-268-1328
email: modlang-admissionsandrew.cmu.edu