Reading list for graduate school?

asked 2015-03-24 20:07:15 -0500

bcmryan
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I am about to begin a masters degree in linguistics and wanted some input on what is generally expected of incoming grad students. I am finishing my bachelors in linguistics and German at the University of Wisconsin so I have a firm background in many topics in theoretical and applied linguistics, though gaps still exist.

Does anyone know of a reading list, or could someone recommend fundamental papers in all branches of linguistics (including those out of the "core" subjects such as sociolinguistics) which you believe students should be well-versed in before beginning graduate study?

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answered 2015-03-27 00:00:33 -0500

usagi5886
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Typically your two years will be focused on giving you breadth, i.e. you take required classes on syntax/phonology/etc. If you stay for the Ph.D., typically you will have identified a more specific topic of interest during those first two years and pursue it further, perhaps working alongside a professor whose interests most closely align with your own.

So it sounds like you already have some good breadth coming out of the B.A., which is great, and that will only be reinforced further during those first two years.

In order for us to help you further, perhaps you could narrow things down a bit more? For example, you could list a few specific fields you want references for. Another thing you could do is list your particular research interests and see if someone can help prepare you even more for when you need to delve into those topics in more depth.

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answered 2015-04-07 20:38:50 -0500

bcmryan
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Thank you for responding to my answer. I'm applying for a program in European Linguistics at the University of Freiburg in Germany. The program deals partly with language interaction in an European context and I will be focusing on German and Turkish interaction (among others). As I will be dealing with interaction with a minority group, I would specifically like to focus some of my attention on sociolinguistics (something not offered in Wisconsin's linguistics department) and language typology.

That being said, I would also like to feel "in the loop" for a basic knowledge of all subjects (after having taken a few masters courses, I still have found myself nodding along to multiple discussions with faculty from other universities at times). Maybe to fine tune my question, I'd ask what areas are students going directly from a BA to an MA missing in terms of general knowledge?

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