Doctoral Degrees Granted in Foreign Languages in the United States

Continuing a service begun in 1926, The Modern Language Journal publishes an annual survey of doctoral degrees granted in foreign languages, literatures, cultures, and linguistics, and in foreign language education in the United States. The compilers contact by mail each doctoral degree-granting department in languages, literatures, and education and request individual chairpersons to identify in writing the author, title, and advisor of each dissertation completed during the calendar year. The chairperson is also asked to indicate the type of doctoral degree granted (i.e., PhD, DA, DML).

The order of entries is (a) MAJOR FIELD OR AREA OF SPECIALIZATION, with primary emphasis given to language or language family (not department name), an editorial decision based solely on the title of the dissertation: African Languages & Literatures, Asian Languages & Literatures, Celtic Languages & Literatures, Classical Languages & Literatures, Comparative Literature & Cinema, Foreign/Second Language Acquisition & Teaching, French Language & Literature, Germanic Languages & Literatures, Italian Language & Literature, Linguistics: Theoretical & Applied, Near and Middle Eastern Languages & Literatures, Portuguese Language & Literature, Slavic Languages & Literatures, and Spanish Language & Literature; (b) institution granting the degree; (c) author of dissertation; (d) “title of dissertation”; and (e) (advisor[s]/supervisor[s] of dissertation). Only those comparative literature and cinema doctorates dealing at least in part with languages other than English (judging from their titles) are included. The survey does not attempt regular inclusion of degrees specializing in ESL, TESOL, or EFL. Because the first classification preference is given to the languages, users of this compilation who wish to learn the full breadth of titles reported should check several categories of entry, for example, Germanic languages and literatures, comparative literature and cinema, foreign/second language acquisition and teaching, and linguistics.

In all instances the ordering principle is alphabetical, but entries appear in the style of notes. Unless otherwise indicated, the type of degree is PhD, and the year of completion is 2007. Departments not listed below either did not respond to the survey mailing, had no degrees to report, or submitted illegible entries. Where information is not listed (designated “NL”), the reader may assume that it was not provided by the responding chairperson.

Entries are reproduced as received from participating departments. While every attempt is made to correct obvious infelicities reported in the survey (particularly in dissertation titles), less visible errors slip through nevertheless. Neither the compiler nor the MLJ accepts responsibility for these errors.

This compilation of doctoral degrees completed in the profession during the 2007 academic year marks the first online appearance of this survey. For the last 30 years, Dr. David P. Benseler compiled and edited this extensive listing. However, prior to his passing on May 5, 2008, Dr. Benseler decided to hand over this feature starting this year, and the listing from now on will be compiled by the new editorial office and made available on our Web site. We extend our sincerest appreciation to Dr. Benseler for his long service to the MLJ and the profession.

2007