The Department maintains the following lists of resources related to graduate students. For program specific inquiries, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies in German (Lynn Wolff), Linguistics (Karthik Durvasula), Second Language Studies (Paula Winke) or TESOL (Peter De Costa).
- Linguistics Student Organization (LSO)
- For MA and PhD students in the Linguistics program.
A related program, which is not housed within the Linguistics & Languages department, is the PhD in Second Language Studies. Its student organization is SoSLAP (Student Organization of Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy).
Teaching Assistantship Information
Procedure for indicating interest in TA positions
Current LiLaC graduate students and long-listed applicants for graduate degrees in German Studies, Linguistics, Second Language Studies and TESOL will be sent a link in December or January to an online form. You will be asked to provide your contact details and to indicate all the positions in which you have interest.
You may indicate interest in the teaching assistantships offered through the department (see below), as well as teaching positions in the English Language Center, as well as non-teaching assistantships in the department and the Center for Language Teaching Advancement. You are advised to check the websites for those units to review their own position descriptions.
After filing your survey, you may be asked to provide additional information, such as English proficiency test scores or letters of recommendation. You will be contacted by the relevant program/department/unit director(s) if this is needed, or if you are invited for interviews.
The anticipated deadline for returning the survey is February 1. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.
Please note that the number and type of TA positions in LiLaC and other units varies from year to year. The following is a list of positions that we typically anticipate offering in any given year.
German Language Courses
- Undergraduate degree in German or the equivalent required.
- Native or near-native fluency in German required.
- Pre- or co-requisite: GRM 810 or ROM 803.
- German teaching experience desirable.
- Preference given to students enrolled in the MSU German Studies PhD program.
Japanese Language Courses
- Native or near-native fluency in modern standard Japanese required.
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics or Second Language Studies PhD program preferred.
- Foreign language teaching experience desirable.
Korean Language Courses
- Native or near-native fluency in Korean required.
- Enrollment in an MSU Ph.D. program in Linguistics and Languages or College of Arts and Letters preferred.
- Foreign language teaching experience highly desirable.
Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts and Humanities (IAH) Courses
IAH 206: Self, Technology, and Society (Fall and Spring)
- Course focus in 2023-2024: Language and Our Lives
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics or Second Language Studies PhD program preferred.
- Good English language writing and communication skills desirable.
IAH 231c: Language and Society (Spring only)
- Course focus in 2023-2024: How to invent a language: constructed languages from Elvish to Klingon.
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics PhD program preferred.
- Candidates must have good communication skills in English.
IAH 231c: Language and Society (Fall and Spring)
- Course focus in 2023-2024: Language and Mind
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics PhD program preferred.
- Interest in cognitive science preferred.
- Candidates must have good communication skills in English.
Linguistics Courses
LIN 225: Language and Gender
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics PhD program preferred.
- Prior TA experience preferred.
- Completion of LIN 871 (or equivalents) preferred.
- Candidates must have good communication skills in English.
LIN 230: Languages of the World
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics PhD program preferred.
- Prior TA experience preferred.
- Completion of LIN 824, LIN 825 (or equivalents) preferred.
LIN 401: Introduction to Linguistics
- Enrollment in MSU Linguistics PhD program preferred.
- Completion of LIN 824, LIN 834, LIN 827, LIN 837 (or equivalents) required.
- Candidates must have good communication skills in English.
Language Learning and Teaching Courses
LLT 306: Methods for Adult ESL
- Enrollment in MSU Second Language Studies PhD program preferred.
- See course description.
LLT 307: Methods of Language Teaching
- Enrollment in MSU Second Language Studies PhD program preferred.
- See course description.
LLT 346: Pedagogical Grammar
- Enrollment in MSU Second Language Studies PhD program preferred.
- See course description.
LLT 361: Second Language Learning
- Enrollment in MSU Second Language Studies PhD program preferred.
- See course description.