Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies

Program Requirements

All students are expected to develop a program of studies combining coursework in the Department with coursework in related disciplines in the College of Education and Human Sciences and other colleges. The program places special emphasis on helping students develop qualitative and/or mixed methods research and inquiry skills needed for the advanced study and analysis of education in its many social, cultural, economic and political contexts.

The Ph.D. requires 72 credit hours of coursework plus 18 hours of dissertation credit. The doctoral program consists of a set of core courses focusing on Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies; a set of research courses and a research internship/field experience focusing on research methodology; an area of focus constructed by the student in consultation with an advisor and a program of studies committee; and a 24 credit hour minor or supporting area. Multidisciplinary study is fundamental to the mission of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies. The specific elements of students’ areas of focus are individualized to meet students’ needs and can be drawn from, but are not limited to, the following areas: educational thought, critical theory, bilingual education, teaching English as a second language (both K-12 and Adult), American Indian education, and literacy/language arts. A maximum of 36 credit hours may be transferred into the program from a related master’s degree, with approval of your Advisor and Program of Studies Committee. Independent Study (Problems, Directed Readings, Internship, Field Experience, and Practicum) is limited to 1/3 of total course credits (24 credits out of 72). Additional Independent Study beyond 72 hours is not subject to this limitation. ( “Doctoral Study” in “College of Education and Human Sciences”, UNM Catalog)

All Ph.D. students must fulfill the general admission requirements for both the University and the College of Education and Human Sciences, as described in the Graduate Program and the College of Education and Human Sciences sections of this Catalog.

Degree Program: Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Program Code: PHD-LLSS

LLSS Application Guidelines

To Apply

Make sure to complete the four- (i.e., five- for international students)-step process described below.

1. Go to the Office of Admissions at http://admissions.unm.edu/. In your on-line application you will need to submit:
   
   1. Letter of intent,
   2. CV/ Resume,
   3. Three names of recommenders, so they can upload their letters of recommendation later on, and
   4. Writing sample of your work
2. Also, obtain an official transcript from all colleges or universities you have attended and ask the university to send it either via email to apply@unm.edu or via regular mail to this physical address:
   Office of Admissions
   MSC 11 6305
   1 University of New Mexico
   Albuquerque, NM 87131
3. Complete the LLSS Demographic form. Email it to: llssws@unm.edu
4. Prior to application, it is required that applicants meet with one program faculty member whose work is linked to applicants’ research goals. It is also strongly encouraged that applicants meet with two other faculty members, either in person or remotely. Faculty list can be accessed at: https://coehs.unm.edu/faculty-staff/index.html

***Attention International Students: If you are an international student, you must submit the score of the English fluency test in your application packet. The minimum scores and tests are set by International Admissions, and the LLSS department has no control over these requirements. If you have attended a college in the United States for your bachelor's or master's degree, then this requirement is waived. Please see the international web site at:
https://international.unm.edu/english-proficiency.html

Criteria For Admission

1. Master's degree from an accredited college or university. Formal training and experience in education is recommended, but not required.
2. A minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA (grade point average). Lower GPA is acceptable if last two years of coursework is above 3.3.
3. Admittance to the doctoral program is highly selective, and depends on how your application provides evidence of:
   
   • Your ability to think critically about education and your professional experiences.
   • Your ability to think critically about culture generally your own culture specifically.
   • Your ability to do graduate level coursework.
   • Your ability to organize and express ideas in academic writing and other modes ofexpression.
   • The personal, community, and professional experience you bring to LLSS.
   • How your interests fit mission of LLSS.
   • A possible match with one or more faculty member's research interests.

Notification of Admittance

Admissions decisions will generally be made within a 1-2 month of the application deadline. You will be notified of our admittance decision by the Office of Admissions and the LLSS Department.

If admitted to a program, it is important that you contact the assigned advisor (named in the letter of acceptance) of your Program of Studies as soon as possible in order to begin developing your plan of studies.

Additional Information/Questions

Please contact Cecilia Estrada at 505-277-6997, or email llssws@unm.edu

Program Information

• LLSS PhD Advisement Sheet
• LLSS Brochure
• Demographic Form
• Action: Update college name, staff contact and names of concentrations.
• For UNM requirements, consult “Doctoral Degrees” in the current UNM Catalog.

Join the LLSS Program Listserv

To subscribe or unsubscribe to the LLSS student listserv, follow these instructions:

From your email account, send a message to LLSS-S_G-L@LIST.UNM.EDU

Leave all subject fields blank.

In the message space, type: subscribe llss-l <your first name><your last name> (John Doe would type: subscribe llss-l John Doe)To unsubscribe, simply type: unsubscribe llss-l <your first name><your last name>

You should receive a reply notifying you of your successful subscription to the listserv and how to unsubscribe. Or you can sign-up for the listserv or change your preferences for mailing at the listserv sign-up form (link).

To send to the LLSS Listserv:

To send an email to everyone on the LLSS Listserv simply address your email to llss-l@unm.edu. You must be a member to send.

To reply to an individual:

Because all postings come from “llss-l,” using the reply function on your email account will post your reply to the entire list. To email an individual, we suggest hitting forward, then copying and pasting the sender’s email address into your new message.

The email address of the person who posted is available in the message. If you look at the “from” field, it will say posted “on behalf” with the sender’s name and address following.

If you have problems or for further questions, please contact Cecilia Estrada at llssws@unm.edu or 277-6997.

The Writing Support Service

The Writing Support Service is offering on the first come, first serve basis. This is a synchronous meeting; this means that the graduate students must be present to talk with the tutor their concerns or issues on their writing, dissertation chapters, manuscripts, or even brainstorming ideas for papers. Our motto is, "helping students become better writers, one paper at a time." Dr. Bee Chamcharatsri is the director of the LLSS Writing Center please contact him for more information at bee@unm.edu

Financial Aid

The College of Education and Human Services has a listing of scholarships on its website. Graduate teaching assistantships in the Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies are available for doctoral students who have passed to candidacy in particular areas. Some graduate teaching opportunities are also available in the Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy (TEELP).

About UNM

The University of New Mexico, established in 1889, is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Considered the state's flagship university, UNM has more than 26,000 students on its four campuses, 98 master's degree programs, 49 doctoral programs and a medical and law school. UNM is a Carnegie Research I university, one of 88 in the country. With its libraries, museums, galleries and a four-theater Center for the Arts, UNM provides the state with a rich cultural resource. UNM seeks to attract and retain qualified students from historically underrepresented groups from the United States and around the world.

The Albuquerque/New Mexico Area

New Mexico is located in the Southwest region of the United States, and Albuquerque, located in the central part of the state, is its largest city. The city of Albuquerque offers a multitude of cultural attractions, including the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque Rio Grande Zoo and Biological Park, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Hispanic Cultural Center and New Mexico Theater Southwest. In the surrounding areas, the scenic and cultural attractions range from outdoor activities to art, opera, music and dance.

Housing

A selection of campus student housing and apartments are available close to campus. The website listed below provides further information for student residence halls and married student housing. A wide selection of off-campus housing is available, within easy walking or bicycling distance.

Web Sites for Further Information

• https://www.unm.edu (University of New Mexico)
  
• https://coehs.unm.edu (College of Education and Human Sciences)
  
• https://financialaid.unm.edu (Financial Aid and Scholarships)
  
• https://housing.unm.edu (Student housing)
  
• https://www.newmexico.org (New Mexico Tourism)