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Second Language Acquisition

The Graduate Program in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) at the University of Maryland, College Park has a strong cognitive science and empirical research focus and is designed for students interested in exploring the domain of adult second language learning.

Explore Second Language Acquisition

Degree Programs

Degree Programs

Learn more about additional programs and research centers related to the Second Language Acquisition program.


People

People

The SLA faculty teach in the Ph.D. and M.A. programs, conduct research in SLA, and advise students on their qualifying paper, Ph.D. dissertation and M.A. thesis research projects.


SLA Lab

SLA Lab

The SLA program has a lab in Jiménez Hall. The lab contains three rooms: the large main area, the sound-attenuated booth, and the small space with a workstation. The students and faculty in the Second Language Acquisition Program can reserve the SLA LAB in Jiménez Hall for research purposes. To learn how to reserve and use the lab, contact Tetiana Tytko.


Research

Research

The Ph.D. program in Second Language Acquisition emphasizes training in cognitive aspects of second and foreign language learning, as well as research methodology. The course load is kept to a minimum to encourage students to start engaging in research as soon as possible. 

Explore Recent Publications

Courses

Course Catalogs and Listings

See the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs for a full list of our course offerings and Testudo for our current courses.

Please consult the program pages for requirements about each degree:


Founded in 2005 by the late Dr. Mike Long, the SLA Program at the University of Maryland is a graduate program that offers degrees at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels. The focus of the program is how second languages are acquired and processed in adulthood, what role instruction plays, and how individual differences and learning conditions influence the learning trajectories. It has a strong emphasis on cognitive aspects of language acquisition, as well as research methodology and applications in the classroom. Students investigate these issues in English, as well as languages of East Asia, Middle East and Europe learned as second (or third, etc.) languages.
 

logo for the vocab at maryland conference June 14-16, 2025

Program Director

Nan Jiang

Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Professor, Second Language Acquisition
Member, Maryland Language Science Center

3125 Jiménez Hall
College Park MD, 20742