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
Learn more about faculty and graduate students.
SLA Lab
SLA Lab
The SLA 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 Jimenez Hall for research purposes. To learn how to reserve and use the lab, contact Tetiana Tytko at ttytko@umd.edu.
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. The faculty have conducted research in a variety of second languages using a wide range of methodologies, from behavioral psycholinguistic experiments and classroom research to participant observation and survey research. A wide variety of research interests are welcome.
The Graduate Program in SLA welcomes students who plan to conduct research on how second languages are acquired and processed in adulthood, what role instruction plays, and how individual differences and learning conditions influence the learning trajectories. Students investigate these issues in English, as well as languages of East Asia, Middle East and Europe learned as second (or third, etc.) languages.
Courses
Courses
Course Catalogues
See the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs for a full list of our course offerings and Testudo for our current courses.
Degree Program Requirements
Please consult the program pages for requirements about each degree:
Program Director
Kira Gor
Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Professor and Program Head, Second Language Acquisition