Course Schedule

ANTH 680 – Foundations in Linguistic Anthropology

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

An introductory survey of the major linguistic-anthropological theories and modes on analysis as these have developed over the last century, with a textual focus on original articles. Topics include: language; culture and thought; semiotics; social interaction; verbal art.

ARB 526 – Introduction to Arabic Linguistics

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

History and structure of the Arabic language in its various forms. Graduate-level requirements include a research paper on any phonological, morphological, or syntactic structure of any variety of Arabic.

EAS 577 – Qualitative Research in Applied Linguistics: East Asia and Beyond

GIDP: Applied Intercultural Arts Research (AIAR) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course introduces its students to the theories, principles and techniques underlying qualitative research and its application in applied linguistic research. Students apply the data collection and analysis tools and conduct their own qualitative projects during the semester . We begin by exploring the epistemology of qualitative research. The focus is on principles in designing a qualitative research project, such as constructing the research relationship, choosing among different approaches, and situating events in context . We then move to discuss how these theoretical positions are realized in practice through examining common data collection and analysis methods. In the final part, the students present their own projects and reflect on how qualitative methods can contribute to their understanding of specific issues in applied linguistics. Throughout the semester, we also engage in reading and critique of representative qualitative research in applied linguistics- within and beyond the East Asian context.

EDL 560 – Trends in Educational Leadership

This class is an introduction to the foundations of educational administration and leadership. An open social-systems model of schools provides the theoretical framework that organizes and relates this theory and research to educational administration practice.

EDL 608 – Advanced Qualitative Methods in Education

The purpose of this course is to deepen the breadth of the students' skillset and knowledge necessary for the design, implementation, analysis, completion, and presentation of a qualitative dissertation study. Foci for this course may include (but are not limited to): (auto)ethnography, content (theme) analysis, deconstruction, (counter) narrative, discourse analysis, narrative analysis, dialogic analysis, video and photo analysis, arts-based qualitative methods, phenomenological study, case study, participant and nonparticipant observation, and focus groups. Special attention will be paid to the process of analyzing data and discerning themes as they are revealed in the data. This course will further acclimate students to the language and practice of qualitative research and help them develop a critical posture capable of differentiating various ways of developing and executing qualitative research for the culmination of a written, visual, and oral presentation of a research proposal. By course's end, students should be confident in their ability to explain and justify the methodological decisions of their study.

EDL 696A – Topics in Educational Leadership

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

EDP 582A – Educational Evaluation

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Program evaluation history, principles and techniques; political context, illustrative cases, technical skills for determining merit or making decisions about educational and social programs.

ENGL 510 – Teaching of Composition

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Theory and practice of teaching writing in secondary schools and colleges. Graduate-level requirements include a special topics paper.

ENGL 596J – Second Language Acquisition Research

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

ENGL 596O – Topics in Second Language Teaching

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

ENGL 597R – Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition

This course surveys quantitative and qualitative methods in composition and rhetoric in order to introduce students to different communities of inquiry and basic questions about the nature of research.

ENGL 612 – Grammatical Analysis

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Advanced English grammatical analysis in relation to the acquisition of English as a second language.

ENGL 613 – Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Foundations, theory, and methodology in English as a second language.

ENGL 615 – Second Language Acquisition Theory

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Survey of major perspectives on second language acquisition processes, including interlanguage theory, the Monitor Model, acculturation/pidginization theory, cognitive/connectionist theory, and linguistic universals. Analysis of research from the different perspectives includes consideration of grammatical, pragmatic, and sociolinguistic dimensions of language learning.

ENGL 620 – Cultural Dimensions: Second Language Acquisitions

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Relationships between language and culture.

ENGL 693A – Applied ESL

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.

FREN 588 – Materials Design

This course focuses on how to design and implement modern foreign/second language instruction materials. We look at language acquisition issues as well as pedagogical issues. Participants are also asked to design and implement a segment of instruction.

GER 580 – Applied Linguistics for German as a Foreign Language

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Issues in and methods of applied linguistics with emphasis on Germanic languages. Student taking GER 480 for German Studies credit must have advanced proficiency in German. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on an aspect of applied linguistic research. Students taking GER 580 for German Studies credit must have advanced proficiency in German.

HED 609 – Organization and Administration in Higher Education

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Organizational theory, structures, systems, and administrative procedures in varied higher education institutions; patterns of governance and policy development.

INFO 514 – Computational Social Science

GIDP: Global Change (GC) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course will introduce you to the burgeoning methodological subfield called computational social science: An evolving bundle of computationally sophisticated techniques that are increasingly used to answer research questions in the social sciences. The goal of the course is for you to learn how to produce your own computational social science research project aimed at a scholarly outlet. The course will survey the latest published research and train you in research design, methods, and techniques in computational social science. This might include topics such as Big Data, data visualization, social network analysis, agent-based modeling, and natural language processing, as well as identifying and developing variables, mechanisms, and research questions motivated by social science research. The course will also delve into the growing ethical challenges and considerations associated with computational social science research. The course is set up to welcome people from many different backgrounds, in particular those with or without prior exposure to programming, statistics, or the social sciences.

INFO 516 – Introduction to Human Computer Interaction

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) encompasses the design, implementation, and evaluation of interactive computing systems. This course will provide a survey of HCI theory and practice. The course will address the presentation of information and the design of interaction from a human-centered perspective, looking at relevant perceptive, cognitive, and social factors influencing in the design process. It will motivate practical design guidelines for information presentation through Gestalt theory and studies of consistency, memory, and interpretation. Technological concerns will be examined that include interaction styles, devices, constraints, affordances, and metaphors. Theories, principles and design guidelines will be surveyed for both classical and emerging interaction paradigms, with case studies from practical application scenarios. As a central theme, the course will promote the processes of usability engineering, introducing the concepts of participatory design, requirements analysis, rapid prototyping, iterative development, and user evaluation. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation strategies will be discussed. This course is co-convened: Upper-level undergraduates and graduate students are encouraged to enroll. Graduate students will be expected to complete more substantial projects and will be given more in-depth reading assignments.

INFO 521 – Machine Learning

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Global Change (GC) · GIDP: Neuroscience (NRSC) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT) · GIDP: Statistics and Data Science (STATD)

Machine learning describes the development of algorithms which can modify their internal parameters (i.e., "learn") to recognize patterns and make decisions based on example data. These examples can be provided by a human, or they can be gathered automatically as part of the learning algorithm itself. This course will introduce the fundamentals of machine learning, will describe how to implement several practical methods for pattern recognition, feature selection, clustering, and decision making for reward maximization, and will provide a foundation for the development of new machine learning algorithms.

INFO 524 – Virtual Reality

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Virtual reality is an emerging technology that has been widely used in recent years in various areas, such as education, training, well-being, and entertainment. Virtual reality offers a highly immersive experience as the head mounted displays replace the vision of the users with digital imagery. It encompasses many disciplines, such as computer science, human computer interaction, game design and development, information science, and psychology. This course merges a theoretical and practical approach to give students the necessary knowledge to design, develop, and critique virtual reality games and applications.

INFO 551 – Game Development

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course provides a comprehensive survey of video game production practices. Students work on game development assignments for presentation in a professional portfolio. The course topics include: collaborative technologies, software design patterns for games, spatial transformations, and technical considerations surrounding game art, such as authoring sprites, 3D models, animations, texture mapping, and writing shaders. Students will be given periodic assignments that reinforce lessons from class.

INFO 555 – Applied Natural Language Processing

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Most of the data available on the web or managed by institutions and businesses consists of unstructured text. Natural language processing tools help to organize such texts, extract relevant information from them, and automatize time-consuming processes. This course will teach the fundamental knowledge necessary to design and develop end-to-end natural language understanding applications, drawn from examples such as question answering, sentiment analysis, information extraction, automated inference, machine translation, chatbots, etc. We will use several natural language processing toolkits and libraries.

LING 507 – Statistical Analysis for Linguistics

GIDP: Applied Intercultural Arts Research (AIAR) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Students will learn to use the statistical methods common in linguistics and related fields in order to apply them in the design and analysis of their own research. Methods covered will include ANOVA, ANCOVA, correlation, regression, and non-parametric tests, as well as some specialized analyses such as Multidimensional Scaling Analysis. The course will focus primarily on methods and problems of psycholinguistic, phonetic, and sociolinguistic research. Discussion of the statistical analyses in published articles in these areas will form a substantial part of the course, and application of the methods covered in the course to the students' own research will also be discussed. The course will include instruction in use of statistical software packages.

LING 538 – Computational Linguistics

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Fundamentals of formal language theory; syntactic and semantic processing; the place of world knowledge in natural language processing. Graduate-level requirements include a greater number of assignments and a higher level of performance.

LING 539 – Statistical Natural Language Processing

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT) · GIDP: Statistics and Data Science (STATD)

This course introduces the key concepts underlying statistical natural language processing. Students will learn a variety of techniques for the computational modeling of natural language, including: n-gram models, smoothing, Hidden Markov models, Bayesian Inference, Expectation Maximization, Viterbi, Inside-Outside Algorithm for Probabilistic Context-Free Grammars, and higher-order language models. Graduate-level requirements include assignments of greater scope than undergraduate assignments. In addition to being more in-depth, graduate assignments are typically longer and additional readings are required.

LING 540 – The Bilingual Mind

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course surveys bilingualism from a variety of perspectives: linguistic, cognitive, social, and instructional, and addresses such questions as: Do bilingual speakers "turn off" one language while they speak the other? Does acquiring two languages affect children's academic performance? Are the two languages completely separate or mixed together in the bilingual mind (and brain)? What is the best way to learn a second language? Graduate-level requirements include completing all assignments, writing up a 10-page proposal for an experiment and presenting it (in a 10-15 minute presentation) to the class.

LING 548 – Auditory and Visual Word Recognition and Lexical Processing

This course focuses on lexical processing, and will review the principal models and mechanisms from psycholinguistic theory aimed at explaining how word recognition works in both the auditory and the visual modalities.

LING 581 – Advanced Computational Linguistics

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS)

This course provides a hands-on project-based approach to particular problems and issues in computational linguistics.

LING 595A – Linguistics

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The exchange of scholarly information and/or secondary research about Linguistics, Instruction often includes lectures by several different persons. Short research projects are required of participants.

LING 696A – Topics in Syntax and Semantics

GIDP: Persian and Iranian Studies (PRIR) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting examining in depth topics in syntactic and semantic theory. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

PSY 528 – Cognitive Neuroscience

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Recent advances in analysis of the neural bases of cognitive functions, such as learning, memory, and thinking.

RSSS 583 – History of the Russian Language

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Diachronic study of the Russian language from Indo-European up to the modern period.

RSSS 590 – Identity, Language, & Nation

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course explores, through a range of topics and theoretical lenses, the relationship between language, identity, and larger social and cultural contexts in Russia, the Post-Soviet geopolitical arena and beyond. We will first examine the ways in which language is used to create personal and group identities and how different cultural, social, and national identities are set off against one another, and against the criteria for inclusion or exclusion within and across national boundaries and various human communities of practice. We will then examine how particular forms of speech, language varieties, and accents are tied to specific traits of speakers and the ways in which the perception of particular people and the way they communicate impacts the projection of social and cultural characteristics. Finally, we will explore the critical dimensions of the language-identity relationship, looking at the function of language to build and divide nations, define peoples, create inequalities, and shape ideologies and local literacy practices in communities, digital spaces, and educational settings. Students will examine various approaches to theorizing identity in sociolinguistics and second language acquisition studies, and will learn to disentangle such constructs as multilingual identity, national\local\ethnic identity, subjectivity, self-concept, mobile identity, digital identity, the self-system, etc.

SLAT 693 – Internship

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching, at UA or at an academic or government institution.

SLAT 694A – SLAT Practicum

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.

SLAT 699 – Independent Study

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 699 or 799.

SLAT 920 – Dissertation

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Research for the doctoral dissertation (whether library research, laboratory or field observation or research, artistic creation, or dissertation writing).

SLHS 541 – Language Acquisition

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Principles and processes of first language acquisition described in relation to children's social and cognitive development; first language acquisition processes compared and contrasted to child and adult second language acquisition and language disorders. Graduate-level requirements include a scholarly paper/project on a selected topic relevant to the course.

SPAN 581B – Heritage Language Pedagogy

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course serves as an introduction to the main theories and practices in the field of Spanish as a Heritage Language (SHL) education. The course will begin by defining the field and SHL learners and will address issues related to the goals of SHL instruction and methods available for its teaching, sociolinguistics processes common in SHL students' Spanish and the sociopolitical position of Spanish in the US. This course incorporates a practical component of classroom observation and lesson and activity planning to prepare future teachers for effective SHL teaching practices.

SPAN 582B – Spanish Syntax II

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course introduces students to innovations in syntactic theory that have been proposed within the last decade. Students will move beyond the introductory-text level and extend their knowledge of Principles & Parameters approaches to syntax through discussion of the goals of Minimalist Syntax and its hypotheses about design aspects of the human faculty of language. The course explores in detail how postulated minimalist primitives and operations interact to generate the (complex) structures that are characteristic of natural language sentences.

SPAN 583C – Research Methods in Spanish Phonetics

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course introduces the fundamental tools to conduct research in Spanish experimental phonetics and phonology. It introduces topics such as hypothesis testing and experimental design, data collection and analysis, and reproducibility and statistics. Students will be working on an original research project in Spanish phonetics while developing their command of quantitative research methods as used in this field. At the end of this course, students will be able to carry out quantitative research in phonetics independently.

TLS 504 – Language, Culture, and Society

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

A critical exploration of the ways in which language and culture shape, and are shaped by, education in and out of school, particularly related to power dynamics at multiple levels of society.

TLS 516 – Structured English Foundations

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Theory and practice in sheltered content instruction for English learners, national and state education policies affecting ELLs, and the relationship between these policies and second language acquisition theory.

TLS 555 – Universal Design for Learning (UDL) meets User Experience (UX)

This course introduces the fundamental principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by preparing students for further study in accessibility and inclusive design for virtual learning environments through the lens of the user experience (UX). Students will learn about the UDL framework of optimizing teaching and learning for all coupled with UX principles of making interactions usable, enjoyable, and accessible. Through UDL and UX, students will analyze how people learn in technology-enhanced environments, outline how the design of technology-enhanced systems support or undermine learning, and considers critical issues for instructors, designers, and learners in the digital age. Students will explore digital pedagogy through the role of the instructor, the designer, the learner and in the structure of a virtual learning environment. The effective practices to increase inclusion and avoid some of the common accessibility issues that can arise in virtual environments will be addressed. This course provides the opportunity to explore issues that are impacting 21st century education and pedagogy due to the disruptive force of technology. Students work on creative activities to represent key course ideas, as well as author a final Case Study paper documenting their field work experience.

TLS 576 – Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

This course focuses on the action research strategies used by educators to engage in systematic and intentional inquiry around critical issues and questions within their classroom and community contexts. Includes an action research project.

TLS 595 – Issues in Language, Reading and Culture

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The exchange of scholarly information and/or research about topics of current concern in language, reading and culture, such as language socialization, international children's and adolescent literature, and media and semiotics. Research projects may or may not be required of course registrants.

TLS 640 – Social Justice and Equity as a Framework for Education

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Critical issues in multicultural education, focusing on culture, language, power, and identity, with application to the creation of more just and equitable educational systems.

SLAT 920 – Dissertation

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Research for the doctoral dissertation (whether library research, laboratory or field observation or research, artistic creation, or dissertation writing).

ANTH 620 – Linguistic Field Techniques

GIDP: Applied Intercultural Arts Research (AIAR) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Practice in asking linguistically informed and ethnographically sensitive questions in face-to-face interaction with a linguistic consultant; techniques of language data analysis and description.

EDL 608 – Advanced Qualitative Methods in Education

The purpose of this course is to deepen the breadth of the students' skillset and knowledge necessary for the design, implementation, analysis, completion, and presentation of a qualitative dissertation study. Foci for this course may include (but are not limited to): (auto)ethnography, content (theme) analysis, deconstruction, (counter) narrative, discourse analysis, narrative analysis, dialogic analysis, video and photo analysis, arts-based qualitative methods, phenomenological study, case study, participant and nonparticipant observation, and focus groups. Special attention will be paid to the process of analyzing data and discerning themes as they are revealed in the data. This course will further acclimate students to the language and practice of qualitative research and help them develop a critical posture capable of differentiating various ways of developing and executing qualitative research for the culmination of a written, visual, and oral presentation of a research proposal. By course's end, students should be confident in their ability to explain and justify the methodological decisions of their study.

EDL 696A – Topics in Educational Leadership

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

EDP 541 – Statistical Methods in Education

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Descriptive, correlational, and inferential procedures for presenting and analyzing school and research data. For students in all fields.

ENGL 555 – Introduction to Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The course will provide a general overview of the TESL profession covering prominent theories, methodologies, and issues in the field. Coursework will cover the major methods, including Grammar-Translation, the Direct Method, Audiolingualism, and Communicative Language Teaching. In addition, issues of learner variables, motivation, and contexts of teaching and learning will also be addressed. Students will participate in mock lessons, tutoring sessions, and observations.

Graduate level requirements include a 12-15 page research paper with bibliography of at least eight sources.

ENGL 580 – Second Language Writing

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course provides an introduction to the teaching of second, foreign, or additional language (L2) writing in diverse contexts. Through readings, discussions, and activities, you will develop your understanding of the theory, research, and practice of L2 writing. We will explore a range of issues, including L2 writing development, culture and identity, pedagogical approaches, course design, feedback on student writing, and writing assessment. While we will work to develop familiarity with L2 writing research and theory and its inter-relations with L1 composition, the course will be grounded in practical and hands-on work with the goal of building your pedagogical knowledge as well as tools and strategies for working with second language writers across settings.

ENGL 589 – Internet Technologies in Second/Foreign Language Education

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course explores the theory, practice, and pedagogical application of the latest Internet and communication technologies in second/foreign language education, situated in view of the latest CALL (computer-assisted language learning), CMC (computer-mediated communication), SLA (second language acquisition and development), and applied/educational linguistics research. These technologies include, but are not limited to, synchronous and asynchronous chat, blogs, wikis and collaborative documents, audio (podcasting), video, virtual world/digital gaming, mobile/handheld computing, and social networking tools and sites.

ENGL 596O – Topics in Second Language Teaching

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.

ENGL 598 – Approaches to Teaching Writing

English 598 connects composition theory to praxis. Through a number of activities, we will think carefully about our inclinations, actions and reactions as teachers in the writing classroom. Required of all graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in their first year of teaching in the Writing Program, preceptorship provides a brief introduction to theory in writing studies and pedagogy as well as embedded support for classroom management. During the course, you will be asked to reflect on the teaching of first-year writing, and we encourage collaboration as we develop our teaching philosophies and approaches to first-year writing.

A major objective of 598 is to embed support within your first year of teaching. You will meet twice weekly with your Mentor, who will provide practical support for your teaching of English 101 and 102. These mentor sessions should be a safe space to reflect on and discuss your experiences with teaching.. It is in these sessions that you will respond to any immediate questions or concerns teaching English 101 and 102. One of the major tasks of mentor groups is arranging a mentor class visit.

FREN 581 – Technology and Foreign Language Learning

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course focuses on the use of technology in foreign language learning. It has three parts: 1) theory, how computers fit within concepts of L2 acquisition; 2) pedagogy, how computers have been used in the classroom & 3) application, the design & implementation a segment of instruction.

GER 579 – Second/Foreign Language Teaching and Learning

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This class is intended to prepare students to teach a second/foreign language. It will provide students with the essential foundations in language teaching methodology and theory, pedagogical grammar, curriculum and materials development, classroom management, and formal and informal assessment techniques. In addition, students will gain practical knowledge through video practicum components, which allow them to watch and reflect on actual classroom teaching. Students will complete this program with the pedagogical knowledge and practical understanding necessary to be confident and effective language teachers.

INFO 516 – Introduction to Human Computer Interaction

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) encompasses the design, implementation, and evaluation of interactive computing systems. This course will provide a survey of HCI theory and practice. The course will address the presentation of information and the design of interaction from a human-centered perspective, looking at relevant perceptive, cognitive, and social factors influencing in the design process. It will motivate practical design guidelines for information presentation through Gestalt theory and studies of consistency, memory, and interpretation. Technological concerns will be examined that include interaction styles, devices, constraints, affordances, and metaphors. Theories, principles and design guidelines will be surveyed for both classical and emerging interaction paradigms, with case studies from practical application scenarios. As a central theme, the course will promote the processes of usability engineering, introducing the concepts of participatory design, requirements analysis, rapid prototyping, iterative development, and user evaluation. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation strategies will be discussed. This course is co-convened: Upper-level undergraduates and graduate students are encouraged to enroll. Graduate students will be expected to complete more substantial projects and will be given more in-depth reading assignments.

INFO 521 – Introduction to Machine Learning

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Global Change (GC) · GIDP: Neuroscience (NRSC) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT) · GIDP: Statistics and Data Science (STATD)

Machine learning describes the development of algorithms which can modify their internal parameters (i.e., "learn") to recognize patterns and make decisions based on example data. These examples can be provided by a human, or they can be gathered automatically as part of the learning algorithm itself. This course will introduce the fundamentals of machine learning, will describe how to implement several practical methods for pattern recognition, feature selection, clustering, and decision making for reward maximization, and will provide a foundation for the development of new machine learning algorithms.

INFO 551 – Game Development

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course provides a comprehensive survey of video game production practices. Students work on game development assignments for presentation in a professional portfolio. The course topics include: collaborative technologies, software design patterns for games, spatial transformations, and technical considerations surrounding game art, such as authoring sprites, 3D models, animations, texture mapping, and writing shaders. Students will be given periodic assignments that reinforce lessons from class.

INFO 555 – Applied Natural Language Processing

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Most of the data available on the web or managed by institutions and businesses consists of unstructured text. Natural language processing tools help to organize such texts, extract relevant information from them, and automatize time-consuming processes. This course will teach the fundamental knowledge necessary to design and develop end-to-end natural language understanding applications, drawn from examples such as question answering, sentiment analysis, information extraction, automated inference, machine translation, chatbots, etc. We will use several natural language processing toolkits and libraries.

JPN 536 – Japanese Sociolinguistics

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Introduction to Japanese sociolinguistics: questionnaire studies, variation analysis, ethnography of communication, conversation analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, and language and social interaction. Graduate-level requirements include a substantial term paper and may include extra readings and an additional weekly meeting when the class is convened with JPN 436.

LING 503 – Foundations of Syntactic Theory

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Persian and Iranian Studies (PRIR) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

An introduction to syntactic theory with an emphasis on data analysis, critical thinking, and theory development. Taught within the generative Principles and Parameters approach to syntax. Graduate-level requirements include a greater number of problems.

LING 508 – Computational Techniques for Linguists

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Students are introduced to computer programming as it pertains to collecting and analyzing linguistic data. The particular programming language is chosen at the discretion of the instructor. Graduate-level requirements include more challenging exams; 50% greater contribution to their respective group projects; 9 instead of 6 assignment; additional readings from the primary literature.

LING 510 – Foundations of Phonological Theory I

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Investigation of the principles that underlie current phonological theory, concentrating on the representation of sounds and the regular patterns of sound in natural language. Topics include distinctive feature theory, syllable theory, the core skeleton, rule formulation and rule interactions. Graduate-level requirements include a greater number of problems.

LING 529 – Human Language Technology I

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This class serves as an introduction to human language technology (HLT), an emerging interdisciplinary field that encompasses most subdisciplines of linguistics, as well as computational linguistics, natural language processing, computer science, artificial intelligence, psychology, philosophy, mathematics, and statistics.
Content includes a combination of theoretical and applied topics such as (but not limited to) tokenization across languages, n-grams, word representations, basic probability theory, introductory programming, and version control.

LING 531 – Human Language Technology II

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Human Language Technology II
Course Description (no char. limit): This intermediate-level course is a continuation of LING 529 and covers a combination of theoretical and applied topics such as (but not limited to) unsupervised learning (clustering), decision trees, and the basics of information retrieval.

LING 533 – Theories of Language Development

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course focuses on the major theories of language development, including nativism and various forms of learning. Students read and discuss primary source material written by linguists, psychologists, and other cognitive scientists who work in the field of language acquisition.

LING 538 – Computational Linguistics

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Fundamentals of formal language theory; syntactic and semantic processing; the place of world knowledge in natural language processing. Graduate-level requirements include a greater number of assignments and a higher level of performance.

LING 578 – Speech Technology

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Topics include speech synthesis, speech recognition, and other speech technologies. This course gives students background for a career in the speech technology industry. Graduate students will do extra readings, extra assignments, and have an extra presentation. Their final project must constitute original work in a speech technology.

LING 595A – Linguistics

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The exchange of scholarly information and/or secondary research about Linguistics, Instruction often includes lectures by several different persons. Short research projects are required of participants.

LING 597A – Descriptive Linguistics for Native American Languages

GIDP: Applied Intercultural Arts Research (AIAR) · GIDP: American Indian Studies (AIS)

Workshop includes methods and techniques on how to describe a language in the four basis sub-areas of linguistics: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics; terminology and general processes associated with the four sub-areas.

MENA 530A – Language and Society in the Middle East

GIDP: Applied Intercultural Arts Research (AIAR) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Explores the social and linguistic aspects of the languages and cultures of Middle Eastern countries with the central goal of introducing students to the correlation between social and linguistic variables from a contemporary sociolinguistic perspective. Graduate-level requirements include additional readings and meeting with the instructor biweekly to discuss the readings of which written critiques will be submitted.

PSY 530 – Neural Basis of Language

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT) · NRSC - Neuroscience Graduate Program

The neural basis of language comprehension and production, with reference to its relationship to other perceptual, cognitive and motor skills.

PSY 596F – Cognitive Psychology

GIDP: Cognitive Science (COGS) · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Investigation of research and ideas on a specialized topic within cognitive psychology, including the psychology of language, visual perception and cognitive memory, decision, and learning. The discussion and exchange of scholarly information in a small group setting, papers and student presentations.

RSSS 597 – Language & Digital Media

This course examines, through a range of topics and research frameworks, a relationship between language and digital media and the many ways language communication dynamics operates across changing mediascapes. The course provides a solid foundation in relevant theoretical concepts balanced with practical exercises and creative projects. The course adopts a broad interpretation of the term "media" focusing on existing online media platforms as well as on the issues that arise from various uses of digital media for social, political, and cultural purposes, including virtual community building, digital semiotics, memes, viral spreads, surveillance, political opposition and oppression, and propaganda, marginalization and liberation, participatory cultures, production dimensions, etc. The course is designed for graduate and undergraduate students in Russian sociolinguistics, and (second) language studies interested in learning how to research digital media discourse. The course is taught in English; no knowledge of Russian language is required.

SLAT 572 – Language Program Evaluation: Policies, Standards and Practice

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course is designed to introduce students to the key theories, approaches, and concepts governing academic program evaluation and accreditation processes as they apply to language programs broadly and to language institutions as applicable. Topics will include the importance of the mission statement, processes and standards for curricular development, the role of good assessment in language program evaluation, faculty qualifications, professional development and management standards, and language program review processes, as well as the documentation and implementation of program review processes. The course will revolve around weekly readings, interpretation of relevant standards within varied environments of accreditation for each topic, and dialogical discussions regarding each topic in class. An online forum (D2L) will further the discussions in class and support classroom learning. The course is designed for students anticipating leadership roles in educational administration and will lay the groundwork for a future practice that is comprehensive, systematic, and practical.

SLAT 596Y – Proseminar in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching

Regular or Alternative Grades: ABCDE or SPCDE

The purpose of the Proseminar is to provide incoming SLAT major and minor students with a forum in which they can acquire knowledge about current major issues in the field of Applied Linguistics and methods applied to investigate them, critically engage with research and scholarship, and develop a stance in relation to these major issues. Please register through the SLAT Program Coordinator.

SLAT 693 – Internship

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching, at UA or at an academic or government institution.

SLAT 694A – SLAT Practicum

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.

SLAT 699 – Independent Study

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 699 or 799.

SLAT 920 – Dissertation

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

Research for the doctoral dissertation (whether library research, laboratory or field observation or research, artistic creation, or dissertation writing).