Are you thinking about pursuing a minor in Second Language Acquisition (SLA)? The minor in SLA offers graduate students both a theoretical and a practical background in the increasingly important area of SLA. After completing the minor, students will be prepared to understand research in SLA and to develop teaching curricula based on principles of second language learning and teaching. Please read through the FAQs below.
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What sort of PhD minor is the SLA minor?
It is a so called ‘Option A’ minor. That is, it’s a coherent program and will be listed as such on your transcript. For general information about PhD minors, please visit this Graduate School webpage.
When do I sign up?
As soon as you would like to start taking courses in the minor. Because it is coherent program, you will need to take courses that are required or approved by the SLA Program.
What are the requirements for the SLA minor?
All PhD minors in SLA must take a minimum total of 9 SLA-approved graduate credits.
Among the 9 credits, 3 credits must come from ONE of these two required courses: English 318 or Curriculum & Instruction 673. Please know that English 318 is usually only offered in Fall semesters and fills up quickly. Please plan ahead and register early. If taking C&I 673, please register for the 3-credit version (not the 2-credit course).
Please know that courses taken in your home (major) department may not be taken toward the SLA minor.
You will find listings of courses that are available each semester on the SLA website (check the PhD Minor dropdown menu).
Please check whether a course is eligible to be counted toward the minor (and not just the SLA major) and consult with the SLA minor advisor, Professor Naomi Geyer to get your choices approved BEFORE you take a course.
How do I sign up for the SLA minor?
Please email the SLA minor advisor, Professor Naomi Geyer and the SLA program coordinator Jana Martin as soon as you know you would like to minor in SLA. You will then receive a link to a questionnaire to complete. Please do not wait to declare your interest.
What will happen after I sign up?
You will contact SLA minor advisor (Professor Naomi Geyer, nefgeyer@wisc.edu & see below) with any questions about courses.
You will be added to an email list that will alert you to events (such as research presentations, graduate student conference/s, professionalization events, socials, etc.) for SLA minors and majors.
Before your preliminary exams, you will need to fill in the SLA Minor Progress form. You should contact Professor Naomi Geyer and the SLA program coordinator Jana Martin to obtain the link to this questionnaire.
After you pass your preliminary exams in your major and have completed all SLA minor requirements, the SLA program will need to sign your warrant so that the completion of the SLA minor goes on your transcript.
You must fill in this form to declare the minor. Please contact Professor Naomi Geyer and the SLA program coordinator Jana Martin for the form.
All PhD minors in SLA must take a minimum total of 9 SLA-approved graduate credits.
Required courses
You must take one of two required courses:
Option 1: English 318, 3 credits
Offered in fall only.
Option 2: Curriculum & Instruction 673, 3 credits (please do not take the 2-credit version)
Elective courses
Depending on which option you choose above, 6 credits of electives. Be sure to get electives approved in advance by the SLA minor advisor. Check the SLA website for upcoming courses.
To finish the SLA minor, you will need to fill in the SLA Minor Progress form and have your prelim warrant signed by the SLA Program.
- SLA Minor Progress Form: Fill in this form and submit for approval before you take your preliminary exams in your major. To obtain a link to this form, please contact Professor Naomi Geyer and Dr. Jana Martin. This form must be approved before the SLA Program can sign your prelim warrant.
- Take your preliminary exams in your major.
- Work with the Graduate Program Coordinator in your home department to submit the prelim warrant to the SLA Program for a signature.
- When you graduate, let the SLA minor advisor and SLA program coordinator know so you are removed from the SLA minor list and placed on the SLA alumni list.
For a summary of the information on this page and a checklist to help you keep track of your progress toward the SLA minor, download this document.