Doctoral Programme in Intercultural Linguistics

The scientific legacy of the PhD Programme in Cultural Linguistics founded and headed by professor Zoltán Kövecses until his retirement has been integrated into the current profile of the programme which has been joined by many former students of the expired PhD Programme in Cultural Linguistics. 45 PhD students belong currently to the programme, 24 have gained admission since 2019. Our students come from 13 different countries with the following distribution, the number of students is given in brackets: Bulgaria (1), Egypt (1), Japan (1), Kenya (1), Poland (1), South Korea (1), Ukraine (1), Uzbekistan (1), Indonesia (2), Jordan (2), China (3), Iran (3), Russia (5); 23 international and 22 Hungarian students in total. The presence of international students is increasing, 90% of the 1st-year students come from abroad.

The profile of the programme is determined by a broad definition of Intercultural Linguistics, based on cognitive-functional and cultural linguistics as theoretical foundation, interdisciplinarity and commitment to social responsibility as well. Our educational and research objectives are the study of language, discourse, cognition and culture in their interconnectedness and interaction within the theoretical framework of cognitive and cultural linguistics and by applying empirical methods to different types and constellations of intercultural linguistic phenomena such as contact and comparison of languages and cultures, inter- and intracultural variation, bi- and multilingualism, learning and teaching in L2, L3 and LX settings, intercultural aspects of linguistic mediation, translation and interpreting, English used as a Lingua Franca, World Englishes and various fields of intercultural communication. Special attention is paid to intercultural approaches to figurative language and to the exploration of the interconnectedness of language, cognition and culture by using empirical methodology. One of our not hidden aims is to build bridges not only in the realm of scientific research between cognition, culture, discourse and communication but also between various cultures, nations, groups and individuals as well. Our programme is furthermore committed to building bridges within the Doctoral School of Linguistics at Eötvös Loránd University and also toward the international scientific community by creating and strengthening synergies.

The students of the programme have to obtain 240 credits during 8 semesters, 120 from them during the Educational and Research Module (semesters 1-4), and the other 120 during the Research and Dissertation Module (semesters 5-8). The 1^st part of the PhD studies, the Educational and Research Module is organized in the form of lectures and seminars, it is closed by the Comprehensive Exam at the end of semester 4. After entering the Research and Dissertation Module, students do not have to attend regular classes anymore, instead of these they can completely dedicate themselves to their PhD research and to the completion of their dissertations. The required 120 credits can be obtained by writing and publishing articles in peer-reviewed linguistic journals and edited volumes, by presentations at conferences, by other scientific activities and by teaching on the level of tertiary education. During the completion of the programme students have to publish at least 3 scientific articles, preferably 2 of them within the scope of the PhD research topic, and 1 from another area of linguistics. 

It is important to know that the language of the programme is English. Special requirement for applicants is to provide evidence of excellent proficiency in English to be able to read, reformulate and summarize English academic literature, to write and publish academic papers in English and to participate in English-language courses. The level should be Cambridge Proficiency in English, or equivalent qualifications at the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference Level C1 or C2. Special requirement is providing evidence of C1 or C2 level proficiency in at least one language apart from the mother tongue. Additionally, applicants must have an excellent command of spoken and written English in any case. 

Before choosing a PhD thesis topic and starting to write a research proposal, it is advisable to consult a supervisor about the feasibility of your ideas. The list of supervisors and PhD topic announcers is available below. In an initial consultation, the supervisors will give advice but they are not supposed to help compile or check the research proposal, which must be the applicant's independent work. The Programme Director can also be contacted for advice regarding application to the programme.