Carnegie Mellon University
School of Computer Science  ›  Language Technologies Institute  ›  Academics  ›  PhD Programs  ›  PhD in LTI

Ph.D. in Language and Information Technology

Ph.D. students are expected to publish papers about original research in the most competitive scientific journals and international conference proceedings, and to present their research at conferences and workshops. Most of our Ph.D. graduates become professors and research scientists, while a few have started their own companies.

The Ph.D. in LTI focuses on developing the next generation of scientific and entrepreneurial leaders. The first two years of the Ph.D. program are similar to our MLT program. After the second year, you will spend most of your time working closely with your faculty advisor on research that advances the state-of-the-art in computer science.

Ph.D. students are expected to publish papers about original research in the most competitive scientific journals and international conference proceedings, and to present their research at conferences and workshops. Most of our Ph.D. graduates become professors and research scientists, while a few have started their own companies.
In general, students pursuing a Ph.D. in Language and Information Technologies must

  • Pass at least 96 units of graduate-level courses.
  • Satisfy proficiencies in writing, presentation, programming and teaching; and
  • Propose, write and defend a Ph.D. dissertation (thesis).
  • Students must also attend the LTI Colloquium each semester and satisfy our Research Speaking Requirement.

For a detailed breakdown of the above requirements, download and read the PhD Handbook.
In order to obtain your Ph.D. in Language and Information Technologies, you need to pass 96 units (generally, eight courses) of graduate courses that fulfill these requirements:

  • At least 72 units of LTI courses: Must include one class in each LTI focus area.
  • At least 24 units of SCS courses.
  • At least two lab courses in two different research areas.

Here's a sample of what your five-year schedule might look like:

Fall Spring Summer
Year 1

Grammars and Lexicons

Algorithms for NLP

Directed Study

Search Engines or Machine Learning for Text Mining

Machine Translation

Directed Study

 Required Research
Year 2

Software Engineering for LT (I)

Speech Understanding

Self-Paced Lab

Directed Study

Software Engineering for LT (II)

Self-Paced Lab

Directed Study

 Required Research
Year 3 Directed Research

 Directed Research

 Directed Research
Year 4 Directed Research

 Directed Research

 Directed Research
Year 5 Directed Research

 Directed Research

 Directed Research
See the Ph.D. and MLT Course Categories page.

Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science has a centralized online application process. Applications and all supporting documentation for fall admission to any of the LTI's graduate programs must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application period for Fall 2024 is now closed. Details about the application process for Fall 2025 will be available in the summer of 2024.

Application Deadlines

TBA

Cost

TBA

Fee Waivers
Fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship. For more information, please refer to the School of Computer Science Fee Waiver page.

Requirements

The School of Computer Science requires the following for all Ph.D. applications. (Please note, these requirements may change for future application cycles.)

  • GRE scores: GREs are now optional, but if you want to submit GRE scores:
  • These must be less than five years old. The GRE Subject Test is not required, but is recommended. Our Institution Code is 2074; Department Code is 0402.
  • TOEFL scores: Required if English is not your native language. No exceptions. These scores may be more than two years old if you have pursued or are pursuing a bachelor's or graduate degree in the United States. (While the TOEFL is preferred, the IELTS test may also be submitted.) Successful applicants will have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. Our Institution Code is 4256; the Department Code is 78.
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended, regardless of whether you received your degree there.
  • Current resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • Three letters of recommendation.
  • For more details on these requirements, please see the SCS Doctoral Admissions page.


In addition to the SCS guidelines, the LTI requires:

  • A short (1-3 minute) video of yourself. Tell us about you and why you want to come to CMU. This is not a required part of the application process, but it's strongly suggested.
  • Any outside funding you are receiving must be accompanied by an official award letter.
  • No incomplete applications will be eligible for consideration.


For specific application/admissions questions, please contact Stacey Young.

For more information about the Ph.D. program, contact Stacey Young.

Academic Program Manager, PhD
Office: 6415 Gates & Hillman Centers
Email: staceyy@cs.cmu.edu
Phone: 412-268-2623

Program Handbook

For a complete breakdown of the Ph.D. program and its policies, including information about internships, please view the PhD Handbook.