MSLT Student to Pursue Doctoral Studies 

Mimoun Akhiat, a recent graduate of the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, has accepted a fully funded offer (i.e., $56,000 each year for five years) to pursue a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern and North African studies — with a focus on linguistics — at the University of Arizona starting in Fall 2024. While at Utah State University, Akhiat taught Arabic classes, assisted in a variety of cultural events within and outside his department, and was also recognized for his efforts. He received the departmental Graduate Instructor of the Year and Graduate Researcher of the Year awards while at USU.

When asked about why he chose to pursue a Ph.D., Akhiat said it would “widen my horizons in terms of job opportunities and will enable me to stay within academia to continue learning, sharing, and collaborating with others . . . so that I can benefit my students more and contribute to my fields of interest, mainly second language teaching and linguistics."

Akhiat, a native of Morocco, had previously spent time in the United States working as a Fulbright international teaching assistant in Texas during the pandemic. While teaching Arabic classes as a TA at Texas A&M, he also took courses in applied linguistics, which solidified his interest in graduate work. That experience prompted him to apply to the MSLT program.

"The MSLT program has been a transformative experience for me. I had the chance to learn from professors whose expertise in the field of second language teaching and research is immeasurable,” Akhiat said. “I think what made me benefit from this program maximally is also the nature of the relationship between professors and students. I felt like we have been a family. The professors wanted me to be the best version of myself and wanted to make sure that I succeed and thrive … they always valued my perspectives and input."

After he graduates from the University of Arizona, Akhiat hopes to secure a tenure-track position to teach university-level linguistics and Arabic culture courses.

The MSLT program at USU is an interdisciplinary program with a strong, practical teaching emphasis combining coursework in the fields of Second Language Education, Bilingual/Immersion Education, and ESL/EFL Education. While most graduates begin teaching immediately after graduating, others choose to pursue doctoral work.

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