Valeria

Hello!I am Russian, and I am in my fourth (and last) year at a Bachelor's program called "Linguistics. The Theory and Practice of Sign Language Interpreting and Intercultural Communication", but it features mostly practical courses in Russian Sign Language and English, although we also have had Introduction to Linguistics, Grammar, Phonetics, Stylistics, RSL linguistics and other linguistic subjects, but no separate courses in Syntax, Semantics, Pragmatics, Morphology or Phonology.I would like to continue my education in Linguistics in the USA (MA or PhD). As far as I know, it is possible to get into a PhD program without having done an MA, but I am not sure what my chances are. I am currently doing research for my thesis (it's on Russian Sign Language linguistics, conditionals, in particular, and my thesis will be written in English), but I think it's not good enough, because we haven't been taught to do research properly (in my opinion), and the researchers at my university don't work with sign languages (that's why I want to study somewhere else).My grades are pretty good (it will be 4.7 or 4.8 out of 5.0 by the end of the year), our group went to University College London twice for a month to study BSL and Linguistics there, so my English should be fine, I've been working as an interpreter, I've attended some prominent conferences, I've made some presentations about RSL, but I am not sure about my research potential.My family can pay for an MA, $40 000 a year is ok for them, but I would like to make it easier for my family and try to get into a PhD program, or find a cheaper MA program. Could you give me some advice? Where should I look? I know a Russian PhD student at UCSD. She and my teacher recommended SDSU, UCSD, UCLA, NYU, University of Rochester, University of Pennsylvania/Chicago/Connecticut and Purdue University, but I think these are too high level for me. Or do I have a chance of getting into one of them?