Forensic Linguistics Research at Hofstra University

01/14/2026

Join us at an upcoming event to learn more about Hofstra’s MA in Linguistics: Forensic Linguistics program!

All events listed below are online.

Tuesday, February 10th (5 pm – 6 pm): MALFL Information Session
- Registration link: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradliberalarts&sciences?id=6c75704f-875a-4a5e-a720-615729f1b1ea

Sunday, March 8th (11 am – 12 pm): Virtual Graduate Open House
- Registration link: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradadmission?id=3dc8bf76-f4eb-458d-8df3-87c74910acbb

Tuesday, April 28th (6 pm – 7 pm): MALFL Webinar
- Registration link: https://admission.hofstra.edu/register/?id=31c8ecc1-6dfa-445e-8375-2ffe1d766a77

Saturday, June 6th (10 am – 11 pm): Virtual Graduate Open House
- Registration link: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradadmission?id=78782db2-e293-4ac4-9016-a24ca88dc287

01/13/2026

We're pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Leonard and former FBI Supervisory Special Agent James R. Fitzgerald will be teaching two five-day Forensic Linguistics Intensives this year, one this coming spring and one in the summer.

These intensives originated as “boot camps” at the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico. They were designed by James Fitzgerald – who recruited Dr. Leonard as co-instructor alongside him – in order to teach forensic linguistics to agents of the FBI and other agencies. Today, they live on at Hofstra as the one-week Forensic Linguistics Intensives.

The spring course will run from April 6th - 10th, and the summer course will take place from July 27th - 31st. In both cases the course is online and synchronous, meeting from 11 am to 6 pm Eastern Time.

Those taking the course for Professional Development or Continuing Education credit pay $970. Students taking the course for graduate and undergraduate credit pay the current per-credit rate (for details, please visit https://www.hofstra.edu/bursar/tuition-fees.html )

To register for Professional Development/Continuing Education, contact Kathleen A. Montalbano at [email protected].

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

05/09/2025

Dr. Robert Leonard and Dr. Tanya Christensen will be teaching a five-day intensive course in Forensic Linguistics this fall from October 13-17, 2025. The course will be taught online synchronously (𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀).

This course is a state-of-the-art version of the FBI BAU Forensic Linguistics week-long “boot camp” courses that then-Supervisory Special Agent Jim Fitzgerald conceived, organized, and taught (and recruited Rob Leonard to also teach) at Quantico, and were later moved to Hofstra.

Students taking the course for graduate and undergraduate credit pay the going per-credit rate. For Professional Development/Continuing Education credit, the cost is $970.

To register for Professional Development/Continuing Education, contact Kathleen A. Montalbano at [email protected].

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

02/10/2025

Dr. Robert Leonard and former FBI Supervisory Special Agent James R. Fitzgerald, MS will be teaching a five-day intensive course in Forensic Linguistics this Spring from April 7-11, 2025 and this Summer from July 28-August 1, 2025.

This course is a state-of-the-art version of the FBI BAU Forensic Linguistics week-long “boot camp” courses that then-Supervisory Special Agent Jim Fitzgerald conceived, organized, and taught (and recruited Rob Leonard to also teach) at Quantico, and were later moved to Hofstra.

Students taking the course for graduate and undergraduate credit pay the going per-credit rate. For Professional Development/Continuing Education credit, the cost is $970.

To register for Professional Development/Continuing Education, contact Kathleen A. Montalbano at [email protected].

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

09/24/2024

Dr. Robert Leonard and Dr. Tanya Christensen will be teaching a five-day intensive course in Forensic Linguistics this Fall from November 18-22, 2024 (previously scheduled for September 23-27).

Our five-day intensives predate the Forensic Linguistics program at Hofstra and are the descendants of the FBI Forensic Linguistics "boot camps" at Quantico that were conceived, organized, and taught by then-Supervisory Special Agent Jim Fitzgerald (who also recruited Rob Leonard to teach).

Students taking the course for graduate and undergraduate credit pay the going per-credit rate. For Professional Development/Continuing Education credit, the cost is $970.

To register for Professional Development/Continuing Education, contact Kathleen A. Montalbano [email protected] tel 516 463 4803 or 516 463 7200.

The program will be held at Hofstra’s Oak Street Center room 0101.

There are several nearby hotels. For example, the Long Island Marriott Hotel is located just east of Hofstra campus, a 6-minute drive away. Their website is: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/nycli-long-island-marriott/overview/?scid=f2ae0541-1279-4f24-b197-a979c79310b0

Direct any questions to [email protected].

08/08/2024

ATTENTION! **Date Change**

Our five-day 2024 fall intensive course taught by Dr. Robert Leonard and Dr. Tanya Christensen will now be held from November 18-22. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Leonard and Dr. Tanya Christensen will teach our fall 2024 five-day intensive Forensic Linguistics course this fall from September 23-27th, 2024 on Hofstra’s campus.

Our five-day intensive courses predate the formal Forensic Linguistics program at Hofstra and are the descendants of the FBI Forensic Linguistics week-long “boot camp” courses that then-Supervisory Special Agent Jim Fitzgerald conceived, organized, and taught (and recruited Rob Leonard to also teach) at Quantico.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

06/20/2024

Join us at one of our upcoming virtual events to learn more about Hofstra's MA in Linguistics: Forensic Linguistics program!

On July 9th (6-7pm ET) and August 6th (6-7pm ET), Hofstra will be hosting Virtual Graduate Open Houses. See below to RSVP for each event.

RSVP for the July 9th Open House: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradadmission?id=781de54f-8ed4-49f5-b32a-fbbbba9e6b2f

RSVP for the August 6th Open House: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradadmission?id=aff8f151-bcae-4099-9d61-fa800a8d3311

04/04/2024

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Leonard and Dr. Tanya Christensen will teach our fall 2024 five-day intensive Forensic Linguistics course this fall from September 23-27th, 2024 on Hofstra’s campus.

Our five-day intensive courses predate the formal Forensic Linguistics program at Hofstra and are the descendants of the FBI Forensic Linguistics week-long “boot camp” courses that then-Supervisory Special Agent Jim Fitzgerald conceived, organized, and taught (and recruited Rob Leonard to also teach) at Quantico.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

01/29/2024

Join us at one of our online events to learn more about Hofstra’s MA in Linguistics: Forensic Linguistics program!

On February 20th (6-7pm ET) current MALFL students and Senior Assistant Dean of Graduate Admission Lindsay Robinson will host a webinar to answer questions about the MALFL experience at Hofstra.

And on March 10th (11am-12pm ET) Hofstra will host a Virtual Graduate Open House.

RSVP for the February 20th Forensic Linguistics Student Panel: https://admission.hofstra.edu/register/?id=54f577f0-b79a-40e6-8bbf-3cface9fd4f3

RSVP for the March 10th Open House: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradadmission?id=0b2eca7d-6258-43c6-b081-2c91e446acfc

10/23/2023

We’re excited to announce some upcoming events spotlighting Hofstra’s MA in Linguistics: Forensic Linguistics program!

On November 2nd, Dr. Robert Leonard will host a virtual Q&A session from 1-2pm EDT.

On November 8th, current MALFL students and Lindsay Robinson, Hofstra’s Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions, will host a virtual Q&A session from 5-6pm EST.

And on November 19th, Hofstra will host a Virtual Graduate Open House from 11am-12pm EST.

RSVP links for each event are below. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

RSVP for Dr. Leonard's Q&A: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradliberalarts&sciences?id=d4e80bb3-0a36-41bd-a605-c408b89705aa

RSVP for the Q&A with current students: https://admission.hofstra.edu/portal/gradliberalarts&sciences?id=ad5ec82d-dbab-4180-a9b5-8ed59788f6d6

RSVP for Hofstra's Graduate Open House: https://admission.hofstra.edu/register/?id=d863ea18-324c-4693-bda6-5cf11dc8661a

10/11/2023

We’ve wrapped up another excellent MALFL Fall Intensive! Thank you to Dr. Leonard, Dr. Christensen, and all the participants for a great week here at Hofstra!

05/06/2023

Here is the recording for our most recent webinar "Forensic Linguistics with the FBI and Hofstra Justice Project." We hope to see you at our next event!

Dr. Robert Leonard, program director of Hofstra's MA in Forensic Linguistics discusses a murder case that he worked on and challenges students to look for cl...