Linguistics Requirements

Main Content

Language is both a means of social communication and a unique property of the human mind. As such, linguistics - the scientific study of language - has a broad appeal to students who are interested in the social sciences, the humanities, computer science, or the life sciences. The undergraduate program in linguistics helps students understand the diversity of human modes of communication, the social and psychological origins of language, and the processes by which languages are learned and lost. A major in linguistics thus provides students with a focused but broad-based education in the liberal arts. In addition, the way linguists think about their subject has greatly influenced the development of other disciplines such as anthropology, computer science, language teaching, philosophy, psychology, and sociology. A degree in linguistics will thus be of great value to students intending to pursue careers in these fields.

Graduates of the linguistics program who enter the work force immediately after graduating find employment in a wide variety of settings as teachers, writers, translators, editors, civil servants, community developers, policy makers, analysts, etc. Graduates who go on to advanced study find themselves well prepared for professional careers in fields such as linguistics, language teaching, law, educational administration, speech pathology, development of educational and assessment materials, language planning, publishing, language research, lexicography, and foreign service.

Students working toward a BA degree in Linguistics can choose from four options. The Generalist track allows students to focus on the courses that are of greatest interest to them. The Theoretical Linguistics track provides students with a grounding in linguistic theory and application. The ASL Linguistics track allows students to combine an interest in the language, culture, and linguistics of ASL with work in the linguistics of spoken languages. The Specialization in English as a New Language (ENL) focuses primarily on teaching English to speakers of other languages in an English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), or bilingual setting.

All students pursuing a BA degree in Linguistics are required to take two introductory courses in Linguistics regardless of their chosen track or specialization and must obtain a grade of C or better in both courses. These two courses should be taken early in the student’s degree program.

Required courses for all students pursuing a BA in Linguistics (6 credit hours)

  • LING 200 Language, Society and the Mind  --OR--  LING 201 Language Diversity in the USA
  • LING 300 Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Linguistics

Generalist Track

This track is the best option for students who wish to combine elements of theoretical linguistics and teaching ESL/EFL in their degree program or who are preparing for further coursework in a related field such as Law, Speech Pathology, Sociology, Psychology, etc. Students pursuing this track are encouraged to work closely with the Program Coordinator in Linguistics to identify the courses that will best serve their needs.

Additional requirements for the generalist track:

In addition to the two courses required of all Linguistics majors (LING 200 or 201 and LING 300), students choose 27 credit hours of coursework in Linguistics (courses with a LING prefix). At least 12 credit hours must be at the 400-level; the remaining 15 credit hours may be at the 300- or 400-level. Six of the 27 credit hours may be taken outside of the Linguistics Program with the prior approval of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics.

B.A. Linguistics - Generalist Track Degree Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
University Core Curriculum Requirements 39
College of Liberal Arts Academic Requirements (includes one year of a language) 18
Requirements for Major in Linguistics 33
Core courses: LING 200 or LING 201, LING 300 each with a grade of C or better 6
Electives: 27 credit hours, 12 of which must be at the 400- or 500-level. The remainder may be at the 300-, 400- or 500-level. Six of the 27 credit hours may be taken outside of Linguistics with approval of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics. 27
University Electives 30
Total 120

Theoretical Linguistics Track

This track is the best option for those students who wish to move on to graduate work in Linguistics. The focus in this track is on providing a solid theoretical foundation in several subfields within Linguistics that will serve as the base for more advanced work at the graduate level.

Because the study of theoretical linguistics involves analysis of languages other than one’s native language, the theoretical linguistics track requires either one year of an uncommon or non-Western language or two years of any other non-English language. One year of an uncommon or non-Western language also satisfies the language requirement of the College of Liberal Arts. Students who choose to study a common, Western language satisfy the College of Liberal Arts requirement by taking the first year of that language and satisfy the Theoretical Linguistics language requirement by taking a second year of that language.

In addition to the two courses required of all BA Linguistics majors (LING 200 or 201 and LING 300), students pursuing the Theoretical Linguistics track must also take the following courses:

Core Subfields (6 credit hours with a grade of C or better):

  • LING 405 Introduction to Phonological Theories OR LING 503 Phonological Theories
  • LING 408 Introduction to Syntactic Theory OR LING 508 Syntactic Theory

Theoretical Breadth (12 credit hours):

The Theoretical Linguistics track expects students to concentrate their coursework in areas that cover the most common sub-specializations pursued at the graduate level. To that end, students in this track choose four courses from the list of theoretically-oriented courses below with at least two of those courses coming from the sub-specializations list.

Sub-specializations (6 credit hours):

  • LING 400 Introduction to Formal Semantics (or LING 500)
  • LING 402 Introduction to Phonetics (or LING 502)
  • LING 406 Introduction to Historical Linguistics (or LING 506)
  • LING 415 Introduction to Sociolinguistics (or LING 515)
  • LING 420 Introduction to Morphology (or LING 520)

The remaining courses in the Theoretical Breadth category can come either from additional sub-specialization courses (above) or from other theoretically-oriented courses (below).

Additional Theoretical Breadth courses (6 credit hours):

  • LING 202 The Art of Language Invention
  • LING 320I Language, Gender, & Power
  • LING 328 Language and Law
  • LING 404 Introduction to American Dialects (or LING 504)
  • LING 410 Introduction to Philosophy of Language (or LING 509)
  • LING 411 Introduction to Languages of the World (or LING 511)
  • LING 412 The Linguistic Structure of Japanese
  • LING 416 Introduction to Spanish(es) in the U.S.A. (or LING 516)
  • LING 417 Introduction to Language Contact (or LING 517)
  • LING 430 Introduction to Linguistic Structures (or LING 530)
  • LING 440 Topics in Linguistics (or LING 540)(where appropriate)
  • LING 445 Introduction to Psycholinguistics (or LING 535)
  • LING 450 Introduction to Language Families (or LING 525)
  • LING 452 Introduction to Linguistic Field Methods (or LING 552)

Electives (9 credit hours):

The remaining 9 credit hours (3 courses) are chosen from any of the 300- or 400-level courses offered with a LING prefix. Up to six credit hours may be drawn from other programs with the prior approval of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics. 

Students who are interested in entering the Accelerated MA Program in Linguistics are encouraged to work with the Program Coordinator and Graduate Coordinator in Linguistics in planning their program of study to ensure they take appropriate 500-level classes that can reduce the required MA Linguistics coursework to 27 credit hours.

B.A. Linguistics - Theoretical Linguistics Track Degree Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
University Core Curriculum Requirements 39
College of Liberal Arts Academic Requirements (includes one year of a language) 18
Requirements for Major in Linguistics 33-39
Core Courses: LING 200 or LING 201, LING 300, LING 405 or LING 503, and LING 408 or LING 508, each with a grade of C or better. 12
Theoretical Breadth: At least two of LING 400 or LING 500, LING 402 or LING 502, LING 406 or LING 506, LING 415 or LING 515, and LING 420 or LING 520, plus two additional Theoretical Breadth courses listed above. 12
Electives: 9 credit hours, chosen from any of the 300-, 400-, or 500-level courses offered with a LING prefix. Six of the 9 credit hours may be taken outside of Linguistics with the approval of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics. 9
Language Requirement (if chosen language is a common, Western language) (0-6)
University Electives 24-30
Total 120

ASL Linguistics Track

This track is a good option for students who already have some expertise in ASL or who wish to learn more about the language and culture of ASL. This track enables students to gain at least an intermediate level of proficiency in ASL while introducing them to deaf culture and the linguistics of ASL.

The study of ASL Linguistics requires some familiarity with ASL itself and therefore students in this track must complete two years of language instruction in ASL. The first year of language instruction satisfies the language requirement of the College of Liberal Arts. The second year of language instruction is a requirement of the ASL Linguistics track.

In addition to the two courses required of all BA Linguistics majors (LING 200 or 201 and LING 300), students pursuing the ASL Linguistics track must also take the following courses:

Core Courses (6 credit hours with a grade of C or better):

  • ASL 370 Deaf Culture
  • ASL 375/LING 375 History of Sign Language

ASL Focus (15 credit hours):

The ASL Linguistics track expects students to concentrate their coursework in areas that focus on ASL and on the linguistics of ASL. To that end, students in this track choose five courses from the list of courses below that allow students to focus on the linguistics of ASL with at least two of those courses coming from the sub-specialization list.

ASL sub-specialization courses (6 credit hours):

  • ASL 351/LING 351 Linguistics of American Sign Language
  • LING 352/ASL 352 Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities
  • ASL 306 Classifiers
  • ASL 401 Special Topics in ASL
  • LING 415 Introduction to Sociolinguistics (or LING 515)
  • LING 450 Introduction to Language Families (or LING 525) (when the focus is on signed languages)

The remaining courses in the ASL Focus category can come either from additional sub-specialization courses (above) or from other courses below. In these courses, students will have an opportunity to incorporate ASL into their coursework.

Additional ASL Language & Linguistics courses (9 credit hours):

  • ASL 230 Numbering Systems of ASL
  • ASL 307 Masterpieces of the Deaf World
  • ASL 320A/ASL 320B Advanced ASL I & II
  • ASL 400 Advanced Fingerspelling
  • LING 320I Language, Gender, & Power
  • LING 405 Introduction to Phonological Theories (or LING 503)
  • LING 408 Introduction to Syntactic Theory (or LING 508)
  • LING 417 Introduction to Language Contact (or LING 517)
  • LING 420 Introduction to Morphology
  • LING 430 Introduction to Linguistic Structures (or LING 530)(where appropriate)
  • LING 440 Topics in Linguistics (or LING 540)(where appropriate)
  • Additional courses are allowed with prior approval of the Program Coordinator

Language requirement (6 credit hours):

  • ASL 220A Intermediate ASL I
  • ASL 220B Intermediate ASL II

B.A. Linguistics - ASL Linguistics Track Degree Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
University Core Curriculum Requirements 39
College of Liberal Arts Academic Requirements (including ASL 120A/ASL 120B) 18
Requirements for Major in Linguistics 33
Core Courses: LING 200 or LING 201, LING 300, ASL 370, and ASL 375/LING 375 each with a grade of C or better 12
ASL Focus: At least two of ASL 351/LING 351, ASL 352/LING 352, ASL 306, ASL 401, LING 415 or LING 515, and LING 450 or LING 525, plus three additional ASL Language and Linguistics courses listed above. 15
ASL Language Requirement: ASL 220A/ASL 220B 6
University Electives 30
Total 120

English as a New Language (ENL) Specialization

The Specialization in ENL is the best option for students who wish to work in the field of ESL education after graduation or continue with graduate-level work in ESL or TESOL. This Specialization provides coursework in the structure of the English language and pedagogical methods appropriate for teaching English to speakers of other languages, both adults and children, in ESL, EFL, and bilingual settings.

In addition to the two courses required of all BA Linguistics majors (LING 200 or 201 and LING 300), students pursuing the Specialization in ENL must also take the following courses:

Core Courses (6 credit hours with a grade of C or better):

  • LING 407 Theory, Methods, and Materials of TESOL (or LING 570)
  • LING 472 Introduction to Language Assessment (or LING 572)

Teaching Specialization (12 credit hours):
The ENL Specialization requires that students focus most of their coursework in areas that directly relate to the teaching of English. Students in this Specialization choose four courses from the categories listed below with at least one course focused on Language Skills.
 
Language Skills (3 credit hours):

  • LING 431 Introduction to Teaching Writing and Grammar (or LING 531)
  • LING 485 Introduction to Teaching Listening and Speaking (or LING 585)
  • LING 487 Introduction to Teaching Reading and Vocabulary (or LING 587)

The remaining courses in the Teaching Specialization category can come either from additional Language Skills (above) or from other TESOL Focus courses (below).

TESOL Focus (9 credit hours):

  • LING 341 Introduction to Intercultural Communication
  • LING 415 Introduction to Sociolinguistics (or LING 515)
  • LING 440 Topics in Linguistics (or LING 540)(where appropriate)
  • LING 442 Introduction to Language Planning
  • LING 443 Introduction to Bilingualism (or LING 543)
  • LING 444 Introduction to Second Language Acquisition (or LING 541)
  • LING 454 Observation and Practice in TESOL
  • LING 470 Foundations of Teaching ESL & Bilingual Students in K-12 Contexts (or LING 560)
  • LING 471 Introduction to Bilingual Education Methods (or LING 571)
  • LING 473 Introduction to Computer Assisted Language Learning (or LING 573)
  • LING 482 Introduction to Course Design (or LING 582)
  • LING 488 Introduction to Culture and the Language Classroom (or LING 588)
  • LING 490 TESOL Internship (or LING 594)

Electives (9 credit hours):

The remaining 9 credit hours (3 courses) are chosen from any of the 300-, 400-, or 500-level courses offered with a LING prefix. Up to six credit hours may be drawn from other programs with the prior approval of the Undergraduate Studies Coordinator in Linguistics.

Students who are interested in obtaining an ESL Endorsement to a Professional Educator License should speak with the Program Coordinator in Linguistics for a specific list of courses that will satisfy this endorsement. The ESL Endorsement coursework can be completed while working toward the ENL Specialization or on the Generalist track with the guidance of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics.

B.A. Linguistics - English as a New Language (ENL) Specialization Degree Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
University Core Curriculum Requirements 39
College of Liberal Arts Academic Requirements (includes one year of a language) 18
Requirements for Major in Linguistics 33
Core Courses: LING 200 or LING 201, LING 300, LING 407 or LING 570, and LING 472 or LING 572, each with a grade of C or better. 12
Teaching Specialization: At least one of LING 431 or LING 531, LING 485 or LING 585, and LING 487 or LING 587, plus three additional Language Skills or TESOL Focus courses listed above. 12
Electives: 9 credit hours, chosen from any of the 300-, 400-, or 500-level courses offered with a LING prefix. Six of the 9 credit hours may be taken outside of Linguistics with the approval of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics. 9
University Electives 30
Total 120

Linguistics Minor

The Minor in Linguistics requires 18 credit hours of study and draws upon core courses in Linguistics. It introduces students to the scientific study of language and to aspects of linguistic structure and language use. A Minor in Linguistics may be of interest to students majoring in a variety of fields including but not limited to: Anthropology, Communication Disorders and Sciences, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Education, English, Languages and Literatures, Mathematics, Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology.

Course requirements for the Minor in Linguistics are LING 300, plus at least five additional LING courses (15 credit hours) including at least two LING courses (6 credit hours) at the 400- or 500-level. The remaining three courses (9 credit hours) may be at the 300-, 400-, or 500-level. Up to six credit hours may be drawn from other programs with the prior approval of the Program Coordinator in Linguistics.