The Linguistics Major

Shellie Chiavetta, a Linguistics major, studied the language use of males and females for words such as "very" and "really" and found some interesting results. Learn more.

Requirements for the Major     Click here for a printer-friendly checklist

All of the following:

LING 405 or 505, Introduction to Linguistics (505 was renumbered to 405 in 2005)*
LING 605, Introduction to Linguistic Analysis
LING 793, Phonetics and Phonology
LING 794, Syntax and Semantic Theory

One course in historical linguistics:

CLAS 506, Introduction to Comparative and Historical Linguistics
ENGL 752, History of the English Language
GERM 733, History and Structure of the German Language
ITAL 733, History of Italian
RUSS 733, History and Development of the Russian Language
SPAN 733, History of the Spanish Language

Two years college study (or equivalent) of one foreign language or American Sign Language

One of the following cognate specialties:

One year college study (or equivalent) of a second foreign language from a different language family or subfamily (Old English may count as the second foreign language if the first foreign language is not in the Germanic family) or American Sign Language.

PSYC 712, Psychology of Language (with its prerequisite, either PSYC 512, Psychology of Primates, or PSYC 513, Cognitive Psychology)

CS 765, Introduction to Computational Linguistics (with its prerequisite)

Two elective courses from the list below:

LING 444B, The Secret Lives of Words
LING 444F (H), Language Matters in America
LING 405/505, Introduction to Linguistics (same as ENGL 405/505)
LING 506, Introduction to Comparative and Historical Linguistics (same as CLAS 506)
LING 605, Introduction to Linguistic Analysis (same as ENGL 605)
LING 620, Applied Experience in Linguistics
LING 695, 696, Senior Honors (possible Capstone course, for Honors students)
LING 717, World Englishes (same as ENGL 717)
LING 719, Sociolinguistics Survey (same as ENGL 719)
LING 779, Linguistic Field Methods (same as ENGL 779) (possible Capstone course)
LING 790, Special Topics in Linguistic Theory (same as ENGL 790)
LING 793, Phonetics and Phonology (same as ENGL 793)
LING 794, Syntax and Semantic Theory (same as ENGL 794)
LING 795,796, Independent Study
ANTH 670, Language and Culture
ANTH 795b, 796b, Anthropological Linguistics (Independent Study)
CLAS 506, Intro to Comparative and Historical Linguistics
CMN 572, Language and Social Interaction
CMN 666, Conversation Analysis
CMN 672, Theories of Language and Discourse
COMM 522, The Acquisition of Language
COMPSCI 765, Introduction to Computational Linguistics
ENGL 715, TESL: Theory and Methods
ENGL 716, Curriculum Design, Materials, and Testing in English as a Second Language
ENGL 718, Linguistics and Literature
ENGL 727, Issues in Second Language Writing
ENGL 752, History of the English Language
ENGL 791, English Grammar
INCO 590, Undergraduate Research Experience (Note: This is a variable credit course. It may count toward the LING major if taken for 4 credits and if a topic approved by the Linguistics coordinator is selected.)
LLC 791, Methods of Foreign Language Teaching (previously GERM, GREK, LATN, SPAN &RUSS 791)
GERM 733, History and Structure of the German Language
LATIN 795k,l, 796k,l, Independent Study
PHIL 550, Symbolic Logic
PHIL 618, Recent Anglo-American Philosophy
PHIL 650, Logic: Scope and Limits
PHIL 745, Philosophy of Language
PSYC 512, Psychology of Primates (Note: Students may count either PSYC 512 or 513 to the Linguistics major or minor, but not both.)
PSYC 513, Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (Note: Students may count either PSYC 512 or 513 to the Linguistics major or minor, but not both.)
PSYC 712, Psychology of Language
RUSS 733, History and Development of the Russian Language
SOC 797f, Sociolinguistics
SPAN 601, Spanish Phonetics
SPAN 645, Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
SPAN 733, History of the Spanish Language
SPAN 790, Grammatical Structure of Spanish

Capstone Experience:

Either LING 779, Linguistic Field Methods, or LING 695, Senior Thesis

Other courses may be substituted, with the permission of the student’s adviser and the Linguistics Committee, when they are pertinent to the needs of the student’s program.

*Linguistics majors who have only a single major may not use LING 405 or 505 to satisfy a General Education requirement.