Dec 09, 2025

2025 - 2026 Undergraduate Catalog

HELP

2025 - 2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Linguistics (BA in Linguistics)

A course must be completed from each of the groups listed below to fulfill the 38-credit requirement for the major. Each major is normally expected to select courses in accordance with the following plan:

Required Credit Hours: 38

Core Requirements:

Courses are to be selected by the student in consultation with a faculty member.

Major Writing Requirement:

(with a grade of C- or better)

LING 440 - Linguistic Field Methods Credits: (4) or
LING 441 - Sociolinguistic Field Methods Credits: (4) or
LING 442 - Experimental Field Methods Credits: (4) or
LING 443 - Evolution of Language Credits: (4)

Required Courses:

LING 220 - Study of Language Credits: (4)
LING 304 - Syntax Credits: (3)
LING 307 - Phonetics and Phonology Credits: (3)
LING 308 - Sociocultural Linguistics Credits: (3)
LING 310 - Language Patterns: Types and Universals Credits: (3)

Sociolinguistics Course (choose one):

AFST 251 - Soon Come: Caribbean Languages and Identities Credits: (3) or
LING 360 - Language Attitudes Credits: (3) or
LING 365 - Language Contact and Change Credits: (3) or
LING 385 - Introduction to Pragmatics Credits: (3) or
LING 406 - Language and Society Credits: (3) or
LING 425 - Social & Linguistic Theories of Bilingual Speech Credits: (3)
If taking more than one, other(s) may be counted as electives.

Experimental Linguistics Course (choose one):

LING 358 - First Language Acquisition Credits: (3) or
LING 370 - Experimental Psycholinguistics Credits: (3) or
LING 380 - Computational Methods in Language Science Credits: (3)
If taking more than one, other(s) may be counted as electives.

Subfield Depth Requirement (3 credits):

LING 400 - Meaning and Understanding in Western Cultural Thought Credits: (3) or
LING 404 - Historical Linguistics Credits: (3) or
LING 406 - Language and Society Credits: (3) or
LING 415 - Linguistic Anthropology Credits: (3) or
LING 420 - Caribbean Linguistics Credits: (3) or
LING 424 - Discourse Analysis Credits: (3) or
LING 425 - Social & Linguistic Theories of Bilingual Speech Credits: (3) or
LING 440 - Linguistic Field Methods Credits: (4) or
LING 441 - Sociolinguistic Field Methods Credits: (4) or
LING 442 - Experimental Field Methods Credits: (4) or
LING 443 - Evolution of Language Credits: (4) or
LING 464 - Topics in Linguistics Credits: (1-3) or
LING 474 - Research Seminar in Linguistics Credits: (4)
If taking more than one, other(s) may be counted as electives.

Elective Choices (9 credits):

AFST 251 - Soon Come: Caribbean Languages and Identities Credits: (3)
CSCI 423 - Finite Automata and Theory of Computation Credits: (3)
LING 230 - Topics in Linguistics Credits: (1-3)
LING 250 - African-American English Credits: (3)
LING 260 - Speech Sound Analysis Credits: (3)
LING 280 - English Language in United States Culture Credits: (3)
LING 303 - History of the English Language Credits: (3)
LING 330 - Topics in Linguistics Credits: (1-3)
LING 358 - First Language Acquisition Credits: (3)
LING 360 - Language Attitudes Credits: (3)
LING 365 - Language Contact and Change Credits: (3)
LING 370 - Experimental Psycholinguistics Credits: (3)
LING 380 - Computational Methods in Language Science Credits: (3)
LING 385 - Introduction to Pragmatics Credits: (3)
LING 400 - Meaning and Understanding in Western Cultural Thought Credits: (3)
LING 404 - Historical Linguistics Credits: (3)
LING 406 - Language and Society Credits: (3)
LING 415 - Linguistic Anthropology Credits: (3)
LING 420 - Caribbean Linguistics Credits: (3)
LING 424 - Discourse Analysis Credits: (3)
LING 425 - Social & Linguistic Theories of Bilingual Speech Credits: (3)
LING 440 - Linguistic Field Methods Credits: (4)
LING 441 - Sociolinguistic Field Methods Credits: (4)
LING 442 - Experimental Field Methods Credits: (4)
LING 443 - Evolution of Language Credits: (4)
LING 464 - Topics in Linguistics Credits: (1-3) – may be repeated when topics vary
LING 474 - Research Seminar in Linguistics Credits: (4)
LING 481 - Independent Study in Linguistics Credits: (1-3)
LING 491 - Research in Linguistics Credits: (1-3)
LING 495 - Honors Credits: (3)
LING 496 - Honors Credits: (3)
Students may count 3 credits of a Linguistics HISP course toward the elective requirement (HISP 262 , HISP 362 , or other HISP courses focused on linguistic content).

The student may propose other courses, including study-abroad courses, to count towards the major. Such choices will be approved on a case-by-case basis, depending on the overall coherence of the student’s proposed major program. Examples of such courses include but are not limited to the courses listed below.

ARAB 304 - Introduction to Arabic Dialects Credits: (3)
FREN 304 - French Phonetics and Diction Credits: (3)
PHIL 335 - Philosophy of Language Credits: (3)
One semester of a non-Indo-European language