Department of Linguistics

• Overview
• What is Linguistics?
• Undergraduate advisor
• How to declare

• Major
• Joint major
• Minor
• Program Guide

• Exchanges, study abroad, summer programs
• Internships
• Fellowships
• Career opportunities

The Department of Linguistics offers six interdisciplinary majors in which the study of linguistics forms a significant part of the curriculum. These are a combination of Linguistics and Anthropology, Chinese, German, Japanese, Philosophy, and Psychology. It is also possible to major in linguistics alone or to minor in linguistics.

The joint majors are currently under review. Please contact both departments before considering any of these majors to determine current availability of course offerings.

1. Linguistics and Anthropology

Two years (or equivalent) of a foreign language to be taken before the junior year. A minimum of 40 credits in Linguistics and Anthropology including the following:

One of the following:

ANTH 102 Archaeology and Prehistory
ANTH 103 Human Origins and Variation

All of the following:

ANTH 104 Culture, Society, and People
ANTH 105 Language, Culture, and Communication
LING 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LING 401 Introduction to Syntax
LING 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
LING 404 Field Methods
LING 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists (4 cr.)
ANTH 233 Kinship and Social Organization

One of the following:

ANTH 363 Linguistic Anthropology: Comparative Dimension
LING 505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics

One of the following:

ANTH 360 Language in Culture and Society
LING 413 Sociolinguistics

One of the following:

ANTH 317 Primate Behavior
ANTH 368 Old World Prehistory
ANTH 369 North American Archaeology

Plus any two other 3 credit courses in Linguistics and Anthropology numbered 200 and above.

2. Linguistics and Chinese

Requires the successful completion of four semester courses in Mandarin Chinese (24 credits): Chinese 126, 246, 326, 327 or the equivalent. The major consists of thirty seven credits distributed between Linguistics, Chinese, and elective courses, and will normally include the following:

Linguistics (18 credits):

All of the following:

LING 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LING 401 Introduction to Syntax
LING 402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Three of the following:

LING 404 Field Methods
LING 411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
LING 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists (4 credits)
LING 503 Intermediate Syntax
LING 505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics
LING 510 Introduction to Semantics (4 credits)

Chinese (16 credits):

Both of the following:

CHINSE 375 Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
CHINSE 450 Elementary Classical Chinese (4 cr.)

One of the following:

CHINSE 575 Syntactic Structures of Chinese
CHINSE 576 History of the Chinese Language
CHINSE 577 Chinese Dialectology

Two of a group of courses consisting of the previous group (575, 576, 577) and the following:

CHINSE 426 Advanced Modern Chinese I
CHINSE 427 Advanced Modern Chinese II
CHINSE 432 Media Chinese
CHINSE 433 Business Chinese
CHINSE 451 Intermediate Classical Chinese
CHINSE 570 Research in Chinese Source Materials

Electives (3 credits):

One of the following:

CHINSE 138 Religion in Chinese Culture
CHINSE 153 Literature: Poetry
CHINSE 154 Literature: Tales, Short Story, Novel
CHINSE 241 Contemporary Chinese Literature
CHINSE 323 Chinese Literary Genres
CHINSE 331 Contemplative Literature: East &West
HIST 115 History of East Asia: China

3. Linguistics and German

Successful completion of four semester courses in German (12 credits): 110, 120, 230, 240, or equivalent. Thirty credits distributed between Linguistics and German such that at least 14 credits are earned in German courses bearing numbers over 200, and normally including the following:

LING 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LING 401 Introduction to Syntax
LING 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
LING 411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
LING 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists (4 cr.)
GERMAN 310 Advanced German I (4 cr.)
GERMAN 320 Advanced German II (4 cr.)
GERMAN 425 Advanced Composition
GERMAN 584 The German Language
GERMAN 585 The Structure of German

Students are encouraged to take graduate courses in the older Germanic Languages for undergraduate credit (e.g. German 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 810, 811, 812) and may also opt to take courses in German literature or civilization, and courses and/or language courses in Danish, Dutch, Swedish.

4. Linguistics and Japanese

The successful completion of four semester courses in Japanese (24 credits): Japanese 126, 246, 326, 327 (or the equivalent). The major consists of 36 credits distributed between Linguistics, Japanese, and elective courses, and will normally include the following:

Linguistics (18 credits):

All of the following:

LING 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LING 401 Introduction to Syntax
LING 402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Three of the following:

LING 411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
LING 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists (4 credits)
LING 503 Intermediate Syntax
LING 505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics
LING 510 Introduction to Semantics (4 credits)

Japanese (18 credits):

Three of the following:

JAPAN 375 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
JAPAN 556 Introduction to Classical Japanese
JAPAN 575 Syntactic Structures of Japanese
JAPAN 580 Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language

Six credits chosen from the following:

JAPAN 426 Readings in Modern Japanese I (6 cr.)
JAPAN 427 Readings in Modern Japanese II (6 cr.)
JAPAN 430 Scientific and Technical Japanese
JAPAN 498Y Practicum (1-3 cr.)
JAPAN 532 Media Japanese I
JAPAN 533 Media Japanese II
JAPAN 536 Advanced Japanese I
JAPAN 537 Advanced Japanese II

Electives (3 credits):

One of the following:

JAPAN 135 Japanese Art and Culture
JAPAN 143 Literature: Classical and Medieval
JAPAN 144 Literature: Modern

5. Linguistics and Philosophy

Two years (or equivalent) of a foreign language to be taken before the junior year, plus 42 semester hours of credit distributed between philosophy and linguistics. At the discretion of the directors of undergraduate studies in each department, other senior-level courses in Linguistics and Philosophy may be substituted for those listed below.

LING 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LING 401 Introduction to Syntax
LING 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
LING 409 Formal Foundations of Linguistic Theory
LING 411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
PHIL 310 Intermediate Logic
LING 510 Introduction to Semantics (4 credits)
PHIL 511 Modal Logic
PHIL 512 Philosophy and Logic
PHIL 513 Mathematical Logic
PHIL 514 Mathematical Logic II
PHIL 335 Contemporary Analytic Philosophy
PHIL 382 Philosophical Approaches to Science
PHIL 582 Philosophy of Science
PHIL 584 Philosophy of Language
PHIL 550 Epistemology
PHIL 551 Metaphysics

6. Linguistics and Psychology

The courses listed below, plus an additional 18 credits of courses numbered 300 and above in Linguistics and Psychology. A senior thesis may contribute up to 6 credits toward this requirement.

LING 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LING 401 Introduction to Syntax
LING 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
LING 409 Formal Foundations of Linguistic Theory
LING 411 Introduction to Psycholinguistics
PSYCH 100 Elementary Psychology
PSYCH 240 Psychological Statistics
PSYCH 241 Methods in Psychology

Two of the following:

PSYCH 315 Cognitive Psychology
PSYCH 330 Behavioral Neuroscience
PSYCH 350 Child Behavior and Development

One of the following:

LING 412 Language Processing and the Brain
PSYCH 318 Psychology of Language

Senior Thesis: Students are encouraged to consider writing a senior thesis.