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Linguistics

Linguistics | Courses | Faculty

226 South College

Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Contact: Rajesh Bhatt
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Office: 224 South College
Phone: (413) 545-0885/577-0797
Email: bhatt@linguist.umass.edu

Distinguished University Professor McCarthy. Professors Frazier, Kingston, Kratzer, Johnson, Partee, Roeper, Selkirk, Speas, Woolford; Associate Professors Bhatt, Green, Pater, Potts; Assistant Professor Cable.

The Field

Linguistics is the study of human language: its formal structure, its use in communication, and its role as part of human psychology. It has undergone rapid change and development in the last 30 years, and our faculty is at the forefront of that change. Undergraduates thus have an excellent opportunity to find out what linguistics is, how linguistics has advanced our understanding of the nature of human language, and how the results of linguistic research may relate to such fields as communication studies, computer science and artificial intelligence, philosophy, psychology and human development, and speech therapy. Linguistics is nearly unique in relating to all three of the broad areas of research at the university: humanities, the natural sciences and mathematics, and the social and behavioral sciences. It therefore may appeal especially to those who have broad interests spanning these domains. Linguists do not necessarily have to know a large number of languages, but a background in foreign languages can certainly be an asset, since concentrated investigation of one language or a few related ones is a typical mode of inquiry. In addition, a grounding in mathematics can be very helpful for the formal side of linguistic theory.

The Majors

The department offers a Linguistics major, and seven interdisciplinary majors combining Linguistics with one of the following: Anthropology, Chinese, German, Japanese, Philosophy, Psychology, or Russian.

Common requirements for all majors: A grade of C or better must be earned in any course used to satisfy major requirements. All majors must complete the Junior Year Writing requirement in the department. The departmental website, www.umass.edu/linguist, lists courses that satisfy the requirement.

Linguistics
Twelve courses (38 credits minimum), including Junior Year Writing.

Required core (17 credits):
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists
510 Introduction to Semantics

Language requirement (6-7 credits):
Two courses, from any combination of the following:
390D Introduction to African American English
404 Field Methods
Linguistically oriented courses on a language other than English at the 300-400 level. Students should consult the Undergraduate Adviser.
Courses on the structure of a language other than English

Departmental electives (15 credits):
Five additional courses are required. No course that is applied to any other requirement can be applied to this one. Otherwise, any linguistics class can be an elective, although no more than one 100-level class can be so used.

Students may apply up to two courses from certain related departments (e.g., Anthropology, Computer Science, Communication Disorders, Legal Studies, Philosophy, Psychology) to this requirement, but must receive prior approval from the undergraduate adviser.

Linguistics and Anthropology

Two years (or equivalent) of a foreign language, to be completed before the junior year. A minimum of 44 credits in Linguistics and Anthropology including all of the following:

ANTHRO 102 Archaeology and Prehistory or ANTHRO 103 Human Origins and Variation
ANTHRO 104 Culture, Society and People
ANTHRO 105 Language, Culture and Communication
ANTHRO 233 Kinship and Social Organization
LINGUIST 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LINGUIST 401 Introduction to Syntax
LINGUIST 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
LINGUIST 404 Field Methods
LINGUIST 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists

One of the following:
ANTHRO 363 Linguistic Anthropology: Comparative Dimensions
LINGUIST 505 Historical Linguistics

One of the following:
ANTHRO 360 Language in Culture and Society
LINGUIST 413 Sociolinguistics

One of the following:
ANTHRO 317 Primate Behavior
ANTHRO 368 Old World Prehistory
ANTHRO 369 North American Archaeology

Two additional three-credit courses in Linguistics or Anthropology numbered 200 and above.

Linguistics and Chinese

The successful completion of four courses in Mandarin Chinese (24 credits): CHINESE 125, 246, 326, and 327, or the equivalent. At least 38 credits distributed between Linguistics and Chinese, as follows:

Linguistics courses (19-21 credits):
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Three of the following:
404 Field Methods
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
412 Language Processing and the Brain
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists
503 Intermediate Syntax
505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics
510 Introduction to Semantics

Chinese courses (19 credits):
375 Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
450 Elementary Classical Chinese

Three courses from the following group, at least one of which must be CHINESE 575, 576, or 577:
575 Syntactic Structures of Chinese
576 History of the Chinese Language
577 Chinese Dialectology
426 Advanced Modern Chinese I
427 Advanced Modern Chinese II
432 Media Chinese
433 Business Chinese
451 Intermediate Classical Chinese
570 Research in Chinese Source Materials

One of the following:
138 Religion in Chinese Culture
153 Literature: Poetry
154 Literature: Tales, Short Stories, Novels
241 Contemporary Chinese Literature
HISTORY 114 Chinese Civilization: Ancient Origins to the End of the Mongol Era
HISTORY 115 Chinese Civilization: Early Modern to the Present

Linguistics and German

Successful completion of four courses in German (12 credits): 110, 120, 230 and 240 (or equivalent). Thirty-one credits distributed between Linguistics and German, as follows.

Linguistics courses (17 credits):
201 Introduction to Linguistics Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists

German courses (14 credits):
310 Advanced German I
320 Advanced German II
425 Advanced Composition
584 The German Language or 585 The Structure of German

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

Linguistics and Japanese

The successful completion of four courses in Japanese (24 credits): JAPANESE 126, 246, 326 and 327 (or the equivalent). At least 37 credits distributed between Japanese and Linguistics courses, as follows:

Linguistics courses (19-20 credits):
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Japanese courses (18 credits):
Three of the following:
375 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
556 Introduction to Classical Japanese
575 Syntactic Structures of Japanese
580 Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language

Six credits chosen from the following:
426 Readings in Modern Japanese I
427 Readings in Modern Japanese II
430 Scientific and Technical Japanese
498Y Practicum (1-3 credits)
532 Media Japanese I
533 Media Japanese II
536 Advanced Japanese I
537 Advanced Japanese II

One of the following:
135 Japanese Art and Culture
143 Literature: Classical and Medieval
144 Literature: Modern
560 Seminar in Japanese Literature

Some of the Japanese course requirements for this joint major are not currently being offered on a regular basis by University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty, but it is possible to arrange for coursework through the Five Colleges or by special arrangement with individual faculty, or by study abroad. For more information, contact the Undergraduate Adviser.

Linguistics and Philosophy

Two years (or equivalent) of a foreign language, to be completed before the junior year. At least 42 credits in courses distributed between Philosophy and Linguistics, including those listed below.

Required Linguistics courses (20 credits):
201 Introduction to Linguistics Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
409 Formal Foundations of Linguistic Theory
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
510 Introduction to Semantics

Required Philosophy courses (12 credits):
310 Intermediate Logic
550 Epistemology or 551 Metaphysics

One of the following:
511 Modal Logic
512 Philosophy and Logic
513 Mathematical Logic I
514 Mathematical Logic II

One of the following:
335 Contemporary Analytic Philosophy
382 Philosophical Approaches to Science
582 Philosophy of Science
584 Philosophy of Language

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.

Linguistics and Psychology

The courses listed below (36 credits), plus an additional 18 credits in courses numbered 300 and above in Linguistics and Psychology. A senior thesis may contribute up to six credits toward this requirement.

LINGUIST 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LINGUIST 401 Introduction to Syntax
LINGUIST 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
One of the following:
LINGUIST 409 Formal Foundations of Linguistic Theory
or 510 Introduction to Semantics
LINGUIST 411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
PSYCH 100 Elementary Psychology
PSYCH 240 Statistics in Psychology
PSYCH 241 Methods of Inquiry in Psychology

Two of the following:
PSYCH 315 Cognitive Psychology
PSYCH 330 Physiological Psychology
PSYCH 350 Child Behavior and Development

One of the following:
LINGUIST 412 Language Processing and the Brain
PSYCH 318 Psychology of Language

Linguistics and Russian

Successful completion of four courses in Russian: RUSSIAN 110, 120, 230 and 240 (or equivalent). Thirty-two credits distributed between Linguistics and Russian, as follows:

Linguistics courses (17 credits):
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists

Russian courses (15 credits):
301 Advanced Russian I
302 Advanced Russian II
560 Russian Phonetics
561 Structure of Russian
563 Contrastive Structures of Russian and English

The Russian course requirements for this joint major are not currently being offered on a regular basis by University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty, but it may be possible to arrange for coursework through the Five Colleges or by special arrangement with individual faculty, or by study abroad. For more information, contact the Undergraduate Adviser.

Additional courses may be selected from the offerings of the Slavic languages departments in the Five Colleges.

Career Opportunities

The primary job market in pure linguistics is academic, for those with Ph.D.s, and is rather limited. However, training in linguistics can be valuable for those specializing in any field in which language is at the center of attention, such as communications, communication disorders and speech and reading therapy, information retrieval, natural language processing, language preservation and revitalization, language policy, foreign language teaching, law, philosophy, pre-school and elementary education, psychology, and teaching English and other languages. Notions from linguistics have been influential in a number of other fields in recent years, especially in the study of literature, and in the social and behavioral sciences. There are considerable opportunities currently in the development of computer processing of text, both spoken and written. In general, the field provides an excellent opportunity for training both theoretical and observational powers, by practice in the development of techniques of analysis, and hypothesis formation and testing, all applied to data which can be collected readily by the student.

The Minor

Two of the following courses must be chosen as “cores”:
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure

One 400-level in addition to the chosen core is required.

Two linguistics courses at the 300 level or above must also be chosen. Selection varies from year to year, but may include:
390A Controlling the Discourse
391BH Oral Styles and Discourse Modes in African American English (Honors)
393A Seminar: Language Production
394A Language and Mind
395A Seminar: Introduction to African American English
397A Special Topics: Discourse Analysis
397C Special Topics: Linguistics and Literature
401 Introduction to Syntax (if not chosen as a “core”)
402 Speech Sounds and Structure (if not chosen as a“core”)
404 Field Methods
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
412 Language Processing and the Brain
413 Sociolinguistics
492A Seminar in Phonology
495B Typology and Universal Grammar
496 Independent Study
497A Special Topics: Acquisition of Phonology
501 Linguistic Theory and the Grammar of English
503 Intermediate Syntax
505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics
510 Introduction to Semantics
Any other Linguistics course currently being offered at the 300 level or higher.

Notes: See “Interdisciplinary Programs” under Linguistics for details of prerequisites.

LINGUIST 201 is prerequisite to 401, 404, 409, 412, 505, 510.

Up to 6 transfer credits may be accepted.

One non-“core” course may be taken Pass/Fail. (“Core” courses are 201, 401, 402.)

One 3-credit Independent Study is allowed as part of the minor.

Linguistics | Courses | Faculty