Linguistics at UMass

We are internationally recognized as a major center for research and education in linguistics. Our doctoral program focuses on educating a small number of PhD students as high-quality researchers and teachers. Our undergraduate program develops broadly applicable skills in linguistic analysis and understanding of the diversity of human language.

UMass Gives banner
UMass Gives 2025 Linguistics
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UMLAUT, the newsletter of UMass Linguistics
Photograph of Katrin Erk
Welcome to Katrin Erk
Photograph of Seth Cable
Seth Cable appointed Edward Sapir Professor in Linguistics
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NEW! Linguistics and Data Science Certificate
LSA Summer Institute in Linguistics 2023
LSA Summer Institute at UMass Amherst

UMass linguistics hosted the 2023 Linguistic Society of America Summer Institute from June 19 to July 14. For more information, visit the 2023 institute website.

What is linguistics?

Linguistics is the systematic study of human language. Linguists are interested in language for its own sake, as a complex product of the human mind. They are also interested in how language develops in children, how it changes over time, and how it is used in human society.

Freeman Lecture
Don Freeman

Freeman Lecture

Department History
scan of an old advertisement of the UMass linguistics program dating from 1972

Department History

GLSA
GLSA

GLSA