Major, Minor, and Honors

The minimum course requirements for the major (for those that declare Spring 2021 or earlier):

  • LING 114 OR LING 170 (choose one) AND LING 118 (equivalents are ANTH 114, 118 and 170);
  • 24 additional credits in linguistics, at least 12 of which must be at the upper-division level (LING 300 or above);

Language courses:

  • one advanced foreign language course, in composition or phonetics or advanced grammatical analysis, presupposing intermediate fluency (the fluency normally attained after four or more semesters of college-level language instruction)
  • four semesters of college-level instruction in a language or languages other than the language above. Students may fulfill this requirement with up to four semesters (or equivalent) in a single additional language or one semester each of four different languages, or any combination adding up to the equivalent of four semesters of college-level language instruction.

The minimum course requirements for the major (for those that declare Fall 2021 or later):

  • LING 118 (equivalent is ANTH 118);
  • 24 additional credits in linguistics, at least 16 of which must be at the upper-division level (LING 300 or above);

Language courses:

  • one advanced foreign language course, in composition or phonetics or advanced grammatical analysis, presupposing intermediate fluency (the fluency normally attained after four or more semesters of college-level language instruction)
    one upper level language course in the advanced foreign language
  • four semesters of college-level instruction (or the equivalent, including courses taken at the secondary school level, equating one year of instruction to one semester of college-level instruction starting from the second year of secondary school study) in a language or languages other than the language above. Students may fulfill this requirement with up to four semesters (or equivalent) in a single additional language or one semester each of four different languages, or any combination adding up to the equivalent of four semesters of college-level language instruction.

Linguistics Minor

The linguistics minor, like the major, is interdivisional, which means that students who declare two minors may count the linguistics minor as not being in the same division as their other minor (which is necessary for students whose major and one minor are in a single division).

  • Six courses, distributed as follows, are required for the linguistics minor:
  • LING 114 OR LING 170 (choose one) AND 118 (equivalents are ANTH 114, 118 and 170)
    four other courses in linguistics, at least two of which must be at or above the 300 level

Honors Program in Linguistics

The award of honors in linguistics is based upon completion of an acceptable honors thesis. To be considered for honors, a student must have at least a B+ average in linguistics courses, must secure the approval of a faculty member who agrees to serve as the honors thesis supervisor and a second faculty member who will serve as a reader, and must submit a written request to the program director for approval no later than the end of the semester preceding the student's final semester.

Up to four credits may be obtained for the thesis by registering for LING 498. LING 498 may not be used, however, toward fulfillment of the minimum course requirements for the major. By the last day of classes in the student's final semester, each honors thesis supervisor must submit written confirmation that an acceptable thesis has been completed or is certain to be completed by the end of the semester.

Declare a Linguistics Major or Minor

If you would like to declare Linguistics as your major or minor, please complete the

Please allow 2-3 business days for the form to be processed and to be added to our Linguistics Listserv.