Linguistics Concentration

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Linguistics

Chair(s):

John Fennell

Faculty:

Timothy Arner
Brigittine French
Cynthia Hansen
Kelly Herold
Angelo Mercado
John Stone
Carmen Valentín

The linguistics concentration focuses on the systematic and scientific study of language. It focuses on the investigation of the core aspects of human language, including the physical properties and structure of sounds (phonetics and phonology), words (morphology), and sentences (syntax). In addition to the study of these core areas of structure, elective courses in the Departments of Anthropology, Computer Science, English, Philosophy, Psychology, Spanish and other foreign languages offer various perspectives on different aspects of language and its uses. Some knowledge of a nonnative language is required. The capstone experience for students in the concentration will either be a LIN 395, research seminar in Linguistics (topics variable), or an Independent Study or a MAP, which are expected to build on some past work in the student’s program. A public presentation will be required for students choosing MAPs.

Concentration requirements: 22 or 24 credits as follows:

Required: competence in a nonnative language, as certified by the relevant department (equivalent to, for example, LAT 222 , FRN 222 , GRM 222 , SPN 217 , RUS 222 ).

1. Linguistics 114: 4 credits

LIN 114 - Introduction to General Linguistics 4 credits

2. Linguistics Core - 4 credits chosen from:

3. Elective courses - 12 credits chosen from:

ANT 260 - Language, Culture, and Society 4 credits
ANT 265 - Ethnography of Communication 4 credits
CSC 205 - Computational Linguistics 4 credits or the crosslisted course LIN 205
CSC 341 - Automata, Formal Languages, and Computational Complexity 4 credits
PHI 102 - Symbolic Logic 4 credits
ENG 230 - English Historical Linguistics 4 credits
LIN 395 - Seminar in Linguistics 4 credits
(when student completes a LIN 499 or LIN 397; or when student repeats the course for credit when LIN 395 topics change)
PHI 256 - Philosophy of Language and Cognition 4 credits
PSY 355 - Psychology of Language 4 credits
SPN 343 - The Art of Language 4 credits
SPN 384 - Spanish Dialectology 4 credits
One 4-credit 300-level non-native language course, not in translation
One second semester, or higher, 4 or 5 credit language course in a second non-native language
One course on Linguistics taken in an approved off-campus program
295 or 395 Special Topics on Linguistics and related issues

4. Advanced core courses: 2 or 4 credits

Students may choose one of the following options for the fulfillment of this requirement:

LIN 395 - Seminar in Linguistics 4 credits
LIN 397 - Independent Study 2 credits
LIN 499 - Senior Research Project: Mentored Advanced Project 4 credits

Linguistics Course Descriptions

Click here to list Linguistics course descriptions.