Overview
At Washington University, the Linguistics program offers an undergraduate major and minor. The core of the Linguistics program focuses on the study of how languages are structured. Students examine how words are built from sounds, how sentences are built from words, and how all of this structure manages to communicate meaning. With a good understanding of these formal properties, students can pursue other questions about language. How does language change over time? Do diverse languages have more in common than meets the eye? What functions does language play in society? What is its relation to thought? What are its biological and psychological underpinnings? And just how do children manage to acquire language so well in the first place?
Linguistics takes a scientific approach to the study of language and develops skills in data analysis and scientific experimental methods. Linguistics students may or may not speak many languages, but they definitely will learn how to collect and analyze data about languages in an effort to answer these questions.
The Major in Linguistics
Total units required: 30 units, at least 24 of which must be from courses at the 300 level or higher
Required Courses: 18 units
Total units required: 30 units, at least 24 of which must be from courses at the 300 level or higher
Required courses: 18 units
|
Code |
Title |
Units |
|
Introduction to Linguistics |
3 |
|
|
Syntactic Analysis |
3 |
|
|
Introduction to Semantics |
3 |
|
|
Phonetics |
3 |
|
|
Phonological Analysis |
3 |
|
|
Introduction to Computational Linguistics |
3 |
|
|
Total Units |
18 |
|
Elective Courses: 12 units
Students select 12 units from the courses listed below. At least 9 units must be at the 300 level or higher. At most 6 units may be drawn from Ling 499, Ling 500, and cross-listed courses that are not home-based in the Linguistics program.
|
Code |
Title |
Units |
|
First-Year Seminar: The Linguistics of Constructed Languages |
3 |
|
|
Latin and Greek in Current English |
3 |
|
|
Methods in Linguistic Research |
3 |
|
|
Linguistics for Legal Purposes |
3 |
|
|
Morphology |
3 |
|
|
Historical and Comparative Linguistics |
3 |
|
|
Introduction to Sociolinguistics |
3 |
|
|
Linguistic Pragmatics |
3 |
|
|
Linguistic Diversity in the United States |
3 |
|
|
Language Acquisition |
3 |
|
|
Linguistics Seminar |
3 |
|
|
Linguistics Seminar: Writing Intensive |
3 |
|
|
Psychology of Language |
3 |
|
|
Computation and Learnability in Linguistic Theory |
3 |
|
|
Second Language Acquisition |
3 |
|
|
Senior Seminar in Linguistics: Metrical Stress Theory |
3 |
|
|
Independent Work For Senior Honors |
3-6 |
|
|
Ling 500 |
Independent Study |
1-6 |
|
Course List |
||
Under certain circumstances, students may count toward their major a limited number of relevant courses not listed here. Such circumstances include study abroad and preparation for a specialized capstone. A specific plan of study must be worked out in advance with the director of the Linguistics program.
Language Requirement
Majors should normally have foreign language competency equivalent to one year of study at the college level. Classes taken to fulfill this requirement do not normally count toward the 30 total units required for the major.
Capstone
Primary majors must complete a capstone project. This will normally be done during the senior year while taking Ling 320, Ling 495, Ling 499, or Ling 500. Students wishing to count Ling 500 for their capstone need to have their independent studies approved in advance by the director of the Linguistics program.
Senior Honors
Students with a university grade-point average of 3.65 or higher and a linguistics GPA of 3.65 or higher at the end of their junior year may apply to enter the honors program by submitting a proposal for a senior thesis. If admitted into the program, the student registers for 3 units of Ling 499 during each semester of the senior year. The student must complete the thesis and pass an oral defense by the middle of March of the senior year.
The Minor in Linguistics
Units required: 15 units, at least 9 of which must be from courses at the 300 level or higher
Required course: 3 units
|
Code |
Title |
Units |
|
Introduction to Linguistics |
3 |
|
|
Course List |
||
Elective Courses: 12 units
At least 6 units must come from the following list:
|
Code |
Title |
Units |
|
Syntactic Analysis |
3 |
|
|
Introduction to Semantics |
3 |
|
|
Phonetics |
3 |
|
|
Phonological Analysis |
3 |
|
|
Introduction to Computational Linguistics |
3 |
|
|
Course List |
||
The remaining elective units may be drawn from any course acceptable as an elective for the major.
Major Requirements (Pre FL2021)
All majors who matriculated prior to FL2021 are required to take:
- all the courses listed under Group A below
- at least 6 units from Group B
- Inclusive of the above requirements, students must take at least 30 units from Groups A through C, of which at least 18 units must be in upper-level courses (those numbered 300 or higher).
All classes applied to Group A–C requirements must be taken for a letter grade, and you must get a C− or better to apply it to your Linguistics major. If you take a course pass/fail you cannot apply it to Linguistics, even if the professor swears you would have got a C−.
Majors are also required to take at least two classes in a language or languages other than English, or demonstrate competency equivalent to the successful completion of one year of study at the college level. Exceptions can be made for students desiring to pursue more extensive coursework needed for cross-disciplinary fields such as psycholinguistics or computational linguistics.
Primary majors must complete a capstone project. This will normally be done during the senior year while taking Ling 495 (Senior Seminar), 499 (Study for Honors), or 500 (Independent Work). Students wishing to count Ling 500 for their capstone need to have their independent studies approved in advance by the director of the Linguistics Program.
Group A (Required Courses)
- Ling 170D Introduction to Linguistics
- Ling 309 Syntactic Analysis
- Ling 313 Phonological Analysis
- Ling 317 Introduction to Computational Linguistics
Group B (Other Core Courses)
- Ling 306G (Phil 306G) Philosophy of Language
- Ling 311 Introduction to Semantics
- Ling 312 Phonetics
- Ling 315 Morphology
- Ling 320 Historical Linguistics
- Ling 339 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- Ling 358 (Pscyh 358) Language Acquisition
- Ling 408 (Psych 433) Psychology of Language
Group C (Other Linguistics)
- Ling 148 First-Year Seminar: The Linguistics of Constructed Languages
- Ling 225D (Classics 225D) Latin & Greek in Current English
- Ling 234 (PACS 234) Introduction to Speech and Hearing Sciences and Disorders
- Ling 258 Methods in Linguistic Research
- Ling 301G (Phil 301G) Symbolic Logic
- Ling 340 Linguistic Pragmatics
- Ling 341 Linguistic Diversity in the United States
- Ling 3701 (Span 370) Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
- Ling 396 Linguistics Seminar
- Ling 4012 (PACS 401) Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing
- Ling 411 (Span 411) Advanced Grammar and Syntax
- Ling 427 Computation and Learnability in Linguistic Theory
- Ling 4341 (PACS 434) Normal Language Development
- LIng 4171 (Span 417) Spanish Phonetics, Phonology, and Dialectology
- Ling 466 Second Language Acquisition
- Ling 467 (Span 467) Grammar and Vocabulary Acquisition
- Ling 495 Senior Seminar in Linguistics
- Ling 499 Study for Honors
- Ling 500 Independent Work in Linguistics
- AFAS 210 The Linguistic Legacy of the African Slave Trade in Interdisciplinary Perspective
- Anthro 3386 Language, Culture and Society
- PACS 433 Acoustical Phonetics and Speech Perception
On a semester-by-semester basis, other courses may be included in Group C. Normally this is done only for occasional seminars and topics courses. Students requiring other courses to support a specific line of linguistics study or research may petition to have such courses counted as a Group C course. Click here to view linguistics and linguistics-related courses being offered this semester.
Minor Requirements (Pre FL2021)
All minors are required to take:
- Ling 170D Introduction to Linguistics
6 units of Theory classes, selected from this list of 3-unit classes:
- Ling 309 Syntactic Analysis
- Ling 311 Introduction to Semantics
- Ling 312 Phonetics
- Ling 313 Phonological Analysis
- Ling 315 Morphology
- Ling 317 Introduction to Computational Linguistics
- Ling 320 Historical Linguistics
- Ling 339 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
Students must take two more courses, at least one of which must be numbered 300 or higher. These courses may be drawn from the above list of Theory classes, or from any of the following courses:
- Ling 148 First-Year Seminar: The Linguistics of Constructed Languages
- Ling 225D (Classics 225D) Latin & Greek in Current English
- Ling 234 (PACS 234) Introduction to Speech and Hearing Sciences and Disorders
- Ling 263 Linguistics for Legal Purposes
- Ling 301G (Phil 301G) Symbolic Logic
- Ling 306G (Phil 306G) Philosophy of Language
- Ling 341 Linguistic Diversity in the United States
- Ling 358 (Psych 358) Language Acquisition
- LIng 3701 (Span 370) Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
- Ling 396 Linguistics Seminar
- Ling 4012 (PACS 401) Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing
- Ling 408 (Psych 433) Psychology of Language
- Ling 411 (Span 411) Advanced Grammar and Syntax
- Ling 4171 (Span 4171) Spanish Phonetics, Phonology, and Dialectology
- Ling 427 Computation and Learnability in Linguistic Theory
- LIng 4341 (PACS 434) Normal Language Development
- Ling 466 Second Language Acquisition
- Ling 467 (Span 467) Grammar and Vocabulary Acquisition
- Ling 495 Senior Seminar in Linguistics
- Ling 500 Independent Work in Linguistics
- AFAS 210 The Linguistic Legacy of the African Slave Trade in Interdisciplinary Perspective
- Anthro 3386 Language, Culture and Society
- PACS 433 Acoustical Phonetics and Speech Perception
All classes must be taken for a letter grade, and you must get a C− or better to apply it to your Linguistics minor. If you take a course pass/fail you cannot apply it to Linguistics, even if the professor swears you would have got a C−. Click here to view the list of linguistics and linguistics-related courses being offered this semester.
What Counts Towards Your Linguistics GPA (Pre FL2021)
The Linguistics GPA is computed across all courses that you apply to your Linguistics major under Groups A, B, or C. This includes:
- introductory classes, such as Ling 170D, as well as advanced courses
- classes that are offered by other departments, such as Psychology or Philosophy, or other Washington University schools such as Medicine (PACS)
- classes that double count for other majors or minors
The Linguistics GPA does not include any of the following:
- classes that do not appear on your Washington University transcript
- classes for which the official grade on your transcript is CR, NCR, I, W, R, L, Z, or N
- classes taken at another university
- classes applied only toward fulfillment of the foreign language requirement
- classes that you do not apply toward your Linguistics major, even if they are listed under Linguistics (L44)
These exclusions are inflexible. For example, we cannot count a grade from another university even if you show us a transcript from that university, or even if it is part of a study abroad program sanctioned by Wash U.