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Linguistics Major & Minor

We offer a Linguistics Major and Minor, a Computational Linguistics Certificate, and a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate. Students study the structural properties of a variety of languages, including the sounds of languages and meaning. They also explore how languages can vary, how they are used in different contexts, and how they are acquired by children and adults. Students learn to apply the results of their studies to real-world issues, and they achieve a greater understanding of the human mind.  In the TESOL certificate courses, students take what they learn from language analysis and apply it to the domain of teaching and learning languages. With a strong theoretical and practical basis, students are prepared to be effective teachers.

major map  Program Learning Outcomes  Why Major in Linguistics?  LINGUISTICS CAREERS 


Degree Requirements

Linguistics Major Requirements

36 credit hours - 12 courses

Linguistics Foundation Course
Complete all of the following:

LING 2200: Introduction to the Study of Language

Linguistics Core Courses
Complete all of the following:

LING 3010: Intro to Phonetics/Phonology

LING 3020: Intro to Syntax

LING 4011 OR LING 4021

LING 5900: Capstone

 

Electives

Complete the following:

(6 credit hours) 1000+ or 2000+ LING Electives

(6 credit hours) 3000+ LING Electives

(6 credit hours) 4000+ or 5000+ LING Electives

(3 credit hours) 5000+ LING Electives

BA Language Requirement

Complete the following:

Course work equivalent to at least fourth semester (2020 level) in either a foreign language or sign language.

More details. 

 

BS Methods Requirement

Complete the following:

      One QI or one DI course (covered by LING 3010)

Other Requirements

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the major courses and no grade below a C- will count toward the major.

The Department of Linguistics reserves the right to substitute one course for another.

Students must take at least 50% of the coursework (18 credits) at the University of Utah. Any credit for courses transferred from another institution must be approved by the undergraduate advisor.

Please email ling-advising@utah.edu from your umail to declare Linguistics as a major.

declare now

Download Major Requirements Sheet   Sample linguistics BA 4-yr plan catalog year 2024     Sample linguistics BS 4-yr plan catalog year 2024

Linguistics Minor Requirements

18 credit hours - 6 courses

Linguistics Foundation Course
Complete all of the following:

LING 2200: Introduction to the Study of Language

Theory Courses
Complete two of the following:

LING 3010: Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology

LING 3020: Introduction to Syntax

Electives

Complete three courses not from the Foundation or Theory courses above. One course must be above 5000.

5000-Level Course
Complete 1 course:

LING 5000 - 5999

Additional Courses
Complete 2 courses:

  1. LING 3000 – 5999
  2. LING 1000 – 5999

Other Requirements

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the minor; no grade below a C- will count toward the minor

Minors must take 9 credit hours (50% of the coursework for the minor) at the University of Utah.

To satisfy a specific requirement for the Linguistics minor, any credit for courses transferred from another university must be approved by the undergraduate advisor as fully equivalent to a course offered in the Linguistics Program.

Please email ling-advising@utah.edu from your umail to declare Linguistics as a minor.

declare now

Download Minor Requirements Sheet

 

Last Updated: 1/21/25