Linguistics Academic Advising

B.A. Linguistics Major Advising Guide

1. General education courses (51 units)

General education courses can count toward a major or minor. For linguistics, the following courses are possible:

• LING 102 Languages of the World (3) counts in the Introduction to the Social Sciences GE section.
• LING 106 Language and Linguistics (3) counts in the Introduction to the Humanities GE section. It is also a prerequisite for the certificate in teaching English as a second language.

2. Required courses in linguistics (15 units)

• LING 351 Intro. to Linguistic Phonetics and Phonology (3)
• LING 406 Descriptive Linguistics (3)
• LING 408 Syntax (3)
• LING 412 Sociolinguistics (3)
• LING 430 Historical Linguistics (3)

3. Elective courses (18 units; minimum 6 in linguistics proper)
All 300- or 400-numbered LING courses (other than the required courses) count as 
electives, as do certain courses offered by other departments.

• Possibility 1: The student can focus on linguistics proper by choosing all or most electives from within LING. Example courses: LING 305 The English Language in America (3), LING 413 Child Language (3), LING 414 English As A Global 
  Language (3), LING 417 Psycholinguistics (3), LING 442 Changing Words (3), 
  LING 469 Language and Gender (3), LING 492 Field Methods in Linguistics (3), 
  etc.
• Possibility 2: The student can choose to focus on a particular language by taking up to 4 courses in a language. Example courses from Spanish: At least 2 LING electives plus SPAN 315 Introduction to Spanish Civilization (3), SPAN 466 Spanish Phonology and Dialectology (3), SPAN 467 Spanish Morphology and Syntax (3), SPAN 468 Spanish/English Bilingualism and Language Contact, etc.
• Possibility 3: The student can focus on English by taking up to 4 ENGL courses. ENGL 303 The Structure of Modern English (3), ENGL 305 The English Language in America (3), ENGL 410 Language and Power in African American Culture (3), and ENGL 442 Changing Words (3) are approved for this purpose. The linguistics undergraduate adviser can be consulted if the student would like to include other ENGL courses.
• Possibility 4: The student can include up to 4 approved linguistics-related elective courses from various departments that the student is interested in, such as ENG 303 The Structure of Modern English (3), FREN 315 Origins of Modern France (3), PHIL 375 First Course in Symbolic Logic (3), PSYC 415 Cognitive Processes (3), etc.

4. Foreign language requirement (12-20 units)
4 semesters of a language or 2 semesters each of two languages. The undergraduate 
adviser can waive this requirement if you are fluent in a language in addition to English.

5. Free units (16-24 units)
You can use these units for different purposes:

1. 1. To take any courses you find interesting but that do not fit anywhere else in your study plan, whether economics or tennis.
   2. For a minor or second major.
   3. For a certificate, such as the certificate in TESOL.
   4. To take pre-law courses. (Consult with an adviser in political science.)
   5. To obtain a teaching credential.

Additional Information:
Students must consult with an adviser in linguistics before establishing their individual programs of study. 

Linguistics Minor Advising Guide

The minor in linguistics provides a solid introduction to the scientific study of language for students in a related major field.

• Students are required to take:
  • LING 106
  • LING 351
  • LING 406
  • In addition, 12 units in elective courses selected with the approval of the undergraduate adviser are required. It is thus possible to tailor the minor to individual needs in rounding out a course of study in the student’s major area of specialization.