Requirements for Concentrators

Overview

Students come to Linguistics with a wide range of motivations, and our curriculum is designed to be flexible enough to allow students to pursue their angle of interest in Linguistics with complementary depth and breath. To this end, Concentrators in Linguistics may choose among three tracks. The three tracks have the same tutorial program and share a core set of required courses that emphasize argumentation and methodology in core linguistic areas of phonology, syntax, semantics, and historical linguistics; none presume prior coursework in linguistics or foreign language experience beyond the college language requirement.

  1. Linguistics
  2. Linguistics with Related Field
  3. Linguistics with Mind, Brain, and Behavior

Students who choose the straight Linguistics track are interested in gaining breadth and depth in topics primarily within the field of linguistics. They meet the remainder of the non-tutorial course requirement by taking a combination of more advanced linguistics courses within the department and linguistics-related offerings in other departments, such as other language instruction courses, or courses approved by the DUS as a linguistics elective. There are many opportunities for research in Linguistics labs and with faculty in the department, in addition to advanced undergraduate and graduate coursework for students interested in pursuing linguistics further.

Students who choose the Linguistics with Related Field are interested in gaining depth in Linguistics in a way that intersects with another field. They combine courses in linguistics proper with linguistics-related courses in an approved second field such as anthropology, classics, computer science, or psychology. This is often an excellent fit for students interested in linguistics from a specific angle, e.g. psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, anthropological linguistics, Romance/other areal study language linguistics, etc. It is also one of the most flexible options, for students interested in Linguistics and also fulfilling other requirements (e.g. pre-med, another concentration, etc.).

Students who choose Linguistics with Mind, Brain, and Behavior (MBB) are interested in gaining depth in Linguistics in a way that connects to the broader cognitive/neuroscientific community on campus. They meet the remainder of the non-tutorial course requirement by taking a combination of more advanced courses on linguistics or on mind, brain, and behavior, which necessarily includes psychology, neurobiology, and an MBB seminar with students in MBB tracks in other fields, and must write a thesis.

Yet another option for students with interdisciplinary interests is a Joint Concentration in Linguistics and another field (e.g., Linguistics and Mathematics; Linguistics and Anthropology, Linguistics and Computer Science). Joint concentrators are advised by both concentrations and write a thesis in their senior year that combines these two interests.

Please follow links in sidebar for additional information about requirements specific to each track within the Linguistics concentration.