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Linguistics, B.A.

The Major in Linguistics

Patrick Doyle, Senior Academic Program Manager 
Location: Baker Hall 161G
Email: pdoyle2@andrew.cmu.edu
https://go.oncehub.com/PatDoyle

Overview

Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. The central goal of the Linguistics Major is to provide students with the analytical skills and linguistic concepts needed to understand language scientifically, whether formally, as researchers, or informally, as participants in daily linguistic interactions. The foundation of the Linguistics Major is a set of rigorous core courses, informed by contemporary approaches to the study of linguistic form and meaning. 

The Core courses cover the principal domains of linguistic analysis: phonetics and phonology, syntax and meaning.

Students then move on to the Extended Core, which includes more advanced courses as well as courses on a wider range of topics, such as intonation and language variation. These courses are supplemented by a wide-ranging set of electives including linguistically relevant courses taught in other departments.

Primary majors complete their course of study with a Senior Thesis, a semester-long research project carried out independently with one-on-one guidance from a member of the linguistics faculty.

Curriculum

The Linguistics primary major requires a total of 13 courses, or 12 courses and a senior thesis, for those who are approved to write a thesis. Linguistics may also be pursued as an additional major and those requirements are identical to the primary major.

At least three courses must be at the 300-level or higher. All courses counted towards the major must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of "C" or above. No more than two courses transferred from another institution may count towards the major requirements. Students may double count any course for the major simultaneously with another major or minor.

Linguistics Core36 units

Complete all the following requirements.

Units
80-180Introduction to Linguistics9
80-282Phonetics and Phonology9
80-280Linguistic Analysis9
or 80-285 Natural Language Syntax
80-381Meaning in Language9
or 80-383 Language in Use
Extended Core27 units

Choose three courses (27 units) from Extended Core and/or additional courses from Linguistics Core.

36-468Special Topics: Text Analysis9
76-389Rhetorical Grammar9
80-283It Matters How You Say It9
80-286Words and Word Formation: Introduction to Morphology9
80-287Language Variation and Change9
80-288Intonation: The Meaning of Linguistic Tunes9
80-382Laboratory Phonology9
80-384Linguistics of Turkic Languages9
80-385Linguistics of Germanic Languages9
80-388Linguistic Typology: Diversity and Universals9
80-484Language and Thought9
80-488Acoustics of Human Speech: Theory, Data, and Analysis9
Electivesminimum 54 units

Primary and additional majors choose six additional electives (54 or more units).  These Electives can be additional courses from the Core or Extended Core courses listed above, the electives list below, or any other course which is approved by the Senior Academic Program Manager as a linguistics elective.  Up to two electives may be taken as a sequence of a foreign language, e.g. Elementary French I and Elementary French II.  Up to one elective may be taken in the form of a senior thesis. 

Listed below are the additional electives taught on a regular basis. Additional appropriate courses are offered irregularly or on a one-off basis. The Senior Academic Program Manager will provide students with a list of possible electives each semester, and will assist students in selecting electives which are consistent with their goals and interests.

Philosophy
80-484Language and Thought9
80-486RAship in Linguistics3-12
English
76-318Communicating in the Global Marketplace9
76-325Intertextuality9
76-380Methods in Humanities Analytics9
76-386Language & Culture9
76-388Coding for Humanists9
76-389Rhetorical Grammar9
Languages, Cultures, and Applied Linguistics
82-239Crazy Linguistically Rich Asian Languages9
82-283Language Diversity & Cultural Identity9
82-334Structure of Chinese9
82-373Structure of the Japanese Language9
82-387Introduction to Linguistic Data Analysis Using R9
82-383Second Language Acquisition: Theories and Research9
Psychology
85-210Language, AI, and Thought9
Language Technologies Institute
11-411Natural Language Processing12
11-423ConLanging: Lrng Ling & Lang Tech via Constru Artif. Lang12
11-492Speech Technology for Conversational AI12
Note: all 11-xxx courses have significant Computer Science prerequisites. Interested students should check with the course instructor and with the Linguistics Senior Academic Program Manager before registering. 
Statistics and Data Science
36-468Special Topics: Text Analysis9

SENIOR THESIS (optional)

Students who wish to complete a senior thesis (a workload equivalent to a 9-unit course), may choose to do so in their final semester.  80-595 Senior Thesis. Topics must be approved by an advisor, who will work with the student and guide the thesis project. Students are responsible for identifying their topic and securing their thesis advisor. Because topics are subject to approval, students wishing to write a senior thesis will be enrolled in 3 units of 80-594 Research Project Development course during the first semester of your senior year.

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