Undergraduate Program in Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Undergraduate courses explore the principles governing the structure of natural languages, how language is used in human social interaction, how languages are acquired by children and adults, and how they change over time. Students interested in linguistics can earn a Minor, Major, or an Honors Major through our program.
The major in linguistics prepares students for a variety of careers by providing courses that require problem solving and data analysis; strong communication skills; independent, self motivated work ethic; critical reading and arguementation skills; and sensitivity to and the ability to work with culturally diverse individuals and groups.
Some students continue to do graduate study in Linguistics. Students who received BA degrees in Linguistics at the U of M have been accepted at a wide variety of graduate schools including the University of Minnesota, UCLA, University of Texas, Texas A&M, University of Southern California, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Santa Cruz, Ohio State University, Yale University, Harvard University, University of Hawaii, Oxford University, and University of Edinburgh. The following are some of the universities and colleges where U of M graduates have taught or are currently teaching: University of Michigan, University of California at Irvine, Swarthmore College, Augsburg College, Brigham Young University, University of Toronto, and Stanford University.
Others continue for graduate work in fields other than Linguistics. Some of the disciplines that recent graduates have entered for post-graduate study include English as a Second Language, Speech Pathology, Law, Library Science, Translating and Interpreting, International Development, Religious Studies, Information Science, Psychology, and Medicine.
Some find jobs in language-related fields, including American Sign Language Interpretation, Natural Language Processing, translation, and teaching English or other languages.
Still others go on to work in areas where Linguistics education is not a direct requirement of the job but where the skills gained in linguistics may be indirectly applied to data analysis, technical writing, and other administrative tasks.
