Linguistics (BA)

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Affiliation: School of Arts & Letters

THE MAJOR

Linguistics is the study of human language. Students in the BA Linguistics program analyze the structure of language, study the relationship between language and society, gain insights into language development and learning, explore language and the mind, and investigate language in the context of culture.

NOTE: No grade of “D” in major courses is accepted toward a Linguistics degree. An overall cumulative grade point average of 2.5 is required in the major.

DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN LINGUISTICS

Seniors who wish to graduate with Honors in Linguistics must meet the following requirements. Students complete a senior capstone research project in conjunction with the senior seminar course. The capstone project is judged according to eight criteria:

Command of linguistic terminology;
Knowledge of linguistic theory;
Knowledge of previous scholarly work;
Scientific treatment of data;
Analysis of data;
Sensitivity to linguistic diversity;
Connection to other academic areas and/or “real-life” areas of Applied Linguistics;
Effective written and oral communication skills.

Students whose major portfolio (compiled during the senior seminar course) is deemed proficient in all outcomes and excellent in four or more, and who have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA and a 3.70 GPA in the major at the time of graduation are awarded Departmental Honors in Linguistics. A student with a 4.0 major GPA may be awarded Departmental Honors with only three outcomes deemed excellent.

LINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION

All Linguistics majors will develop their skills as speakers and as writers. In several of our required courses (including sequence of seminars and LING 414), students can learn how to find and ethically cite appropriate sources, and to follow APA style (which is the style required in most linguistics journals). Students will give both individual and group presentations in multiple LING courses. Every student completes an original piece of research and produces a research paper (in successive stages, receiving and responding to formative feedback on earlier drafts), and presents their research at the English & Linguistic Senior Seminar conference. The presentation is practiced prior to the conference, so that students get feedback about content, organization, visual support, and delivery.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

Dialogues Requirements: 42-61 Credits

Missouri Statute (1-4 credits)

Bachelor of Arts Requirement: 0-8 Credits

Intermediate proficiency in ONE foreign language.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS: 34 Credits

LING 198 - New Majors Seminar Credit(s): 1
LING 238 - Introduction to Linguistics Credit(s): 3
LING 398 - Linguistics Mid-Major Seminar Credit(s): 1
LING 414 - Language and the Mind Credit(s): 4
LING 498 - Linguistics Capstone Seminar Credit(s): 1

Structure and History of Language:

Select ONE of the following courses:

LING 315 - Structure and History of Romance Languages Credit(s): 4
LING 318 - Structure and History of English Credit(s): 4
LING 319 - Structure and History of a Language or Language Family Credit(s): 4

Core Areas of Analysis:

Select TWO of the following courses:

LING 430 - Syntax Credit(s): 4
LING 432 - Phonetics and Phonology Credit(s): 4
LING 433 - Semantics and Pragmatics Credit(s): 4

Elective Courses:

Select additional LING courses to total at least 34 credits in the major.

Note: Students may also elect one semester of a non-Indo-European language (e.g., Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, American Sign Language) or a language structurally dissimilar to English (e.g., Russian, Ancient Greek) for linguistics major elective credit (which will not double-count with the language proficiency requirement of the major). Students may also elect an upper-level language-specific linguistics course (e.g., a course in German dialectology, Spanish Applied Linguistics, etc.) with the permission of the department chair, but only one such course may double-count with another major or minor.