Language is at once the most diverse and the most clearly structured aspect of human behavior.
It distinguishes humans from other species and much of human culture depends on it. Understanding the nature of human language is therefore a key to understanding human nature. Linguistics seeks to discover the common features of the languages of the world's peoples, to understand how languages change over time, and how language relates to other aspects of human society. The major in linguistics is designed to provide graduates with a set of skills and a body of knowledge. Students will also learn what linguists know about the languages of the world, their history and structure, and how language interacts with many facets of all cultures.