The program's faculty includes theoretical linguists, computer science researchers, and specialists in the statistical aspects of human language. Students who enroll in this two-year program will receive a Master of Science degree in Computational Linguistics. They will also have the opportunity to get involved in ongoing research projects. Students will also be trained in methods for acquiring linguistic knowledge automatically through statistical analysis. They will also be exposed to logic and meaning.
Optional courses range from psycholinguistics to lexical semantics.
The program also inherits a strong multilingual focus from USC's Linguistics Department, and students are encouraged to work with a variety of languages. Students will be presented with theory and implementation in areas like translation and summarization, and they will receive hands-on experience with actual systems. All courses are 3 units except CSCI 455x, which is 4 units and does not count as a requirement since it is a prerequisite. An in-depth research project is required. Internships are available, and the research project may be based on work performed for an internship.