Course Descriptions Overview Language is central to virtually all human activity. Indeed, many argue that language was the single most important factor in the differentiation of the human species from other hominids. Linguists study language as a specialized communicative system with its own distinctive principles of structure and patterning. The linguistics faculty are housed in several University departments, including anthropology, philosophy, psychology, and various language departments. Their research interests span all the subfields mentioned above, and their publications cover a wide number of languages and language families, including Romance, Slavic, Germanic, Sanskrit, Chinese, Arabic, African and Native American languages, and American Sign Language.
Students There are usually fewer than ten linguistics majors in a given year.
Many combine linguistics with a major in a related field such as a foreign language, psychology, or anthropology. Linguistics classes are generally small, with an emphasis on class participation and problem-solving. All courses in the program are taught by faculty members. Graduates with a B.A. in Linguistics pursue a variety of careers. Yet even those who do not continue in linguistics find the analytical skills and knowledge acquired in the major to be relevant and useful.