Majors in Linguistics

General Requirements

Every linguistics major (except the language studies major) must satisfy the undergraduate language requirement and must successfully complete a minimum of twelve upper-division courses, including six required courses and at least five upper-division linguistics electives. In addition to the general major, the department offers a set of enriched major programs in various specializations.

Except for LIGN 199, no course taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis may be counted toward a linguistics major. No more than one quarter of LIGN 199 may be counted toward a linguistics major. At least six of the required upper-division linguistics courses counted toward the major must be taken in residence at UCSD. A letter grade of C– or better is required for every course counted toward a linguistics major, including courses taken to satisfy the department’s undergraduate language requirement.

Required Linguistics Courses

Linguistics 101 is required as an introduction to the field and serves as the prerequisite to certain other courses. Students who choose a linguistics major should enroll in it as early as possible.

Every major program in linguistics (except the language studies major) must include the following required courses covering basic areas of the field:

LIGN 101: Introduction to the Study of Language
LIGN 110: Phonetics
LIGN 111: Phonology I
LIGN 120: Morphology
LIGN 121: Syntax I
LIGN 130: Semantics

Students are advised to take these required courses as early as possible, since the background they provide may be needed for other upper-division linguistics courses. Check individual course listings for prerequisite information.

Linguistics Electives

Restricted Courses

LIGN 195: Apprentice Teaching (does not count as a linguistics elective)
LIGN 197: Linguistics Internship
LIGN 199: Independent Study in Linguistics
LIGN 199H: Honors Independent Study in Linguistics

Note to Revelle and Warren students.

Revelle: For Revelle College only, the classification of the linguistics major as humanities, natural science, or social science must be determined on the basis of each student’s specific program. The classification of the major program will in turn determine what areas will be acceptable for the noncontiguous minor.

Warren: For Warren College only, any courses taken in departments other than linguistics may not overlap with the student’s outside area(s) of concentration.

Independent Study and Directed Group Study in Linguistics for Majors

Upon presentation of a written study proposal or project, and with the consent of the instructor and the adviser, linguistics majors with at least a 3.5 GPA in the major courses may request permission to undertake independent study in linguistics (LIGN 199). No more than one such course (to be taken Pass/Not Pass) may count toward the major.

Undergraduate Language Requirement

Linguistics majors must demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language.

Proficiency in a foreign language may be demonstrated in three ways:

1. By passing the reading proficiency examination and the oral interview administered by the Department of Linguistics in French, German, Italian, or Spanish; or
2. By successfully completing a course given at UCSD representing the fourth quarter (or beyond) of instruction in any single foreign language with a grade of C– or better; or
3. By scoring 4 or greater on the Advanced Placement (AP) exam.

Students are encouraged to satisfy this requirement as early as possible in order to be able to use the language for reference in linguistics courses. Students with native language competence in a language other than English may petition to have English count as satisfying the proficiency requirement.

General Major (12 courses)

The general major in linguistics requires satisfaction of the undergraduate language requirement and successful completion of twelve upper-division courses:

5 linguistics electives

1 additional linguistics elective or upper-division course in another department pertaining to the study of language