Linguistics and Philosophy BA

Overview

The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of philosophy, for students who are reflective about their beliefs or who wish to become so. Students enrich their knowledge about the nature, grammar, and history of human language, and are given the opportunity to ponder the … For more content click the Read More button below.

The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of philosophy, for students who are reflective about their beliefs or who wish to become so. Students enrich their knowledge about the nature, grammar, and history of human language, and are given the opportunity to ponder the foundations of almost any other subject to which they are exposed—whether history, religion, government, law, or science.

Learning Outcomes

Ability to apply critical thinking skills through linguistic data analysis in phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and at least one other subfield

Understanding of advanced theoretical concepts and/or analytical techniques in at least one subfield

Ability to write technical material in linguistics, including language description and theory-based analysis

Ability to access scholarly literature on language structure and use it in research

Requirements

Preparation for the Major

Preparation for the Major Policies

Transfer Students

Transfer applicants to the Linguistics and Philosophy major with 90 or more units must complete as many of the following introductory courses as possible prior to admission to UCLA: one introduction to linguistics course, one symbolic logic course and two courses from introduction to philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, skepticism and rationality, meaning and communication, or language and identity, and two years of one foreign language or one year of two different foreign languages.

Refer to the UCLA transfer admission guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.

The Major

The Major Policies

Honors Program

Departmental honors are awarded at graduation to those students who have a grade-point average of 3.6 or better in their junior and senior years and who have received a grade of A in Linguistics 198A and 198B or in 199. Qualified students may be proposed by any member of the faculty to the faculty as a whole for the award of highest honors on the basis of a piece of research in linguistics completed at UCLA.

Computing Specialization

Students may select a specialization in Computing by (1) satisfying all the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in the specified major and (2) completing Program in Computing 10A and 10B and 10C (or Computer Science 31 and 32), Linguistics 185A, Mathematics 61, and one course selected from Linguistics 104, 127, 132, 165A, 165B, 165C, 180, 185B. Students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in their major and a specialization in Computing.