Linguistics BA

Overview

Linguistics is the scientific study of languages as a general phenomenon. It aims to help answer broad questions concerning the nature of human cognition and communication. Students will learn about language universals as well as the ways in which languages differ from one another in terms of their sound patterns, syntax, and the way they encode meaning. They will also learn about the linguistic theories explaining and constraining linguistic knowledge, informed in part by experimental investigations of child language acquisition and adult language processing. Successful graduates will receive a cognitive science education with a focus on language; they will develop skills in data analysis, analytic reasoning, and experimental methods.

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

Entry to the Major

Transfer Students

Transfer applicants to the Linguistics 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, two courses from symbolic logic, introductory psychology or psychological statistics, or cultural anthropology, 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.

Major Requirements

Preparation for the Major

Complete three courses and a foreign language requirement as follows:

Electives

Foreign Language

The Major

Complete 11 upper-division or graduate courses as follows:

Additional Linguistics Electives

Linguistics 165 series

Select two courses from:

Substitutions

Upper-Division Electives

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.

Linguistics 198A and 198B

Linguistics 199

Computing Specialization

Students may select a specialization in Computing by satisfying all the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in the specified major and completing the following courses. Students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in their major and a specialization in Computing.

Introduction to Computing

Linguistics 185A and Mathematics 61

Additional Linguistics Elective

Policies

Preparation for the Major Policies

Linguistics 20 must be passed with a letter grade of C or better prior to beginning upper-division coursework

Students who complete an advanced upper-division language course are considered to have completed the equivalent of whatever courses are requisite to that advanced language course (e.g., if students complete German 152, they have automatically satisfied the requirement of the sixth level of work in German).

General Catalog 2024-25