Department of Linguistics, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
60 credits
Introduction
Linguistics, the science of language, is an interdisciplinary field which relates to the diversity of the cultures and languages of the world. It is an integral part of most serious pursuits dealing with aspects of language study and analysis. As the boundaries of the world change, an understanding of individual languages and cultures becomes increasingly important. Communication in this complex society requires knowledge of the workings of languages, as well as their interrelationship with their respective cultures.
Why Consider a Linguistics Major?
All linguistics majors are expected to acquire knowledge of the functions of language at various levels and knowledge of the techniques and methods used in language analysis. A student of linguistics will thereby significantly advance their appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity. Students who major in linguistics acquire valuable intellectual skills, including analytic reasoning and argumentation, and learn how to study language scientifically. This means making insightful observations, formulating and testing clear hypotheses, making arguments and drawing conclusions, and communicating findings to a wider community. Linguistics majors are therefore well equipped for a variety of jobs and graduate-level programs.
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Higher Education research and teaching: linguistics, philosophy, psychology, speech sciences, anthropology, computer science, English, modern and classical languages | K-12 Teaching (World Languages, ESL, literacy) | Computer Industry (speech recognition, natural language processing, AI) | Translating and Interpreting | Language documentation and fieldwork | Publishing (editing, writing) | Lexicography (dictionary research and editing) | Law (forensic linguistics)
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How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):
Before declaring a linguistics major, a student must have completed the following requirements:
- LING 201 or ANTH 247 or HNRS 217 with a grade of “B-” or better (or permission of chair).
To declare, fill out section 1 of the Major Declaration and Change Web Form. Enter the email address Linguistics@wwu.edu at the bottom, then click “submit.”
Students are advised to declare their major early in their academic career. Upper-division courses are restricted to declared majors. Transfer students should declare after completion of one of the core courses listed above.
Grade Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses.
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