BA in Linguistics

The WCU Linguistics BA, a combined program between the Department of Languages and Cultures and the Department of English, is the only such program at a state-owned university in Pennsylvania. The Linguistics BA will allow you to gain a unique insight into one of the most fundamental parts of being human- the ability to communicate through language. By majoring in Linguistics, you will study multiple aspects of language from functional theory to language acquisition, and from computational linguistics to sociolinguistics and conversation analysis.

Studying linguistics will prepare you for a future career in multiple fields: teaching, publishing, national security, international affairs, policy, forensics, medicine, technology, and various forms of research on language, communication, and society.

A Linguistics BA can be easily combined with one of our language majors (in French, Spanish, or German) or minors (in multiple languages).

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Core Course Requirements (12 credits = 4 classes)

  • LIN 230 - Introduction to Linguistics (or LAN327: Introduction to Linguistics for Language Majors)
  • ENG 331 - Structure of Modern English
  • LIN 332 - Phonetics and Phonology
  • LIN 350 - Semantics and Pragmatics

Major Elective Courses (18 credits = 6 courses)

Select 6 courses from the list below:

  • ENG 240 - Language, Gender, and Sexuality
  • ENG 250 - Stylistics: The Language of Literature
  • ENG 339 - Dialects of American English
  • ENG 340 - Sociolinguistic Aspects of English
  • FRE 302 - Phonetics and Advance Oral French
  • GER 325 - Introduction to German Linguistics
  • LIN 211 - Language Communities in the US and Canada
  • LIN 300 - Language and the Internet
  • LIN 333 - Conversation Analysis
  • LIN 355 - Computational Linguistics
  • LIN 373 - Language Change
  • LIN/ANT380 - Language & Culture
  • LIN 388 - Corpus Linguistics
  • SPA 340 - Study of Bilingualism: An Introduction
  • SPA 353 - Introduction to the Study of Language: Spanish
  • SPA 365 - Spanish Phonetics
  • SPA 370 - History of the Spanish Language

Advanced Requirements (6 credits = 2 courses)

  • LIN 411 - Seminar in Linguistics (topical)
  • LIN 412 - Linguistics Capstone

BA world language requirement (0-12 credits to the 202 level)

Program director:   Dr. Israel Sanz-Sánchez     ISanzsanch@wcupa.edu    Mitchell 126