The Major in Linguistics

Language is a ubiquitous and essential part of human life and human culture, so much so that it is impossible to imagine how most of what we do could be done without it.

That being so, understanding what language is, how it works, and how we do the things that we do with it, is clearly a goal worth pursuing. That is what linguistics is about.

The Linguistics Major at CMU:

• provides a strong foundation in the core areas of formal linguistics: phonetics/phonology, syntax, and semantics/pragmatics
• develops analytical skills which transfer to other domains
• allows students to explore the connections between formal linguistics and related areas, including philosophy, cognitive science, language technologies, and applied linguistics
• provides opportunities for undergraduate research through the Research Assistantship in Linguistics course, as well as through these university programs 

You can learn more about the curriculum and major requirements in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Linguistics is also offered as a minor, requiring only six courses.

Please contact us for more information! We are always happy to talk.