Linguistics

Program overview

The Linguistics graduate program offered by the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures trains researchers in the core areas of theoretical linguistics—such as syntax, semantics, phonology, phonetics and morphology—as well as in language acquisition, historical linguistics, and psycholinguistics. Students take six courses and are expected to complete an MA thesis based on their original research within two years. Students benefit from a low student-to-faculty ratio that ensures personalized attention to each student's academic needs and research goals. Students are guaranteed funding for $20,000/year for two years, and our MA graduates regularly place in top PhD programs around the world.

Outcomes and next steps

Linguistics MA graduates also have the skills to pursue a variety of non-academic career paths. Students interested in the computational side of linguistics may work on speech recognition, speech synthesis, artificial intelligence, natural language processing or computer-mediated language learning. Students interested in language education may teach English as a Second language or develop educational materials, train language teachers, or work on assessment methods for more effectively teaching language. Linguists may also work in translation or interpretation. Field linguists work on the preservation of endangered languages by conducting fieldwork, documenting a language, or establishing literacy programs for endangered language communities. Linguists also work in speech-language pathology, audiology, publishing, law, national security, medicine, editing, market research, and the film industry.

A master’s degree in linguistics will give you the pre-requisite for a PhD in linguistics.