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BA Linguistics

Statement of Purpose

The undergraduate linguistics program incorporates the broad aims of Brigham Young University, notably a commitment to religious and moral values as well as to academic excellence. It provides not only practical insights and applications but also theoretical understanding leading to scholarly research and creative endeavors in linguistics. It aims at providing a balanced, broad education in the disciplines of general linguistics and English language by providing an understanding of the principles of language and dissemination of that knowledge.

Goals

Linguistics is the scientific study of language in all its aspects—from the smallest units of sound to the largest units of text and discourse. Language permeates almost every human activity, and people who understand its workings are specially prepared to contribute to the advancement of our civilization and the mission of the Church.

In general, the B.A. major in linguistics at BYU is designed to help undergraduate students:

  1. Prepare themselves academically for language-related careers or advanced, graduate-level studies. These careers or graduate studies may be in linguistics or other fields, such as law, international business, speech pathology, and TESOL.
  2. Develop a solid knowledge of at least one language other than (and significantly different from) English. This knowledge will enable them to view English more objectively (from an external perspective), draw appropriate comparisons, and better understand how languages work in general.
  3. Develop the ability to (a) analyze language data from a theoretical standpoint in the areas of phonology, morphology, lexis, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and historical development and (b) communicate the results of such linguistic analyses in academically acceptable forms (e.g., syntactic proofs, phonological analyses, comparative-historical studies, etc.).
  4. Apply their theoretical linguistic knowledge to the resolution of real-world problems, such as translation, computerized information storage and retrieval, language teaching, lexicography, literary analysis, or genealogy.
  5. More particularly, as they accomplish these general objectives, linguistics students will (among other things):
    1. Understand how languages differ, how they change over time, and how the various branches of different language families have developed.
    2. Appreciate how language use varies according to social setting, the interlocutors involved, and the pragmatic purpose of communication.
    3. Gain an understanding of how language is organized and processed in the brain, as well as how languages are acquired by children and learned by adults

Major Requirements

  1. Complete the following prerequisite:
    Ling 330.

  2. Complete the following courses:
    Ling 420, 427, 430, 450, 490.

  3. Complete 15 credit hours (to a 200-level or higher) of university-level course work (or the equivalent) in a single foreign language (American Sign Language also qualifies). Students intending to pursue graduate studies in linguistics are strongly encouraged to study a non-Indo-European language. Non-native speakers of English may elect to use English to fill this requirement. If they choose to earn the credit by special examination, they must afterwards take a culminating culture course (Engl 230 or 232 or Hum 261 or 262, or an equivalent class). If they choose to earn the credit by taking classes, they must enroll for ESL 301, 302, 303, 304, and a culminating culture course.

  4. Complete one of the following options:
    1. Complete an approved university minor in one of the following areas (aprox. 18—21 hours): TESOL, linguistic computing, or editing.

    2. Complete 15 hours approved electives:
      1. Nine credit hours from linguistic (Ling) courses other than those in items 1 and 2 above.

      2. Six credit hours from:
        Any additional linguistics (Ling) courses.
        Any English language (ELang) courses (except ELang 223).
        Anthr 309. 420.
        Phil 420.
        Psych 375, 376.

*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.