Major in Linguistics | Department of Linguistics

Major Advisor

Linguistics Undergraduate Advisor
Dr. Liz McCullough
mccullough.136@osu.edu
614-688-3109
106 Oxley Hall, 1712 Neil Avenue

Office Hours

Monday 1:00-3:00pm, Thursday 9:15-11:15am, or by appointment
Office hours may be attended in person or via Zoom. Please email for a Zoom link.

Programs of Study for Undergraduates

NOTE: The following Linguistics Major requirements apply to students who first enrolled at OSU AU22 or later. Students who first enrolled at Ohio State before AU22 should click here to see the requirements that apply to them.

There are two tracks in this major: Track A and Track B. Students are advised to complete one of these based on their academic goals and interests. The chosen track is not listed on students’ transcripts or diplomas. Each track will lead to a BA in Linguistics. Track A is designed to give students familiarity with a broad range of subject areas in linguistics. Track B is particularly appropriate for students interested in research who plan to write a BA thesis and/or go on to graduate school. In addition to these two tracks, undergraduates have the option of working with the major advisor to design a variant tailored to their particular interests. The Linguistics Major requires successful completion (with a grade of C- or higher) of at least 30 credit hours for Track A and at least 34 credit hours for Track B, excluding prerequisites.

Track A (at least 30 credit hours, excluding prerequisites)

Prerequisite Course Work (6 credits)
These courses do not count toward the minimum number of hours required in the major. Only the introductory course must be completed before starting the major.
1. Introduction to Linguistics: Ling 2000 or 2000H
2. Language Requirement (3 credits). One of the following:
  - Advanced world language beyond the GE requirement (taught in the language)
  - A second, not closely related language at any level (taught in the language), with permission
  - Field Methods: Ling 4550 or 5551
  - A course on the linguistic structure of a non-English language or language family at the 4000-level or above (e.g. East European 5627, Korean 5380, Sanskrit 5902, Spanish 4430), with permission

GE Literacy Requirement (0-10 credits)
Students must fulfill the following three literacies. The Linguistics courses listed in this section may also be used concurrently to fulfill Major Elective requirements.
1. Advanced Writing Literacy (3 credits). Choose one of the following:
  - Language, Sex, and Gender in American Culture: Ling 2367.01, 2367.01H
  - Language and Advertising: Ling 2367.02
2. Data Analysis Literacy (3 credits). Choose one of the following:
  - Language and Formal Reasoning: Ling 2001
  - Analyzing the Sounds of Language: Ling 2051, 2051H
  - Linguistics and the Scientific Method: Ling 4052
  - Data Analysis in Psychology: Psych 2220, 2220H
3. Technology Literacy (1-4 credits). Choose one of the following:
  - Ethics of Language Technology: Ling 3803 (3 credits)
  - Codes and Codebreaking: Ling 3801 (3 credits)
  - Social, Ethical and Professional Issues in Computing: CSE 2501 (1 credit)
  - Introduction to Computing Ethics and Effective Presentation: Philos 1338 (4 credits)

Major Core Courses (18 credits)
1. Core Courses. Four courses chosen from the following, and taken in any order:
  - Phonetics: Ling 4100
  - Syntax: Ling 4200
  - Phonology: Ling 4300
  - Morphology: Ling 4350
  - Linguistic Meaning: Ling 4400
2. Elective Core Courses. Choose one course each from two different areas:
  - Historical Linguistics: Ling 3901 or 5901
  - Sociolinguistics: Ling 3601, 3602, 3602H, 3603, or 5601
  - Psycholinguistics: Ling 3701, 3701H, 5701, or 5702
  - Field Methods: Ling 4550 or 5551 (may be used concurrently to satisfy the language prerequisite)

Major Elective Courses (12 credits)
Any four Linguistics courses at the 2000-level or above. Linguistics courses used to fulfill the GE Literacy requirement may also be used concurrently to fulfill this requirement. Major Elective courses may not be used to satisfy any other requirements of the major. Courses on linguistic topics offered by other departments at the 2000-level or above may also be counted as electives with permission.

Up to 3 credit hours of independent study (Ling 3191, 4998, 4998H, 4999, 4999H) may be counted towards the elective requirement.

Possible electives are listed below by subarea of linguistics. Electives need not be from the same subarea. See the complete listing and description of linguistics courses.

Historical Linguistics and Language Contact
- Language Evolution and Language Change: Ling 3901
- Language Endangerment and Language Death: Ling 3902
- Languages in Contact: Ling 5651
- Introduction to Historical Linguistics: Ling 5901
- Topics in Indo-Iranian Linguistics: Ling 5906
Sociolinguistics and Anthropological Linguistics
- Language, Sex and Gender in American Culture: Ling 2367.01, 2367.01H
- Language, Race & Ethnicity in the U.S.: Ling 3601
- Languages and Social Identity in the U.S.: Ling 3602, 3602H
- Language across Cultures: Ling 3603
- Introduction to Sociolinguistics: Ling 5601
- Introduction to Quantitative Sociolinguistics: Ling 5602
- Sociolinguistic Field Methods: Ling 5603
Psycholinguistics and Cognitive Science
- Language and the Mind: Ling 3701, 3701H (also as Psych 3371)
- Introduction to Cognitive Science: Ling 5612 (also as Psych 5612, Philos 5830, CSE 5531)
- Psycholinguistics I: Ling 5701
- Cognitive Models of Language: Ling 5702
- Eye Tracking Methods for Psycholinguistics: Ling 5703
- Proseminar in Cognitive Science: Ling 5891 (also as CSE 5891, ISE 5891, Philos 5891, Psych 5891)
Computational Linguistics
- Codes and Codebreaking: Ling 3801
- Language and Computers: Ling 3802, 3802H
- Ethics of Language Technology: Ling 3803
- Technical Tools for Linguists: Ling 5050
- Cognitive Models of Language: Ling 5702
- Computational Linguistics I: Ling 5801
- Computational Linguistics II: Ling 5802
- Computational Semantics: Ling 5803
Language Description and Field Methods
- Introduction to American Indigenous Languages: Ling 3501
- Klingon, Elvish, Dothraki: The Linguistics of Constructed Languages: Ling 3502
- Introduction to Linguistic Field Methods: Ling 4550
- Language Description: Ling 5500
- Field Methods I: Ling 5551
- Field Methods II: Ling 5552
- Topics in Indo-Iranian Linguistics: Ling 5906
Formal Logic and Quantitative Methods
- Language and Formal Reasoning: Ling 2001
- Analyzing the Sounds of Language: Ling 2051, 2051H
- Linguistics and the Scientific Method: Ling 4052
- Technical Tools for Linguists: Ling 5050
- Quantitative Methods: Ling 5051
- Introduction to Quantitative Sociolinguistics: Ling 5602
Research and Experiential Learning
- Internship in Linguistics: Ling 3191
- Undergraduate Research Seminar: Ling 4780
- Undergraduate Research (non-thesis): Ling 4998, 4998H
- Undergraduate Thesis Research: Ling 4999, 4999H
- Training in Informal Science Outreach: Ling 5700 (also as Psych 5700, EduTL 5700)
Phonetics
- Phonetics: Ling 4100
- Phonetic Theory: Ling 5101
- Laboratory Phonology: Ling 5102
Syntax
- Syntax: Ling 4200
- Syntactic Theory I: Ling 5201
- Syntactic Theory II: Ling 5202
Phonology
- Phonology: Ling 4300
- Phonological Theory I: Ling 5301
- Topics in Advanced Phonology: Ling 5302
Morphology
- Words and Meanings: Ling 3401
- Morphology: Ling 4350
- Morphological Theory: Ling 5351
Semantics and Pragmatics
- Language and Advertising: Ling 2367.02
- Words and Meanings: Ling 3401
- Linguistic Meaning: Ling 4400
- Semantic Theory I: Ling 5401
- Semantic Theory II: Ling 5402
- Formal Pragmatics: Ling 5451

Track B (at least 34 credits, excluding prerequisites)

Prerequisite Course Work (6 credits)
These courses do not count toward the minimum number of hours required in the major. Only the introductory course must be completed before starting the major.
1. Introduction to Linguistics: Ling 2000 or 2000H
2. Language Requirement (3 credits). One of the following:
  - Advanced world language beyond the GE requirement (taught in the language)
  - A second not closely related language at any level (taught in the language), with permission
  - Field Methods: Ling 4550 or 5551
  - A course on the linguistic structure of a non-English language or language family at the 4000-level or above (e.g. East European 5627, Korean 5380, Sanskrit 5902, Spanish 4430), with permission

GE Literacy Requirement (0-10 credits)
Students must fulfill the following three literacies. Linguistics courses used to fulfill this requirement may also be used concurrently to fulfill the Major Elective requirement.
1. Advanced Writing Literacy (3 credits). Choose one of the following:
  - Language, Sex, and Gender in American Culture: Ling 2367.01, 2367.01H
  - Language and Advertising: Ling 2367.02
2. Data Analysis Literacy (3 credits). Choose one of the following:
  - Language and Formal Reasoning: Ling 2001
  - Analyzing the Sounds of Language: Ling 2051, 2051H
  - Linguistics and the Scientific Method: Ling 4052
  - Data Analysis in Psychology: Psych 2220, 2220H
3. Technology Literacy (1-4 credits). Choose one of the following:
  - Ethics of Language Technology: Ling 3803 (3 credits)
  - Codes and Codebreaking: Ling 3801 (3 credits)
  - Social, Ethical and Professional Issues in Computing: CSE 2501 (1 credit)
  - Introduction to Computing Ethics and Effective Presentation: Philos 1338 (4 credits)
Major Core Courses (18 credits)
1. Core Courses. Four courses chosen from the following, and taken in any order:
  - Phonetics: Ling 4100
  - Syntax: Ling 4200
  - Phonology: Ling 4300
  - Morphology: Ling 4350
  - Linguistic Meaning: Ling 4400
2. Elective Core Courses. Choose one course each from two different areas:
  - Historical Linguistics: Ling 3901 or 5901
  - Sociolinguistics: Ling 3601, 3602, 3602H, 3603, or 5601
  - Psycholinguistics: Ling 3701, 3701H, 5701, or 5702
  - Field Methods: Ling 4550 or 5551 (may be used concurrently to satisfy the language prerequisite)
Undergraduate Research Seminar: Ling 4780 (3 credits)
Two-course Sequence (6 credits)
Other sequences can be selected with approval from the student’s linguistics advisor. These courses cannot be used to also satisfy other requirements of the major.
- Computational Linguistics: Ling 5801, 5802
- Psycholinguistics (two of these): Ling 3701 (or 3701H), 5701, 5702
- Sociolinguistics: Ling 5601, 5602
- Historical linguistics: Ling 3901, 5901
- Phonetics: Ling 5101, 5102
- Phonology: Ling 5301, 5302
- Semantics and Syntax: Ling 5401, 5201
- Semantics and Pragmatics (two of these): Ling 5401, 5402, 5451
- Syntax and Morphology (two of these): Ling 5201, 5202, 5351
Major Elective Courses (6 credits)
Any two Linguistics courses at the 2000-level or above. Linguistics courses used to fulfill the GE Literacy requirement may also be used concurrently to fulfill this requirement. Major Elective courses may not be used to satisfy any other requirements of the major. Courses on linguistic topics offered by other departments at the 2000-level or above may also be counted as electives with permission.

Up to 3 credit hours of independent study (Ling 3191, 4998, 4998H, 4999, 4999H) may be counted towards the elective requirement.

For the list of possible elective courses organized by subarea of linguistics, see Track A above. Electives need not be drawn from the same subarea. See the complete listing and description of linguistics courses.