Linguistics is the study of the structure of language. Modern work in linguistics has had a profound impact on many fields where language is central: psychology, cognitive science, computer science, philosophy, the study of individual languages, literary theory, anthropology. The Department of Linguistics offers a Major and Minor in Linguistics, both designed to provide solid training in the core areas of the discipline as well as the flexibility necessary for individuals to pursue their own specialized interests. Majors may also participate in the Departmental Honors Program in their senior year. 

Interested persons should refer to the prospective students portion of the Rutgers University page for general guidelines concerning admissions, applications and university policy.  Specific degree requirements for the Major, Minor, and Honors  portions of the Rutgers Linguistics curriculum may be found in these pages, along with approved extradisciplinary courses. The Undergraduate Program Director, Professor Jane Grimshaw, is available in office hours and by appointment to discuss program requirements:

Undergraduate Program Director/Advisor 
Professor Jane Grimshaw
e-mail: grimshaw@ruccs.rutgers.edu
Office: Room 205b, 18 Seminary Place, CAC
Phone:(732)-932-5135

Selected Course Syllabi are found here in PDF.

Major Requirements

A major in Linguistics consists of ten courses of 3 credits each, distributed as follows: 

• The four core courses: 01:615:201, 305, 315, and 325,
• Three additional courses at the 300 level or above in Linguistics (615), and
• Three courses at the 300 level or above in Linguistics (615) or chosen from the list of approved courses for the major with the approval of the Major Advisor.

Grades of C or better must be earned in all course work that is to be applied to the major. 

Minor Requirements

A minor in Linguistics consists of six courses of 3 credits each, distributed as follows: 

• Three core courses: 01:615:201, plus two of 01:615:305, 315, or 325,
• Two additional courses at the 300 level or above in Linguistics (615), and
• One additional course at the 300 level or above in Linguistics (615) or chosen from the list of approved courses for the major with the approval of the Major Advisor.

Grades of C or better must be earned in all course work that is to be applied to the minor. 

Departmental Honors Program

Students wishing to participate in the honors program in their senior year must make written application to the departmental Major Advisor no later than May 15 of their junior year. 

To be considered, a student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better and a grade-point average of 3.4 or better in courses counting toward the Linguistics major. Students selected to participate in the program enroll in 01:615:495,496 and spend two terms researching and writing an honors thesis under the supervision of a faculty member from the Linguistics department. 

After the thesis is submitted, an oral examination on the thesis is given by a committee consisting of the student's honors program supervisor and two other Linguistics department faculty members selected with the approval of the Major Advisor. On the basis of the committee's report on the thesis and the examination, the department determines whether the student is to be recommended for departmental honors. 

 

Approved Courses

Advanced courses in other disciplines appropriate for satisfaction of major or minor requirements include the following:
01:013:301 African Linguistics (3)
01:070:312 Language and Social Diversity (3)
01:070:313 Culture, Language, and Cognition (3)
01:165:325 Advanced Chinese Grammar (3)
01:190:421 Indo-European Origins of the Classical Languages (3)
01:198:452 Formal Languages and Automata (3)
01:350:411,412 Old English Language and Literature (3,3)
01:351:310,311 History of the English Language (3,3)
01:420:332 French Phonetics and Applied Linguistics (3)
01:420:333 Introduction to French Syntax (3)
01:420:403 History of the French Language (3)
01:420:407 Advanced French Syntax (3)
01:420:490 Advanced Topics in French and Francophone Linguistics (3)
01:560:304 Introduction to Italian Linguistics (3)
01:565:325 Advanced Japanese Grammar and Rhetoric (3)
01:730:315 Applied Symbolic Logic (3)
01:730:420 Philosophy of Language (3)
01:860:351,352 Structure of the Russian Language (3,3)
01:860:451 Introduction to Slavic Linguistics (3)
01:860:452 Seminar in Slavic Linguistics (3)
01:940:362 Spanish Phonetics and Phonology (3)
01:940:363 Hispanic Bilingualism (3)
01:940:364 Structure of Modern Spanish (3)
01:940:417 History of the Spanish Language (3)
01:940:419 Hispanic Dialectology (3)
Other courses, including courses offered through the Graduate School–New Brunswick, may be selected in consultation with the director of the linguistics program.