Program Overview

Linguistics

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Linguistics

Majors

• Linguistics BA
• Linguistics BA - Chinese Language and Linguistics Concentration
• Linguistics BA - Japanese Language and Linguistics Concentration
• Linguistics BA - Korean Language and Linguistics Concentration

Combined

• Linguistics BA/English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Education EdM

Minors

• American Sign Language Minor
• Chinese Minor
• Japanese Minor
• Korean Minor
• Linguistics Minor
• Polish Studies Minor

What will I learn?

Linguistics is a program designed for people who love words and languages and want to use science to study how we communicate with each other. As a linguistics major, you can explore topics such as:

• How children actually learn how to speak
• How people produce sounds
• How concepts like race and gender are reflected in language
• How computers process human language
• Phonetics and phonology
• Semantics and syntax

You'll also have the option to concentrate on a specific language and take advanced courses in that subject area.

What can I do outside of class?

• Studying abroad lets you immerse yourself in another culture as you learn about linguistics and language by living among native speakers.
• Internships are another popular choice for students, who are typically placed in a local public school or service agency.
• UB also has hundreds of student groups, including groups for students who are interested in specific languages and cultures.

What can I do with a linguistics degree?

Whether you specialize in linguistics or a language, you'll find opportunities available in schools, research labs, government agencies, media companies, and other organizations around the world. Common career paths include:

• Industry, research, and consultation: Work on speech recognition, artificial intelligence, how people gain language skills, how languages evolve, language disorders, endangered languages, and other critical areas.
• Academia and education: Teach at schools and universities in the U.S. or abroad, or help develop educational materials.
• Publishing and translation: Become a translator, announcer, interpreter, technical writer, journalist, or publisher.

Many students continue their education in graduate school—often for an advanced degree in linguistics, teaching English as a second language, cognitive science, or a related field.

Who will I learn from?

Our faculty members have earned Humboldt Research Fellowships, National Science Foundation grants, UB’s Exceptional Scholar Award, and many other honors. They conduct research on some of the world's most spoken (and least spoken) languages, collaborate with scholars around the globe on data-driven linguistics research, and support the study and survival of endangered languages. They are authors, conference presenters, and journal editors who are widely recognized for their expertise.

In addition, our faculty are exceptional teachers and have earned the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. As a student here, you'll appreciate the small classes and access to faculty as you get to know some of the leading scholars and mentors in the field.