Program Overview

Bachelor's Degree (BA, BS) in Linguistics

The Bachelor's Degree program in Linguistics is designed for students fascinated by the structure, function, and evolution of language. Graduates gain analytical and research skills in language patterns, phonetics, and syntax, preparing them for careers as language analysts, translators, computational linguists, or language educators in fields like education, technology, and cross-cultural communication.

Program Overview

The Linguistics program offers a wide range of courses in the various subdisciplines of linguistics, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, and the analysis of specific languages.

Related Careers

A degree in linguistics gives students excellent preparation for careers in:

• Computational Linguistics
• Language Educators
• Translators
• Publishing Law
• National Security
• Government
• Business
• Editors
• Entertainment

Program Details

• Offered by: College of Arts and Sciences
• Credit Hours: 120
• Credential: BA, BS

Admission Requirements

• Official High School Transcript with Pre-College Curriculum
• Test Scores (optional): ACT or SAT scores can be submitted but are not required for university admission.

Application Requirements

• Completed applications include an official high school transcript, application fee ($50 domestic/$60 international), and optional official ACT/SAT score.

Application Deadlines

Freshman

• Early Action: 12/01/2025
• Regular Decision: 02/15/2026

Transfer

• Fall Scholarship: 06/15/2026
• Fall: 08/01/2026
• Spring: 11/15/2025
• Summer: 04/15/2026

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Linguistics program is structured as follows:

Freshman Year

• Total Freshman Credit Hours: 32
  • Fall Semester: 16 Credit Hours
    • LIN 221: Introduction to Linguistics
    • UKCRCC1: UK Core - Comp. & Comm. I
    • ASFOR101: Foreign Language 101
    • UKCRACR: UK Core - Arts and Creativity
    • UKCRHUM: UK Core - Humanities
  • Spring Semester: 16 Credit Hours
    • LIN 305: Words & Sentences
    • UKCRCC2: UK Core - Comp. & Comm. II
    • ASFOR102: Foreign Language 102
    • UKCRNPM: UK Core - Natural, Physical and Math
    • UKCRSSC: UK Core - Social Sciences

Sophomore Year

• Total Sophomore Credit Hours: 28-30
  • Fall Semester: 15 Credit Hours
    • LIN 300: Speech Sounds
    • LINGLCS: Language, Culture, & Society
    • ASFOR201: Foreign Language 201
    • UKCRGDY: UK Core - Global Dynamics
    • ASNS100: A&S Natural Sciences Course (100+ level)
  • Spring Semester: 13-15 Credit Hours
    • LIN 515: Phonological Analysis
    • LINGLST: Languages in Space & Time
    • ASFOR202: Foreign Language 202
    • ASLAB1: A&S Lab or Field Work
    • ASNS100: A&S Natural Sciences Course (100+ level)

Junior Year

• Total Junior Credit Hours: 30-31
  • Fall Semester: 15-16 Credit Hours
    • LIN 512: Syntactic Analysis
    • LINGCL: Computational Linguistics
    • LIN300LVL: Linguistics Course (300+ level)
    • LINADDTL: Additional Coursework Elective
    • UKCRQFO: UK Core - Quantitative Foundations
  • Spring Semester: 15 Credit Hours
    • LIN300LVL: Linguistics Course (300+ level)
    • LINADDTL: Additional Coursework Elective
    • ASSOCSCI: A&S Social Sciences
    • UKCRSIR: UK Core - Statistical Inferential Reason
    • HHS-FREE: Free Electives (3 hours)

Senior Year

• Total Senior Credit Hours: 30
  • Fall Semester: 15 Credit Hours
    • LIN300LVL: Linguistics Course (300+ level)
    • ASELECT300: A&S Approved Elective (300+ level)
    • LINADDTL: Additional Coursework Elective
    • UKCRCCC: UK Core - Community, Culture and Citizen
    • HHS-FREE: Free Electives (3 hours)
  • Spring Semester: 15 Credit Hours
    • LIN 495: Linguistics Capstone
    • GCCR
    • ASELECT300: A&S Approved Elective (300+ level)
    • ASSOCSCI: A&S Social Sciences
    • HHS-FREE: Free Electives (3 hours)
    • HHS-FREE: Free Electives (3 hours)