Undergraduate Program

 

General information

High scores on verbal, analytic, and quantitative aptitude tests are indicators of success in linguistics. Although few aspects of the field deal with numbers, students must be able to reason logically and explicitly and deal with formulas and abstract symbols. Depending on their vocational goals, prospective linguistics students should consider pursuing their studies either through the M.A. in linguistics with a professional focus or through the doctorate; or they should take a second major. Appropriate companion fields include foreign languages, English, anthropology, sociology, speech pathology, psychology, mathematics, computer science, philosophy, and elementary and secondary education.

 

Bachelor of Arts

The B.A. in linguistics prepares students to do basic language analysis in syntax- semantics (sentence patterns and their relation to meanings) and phonology (sound patterns). Elective courses in a variety of subspecialties enable students to tailor the program to their own interests.

For students declaring their major in Fall 2011 or after, the major in linguistics requires 30 semester hours of course work, with a minimum GPA of 2.0. None of the courses may be taken Pass-Fail.

Required courses (5):

 

  • 103:100 Introduction to Linguistics
  • 103:110 Phonetics
  • 103:111 Syntactic Analysis
  • 103:112 Phonological Analysis  
  • One course in language history, from among:
    • 103:115 Topics in Linguistics: Historical Linguistics (Fall 2009)
    • 103:131 History of the English Language
    • A course in the history of any language or language family
    • A course in the older form of some language (classical Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Old English, etc.)

The remaining electives (5), which may be cross-listed, are chosen in consultation with the undergraduate adviser.

 

BA with TESL Emphasis

 

            As part of the B.A. in linguistics, students can earn an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). This emphasis can prepare students to teach English to non-native speakers abroad. This emphasis is also excellent preparation for graduate work in second language acquisition.

 

To earn the TESL emphasis, students take the five required courses and the following (plus two electives, if the major with TESL emphasis was declared in Fall 2011 or after):

 

Both of these:    
  103:141 The Structure of English   3 s.h.
  103:145 Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language  3 s.h
One of these:    
  103:156 Child Language: Linguistic Perspectives 3 s.h.
  103:157 Linguistic Theory and SLA 3 s.h.
  103:161 Practical Phonetics 3 s.h.

 

Honors

Members of the University Honors Program (3.33 grade-point average) may graduate with honors in linguistics by completing the major course work plus an honors thesis. The thesis must be prepared in consultation with the student's academic adviser.

 

Minor

The undergraduate minor in linguistics requires 15 semester hours of linguistics courses, of which at least 12 must be in University of Iowa courses numbered 100 or above. This must include Introduction to Linguistics (103:100), Articulatory and Acoustic Phonetics (103:110), Syntactic Analysis (103:111) and Phonological Analysis (103:112). A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in the minor, and none of the courses may be taken Pass-Fail.