Lynn E. Henrichsen, Chair
Dallin D. Oaks, Associate Chair
John S. Robertson, Associate Chair
4064 JFSB, (801) 422-2937
E-mail: linguistics@byu.edu
Internet: http://linguistics.byu.edu
College of Humanities Advisement Center
1175 JFSB, (801) 422-4789
Admission to Degree Program
All undergraduate degree programs in the Department of
Linguistics and English Language are open enrollment.
The Discipline
Linguistics is the study of language in all its aspects—from speech
sounds to sentence formation to meaning; from how language is
organized and used in a social setting to how it is organized and
processed in the brain or by computers. Linguists study language
form, language change, language acquisition, and even the texts
in which language is recorded. Linguists recognize that the
communicative power of language is what brings cohesion to all
human enterprises. For the student interested in the nature of
language, linguistics is the subject to study.
The science of linguistics has many real-world applications,
including translation, information storage/retrieval, lexicography,
editing, and language teaching. In addition to its majors in general
linguistics and in English language, BYU's Department of
Linguistics and English Language offers undergraduate minor
programs (as well as graduate degrees) in several of these areas.
Career Opportunities
A linguistics degree with an emphasis in computers may lead to
jobs in high technology, e.g., machine translation, information
retrieval, speech recognition and production software, and
lexicography. Linguistics is also recognized as a strong
specialization for those pursuing a career in military intelligence
or technical writing.
The English language major is in many ways similar to the
linguistics major, though its focus is more specifically on English
linguistics, an important focus given the now international status
of the English language as a language of wider communication.
The major provides useful preparation for careers that require
special attention to the English language, such as advertising and
technical writing. The English language major along with a
TESOL or editing minor is an especially strong combination.
The teaching of English to speakers of other languages is an
applied linguistics area of high demand, both within the United
States and around the world (see further description under
TESOL below).
In addition, the linguistics and English language majors are
excellent preparations for those planning graduate studies in areas
as diverse as law, international business, tourism, library science,
TESOL, communicative disorders, and speech pathology, not to
mention graduate studies in specific languages or in linguistics
itself.
General Information
The Department of Linguistics and English Language strongly
recommends that StDev 317, a 1-credit-hour course, be taken at
the end of the sophomore year or the beginning of the junior year.
Because liberal arts degrees provide preparation in a variety of
useful fields rather than a single career track, this course is
recommended to help liberal arts students focus on specific
educational and occupational goals and to identify the career
options or educational opportunities available to them. The course
will introduce them to the resources needed for accessing
information about graduate schools, internships, careers, and
career development. Students will learn basic employment
strategies, including the steps necessary for obtaining
employment related to their own specialty.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in
addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following
university requirements:
- The university core, consisting of requirements in general and
religious education. (See the University Core section of this
catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet
university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
- A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
- A minimum of 120 credit hours
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
Undergraduate Programs and Degrees
| BA |
English Language |
| BA |
Linguistics |
| Minors |
Computers and the Humanities
Editing
Linguistics
Language and Computers
TESOL
TESOL K–12 |
Students should see their college advisement center for help or
information concerning the undergraduate programs.
Graduate Programs and Degrees
| MA |
Linguistics |
| Cert |
TESOL |
| MA |
TESOL |
For more information see the BYU
2006–2007 Graduate Catalog.
