This is an archived copy of the 2024-2025 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.
Overview
Linguistics is a cross-disciplinary program designed to meet the needs of students interested in various aspects of language—its structure, history, varieties, meanings, and uses. The program includes courses in anthropology, computer science, English, psychology, and world languages and cultures, thus providing a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of human language.
Courses in linguistics serve as background for students interested in any career that involves working with language, such as teaching English as a first and as a second language, second language studies, speech-language pathology, cross-cultural communication, law, linguistic anthropology, computational linguistics, and psycholinguistics.
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, courses in linguistics can be applied as electives or as part of the group requirements. They may also be used in a minor or in a major. Linguistics majors earn a Bachelor of Arts.
Learning Outcomes
Students who major in Linguistics at Iowa State University will be able to
Linguistics Degree Requirements
Majors in linguistics complete a minimum of 36 hours in linguistics with a grade of C or better in each linguistics course. Courses specifically required are:
In addition, linguistics majors must choose 12 credits of elective courses. Discuss choices with the advisor. Suggested areas of further study are:
Computers and Linguistics
Second Language Studies
| ENGL 3220 | Language and Society | 3 |
| ENGL 3240 | Introduction to Teaching ESL Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 3250 | Teaching Methods for ESL Learners: Oral Communication Skills | 3 |
| LING 4250 | Second Language Learning and Teaching | 3 |
Sociolinguistics and Language
Spanish Linguistics
| LING 3510 | Introduction to Spanish-English Translation | 3 |
| LING 3520 | Spanish Pronunciation | 3 |
| LING 3540 | Introduction to Spanish-English Interpretation | 3 |
| LING 4620 | Contrastive Analysis of Spanish/ English for Translators | 3 |
| LING 4630 | Contemporary Spanish Linguistics | 3 |
Additional courses in linguistics include ANTHR 3090 and special topics offered through LING 3190 and LING 3200, which are repeatable for different topics. They also include courses for study abroad, especially LING 3950, and independent studies through LING 4900. Majors in linguistics must show proficiency in a second language equivalent to that achieved after two years of university-level study. Alternatively, majors in linguistics can demonstrate university-level study in two other languages of at least one year each.
Communication Proficiency requirement: According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 2500.
| ENGL 1500 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| or ENGL 2500H | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition: Honors |
| LIB 1600 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| |
For information about using linguistics courses in an interdisciplinary studies major, see Interdisciplinary Studies.
As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Linguistics students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated above for the major.
LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level. You must also complete the LAS world language requirement and career proficiency requirement.
Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. cultures and communities and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses. Discuss with your advisor how the two courses that you select can be applied to your graduation plan.
Undergraduate Minor in Linguistics
Minors in linguistics are individually tailored to the interests of the student, who consults with the linguistics advisor to develop the minor program of study. All minors must have a minimum of 15 credits in linguistics, of which 6 must be in courses numbered over 3000. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. All programs must include LING 2190 Introduction to Linguistics.
Minor in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
Minor in Teaching English as a Second Language (Minor in TESL) is for undergraduate students.
The Minor in TESL provides concentrated coursework that prepares students to teach English to nonnative speakers of English, either in community programs in the United States or in an overseas location. Students from any program may complete the minor without further studies in linguistics.
For more information, please contact the Linguistics Undergraduate Advisor.
Concurrent B.A. in Linguistics and M.A. in TESL/Applied Linguistics
A concurrent B.A. in Linguistics and M.A. in TESL and Applied Linguistics offers well-qualified students the opportunity for accelerated study, achieving both degrees within a 5-year time frame. A student enrolled in this program pursues a graduate M.A. degree while simultaneously completing the requirements for the B.A. in Linguistics. Completing the concurrent degree program would enable students to enter the workforce one year earlier than through the traditional M.A. degree pathway. Up to six credits can be double-counted toward the requirements for both degrees. Students applying for the concurrent degree program should be motivated, focused, and able to handle a 16+ credit hour/semester schedule.
Eligibility (all qualifications must be met to apply):
- A minimum 45 credits in undergraduate program complete
- Two years of ISU foreign language study or bilingualism demonstrated by an approved language test (completed or in progress)
- At least 12 credits of Linguistics courses completed with a major GPA of 3.2 or higher,
- A minimum cumulative ISU GPA of 3.0
Timeline
Students should know by the middle of their sophomore year if they are interested in pursuing the concurrent program. We recommend that students plan ahead, and notify the undergraduate linguistics adviser as soon as they know of their intent to apply for the concurrent degree; if possible, the linguistics adviser should be notified of intent to pursue the concurrent degrees by the end of the 4th semester.
Students should apply for concurrent enrollment by the end of the 5th semester of study (and no later than the end of the 6th semester) by filing the Request for Concurrent Enrollment form from the Graduate College and submitting the application materials (listed below).
If accepted into the concurrent enrollment program, students should begin taking graduate courses (by the onset of the fourth year of study). Students accepted into the concurrent enrollment program will continue to work with the undergraduate linguistics adviser until the B.A. degree requirements are met. By the onset of the fifth year of study, students should have identified an area for their thesis/creative component and establish a program of study committee (including a major professor).
Students become full-time graduate students upon acceptance into the concurrent degree program. Students are eligible for research assistantships upon entry into the concurrent degree program, although it should be noted that these opportunities are rare. Student are eligible to apply for a teaching assistantship once all requirements for the B.A. degree are met; TA selection will follow the standard procedures for the department (including GRE scores).
How to Apply
The following components make up your application:
- Fill out the Request for Concurrent Enrollment form from the Graduate College.
- Write a statement of purpose, usually 1-2 pages, explaining why you want to pursue the M.A. degree.
- Obtain three letters of recommendation.
- Create a curriculum plan with the undergraduate linguistics adviser, who works closely with members of the graduate faculty.
- Writing sample (which can be a paper written for an undergraduate course at ISU).
- Submit your materials by e-mail to Teresa Smiley in the Graduate English Office at englgrad@iastate.edu.
- GRE scores (not required for initial application; required if applying for a teaching assistantship).
The admission criteria are generally the same as those required for all graduate students in the department. Application materials are reviewed by the graduate faculty in linguistics, the department’s Director of Graduate Education (DOGE), and the department chair; their recommendations are forwarded on to the ISU Graduate College.
BA in Linguistics
120 credits
- 45 credits at 3000+
- 36 credits in major (6 graduate credits can double count with graduate degree requirements)
- 9 credits English communication (such as ENGL 3140 Technical Communication)
- 12-16 credits of foreign language
- 29 credits in general education: 9 in A&H, 9 in SS, 8 in NS, 3 in math
- Possible linguistics electives:
MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics
**6 credits (including 5100) can count as an elective in the B.A. degree
Graduate Minor
A graduate minor in linguistics permits students to investigate various aspects of linguistics, emphasizing the ability to think about language in a systematic and disciplined way and to apply the methods of the field to research problems in their own disciplines. Graduate courses for the minor may be cross-listed with courses in Anthropology, Communication Disorders, Computer Science, English, Psychology, and World Languages and Cultures.
For those pursuing a master’s degree, a declared minor in linguistics consists of 9 credits in linguistics including two foundation courses:
| LING 5110 | Introduction to Linguistic Analysis | 3 |
| 3 |
| Sociolinguistics | |
| Discourse Analysis | |
| Corpus Approaches to Grammatical Analysis | |
| 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 |
For those pursuing a Ph.D. degree, the minor consists of 12 credits in linguistics including:
| LING 5110 | Introduction to Linguistic Analysis | 3 |
| LING 5370 | Corpus Approaches to Grammatical Analysis | 3 |
| 6 |
| Total Credits | 12 |
Additional courses beyond those listed below may be used as electives. The chair of the supervisory committee can provide information about these.
At least one member of the linguistics faculty will serve on a student’s program of study committee. A list of faculty members may be obtained from the Linguistics program website. Ph.D. candidates will write one section of the preliminary examination on an area of linguistics. Students in the Master's in Teaching English as a Second Language/Applied Linguistics are not eligible for a graduate minor in linguistics.