Linguistics
[ major | minor | graduate program | courses | faculty ]
John Muir College
Applied Physics and Mathematics Building, Room 3101
http://ling.ucsd.edu
All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.
In what ways do languages differ, and in what ways are all human languages alike? These are the basic questions that the science of linguistics seeks to answer.
In formulating hypotheses about language, it has been found that languages have intricate structure at a number of different levels. Phonetics studies the sounds of speech and how they are produced and perceived. Phonology studies the principles by which the sounds of a language are organized into a system and combined into syllables and larger units. Morphology studies the principles by which smaller units of meaning are combined into words. Syntax is the study of the principles by which words are combined into larger units such as phrases and sentences. Semantics studies meaning—the meanings of words and the ways the meanings of words are related to the meanings of larger units such as the phrase, the sentence, and the discourse. Linguists attempt to discover to what extent the principles at each level vary across languages, and to what extent they are universal. These principles apply to both spoken languages and signed languages.
Because language provides a window into the human mind, linguistics plays a central role in the study of human cognition and figures prominently in the fields of cognitive science and psychology. We know, for example, that children succeed in learning language relatively quickly at a time when their other cognitive abilities are still developing. The universal properties of human language that linguists discover can be used to provide models of this acquisition process, to explain why it occurs so rapidly, and to make specific predictions about the way it unfolds. Second language acquisition and acquisition of signed languages provide important windows into the acquisition process. The results of linguistic research can also be tested directly in computational models and experimental studies of how language is represented and processed in the mind (psycholinguistics) and brain (neurolinguistics). Language can also be studied in terms of its function as a cognitive system shared by an entire society (sociolinguistics); sociolinguists investigate the ways in which the language use is affected by the social environment.
The Department of Linguistics offers a series of lower-division courses designed to introduce students to the scientific study of language in the broader perspective of a liberal arts education. These are LIGN 3 (Language as a Social and Cultural Phenomenon), LIGN 4 (Language as a Cognitive System), LIGN 5 (The Linguistics of Invented Languages), LIGN 7 (Sign Language and Its Culture), LIGN 8 (Languages and Cultures in America), and LIGN 17 (Making and Breaking Codes). These courses may be used to satisfy the Marshall College disciplinary breadth requirement. Lower-division linguistics courses may be used to satisfy the social sciences requirement at Muir College and Revelle College, and they partially fulfill the requirements for a program of concentration in Warren College. In addition, certain linguistics courses satisfy the American Cultures requirement in Revelle College and the cultural diversity requirement in Muir College and Warren College. LIGN 17 (Making and Breaking Codes) satisfies the Thurgood Marshall Computational Skills requirement in addition to the formal skills requirement in Warren College and in the Human Development Program. This course also satisfies the Structured Reasoning requirement in Sixth College. Students should consult their college advising offices to determine which linguistics courses satisfy these other requirements.
Linguistics courses are required for the International Studies—Linguistics major, and are relevant to a wide range of other fields of study at UC San Diego, including anthropology, cognitive science, communication, computer science, human development, law and society, psychology, and sociology, as well as areas such as African studies, Chinese studies, critical gender studies, ethnic studies, Jewish studies, Latin American studies, and others. In some cases, certain linguistics courses count toward a major or minor in one of these departments or programs. Students should consult with a faculty adviser in linguistics and the other department or program when deciding on their course of study.
Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), the Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP), or the Global Seminars (GS) program. Students considering these options should discuss their plans with the department undergraduate adviser before going abroad. Detailed information on EAP/OAP/GS is found in this catalog and at the Study Abroad UC San Diego website.
The Department of Linguistics oversees the Linguistics Language Program, which offers basic language instruction in Arabic, ASL, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Courses from the Language Program satisfy general-education requirements, as well as the Department of Linguistics language requirement. Graduate students who require a reading knowledge of French or German may enroll in LIFR 11 or LIGM 11, respectively.
The department also offers language instruction for individuals who grew up in an English-speaking environment while speaking a different language at home (currently Filipino, Hindi, Korean, Persian, and Vietnamese; other languages including Arabic, Armenian, and Cantonese may be added if student demand is sufficient). Instruction in these languages is designed to raise students’ linguistic and cultural competence to professional levels. Finally, directed self-instruction is available for a wide variety of languages through LIDS 19.
Note: Please check with the department’s student affairs officers for updates concerning programs and course offerings.
The Major Program
General Requirements
Every linguistics major (except the language studies major) must satisfy the undergraduate language requirement and must successfully complete a minimum of twelve upper-division courses. In addition to the general major, the department offers a set of enriched major programs in various specializations.
Except for LIGN 199, no course taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis may be counted toward a linguistics major. No more than one quarter of LIGN 199 may be counted toward a linguistics major. For the general linguistics, language and society, cognition and language, and speech and language sciences majors, at least six out of the twelve upper-division linguistics courses counted toward the major must be linguistics courses taken in residence at UC San Diego. For the language studies major, at least six out of the twelve upper division courses counted toward the major must be taken at UC San Diego, and at least four of these must be linguistics courses that satisfy Part A of the language studies course requirements. A letter grade of C– or better is required for every course counted toward a linguistics major, including courses taken to satisfy the department’s undergraduate language requirement.
Required Linguistics Courses
Linguistics 101 is required as an introduction to the field and serves as the prerequisite to certain other courses. Students who choose a linguistics major should enroll in it as early as possible.
Every major program in linguistics (except the language studies major) must include the following required courses covering basic areas of the field:
LIGN 101. Introduction to the Study of Language
LIGN 110. Phonetics
LIGN 111. Phonology
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
Students are advised to take these required courses as early as possible, since the background they provide may be needed for other upper-division linguistics courses. Check individual course listings for prerequisite information.
Linguistics Electives
LIGN 105. Law and Language
LIGN 108. Languages of Africa
LIGN 112. Speech Sounds and Speech Disorders
LIGN 113. Hearing Science and Hearing Disorders
LIGN 115. Phonology II
LIGN 118. The Language of Comics
LIGN 119. First and Second Language Learning: From Childhood Through Adolescence
LIGN 125. Syntax II
LIGN 139. Field Methods
LIGN 141. Language Structures
LIGN 141. Language Structures
LIGN 142. Language Typology
LIGN 143. The Structure of Spanish
LIGN 144. Discourse Analysis: American Sign Language and Performing Arts
LIGN 145. Pidgins and Creoles
LIGN 146. Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities
LIGN 148. Psycholinguistics of Gesture and Sign Languages
LIGN 150. Historical Linguistics
LIGN 152. Indigenous Languages of the Americas
LIGN 154. Language and Consciousness
LIGN 155. Evolution of Language
LIGN 160. Pragmatics
LIGN 165. Computational Linguistics
LIGN 167. Deep Learning for Natural Language Understanding
LIGN 168. Computational Speech Processing
LIGN 170. Psycholinguistics
LIGN 171. Child Language Acquisition
LIGN 172. Psycholinguistics Laboratory Projects
LIGN 173. Heritage Languages
LIGN 174. Gender and Language in Society
LIGN 175. Sociolinguistics
LIGN 176. Language of Politics and Advertising
LIGN 177. Multilingualism
LIGN 178. Spanish Sociolinguistics
LIGN 179. Second Language Acquisition Research
LIGN 180. Language Representation in the Brain
LIGN 181. Language Processing in the Brain
LIGN 187. Seminar on Special Topics
LIGN 188R. Introduction to Research Methods in Linguistics
Restricted Courses
LIGN 87. First-year Seminar (does not count as a linguistics elective)
LIGN 9GS. Sign Languages and Deaf Culture in the U.S. and France
LIGN 149GS. The Historical Roots of American Sign Language
LIGN 192. Senior Seminar in Linguistics (does not count as a linguistics elective)
LIGN 195. Apprentice Teaching (may count once as a linguistics elective)
LIGN 197. Linguistics Internship
LIGN 199. Independent Study in Linguistics
LIGN 199H. Honors Independent Study in Linguistics
Note to Revelle and Warren students:
Revelle: For Revelle College only, the classification of the linguistics major as humanities, natural science, or social science must be determined on the basis of each student’s specific program. The classification of the major program will in turn determine what areas will be acceptable for the noncontiguous minor.
Warren: For Warren College only, any courses taken in departments other than linguistics may not overlap with the student’s outside area(s) of concentration.
Undergraduate Language Requirement
Linguistics majors must demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language.
Proficiency in a foreign language may be demonstrated in three ways:
- By passing the reading proficiency examination and the oral interview administered by the Department of Linguistics in French, German, Italian, Russian, or Spanish; or
- By successfully completing a course given at UC San Diego representing the fourth quarter (or beyond) of instruction in any single foreign language with a grade of C– or better; or
- By scoring four or greater on the Advanced Placement (AP) exam.
Students are encouraged to satisfy this requirement as early as possible in order to be able to use the language for reference in linguistics courses. Students with native language competence in a language other than English may petition to have English count as satisfying the proficiency requirement.
General Major (12 courses)
The general major in linguistics requires satisfaction of the undergraduate language requirement and successful completion of twelve upper-division courses:
Six required linguistics courses
LIGN 101. Introduction to the Study of Language
LIGN 110. Phonetics
LIGN 111. Phonology
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
Five linguistics electives
One additional linguistics elective or upper-division course in another department pertaining to the study of language. Courses currently approved to satisfy this requirement include the electives for the cognition and language major (except PSYC 105) and the electives for the language and society major (Note: some of these courses may have prerequisites) or a Heritage Language course offered in the Linguistics Language Program (for example, LIHL 112/LIHL 112X).
Specialized Majors
Every student with a specialized major must consult the faculty adviser in the Department of Linguistics to have approved an individual curricular plan to satisfy the major requirements for the option chosen. Each specialized major requires satisfaction of the undergraduate language requirement and successful completion of upper-division requirements as specified below. The specialization will be reflected in the wording of a degree, e.g., “BA in Linguistics (with Specialization in Language and Society).”
Cognition and Language (12 courses)
Six required linguistics courses
LIGN 101. Introduction to the Study of Language
LIGN 110. Phonetics
LIGN 111. Phonology
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
Four linguistics electives chosen from
LIGN 112. Speech Sounds and Speech Disorders
LIGN 113. Hearing Sciences and Hearing Disorders
LIGN 119. First and Second Language Learning: From Childhood Through Adolescence
LIGN 148. Psycholinguistics of Sign Languages
LIGN 155. Evolution of Language
LIGN 165. Computational Linguistics
LIGN 170. Psycholinguistics
LIGN 171. Child Language Acquisition
LIGN 176. Language of Politics and Advertising
LIGN 179. Second Language Acquisition Research
LIGN 180. Language Representation in the Brain
LIGN 181. Language Processing in the Brain
Two additional courses from linguistics or other departments subject to adviser approval.
Courses currently approved to satisfy this requirement include the following. Note: some of these courses may have prerequisites.
Linguistics
Any upper-division courses (except those used to fulfill requirements A and B).
Anthropology
ANBI 140. The Evolution of the Human Brain
ANBI 159. Biological and Cultural Perspectives on Intelligence
ANBI 173. Cognition in Animals and Humans
Cognitive Science
COGS 101C. Language
COGS 102A. Distributed Cognition
COGS 102B. Cognitive Ethnography
COGS 107C. Cognitive Neuroscience
COGS 108D. Programming Methods for Cognitive Science
COGS 108E. Neural Network Models of Cognition I
COGS 108F. Advanced Programming Methods for Cognitive Science
COGS 151. Analogy and Conceptual Systems
COGS 154. Communication Disorders in Children and Adults
COGS 156. Language Development
COGS 170. Natural and Artificial Symbolic Representational Systems
COGS 184. Modeling the Evolution of Cognition
COGS 191. Laboratory Research
Computer Science and Engineering
CSE 133. Information Retrieval
Philosophy
PHIL 120. Symbolic Logic I
PHIL 134. Philosophy of Language
PHIL 136. Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 150. Philosophy of the Cognitive Sciences
Psychology
PSYC 105. Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 118A. Real-Time Examination of Language Processing
PSYC 118B. Real-Time Examination of Language Processing
PSYC 119. Psycholinguistics/Cognition Laboratory
PSYC 145. Psychology of Language
Language and Society (12 courses)
Six required linguistics courses
LIGN 101. Introduction to the Study of Language
LIGN 110. Phonetics
LIGN 111. Phonology
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
Two appropriate upper-division courses in other departments (especially the Departments of Anthropology, Communication, Cognitive Science, or Sociology), selected in consultation with the faculty adviser for language and society. Courses currently approved to satisfy this requirement include the following. Note: some of these courses may have prerequisites.
ANSC 118. Language and Culture
ANSC 122. Language in Society [formerly known as ANGN 149]
ANSC 162. Language, Identity, and Community [formerly known as ANGN 112]
COMM 100B. Communication, Culture, and Representation
COMM 168. Bilingual Communication
COMM 110T. Language, Literacy, and Communication: Language, Thought, and Media
COMM 110P. Language, Literacy, and Communication: Language and Human Communication
COMM 112G. Interaction and Mediation: Language and Globalization
SOCI 117/EDS 117. Language, Culture, and Education
SOCI 118E. Sociology of Language
SOCI 120T. Special Topics in Culture, Language, and Social Interaction
EDS 125. History, Politics, and Theory of Bilingual Education
One course in sociolinguistics (by approval of the faculty adviser, may be taken in another department). Courses currently approved to satisfy this requirement include the following. Note: some of these courses may have prerequisites:
LIGN 174. Gender and Language in Society
LIGN 175. Sociolinguistics
LIGN 177. Multilingualism
Three linguistics electives. Courses particularly relevant to this specialization are
LIGN 105. Law and Language
LIGN 174. Gender and Language in Society
LIGN 175. Sociolinguistics
LIGN 176. Language of Politics and Advertising
LIGN 177. Multilingualism
Speech and Language Sciences (13 courses)
One lower-division statistics course to be chosen from
COGS 14B. Introduction to Statistical Analysis
PSYC 60. Introduction to Statistics
Six required linguistics courses
LIGN 101. Introduction to the Study of Language
LIGN 110. Phonetics
LIGN 111. Phonology
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
One course in speech, language, and hearing disorders
LIGN 112. Speech Sounds and Speech Disorders
LIGN 113. Hearing Science and Hearing Disorders
One course in language development and disorders to be chosen from
LIGN 119. First and Second Language Learning: From Childhood through Adolescence
LIGN 171. Child Language Acquisition
LIGN 179. Second Language Acquisition Research
One course in neurobiology of language to be chosen from
LIGN 180. Language Representation in the Brain
LIGN 181. Language Processing in the Brain
Three speech and language sciences elective courses to be chosen from
COGS 107A. Neuroanatomy and Physiology
COGS 107C. Cognitive Neuroscience
COGS 154. Communication Disorders in Children and Adults
COGS 179. Electrophysiology of Cognition
COMM 168. Bilingual Communication
EDS 125. History, Politics, and Theory of Bilingual Education
ETHN 185. Discourse, Power, and Inequality
LIGN 119. First and Second Language Learning: From Childhood through Adolescence
LIGN 146. Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities
LIGN 148. Psycholinguistics of Sign Language
LIGN 160. Pragmatics
LIGN 170. Psycholinguistics
LIGN 171. Child Language Acquisition
LIGN 175. Sociolinguistics
LIGN 177. Multilingualism
LIGN 179. Second Language Acquisition Research
LIGN 180. Language Representation in the Brain
LIGN 181. Language Processing in the Brain
MUS 175. Musical Psychoacoustics
PSYC 105. Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 108. Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 128. Psychology of Reading
PSYC 138. Sound and Music Perception
SOC 117. Language, Culture, and Education
Exceptions: COGS 107C and PSYC 108 may not both be taken for credit toward the major.
Language Studies Major
Students majoring in language studies must consult with the language studies faculty adviser to approve an individual curricular plan.
The language studies major is designed for students who wish to pursue the study of a particular language from a variety of perspectives. To this end, students will take courses in linguistics and literature, as well as electives in linguistics, literature, culture, and area studies. This major provides preparation for a variety of careers that make use of second language skills. Depending on the elective emphasis, these include international business/law, teaching, translation, interpreting, linguistics, and foreign service. Each language studies major will specialize in one language of concentration. In principle, this could be any language other than English. However, some languages may require that some course work be completed outside UC San Diego. Hence, it is recommended that language studies majors consider a year abroad. Students whose language of concentration is American Sign Language will need to consult the faculty adviser for individualized requirements; these students may also consider an exchange year at Gallaudet University.
Requirements
Lower-division preparation:
- Two years of language instruction in the language of concentration, or equivalent proficiency
- Lower-division prerequisites for upper-division courses in the literature of the language of concentration
Upper-division requirements:
Note: at least two of the upper-division courses must be conducted in the language of concentration. Students are encouraged to increase their academic exposure to their language of concentration by taking one-unit seminars in the language and by participating in the EAP program.
- Six upper-division linguistics courses, as follows:
LIGN 101. Introduction to Linguistics
Three courses chosen from
One additional upper-division LIGN course.
LIGN 110. Phonetics
LIGN 111. Phonology
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
LIGN 145. Pidgins and Creoles
LIGN 150. Historical Linguistics
“Structure of” language of concentration course (e.g., LIGN 143, Structure of Spanish). If no such course is available, the student must consult with the undergraduate adviser regarding a possible substitution. - Two upper-division courses in the literature of the language of concentration
-
Four additional upper-division courses that deal with general linguistics, the language of concentration (e.g., literature), or the corresponding culture/area studies (e.g., anthropology, economics, history, political science, sociology), subject to approval of the faculty adviser.
Approved courses for this requirement include the following. Note: some of these courses may have prerequisites.
Linguistics: Any upper-division courses (except those used to fulfill requirement A).
Literature: Any upper-division courses related to the language of concentration (except those used to fulfill requirement B).
Area Studies: Approved courses are listed by language of concentration; other languages of concentration are possible in principle, but probably require course work outside of UC San Diego.
Arabic
ANSC 133. Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East
ECON 165. Middle East Economics
HINE 114. History of the Islamic Middle East
HINE 118. The Middle East in the Twentieth Century
HINE 119. Contemporary Middle East Conflicts
POLI 121B. Politics in Israel
ASL
See linguistics undergraduate adviser for options.
Chinese
ANRG 170/ANSC 136. Traditional Chinese Society
ANRG 173/ANSC 137. Chinese Popular Religion
ANSC 136. Traditional Chinese Society
ANSC 137. Chinese Popular Religion
HIEA 122. Late Imperial Chinese Culture and Society
HIEA 125. Women and Gender in East Asia
HIEA 126. The Silk Road in Chinese and Japanese History
HIEA 129. Faces of the Chinese Past
HIEA 130. End of the Chinese Empire, 1800–1911
HIEA 131. China in War and Revolution: 1911–1949
HIEA 132. Mao’s China, 1949–1976
HIEA 133. Twentieth-Century China: Cultural History
HIEA 134. History of Thought and Religion in China: Confucianism
HIEA 137. Women and Family in Chinese History
HIEA 138. Women and the Chinese Revolution
HIEA 163/263. Cinema and Society in Twentieth-Century China
HIEA 164/264. Seminar in Late Imperial Chinese History
HIEA 166/266. Creating Ming Histories
HIEA 168/268. Topics in Classical and Medieval Chinese History
HIEA 171/271. Society and Culture in Premodern China
POLI 113A. East Asian Thought in Comparative Perspective
POLI 113B. Chinese and Japanese Political Thought I
POLI 130B. Politics in the People’s Republic of China
POLI 131C. The Chinese Revolution
POLI 133D. Political Institutions of East Asian Countries
SOCI 188G. Chinese Society
VIS 127B. Arts of China
VIS 127C. Arts of Modern China
VIS 127D. Early Chinese Painting
VIS 127E. Later Chinese Painting
VIS 127GS. Issues in Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art
VIS 127N. Twentieth-Century Art in China and Japan
French
HIEU 129. Paris, Past and Present
HIEU 130. Europe in the Eighteenth Century
HIEU 131. The French Revolution: 1789–1814
HIEU 142. European Intellectual History, 1780–1870
POLI 120C. Politics in France
TDHT 105. French Comedy
German
HIEU 130. Europe in the Eighteenth Century
HIEU 142. European Intellectual History, 1780–1870
HIEU 143. European Intellectual History, 1870–1945
HIEU 145. The Holocaust as Public History
HIEU 154. Modern German History: From Bismarck to Hitler
HIEU 158. Why Hitler? How Auschwitz?
HIEU 172/272. Comparative European Fascism
HIEU 174/274. The Holocaust: A Psychological Approach
PHIL 106. Kent
PHIL 107. Hegel
POLI 120B. The German Political System
POLI 120D. Germany: Before, During, and After Division
SOCI 178. The Holocaust
Hebrew
ANRG 150/ANAR 142. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel
HIEU 159. Three Centuries of Zionism, 1648–1948
HIEU 176/276. Politics in the Jewish Past
HINE 162/262. Anthropology and the Hebrew Bible
HINE 170. Special Topics in Jewish History
HINE 186. Special Topics in Middle Eastern History
POLI 121. Government and Politics of the Middle East
POLI 121B. Politics in Israel
SOCI 188F. Modern Jewish Societies and Israeli Society
Italian
HIEU 120. The Renaissance in Italy
HIEU 172/272. Comparative European Fascism
POLI 120I. Politics in Italy
TDHT 104. Italian Comedy
VIS 122AN. Renaissance Art
VIS 122CN. Leonardo da Vinci in Context
VIS 122D. Michelangelo
VIS 122F. Leonardo’s La Gioconda
Japanese
HIEA 111. Japan: Twelfth to Mid-Nineteenth Centuries
HIEA 112. Japan: From the Mid-Nineteenth Century through the US Occupation
HIEA 113. The Fifteen-Year War in Asia and the Pacific
HIEA 114. Postwar Japan
HIEA 115. Social and Cultural History of Twentieth-Century Japan
HIEA 116. Japan-U.S. Relations
HEA 117. Ghosts in Japan
HIEA 125. Women and Gender in East Asia
HIEA 126. The Silk Road in Chinese and Japanese History
POLI 113A. East Asian Thought in Comparative Perspective
POLI 113B. Chinese and Japanese Political Thought I
POLI 133A. Japanese Politics: A Developmental Perspective
POLI 133D. Political Institutions of East Asian Countries
VIS 127F. Japanese Buddhist Art
VIS 127N. Twentieth-Century Art in China and Japan
VIS 127P. Arts of Japan
VIS 127Q. Japanese Painting and Prints
Russian
HIEU 134. The Formation of the Russian Empire, 800–1855
HIEU 178. Soviet History
POLI 126AB. Politics and Economics in Eastern Europe
POLI 130AA. The Soviet Successor States
POLI 130AD. The Politics of the Russian Revolution
Spanish
ANAR 156. The Archaeology of South America
ANSC 131. Urban Cultures in Latin America
ANSC 142. Anthropology of Latin America
COMM 142. Cuban Cinema
COMM 155. Latino Space, Place, and Culture
COMM 104G. Comparative Media Systems: Latin America and the Caribbean
COMM 140. Cinema in Latin America
ECON 162. Economics of Mexico
ETHN 116. The United States–Mexico Border in Comparative Perspective
ETHN 129/USP 135. Asian and Latina Immigrant Workers in the Global Economy
ETHN 132. Chicano Dramatic Literature
ETHN 133. Hispanic American Dramatic Literature
ETHN 135A. Early Latino/a-Chicano/a Cultural Production: 1848–1960
ETHN 135B. Contemporary Latino/a- Chicano/a Cultural Production: 1960 to Present
ETHN 136. Topics in Chicano/a-Latino/a Cultures
ETHN 138. Chicano/a and Latino/a Poetry
ETHN 145. Spanish Language in the United States
ETHN 148. Latino/a and Chicano/a Literature
ETHN 180. Topics in Mexican American History
HIEU 151. Spain since 1808
HILA 100. Conquest and Empire of the Americas
HILA 101. Nation-State Formation, Ethnicity, and Violence in Latin America
HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century
HILA 103. Revolution in Modern Latin America
HILA 104. Modern US–Latin American Relations
HILA 114. Dictatorship in Latin America
HILA 121A. History of Brazil through 1889
HILA 121B. History of Brazil, 1889 to Present
HILA 122. Cuba: From Colony to Socialist Republic
HILA 123. The Incas and Their Ancestors
HILA 124A. History of Women and Gender in Latin America
HILA 126. From Columbus to Castro: Caribbean Culture and Society
HILA 131. A History of Mexico
HILA 132. Modern Mexico: From Revolution to Drug War Violence
HILA 134. Indians of Colonial Latin America
HILA 161. History of Women in Latin America
HILA 162. Special Topics in Latin American History
HILA 163/263. The History of Chile, 1880–Present
HILA 164/264. Women’s Work and Family Life in Latin America
HILA 167/267. Scholarship on Latin American History in the Colonial Period
HILA 168/268. Scholarship on Latin American History in the Nineteenth Century
HILA 169/269. Scholarship on Latin American History in the Twentieth Century
LATI 120. Special Topics in Latin American Studies
THHS 109. African Heritage in Contemporary Drama: African, Caribbean, and African American
TDHT 110. Chicanx Theatre
TDHT 111. Hispanic American Dramatic Literature
POLI 134AA. Comparative Politics of Latin America
POLI 134B. Politics in Mexico
POLI 134D. Selected Topics in Latin American Politics
POLI 134I. Politics in the Southern Cone of Latin America
POLI 146A. The U.S. and Latin America: Political and Economic Relations
SOCI 182. Ethnicity and Indigenous Peoples in Latin America
SOCI 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics
VIS 126P. Latin American Art: Modern to Postmodern, 1890–1950
VIS 126Q. Latin American Art: Modern to Postmodern, 1950–Present
Honors Program
The department offers an honors program for outstanding students. To apply for the honors program, students must have a 3.75 or greater GPA in linguistics (3.25 overall) at the time of application, choose a research topic of interest on which they can write a thesis, identify and meet with a faculty member to serve as an honors adviser, and submit an application once they have a topic and an adviser. The application will consist of a one-page proposal with a description of the research topic that the student aims to pursue for the honors program, prepared in consultation with the selected honors adviser, and a proposed program of supervised study during the student’s final three quarters, also prepared in consultation with the selected honors adviser. This program shall include at least one relevant course taken for a letter grade (which can be taken as part of the twelve required courses for the major) and LIGN 199H.
The application must be ideally submitted at least three full quarters before the student’s intended graduation date for approval by the department faculty by the end of that quarter. For example, if the student is planning to graduate in spring 2024, the student will want to work on and submit the application in spring 2023. If the student is a winter graduate, the student will want to apply in or before the prior winter. Once approved, the student will begin a substantial research project, under the supervision of the honors adviser, culminating in an honors thesis. The honors thesis is an original research paper of approximately 30–40 pages. Upon successful completion of the requirements the designation “with distinction,” “with high distinction,” or “with highest distinction” will appear on the student’s diploma.
Independent Study and Directed Group Study in Linguistics for Majors
Upon presentation of a written study proposal or project, and with the consent of a faculty member who would serve as the adviser for the project, linguistics majors with at least a 3.5 GPA in the major courses may request permission to undertake independent study in linguistics (LIGN 199). No more than one such course (to be taken Pass/Not Pass) may count toward the major.
The Global Concentration Program
The Global Concentration in Linguistics is a cluster of courses with an international or global focus. The Global Concentration can be applied to any of the four linguistics majors. Students must satisfy the three requirements listed below to receive “Global Concentration” recognition on their academic transcripts.
Requirement 1: A minimum of eight units earned through study abroad, of which a minimum of four units would count toward the major
These units may be earned through the Education Abroad Program, Opportunities Abroad Program or Global Seminars, and must have academic transcripts. Students petition to have courses counted toward their Global Concentration when they return from study abroad, just as they would petition to have courses count toward their major or minor. UC San Diego Global Seminars constitute eight units, and fulfill this criterion without the need for petition.
Requirement 2: Demonstration of proficiency in a second language through the fourth quarter of university-level instruction, or its equivalent
Global Concentrations at UC San Diego require second language proficiency. All linguistics majors must independently satisfy this requirement as part of the general requirements for a major in linguistics.
Requirement 3: A minimum of two courses with department-identified global content
The following linguistics courses are approved global content courses. This list includes two study abroad Global Seminar (GS) courses. See UC San Diego Global Seminars Program for more information.
Global Content Linguistics courses
LIGN 108. Languages of Africa
LIGN 141. Language Structures
LIGN 143. The Structure of Spanish
LIGN 177. Multilingualism
LIGN 157GS. Roma and Gitanos
LIGN 187GS. The Art, Language, and Culture of Flamenco
Courses taken while on study abroad may be allowed to satisfy the department global content requirement. Students must petition study abroad courses to satisfy this requirement.
General Linguistics, Cognition and Language, Language and Society Majors
Some courses from other department are preapproved to count toward General Linguistics, Cognition and Language, and Language and Society majors. The following select courses from that list qualify as global content courses. (Students may petition additional courses in other departments to count if they are judged to have sufficient global content.)
Global Content language-related courses in other departments
ANSC 162. Language, Identity, and Community
ANSC 116. Languages of the Americas: Mayan
ANSC 118. Language and Culture
ANSC 122. Language in Society
COMM 112G. Interaction and Mediation: Language and Globalization
Language Studies Major
Literature courses on the language of concentration and preapproved area studies courses (listed above) qualify as global content courses, with the exception of COMM 169: Deaf Culture in the United States.
The Minor Program
The Linguistics minor consists of LIGN 101, plus six additional courses in linguistics, at least four of which must be upper division.
For all courses counted toward the linguistics minor, the student must receive letter grades of C– or better. Courses counted toward the minor may not be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis, except LIGN 199. Only one quarter of LIGN 199 may be counted toward the minor.
The Language Studies minor consists of seven courses, at least five of which must be upper division:
Literature: One upper-division literature course is required in the language of concentration. This will require proficiency as well as lower-division prerequisites. Therefore, the lower-division courses of the minor may consist of prerequisites for the upper-division literature requirement. American Sign Language students may substitute a nonliterature upper-division elective with approval of the faculty adviser.
Linguistics: LIGN 101 is required. In addition, students must take a “Structure of” language of concentration course (e.g., LIGN 143. Structure of Spanish). If no such course is available, the student must consult with the undergraduate adviser regarding a possible substitution.
Other: Two additional courses that deal with general linguistics, the language of concentration (e.g., literature), or the corresponding culture, subject to approval of the faculty adviser are required.
The Speech and Language Sciences minor consists of seven courses and one lower-division statistics course.
For all courses counted toward the speech and language sciences minor, the student must receive letter grades of C– or better. Courses counted toward the minor may not be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis, except LIGN 199. Only one quarter of LIGN 199 may be counted toward the minor.
One lower-division statistics course to be chosen from
COGS 14B. Introduction to Statistical Analysis
PSYC 60. Introduction to Statistics
Seven courses
- LIGN 101. Introduction to the Study of Language
- LIGN 110. Phonetics
- LIGN 111. Phonology
- LIGN 112. Speech Sounds and Speech Disorders or LIGN 113. Hearing Science and Hearing Disorders
- One course in language and development disorders to be chosen from
LIGN 119. First and Second Language Learning: From Childhood through Adolescence
LIGN 171. Child Language Acquisition
LIGN 179. Second Language Acquisition Research - One course in neurobiology of language to be chosen from
LIGN 180. Language Representation in the Brain
LIGN 181. Language Processing in the Brain - One speech and language sciences elective course to be chosen from
COGS 107A. Neuroanatomy and Physiology
COGS 107C. Cognitive Neuroscience
COGS 154. Communication Disorders in Children and Adults
COGS 179. Electrophysiology of Cognition
COMM 168. Bilingual Communication
EDS 125. History, Politics, and Theory of Bilingual Education
ETHN 185. Discourse, Power, and Inequality
LIGN 4. Language as a Cognitive System
LIGN 7. Sign Language and Its Culture
LIGN 119. First and Second Language Learning: From Childhood through Adolescence
LIGN 120. Morphology
LIGN 121. Syntax
LIGN 130. Semantics
LIGN 146. Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities
LIGN 148. Psycholinguistics of Sign Language
LIGN 160. Pragmatics
LIGN 171. Child Language Acquisition
LIGN 175. Sociolinguistics
LIGN 177. Multilingualism
LIGN 179. Second Language Acquisition Research
LIGN 180. Language Representation in the Brain
LIGN 181. Language Processing in the Brain
MUS 175. Musical Psychoacoustics
PSYC 105. Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 108. Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 128. Psychology of Reading
PSYC 138. Sound and Music Perception
SOC 117. Language, Culture, and Education
Exception: COGS 107C and PSYC 108 may not both be taken for credit toward the minor.