Are you thinking about getting a linguistics degree? Here’s everything I wish I knew before enrolling in my first linguistics class.
Note: Most of what I talk about here is based on my own experiences studying linguistics at the University of Toronto, St. George and how their linguistics program is structured. If you are looking at a linguistics degree at another school or a different country, their program may look very different.
What linguistics is vs. what it isn’t
If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me “What languages do you study?” or “How many languages do you speak?” whenever I said I studied linguistics…well, I wouldn’t have a lot but you get the picture.
There’s a common misconception that when you study linguistics, you’re taking classes that are each dedicated to a specific language so that by the time you graduate, you’ve collected all the languages like you’re Thanos collecting Infinity Stones.
Instead, what’s really happening is you’re studying the different things that make up a language. That make up any language (or thereabout). This includes the sounds (phonetics and phonology), words and their component parts (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), and how meaning is expressed (semantics). You will also explore different aspects of language as they effect people both on an individual basis or as a group in sub-fields like language acquisition, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and so on.
You may get the opportunity to do research focussed on a specific language or family of languages. However, that will largely take place later on of your Bachelor’s degree (or Master’s, if you choose to pursue one).
Year-by-year breakdown of a linguistics degree
The first two years of a typical four-year program will be focussed on core topics in linguistics.
First year
In your first year, you will take 1-2 courses dedicated to the fundamentals. These course(s) will give a brief overview of a wide variety of sub-fields of linguistics. This includes the core sub-fields like phonetics, sytax, phonology, and semantics. You will also explor other subjects like sociolingustics, psycholinguistics, and language acquisition.
Even if you choose to minor in linguistics, these classes will be the minimum pre-requisite for enrolling in upper-level linguistics courses.
Second year
In your second year, you’ll be given a more in-depth introduction to the core topics you explored in first year. Second year courses include classes in phonetics, phonology, semantics, and syntax. My alma mater also had a second-year required course on sociolinguistics. These courses are necessary pre- or co-requisites for many upper-level classes.
Third year and beyond
In your third and fourth years, the courses get more specialized. This gives your the opportunity to explore the subjects you’re interested in. When I was an undergrad student, I took courses in language acquisition, writing systems, psycholinguistics, and so on. You can also further explore some of the core subjects. For example, if you are interested in phonology, you can take additional classes exploring that topic and the different theories attributed to it.
Something you should look out for are courses in other departments which can count towards your degree requirements. Many language-specific departments (ex. French, Spanish, Portuguese) will have courses dedicated to the linguistics of that language. When I was a student, I took a course on Brazilian Indigenous languages hosted in the Spanish and Portuguese department.
You will also be participating in smaller seminar-style classes. These are a great opportunity to get to know your other classmates and even your instructors better. If you want to pursue graduate studies in linguistics, you will need letters of recommendation from 2-3 professors as part of your application. (Note: This is specific to universities in at least the United States and Canada. Some countries do not include this in their application procedures.) Having relationships with professors who know you by name is what makes that happen.
Other contributions to your linguistics degree
Outside of the classroom, there are lots of great ways to get the most out of your linguistics degree while at university:
- Take language learning classes alongside your linguistics courses (some programs may even require that you do)
- Find out if your school has a linguistics student union like SLUGS and check out upcoming events like pub nights
- Explore study abroad opportunities either for a full year/semester or a short research excursion trip
- Look into part-time work opportunities as a research assistant for a professor or graduate student
Ultimately, you can get a lot out of a Bachelor’s linguistics degree if you know what you want to learn and explore.
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