Dec 03, 2024  
General Catalog 2024-2025 
    
General Catalog 2024-2025

Linguistics - Interdisciplinary Language Studies Option, B.A.


The Department of Linguistics  

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

A B.A. with a major in linguistics requires 36-46 units completed, depending on which option, the General Education requirement, specific course/skill requirements, and electives and remaining degree requirements totaling at least the 120 units required for a B.A.

In each option, students receive a basic grounding in the nature and structure of human language. The option in Interdisciplinary Language Studies supplements the core foundation with extensive study in one or more languages other than English, and can thus prepare students for work in translating and interpreting, among other careers where extensive knowledge of language is required.

Major Requirements (44-47 units)


Interdisciplinary Language Studies Option (20-23 units)


Choose Plan A or Plan B


A. Depth Plan in One Language

(Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Chinese, or Hmong)

See advising notes 4 and 5.

B. Breadth Plan lower-division and/or upper-division courses in various languages

(American Sign Language, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, Sanskrit, Spanish.) See advising notes 4 and 5.

Other Degree Requirements


In addition to the major program requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate degree requirements such as:

  • American Government and Institutions (PLSI 2 )
  • General Education Requirements (48 units)
  • Multicultural and International (MI)
  • Upper-division Writing
  • Sufficient Elective Units to Meet Required Total Units (varies); it is recommended that units in this area be utilized to complete a second major or minor.

A full description of the University’s graduation requirements can be found in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements .

Total Units: 120*


*General Education, MI, and Upper-division Writing courses can be double counted with major requirements. Language IB Courses could fulfill GE Area C2. See advisor for details.

Advising Notes


  1. CR/NC grading is not permitted in the linguistics major.
  2. See advisor for list of approved electives.
  3. Students who have studied a language in high school or community college, or who by culture and experience have a certain level of proficiency, must consult with an advisor in the language to determine their placement in lower- or upper-division coursework.
  4. Students must fulfill the unit requirement by taking language courses in a minimum of two languages. Students must maintain a B average in the languages taken.
  5. Literature courses in the language may be used with permission of advisor. Except for LING 120  and LING 121 , courses taught in English do not count toward the required courses for Plan A or Plan B.