• Skip to Content
  • AZ Index
  • Catalog Home
  • Institution Home
Northeastern University

Academic Catalog 2021-2022

  • Home›
  • Undergraduate›
  • College of Science›
  • Linguistics›
  • Linguistics, BS

Linguistics, BS

2021-2022 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
    • Information for Entering Students
    • College Expenses
    • Academic Policies and Procedures
    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
    • College of Science
      • Behavioral Neuroscience
      • Biochemistry
      • Biology
      • Chemistry and Chemical Biology
      • Linguistics
        • Linguistics, BS
        • American Sign Language and Linguistics, BS
        • Computer Science and Linguistics, BS
        • Data Science and Linguistics, BS
        • Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology, BS
        • Linguistics and Psychology, BS
        • Linguistics and Speech-​Language Pathology and Audiology, BS
        • Linguistics and Communication Studies, BA
        • Linguistics and English, BA
        • Linguistics, Minor
      • Marine and Environmental Sciences
      • Mathematics
      • Physics
      • Psychology
      • Interdisciplinary
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Faculty
    • Appendix
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

The major in linguistics provides students with a strong foundation in the study of linguistics at both the structural and social levels. Course work on the structural side focuses on the internal structures that make up language and the methods and theories used to identify and understand these core structures (for example, in courses covering phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics), while course work on the social side emphasizes the methods and theories that are used to study and interpret patterns of social interaction at the linguistic level (for example, in courses covering language and culture, sociolinguistics, and language and gender). Additional course work draws from related fields to further develop students’ understanding of the broad spectrum of language-related domains (for example, the psychology of language, language acquisition, and historical linguistics, among other topics).

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

University-Wide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Linguistics Major Language Requirement

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete two courses in the same language with a grade of C or higher. Proficiency at elementary level 2 or higher is required.

Linguistics Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Linguistics Foundations
LING 1150Introduction to Language and Linguistics4
LING 2350Linguistic Analysis4
LING 3412Language and Culture4
PSYC 3464Psychology of Language4
Linguistic Structure
LING 3420Phonetics4
LING 3422Phonology4
LING 3424Morphology4
LING 3450Syntax4
LING 3452Semantics4
Laboratory
Prerequisites
PSYC 1101Foundations of Psychology4
PSYC 2320Statistics in Psychological Research4
Laboratory
Complete one of the following:4
PSYC 4610
Laboratory in Psycholinguistics
PSYC 4612
Laboratory in Cognition
Note: With prior approval, any of the following courses may be used to fulfill the laboratory requirement. Consult your adviser to discuss this option:
LING 4891
Research Seminar in Linguistics
LING 4991
Directed Study Research
PSYC 4991
Directed Study Research
Linguistics Seminar
LING 4654Seminar in Linguistics4
or PSYC 4658 Seminar in Psycholinguistics
Linguistics Electives
Complete four of the following (not counted above):16
DEAF 2700
ASL Linguistics
LING 3434
Bilingualism
LING 3442
Sociolinguistics
LING 3454
History of English
LING 3456
Language and Gender
LING 3458
Topics in Linguistics
LING 3460
Historical Linguistics
LING 4654
Seminar in Linguistics
LING 4891
Research Seminar in Linguistics
or LING 4970
Junior/Senior Honors Project 1
or LING 4971
Junior/Senior Honors Project 2
or LING 4991
Directed Study Research
or PSYC 4991
Directed Study Research
LING 4993
Independent Study
PHIL 1115
Introduction to Logic
PSYC 3466
Cognition
PSYC 4520
Language and the Brain
PSYC 4522
Psychology of Reading
PSYC 4524
Cognitive Development
PSYC 4610
Laboratory in Psycholinguistics
PSYC 4612
Laboratory in Cognition
PSYC 4658
Seminar in Psycholinguistics
PSYC 4660
Seminar in Cognition
PSYC 4674
Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience
Experiential Learning
Complete one of the following options. Courses used to satisfy this requirement will also typically satisfy a requirement above.0-4
Study abroad (not a Dialogue of Civilizations)
International Co-op
LING 4891
Research Seminar in Linguistics
LING 4991
Directed Study Research
LING 4970
and LING 4971
Junior/Senior Honors Project 1
and Junior/Senior Honors Project 2

Linguistics Major Credit Requirement

Complete 76 semester hours in the major.

Program Requirement

128 total semester hours required

Sample Five Years, Three Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
LING 11504LING 23504Vacation0Vacation0
PSYC 11014PSYC 34644  
ENGW 11114NUpath or Elective4  
MATH 12154Foreign language course4  
LING 10001   
 17 16 0 0
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
LING 34124Linguistic structure course4Vacation0Co-op0
PSYC 23204Linguistic structure course4  
Linguistic structure course4Linguistics elective4  
Foreign language course4NUpath or Elective4  
 EESC 20001  
 16 17 0 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op0Linguistic structure course4NUpath or Elective4Co-op0
 Linguistics elective4Elective4 
 ENGW 33154  
 NUpath or Elective4  
 0 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op0Laboratory course4NUpath or Elective4Co-op0
 Linguistic structure course4Elective4 
 Linguistics elective4  
 NUpath or Elective4  
 0 16 8 0
Year 5
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-op0Linguistics seminar4  
 Linguistics elective4  
 NUpath or Elective4  
 Elective4  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 130
  • Boston Opens New Window
  • Burlington Opens New Window
  • Charlotte Opens New Window
  • London Opens New Window
  • Nahant Opens New Window
  • Portland Opens New Window
  • San Francisco Opens New Window
  • Seattle Opens New Window
  • Silicon Valley Opens New Window
  • Toronto Opens New Window
  • Vancouver Opens New Window

360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Opens New Window | 617.373.2000 | TTY 617.373.3768 | Emergency Information
© 2021-2022 Northeastern University | myNortheastern Opens New Window

  • Facebook. Opens New Window
  • Twitter. Opens New Window
  • Youtube. Opens New Window
  • Linkedin. Opens New Window
  • Instagram. Opens New Window
  • Snapchat. Opens New Window

Privacy Policy Opens New Window

Back to top

Print Options

  • Send Page to Printer

    Print this page.

  • Download Page (PDF)

    The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

  • 2021-22 Undergraduate PDF

  • 2021-22 College of Professional Studies Undergraduate PDF

  • 2021-22 Graduate PDF

  • 2021-22 Course Descriptions PDF