Linguistics

Upon completing the BA degree, a student majoring in Linguistics will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to perform independent research about languages and their speakers, including the ability to ethically complete field work, collect data, analyze data, utilize laboratory and computing technologies, draw meaningful conclusions from data, and convey research results effectively orally and in writing.
2. Identify and define the main approaches for researching language structure and use at all levels (sounds, words, grammar, meaning, social/cultural interaction), as well as be able to critically evaluate and apply the primary concepts, vocabularies, methods and theories in their own work.
3. Gain an appreciation of the diversity of language and the ways in which it changes over time. They will be able to analyze the diversity of sounds and grammar in the world’s languages. They will also understand the diversity of regionally-, socially-, and ethnically-defined varieties within a single language. Students will be able to explain why this diversity is relevant to everyday life and how it is crucial to fields both inside and outside of linguistics.
4. Understand language in its relation to cognition, identity formation, culture, and society, and the systematic relationships among them.

Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Linguistics (LING) must complete:

• A minimum of 12 courses (36 credit hours) to satisfy major requirements.
• A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
• A minimum of 9 courses (27 credit hours) at the 300-level or above.

Because human language is a multifaceted object of study, linguistics is, by its nature, an interdisciplinary field. The undergraduate major provides both an in-depth grounding in the field as well as cross-disciplinary breadth. Students interested in careers in medically-oriented fields or speech technology are encouraged to meet with the undergraduate advisor to discuss the course most appropriate to their future plans.

CORE REQUIREMENTS 
Students must complete a total of 8 courses (24 credit hours) as listed below to satisfy the Linguistics major's Core Requirements.

Core Courses 
Students must complete a total of 6 courses (18 credit hours) as listed below.

• LING/ANTH 200 Introduction to the Study of Language [ 3 credit hours ]  
• LING 300/ANTH 300 Linguistic Analysis [ 3 credit hours ] 
• LING 301/ANTH 301 Phonetics [ 3 credit hours ]  
• LING 304 Introduction to Syntax [ 3 credit hours ] 
      or LING 311/ANTH 323 Introduction to Phonology [ 3 credit hours ]  
• LING 305/ANTH 305 Historical Linguistics [ 3 credit hours ]
      or LING 315/PSYC 315 Introduction to Semantics [ 3 credit hours ]
      or LING 416 Language Universals and Typology [3 credit hours]  
• LING 415/SWGS 415 Sociolinguistics [ 3 credit hours ]
      or LING 405 Discourse [ 3 credit hours ]   

Language Requirement
Students must complete 2 courses (6 credit hours) in a foreign language at the 200-level or above or, for non-European languages, at the 100-level or above.

European Languages 
If students choose to complete the language requirement in European Languages, 2 courses (6 credit hours) must be completed at the 200-level or above from the following departmental course offerings:

• French (FREN)
• German (GERM)
• Greek (GREE)
• Italian (ITAL)
• Latin (LATI)
• Portuguese (PORT)
• Russian (RUSS)
• Spanish (SPAN)

Non-European Languages 
If students choose to complete the language requirement in the Non-European Languages, 2 courses (6 credit hours) must be completed at the 100-level or above from the following departmental course offerings: 

• Arabic (ARAB)
• Chinese (CHIN)
• Hebrew (HEBR)
• Hindi (HIND)
• Japanese (JAPA)
• Korean (KORE)
• Tibetan (TIBT)

ELECTIVES
To fulfill the remaining Linguistics major requirements, students must complete a total of 4 additional courses (12 credit hours) from departmental (LING) course offerings at the 300-level or above. Courses listed in the Core Requirements that were not applied toward the Core Requirements may be applied towards the Elective requirement. No more than one Independent Study course may be applied toward the Linguistics major requirements.

• The Coalition Application, or theCommon Application and Rice Writing Supplement, or the Universal College Application and the Rice Supplement
• $75 nonrefundable application fee orfee waiver
• Official high school transcript. Transcripts must be submitted by your high school and will not be accepted by fax or email.
• Official Test Scores: either the SAT and two Subject Tests related to your proposed area of study, or the ACT.
• School Report (counselor recommendation)
• One Teacher Evaluation (teacher recommendation)
• Midyear Report (to be submitted when senior midyear grades become available)
• The Rice International Student Financial Statement
• If English is not your first language or your language of instruction in school, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Scholarships

Rice University will offer need-based financial aid to a limited number of international undergraduate applicants entering Fall 2017. Citizens of foreign countries who apply under Early Decision or Regular Decision and request need-based aid will be reviewed as a separate group.