Linguistics

The Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics at Seoul National University offers students a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of human language, its structures, functions, and variations across different cultures and societies. This program is designed to equip students with a solid foundation in both theoretical and applied linguistics, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills necessary for exploring the complex nature of language. Throughout the course of study, students will engage with a diverse range of topics including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, gaining insight into how languages are constructed and how they convey meaning. The curriculum also emphasizes sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and language acquisition, providing a multidisciplinary approach to understanding language in social and cognitive contexts.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in research projects, language data analysis, and fieldwork, which will enhance their practical skills and prepare them for careers in academia, language teaching, translation, and language technology. Seoul National University’s Linguistics program benefits from highly qualified faculty members who are active researchers in the field, ensuring that students receive current and relevant education. The program encourages international exposure through exchange programs and collaboration with global linguistic institutes, giving students a broad perspective on world languages and dialects.

Graduates of this program are well-equipped to pursue advanced studies or careers in linguistics, language education, computational linguistics, speech therapy, and other language-related fields. The program aims to cultivate not only linguistic expertise but also intercultural communication skills, critical thinking, and research competence, preparing graduates to contribute effectively to the understanding and preservation of human languages globally. With a rigorous academic curriculum and a vibrant academic community, the Linguistics program at Seoul National University is an ideal choice for students passionate about exploring the scientific study of language and its applications in the modern world.

PhD students are required to take 36 credits (12 courses) at the graduate level, plus 12 credits (4 courses) of Reading and Research (논문연구) under the tutelage of their supervising professor.
The complete list of courses offered by the Department of Linguistics is given below.
All courses are taught in Korean, unless otherwise noted.

• Studies in Phonetics 1
• Studies in Phonetics 2
• Studies in Phonology 1
• Studies in Phonology 2
• Studies in Syntax 1
• Studies in Syntax 2
• Studies in Semantics 1
• Studies in Semantics 2
• Studies in Historical Comparative Linguistics 1
• Studies in Historical Comparative Linguistics 2
• Studies in Experimental Phonetics 1
• Studies in Experimental Phonetics 2
• Studies in Altaic Linguistics 1
• Studies in Altaic Linguistics 2
• Studies in Indo-European Linguistics 1
• Studies in Indo-European Linguistics 2
• Computational Linguistics 1
• Computational Linguistics 2
• Seminar in Phonetics
• Seminar in Pnonology
• Seminar in Syntax &Semantics 1
• Seminar in Syntax &Semantics 2
• Seminar in Historical Comparative Linguistics 1
• Seminar in Historical Comparative Linguistics 2
• Seminar in Individual Languages 1
• Seminar in Individual Languages 2
• Seminar in Linguistic Theory
• Studies in Sociolinguistcs
• Mathematical Background for Linguistics
• Studies in Pragmatics
• Studies in Dialectology
• Studies in History of Linguistics
• Studies in Psycholinguistics
• Studies in Morphology
• Studies in Linguistic Typology
• Studies in Spoken Language Processing 1
• Studies in Spoken Language Processing 2
• Seminar in Spoken Language Processing

1. Online
   application

2. Test Subjects

       2.1.1) Language exam

                Foreign students need to write one of the language exams. You do not need to write both the foreign language exam and the Korean exam. 

                - Foreign language exam

                Choose one of Spanish, French, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and German. This test involves translation of the foreign language into Korean or English.

               - Korean exam

                This test is conducted by the Korean language & literature department at SNU.

       2.1.2) Major exam

                Choose 1 question out of 1 section; choose 3 sections out of 4 sections; you cannot choose more than 2 questions from one section

                – Phonetics/Phonology

                – Semantics/Syntax

                – Historical linguistics

                - Computational linguistics/ Spoken language processing

       2.2) Cutline

              For Ph.D students, 70 out of 100 in both the foreign language exam & the major exam 

       2.3) Requirements for the exam

             Ph.D – Complete at least 2 semesters & earn at least 12 credits

              You should take the foreign language exam before you finish the course work. This means that you cannot take the exam once you register as a researcher who has finished his/her course work and is working on the thesis. 

       2.4) English test

              TEPS or TOEFL scores must be submitted within 2 years from taking the test. The cutline scores are 701 and above (TEPS), 240 and above (CBT), 94 and above(IBT)

              If you applied to this department with a TEPS score above 701 (or equivalent), you do not need to take the test again. Native English speakers do not need to submit English test scores.

       2.5) Substitute courses

              You are exempt from the Korean language exam if you take two courses, ‘Understanding Korean & Korean culture 1 & 2′ offered in the Korean literature and language department. You need to receive a grade of ‘S’ in order to pass.

              *These courses are not included in the course work credits required for graduation.

3. Delaying the examination of a thesis

        Ph.D students  should submit their thesis within 6 years of completing one’s course work. If this is not possible, you need to submit a form that seeks approval of a thesis submission delay. Once your application is approved, you can extend the submission/examination of your thesis up to 4 semesters.

4. Personal
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5. Letter
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6. Counselor
   Reference
   
7. Official
   High
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   Transcript
   and
   Graduation
   Certificate
8. A
   Copy
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   the
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9. Certificate
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   Facts
   concerning
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   and
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10. Portfolio,
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    etc.
11. Agreement
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    Record

If you wish to apply for the scholarship program, please fill out the scholarship application form every semester. Application period:

• During November(1st semester)
• During May(2nd semester)

International Student Scholarship

• GPA requirement: 3.0 GPA or higher (average of the previous semester)
• Funding: Tuition and fees (partial or fully funded)
• Eligibility: International student in the government-funded (government-invited) scholarship, international student

  (self-funded), Korean student living overseas and studying in Korea (undergraduate and graduate course)

Lecture/Research Scholarship

• GPA requirement: 3.3 GPA or higher (average of the previous semester; excluding new students)
• Eligibility: Graduate student recommended by the advising professor; an annual income of less than KRW 12 million
• Working condition: 10 or more hours a week (40 hours/month)
• Responsibility: Assist the lectures by the professor, general electives and research; help students with their course; manage assignments; manage laboratory; fulfill administrative duties for the undergraduate course, etc.
• Funding: Current student: Fully funded tuition and fees and monthly scholarship;

  Research student: Monthly scholarship

• Termination: If on leave of absence, disciplinary action or determined to be unqualified for other reasons

Core TA Scholarship

• Eligibility: Returning graduate student and research student
• Funding: Type A – Tuition (partially funded) and monthly research aid / Type B  – Half of the monthly research aid
• Duration: 1st semester : March – August (6 months) /

  2nd semester: September – February of the following year (6 months)

• Responsibility: Attend the assigned lecture; supervise discussion; check assignments; focus on Laboratory

  sessions/Experiment/Practice courses; assist practice, etc.

SNU Foundation Scholarship

• GPA requirement: 3.3 GPA or higher (average of the previous semester)
• Funding: Tuition and fees (partially or fully funded)
• Feature: Scholarship funded by some 200 funds created by Seoul National University Foundation

The following is the scholarship programs offered for graduate applicants. Students may apply for the programs before or during the admission application period. The annual announcement will be posted on this websitehttp://en.snu.ac.kr/apply/info.

Graduate Scholarship for Excellent Foreign Students (GSFS)

Eligibility

• Asian students, excluding Japanese and Chinese nationals, who wish to study one of the designated graduate programs
  * The programs eligible for this scholarship are subject to change, and different by applicants’ nationalities. The eligible programs list is announced every semester.

Number of Recipients

• Approximately 20

Subsidies

• Tuition fee: full tuition exemption for a maximum of 4 semesters
• Living expenses: 500,000 KRW per month (different according to recipients’ majors)

Application Period

• During admission period for international students every semester

Selection Procedure

• Applicants who submit admission application to SNU’s Office of Admissions ⇒ applicants submit scholarship application to SNU’s Office of International Affairs ⇒ Selection made by respective Colleges/Schools based on the admission documents ⇒ decision noticed

Contact

• SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-2519, intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr

Silk-Road Scholarship

Eligibility

• Applicants from the countries in the ‘Silk-Road’ area who want to study humanities or social sciences, including Korean language, history, culture, politics, and economics

Number of Recipients

• About 5 new graduate students

Subsidies

• Tuition fee: full tuition fee exemption for a maximum of 4 semesters
• Living expenses: maximum of 600,000 KRW per month for 4 semesters
• Airfare: maximum of 1 million KRW for one economy round trip
• Korean language training fee: fee exemption at the Language Education Institute

Application Period

• During admission period for international students every Fall semester

Selection Procedure

• Applicants who submit admission application to SNU’s Office of Admissions ⇒ applicants submit scholarship application to SNU’s Office of International Affairs ⇒ Selection made by respective Colleges/Schools based on the admission documents ⇒ decision noticed

Contact

• SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-2519, intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr

Overseas Koreans Scholarship

Eligibility

• Overseas Korean students who wish to take graduate degrees at SNU

Subsidies

• Full tuition exemption
• Living expenses: 800,000 KRW per month for 4 semesters
• Insurance fees: approximately 30,000 per month
• Settlement expenses aid upon initial arrival: 500,000 KRW (one-time payment)
• Airfare for one economy round trip
• Language training expenses: for 2 semesters

Application Period

• March and September

Selection Procedure

• Applicants submit applications to Korean embassies in their countries ⇒ the embassies make the first selection ⇒ the Overseas Koreans Foundation make the second selection

Contact

• SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-2519, intlscholarship@snu.ac.kr

Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP)

Eligibility

• International students applying for SNU’s graduate programs

Number of Recipients

• 325

Subsidies

• Full tuition fee: tuition exemption for 4 semesters for master’s program and 6 semesters for Ph. D program
• Living expenses: 900,000 KRW per month
• Airfare: one economy round trip
• Korean language training fee: for one year
  * Korean language training is mandatory and when the student does not achieve TOPIK grade 3 within a year, she/he is not eligible to enter the degree program
• Others: medical insurance, research fund, thesis printing fees, settlement and returning expenses

Application Period

• February

Selection Procedure

※ Applicants choose one of the following application methods.

• University Recommendation Program: applicants submit applications to SNU’s Office of Admission ⇒ the National Institute for International Education make the selection
• Embassy Recommendation Program: applications submit applications to Korean Embassies in their countries ⇒ the National Institute for International Education make the selection

Contact

• SNU staff in charge: 82-2-880-6971, sck590@snu.ac.kr

The Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics at Seoul National University offers a comprehensive exploration of language as a fundamental aspect of human cognition and society. This program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the structural, functional, and social dimensions of languages worldwide. Students are introduced to core linguistic theories, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, enabling them to analyze language structure rigorously. The curriculum also emphasizes the intercultural and social contexts of language use, including sociolinguistics, language development, and language policy.

Throughout the program, students engage in practical language analysis and research methods, fostering critical thinking and empirical skills. The program encourages the integration of theoretical knowledge with real-world applications, such as language teaching, computational linguistics, and language preservation efforts. There are opportunities for students to participate in projects, internships, and collaborative research with faculty members renowned in the field.

Seoul National University’s Linguistics program also emphasizes the importance of understanding diverse linguistic phenomena across different languages and dialects, preparing students for careers in academia, education, language technology, government, or international organizations. The faculty comprises distinguished linguists and language scholars who guide students through lectures, seminars, and research supervision. The program aims to produce graduates capable of contributing meaningfully to linguistic sciences and related fields, equipped with analytical skills, cultural awareness, and a global perspective on language issues.

Moreover, the department encourages interdisciplinary learning by connecting linguistics with psychology, computer science, anthropology, and cognitive science. Such integration allows students to explore emerging fields like neurolinguistics, artificial intelligence, and language acquisition. Students are also offered opportunities to study abroad, participate in language exchange programs, and attend international conferences, broadening their academic and cultural horizons.

Overall, the BA in Linguistics at Seoul National University is structured to provide a solid foundation in linguistic theory, extensive practical training, and opportunities for research and professional development. Graduates of this program are well-prepared for advanced studies or careers related to linguistics, language education, language technology, translation, and more. The program underscores Seoul National University’s commitment to excellence in linguistic education and research, fostering the next generation of language scholars and practitioners.