Linguistics
2011-12 General Catalog
241 and 243 Stevenson College
(831) 459-2905
(831) 459-4988
http://linguistics.ucsc.edu
Program Description
Linguistics is an exact and structured discipline. As the study of human language, it has connections to many other fields in the humanities (philosophy, literature), the social sciences (anthropology, psychology, sociology), the natural sciences (biology, neuroscience, acoustics), computer science, computer engineering, and artificial intelligence.
The central areas of linguistics investigate the knowledge that speakers of a language acquire about its structure. Syntax is concerned with the rules that combine words into larger units of phrases and sentences. Semantics studies the meanings of linguistic units and how they are combined to form the meanings of sentences. Phonetics deals with the physical properties of language sounds. Phonology investigates the ways in which these speech sounds pattern in the sound systems of particular languages. Morphology studies the way in which words are put together out of prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Pragmatics is the study of language use.
All faculty in the Linguistics Department have primary research and teaching interests in one or more of these areas. Other perspectives on language study represented include sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, the study of poetic language, and the study of language change.
The programs offered by the Linguistics Department are designed to acquaint students with the central aspects of linguistic structure and the methodologies and perspectives of the field. The department offers two undergraduate majors, linguistics and language studies, and a graduate program in theoretical linguistics. The linguistics major leads to a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in linguistics; the language studies major leads to a B.A. degree in language studies (see Language Studies). The graduate program leads to the master of arts (M.A.) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in linguistics.
The department also offers a combined B.A./M.A. program which makes it possible for certain students to complete the requirements for both degrees in five years rather than the usual six.
Requirements for the Linguistics Major
All students are required to complete the following 12 courses in linguistics and related disciplines.
- Seven foundation courses in linguistics:
50, Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds and Words
53, Semantics I
101, Phonology I
102, Phonology II
112, Syntax I
113, Syntax II
116, Semantics II - Five upper-division elective courses in linguistics
Students may petition the department to have elective courses offered through other institutions or other UC programs applied toward the major requirements. At most three such courses can be applied toward the major. Such courses must be upper-division and clearly fit into a coherent program of study in linguistics.
Foreign language/mathematics competency requirement: Linguistics majors are required to demonstrate either foreign-language or mathematics competency as follows:
- Foreign-language competency: students must successfully complete five quarters of language study at UCSC (three quarters for Latin or Greek) or demonstrate an equivalent level of competence through a recognized language test or evidence of credit from another institution.
- Mathematics competency: alternatively, students with a strong formal background can choose to satisfy the mathematics competency requirement by demonstrating sufficient preparation in mathematics for advanced formal work in linguistics. This requirement is satisfied by passing two courses chosen from the following list: Mathematics 11A, 19A, or 21; Computer Science 5C, 5J, or 5P; Computer Engineering 16; Economics 11A; or any course which has one of these courses as a prerequisite.
Senior exit requirement: In their senior year, linguistics majors must satisfy the senior exit requirement in one of two ways:
- Option 1: Successful completion of a capstone course. Students may designate an appropriate upper-division linguistics course as their capstone course. Students must have senior standing and must have completed Linguistics 101, Phonology I, and 112, Syntax I.
- Option 2: Successful completion of a senior thesis supervised by a linguistics faculty member.
The proposal for a senior thesis must be submitted for departmental approval at least three quarters prior to the quarter of graduation.
Students enroll in Linguistics 195, Senior Thesis.
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in linguistics is satisfied by completing course 101 and 112.
Requirements for the Minor
To graduate with a minor in linguistics, students must complete eight linguistics courses:
- 50, Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds and Words
- 53, Semantics I
- 101, Phonology I
- 112, Syntax I
- Four upper-division elective courses in linguistics
There is no senior exit requirement and no foreign language/mathematics competency requirement for the minor.
Courses
The 80-level courses have no prerequisites. They are intended to introduce the concepts of linguistics through their relation to other areas of general interest.
Courses 50, Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds and Words; 112, Syntax I; 111, Syntactic Structures; and 53, Semantics I, are “disciplinary introductions.” These courses have no linguistics prerequisites and serve as entry courses to the specialized upper-division sequences. Upper-division courses generally have at least one of these courses as a prerequisite.
Courses 101, Phonology I; 102, Phonology II; 113, Syntax II; and 116, Semantics II are the core upper-level courses in linguistic structure and are offered each year. The two phonology courses (101 and 102) provide an introduction to the study of the sound systems of languages. These courses use a problem-solving approach to developing understanding of phonological theory and phonological regularities in various languages. The intermediate syntax course (113), which has course 112, Syntax I, and course 53, Semantics I, as prerequistes, continues the development of syntactic theory begun in course 112, extending the range to more complex constructions and rules and introducing alternative theoretical approaches. The semantics course (116), which has as prerequisites course 53, Semantics I, and either course 112, Syntax I, or course 111, Syntactic Structures, addresses advanced problems in the analysis of meaning.
Several upper-division elective courses are offered each year. For a list of these courses,visit the department’s web site, linguistics.ucsc.edu.
To enroll in the graduate (200-level) courses, undergraduates need special permission from the instructor. Permission is usually granted only to especially motivated undergraduates who have completed all the core course requirements for the major with excellent performance.
Disqualification Policy
The Linguistics Department has adopted a major disqualification policy for linguistics and language studies majors that is intended to encourage students to take seriously their performance in the foundation courses and to make a strong effort to pass those courses.
Students who receive more than one No Pass, D,W, and/or F in the following introductory courses will not be permitted to major in linguistics or language studies:
- Linguistics 50, Introduction to Linguistics Sounds and Words
- Linguistics 53, Semantics 1
- Linguistics 101, Phonology I
- Linguistics 111, Syntactic Structures
- Linguistics 112, Syntax 1
Students who fail one of these courses will be sent a letter reminding them of this policy and warning them that they are at risk of disqualification should they fail to pass a subsequent foundation course.
Students may appeal their disqualification by writing a formal letter to the department undergraduate program director. This letter should explain any extenuating circumstances that influenced their poor performance in the foundation courses. For example, if some event led to poor performance in multiple courses in a single quarter, a student has a potential case for appeal. In contrast, academic dishonesty or poor performance spanning multiple quarters will be considered evidence that a student is ill suited for the majors.
The letter of appeal must be submitted to the Linguistics Department office (Stevenson 241 and 243) no later than 15 days from the date the disqualification notice was mailed, or the 10th day of classes in the quarter of their disqualification, whichever is later. The department will subsequently notify the student and the student’s college of the appeal decision no later than 15 days after the submission of the appeal.
Honors
Students who wish to be considered for honors should meet the deadline posted by the Office of the Registrar for declaring the intent to graduate. Determination of honors is based on a close reading of (1) the student’s grades and narrative evaluations for all courses relevant to the major; (2) the results of the senior exit requirement; (3) other factors relevant to an assessment of academic excellence, such as research papers of professional quality. Generally, honors in the major are awarded to the top 10 percent of those graduating in the major. Only those students whose narratives are consistently excellent, and whose performance on the senior exit requirement is excellent, will qualify. Highest honors are rarely awarded, and then only to students whose performance in coursework is outstanding and who have completed an outstanding senior thesis.
Preparation for the UCSC Master’s Degree
Each year a number of UCSC students who have B.A. degrees in linguistics or language studies are admitted into the graduate program to pursue the M.A. in theoretical linguistics. Interested students should discuss the possibility with one or more faculty members and formally apply online to the graduate program during the fall quarter of the senior year. For up-to-date information about the application process, consult our web site (http://linguistics.ucsc.edu); and see the Linguistics Department manager. The combined B.A./M.A. program (see below) provides another pathway to the M.A. program.
Graduate Program
The graduate program in linguistics at UCSC is a small, focused five-year program in linguistic theory leading to the degree of doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.). The research interests of faculty and students draw on the framework of generative grammar, with a primary focus on theoretical and experimental approaches to syntax, semantics, phonetics, and phonology. Research strengths also include the structure of various languages, theoretical and computational morphology, mathematical foundations, and the philosophy of linguistics.
Each year the department admits approximately five new students to the doctoral program and a smaller number of new students to the M.A. program. The master’s degree can be completed in one or two years, depending on the student’s previous background in linguistics.
While committed to training in theoretical depth, the program makes possible an unusual breadth of theoretical and experimental understanding. Research in syntax focuses on ways in which generative theory and language-particular analysis inform one another. Faculty expertise covers principles and parameters theory, minimalism, optimality theoretic syntax, and experimental approaches. Research in phonetics and phonology is pursued in various current frameworks, including optimality theory and dispersion theory. It ranges from issues in phonetics and the phonetics-phonology relationship to prosodic theory, prosodic morphology and the syntax-phonology relationship. Research in semantics applies formal, model-theoretic techniques to illuminate the interface between syntactic structure and interpretation and the role of semantic competence in the pragmatics of utterance interpretation. Experimental research in these areas reaches out to a broad range of issues in psycholinguistics and cognitive science.
The faculty have expertise in a variety of languages, including Chamorro, German, Hungarian, Irish, Japanese, Latin, Nez Perce, Rumanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Tzotzil.
From the beginning of their studies, students are engaged in original research and critical evaluation since the aim of the program is to provide sophisticated training as a foundation for a career in academic research and teaching. The program begins with a sequence of foundation and core courses in linguistic theory. Subsequent coursework emphasizes theoretical depth; it is increasingly centered around the doctoral student’s own research, culminating in the presentation of a dissertation on some aspect of linguistic theory and analysis.
Undergraduate Preparation
Applications are invited from students who have completed an undergraduate linguistics major or who have demonstrated excellence in some related discipline (psychology, mathematics, computer science, anthropology) and have the equivalent of a minor in linguistics. A student applying for admission to this program should, in any case, have a good foundation in at least one of the central fields of linguistic structure: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, or semantics. Students entering the program with a deficiency in one or more areas will make up the deficiency by taking appropriate undergraduate courses at UCSC during the first year of graduate study.
Requirements for the M.A.
Courses. A minimum of 45 credits of graduate-level work. This must include the core courses in phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics. Electives are chosen from upper-division or graduate courses offered by linguistics and related disciplines, in addition to independent study with linguistics faculty.
Languages. Reading competence in one foreign language, to be demonstrated by examination.
Research paper. Submission of a research paper in a core area of theoretical linguistics and approval of a committee of two faculty.
Requirements for the Ph.D.
Courses. A minimum of 65 credits of graduate-level work. This includes foundation sequences in phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics.
Languages. Reading competence in one foreign language, to be demonstrated by examination.
Qualifying papers and examination. By the end of the third year, two research papers, one in phonetics/phonology/morphology and one in syntax/semantics/pragmatics, are to be presented as part of the requirements for admission to candidacy. At this time, the prospective candidate is examined by the faculty on topics related to the student’s major area of research, as part of the qualifying examination. The student is expected to defend a dissertation prospectus by the end of the fourth year.
Dissertation. The final requirement for the Ph.D. degree is the presentation of a dissertation representing a significant contribution in some central area of linguistic research.
Application and Admission
To apply, please consult the Department of Linguistics web site (http://linguistics.ucsc.edu).
The B.A./M.A. Program
The B.A./M.A. program in linguistics is a demanding and selective option, which allows students who are well prepared and well motivated to complete the requirements for both degrees in five years rather than the usual six.
Admission to the program has two stages. In the first stage, interested students apply to be admitted to the program in consultation with the undergraduate advisor no later than the first quarter of their junior year. Transfer students must apply for admission by the end of their second quarter at UCSC. In order to be accepted at this first stage, students must have demonstrated excellence in the undergraduate major in at least three courses that are named requirements for the linguistics major.
Students accepted at this initial stage are assigned a faculty mentor who monitors their progress closely.
At the second stage of the admission procedure, students apply in their senior year to be admitted through UCSC’s normal graduate admissions process. If accepted, ideally they complete the course requirements for the M.A. and write and defend the M.A. paper by the end of the fifth year.
Students in the B.A./M.A. program take a number of graduate courses in their senior year, which are selected in close consultation with the faculty mentor. Performance in these courses forms a central part of the ongoing evaluation process. If a student’s performance does not meet the standards set for the program, he or she completes the B.A. at the end of the senior year in the normal way and does not proceed to the M.A.
Graduate courses required for the M.A. are taken partly in the senior year and partly in the fifth year. The M.A. paper is written in the fifth year. Thus, by the end of their fifth year, the students in the program will have fulfilled the requirements for both the B.A. and the M.A. degrees. However, students who need additional time may still stay in the program until the M.A. paper is completed.
Revised: 8/13/12
