Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It investigates the common principles underlying all languages, as well as the organization of particular languages. It is expected that undergraduates with a major in Linguistics will be able to:
- demonstrate a sound knowledge of the fields of phonetics (articulatory and acoustic properties of speech), phonology (the organization of the sound system of languages), morphology (the structure of words), syntax (the structure of sentences), and semantics (the interpretation of structures);
- demonstrate that they are able to analyze data in all these areas of linguistics;
- apply their linguistic training without prejudice, as expected in any science; and
- apply their analytical abilities beyond the study of linguistics.
The Linguistics major emphasizes strong foundational training in the core areas of theoretical linguistics. Students also have access to elective courses in a wide variety of interdisciplinary areas, including first and second language acquisition, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, language and data science, historical linguistics, neurolinguistics, and indigenous language documentation and revitalization. Coursework is also available in the linguistics of specific languages or language families, such as American Sign Language, Germanic, Spanish and Romance, Chinese, Japanese, and Native American linguistics.
Language Sciences, an interdisciplinary hub for research and collaboration, offers the Linguistics major.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
Language
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the fourth unit or higher in a foreign language, by course or by examination | 0-16 | |
| Total Credits | 0-16 | |
Credit Requirement
Students pursuing the linguistics major must complete 30 credits as follows:
Required Foundational Courses (4 courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LINGUIS 101 | Human Language | 3 |
| LINGUIS 310 | Phonology | 3 |
| LINGUIS 322 | Morphology | 3 |
| LINGUIS 330 | Syntax | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Advanced Linguistics Coursework (2 courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| One 500-level LINGUIS course (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Phonological Theories | ||
| Advanced Morphology | ||
| Syntactic Theories | ||
| Structure of a Language | ||
| Capstone course | ||
| LINGUIS 690 | Capstone in Linguistics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Electives in the Major (4 courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 4 of the following: | 12 | |
any LINGUIS course 1 | ||
| Introduction to African Linguistic Practices | ||
| Indians of North America | ||
| Survey of North American Indian Languages | ||
| Language and Culture | ||
| Language in Japanese Society | ||
| Introduction to Chinese Linguistics | ||
| Introduction to Japanese Linguistics | ||
| History of the Chinese Language | ||
| Studies in Chinese Linguistics | ||
| Chinese Applied Linguistics | ||
| Introduction to Communicative Disorders | ||
| Culture, Language, and Communication | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Production | ||
| Hearing Science | ||
| Neural Basis of Communication | ||
| Language Development in Children and Adolescents | ||
| Speech Acoustics and Perception | ||
| Phonetics and Phonological Development | ||
| Child Language Disorders, Assessment and Intervention | ||
| Neural Mechanisms of Speech, Hearing and Language | ||
| Language and Social Inequality | ||
| Language Politics and Education | ||
| Introduction to Language and Ideology | ||
| Structure of English | ||
| English Language Variation in the U.S. | ||
| Second Language Acquisition | ||
| Language, Race, and Identity | ||
| Linguistic Theory and Child Language | ||
| Bad Grammar and Metalinguistic Awareness | ||
| English Words: Grammar, Culture, Mind | ||
| Global Spread of English | ||
| Introduction to TESOL Methods | ||
| English in Society | ||
| History of the English Language | ||
| Experimental Syntax | ||
| Topics in English Language and Linguistics | ||
| English Syntax | ||
| English Grammar in Use | ||
| Field Methods and the Public Presentation of Folklore | ||
| Structures of Italian | ||
| Introduction to German Linguistics | ||
| Topics in German Linguistics | ||
| History of the German Language | ||
| Introduction to Text Mining | ||
| Topics in Library and Information Studies (Tribal Libraries, Archives, & Museums topic only) | ||
| Global Language Issues | ||
| Topics in Sociolinguistics | ||
| Language in Wisconsin | ||
| Historical Linguistics | ||
| Grammatical Variability of Language | ||
| Semantics | ||
| Survey of North American Indian Languages | ||
| Topics in Linguistics | ||
| Sign Language Linguistics | ||
| Field Methods II | ||
| Language and Culture | ||
| Language and Meaning | ||
| Psychology of Perception | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Religion in/and Everyday Language | ||
| Talk and Social Interaction | ||
| Spanish Phonetics | ||
| The Structure of Modern Spanish | ||
| Introduction to Spanish Linguistics | ||
| Spanish Applied Linguistics | ||
| Introduction to the Romance Languages | ||
| Spanish in the United States | ||
| Topics in Spanish Linguistics | ||
| Topics in Hispanic Linguistics | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
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Except LINGUIS 351, LINGUIS 352, LINGUIS 353, LINGUIS 354, LINGUIS 481, LINGUIS 482, LINGUIS 681, LINGUIS 682.
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all LINGUIS and all major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in residence2
- 15 credits in LINGUIS, taken on the UW–Madison campus
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Intermediate and Advanced level LINGUIS courses, LINGUIS 340, LINGUIS 373 and some elective courses from other subjects are upper-level in the major (see list).
Electives from other subjects that are Upper-Level in the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ASIAN 358 | Language in Japanese Society | 3 |
| ASIAN 432 | Introduction to Chinese Linguistics | 3 |
| ASIAN 434 | Introduction to Japanese Linguistics | 3 |
| ASIAN 631 | History of the Chinese Language | 3 |
| CS&D 201 | Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Production | 3 |
| CS&D 210 | Neural Basis of Communication | 3 |
| CS&D 303 | Speech Acoustics and Perception | 3 |
| CS&D 503 | Neural Mechanisms of Speech, Hearing and Language | 3 |
| ENGL 314 | Structure of English | 3 |
| ENGL 316 | English Language Variation in the U.S. | 3 |
| ENGL 318 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| ENGL 414 | Global Spread of English | 3 |
| ENGL 416 | English in Society | 3 |
| ENGL 417 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 516 | English Grammar in Use | 3 |
| ENGL 514 | English Syntax | 3 |
| GERMAN 351 | Introduction to German Linguistics | 3-4 |
| GERMAN 352 | Topics in German Linguistics | 3-4 |
| GERMAN 650 | History of the German Language | 3 |
| PHILOS 516 | Language and Meaning | 3 |
| SOC 535 | Talk and Social Interaction | 3 |
| SPANISH/FRENCH/ITALIAN/PORTUG 429 | Introduction to the Romance Languages | 3 |
| SPANISH 630 | Topics in Hispanic Linguistics | 3 |
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Major in consultation with the Linguistics Undergraduate Advisor.
Honors in the Linguistics Major: Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA for all LINGUIS courses, and all courses accepted in the major
- Complete two LINGUIS courses, taken for Honors, with concurrent 1-credit enrollment in LINGUIS 481 Junior Honors Tutorial or LINGUIS 482 Junior Honors Tutorial, for a total of 2 additional credits. A grade of B or better must be earned in each course taken for honors.
- Complete a two-semester Senior Honors Thesis in LINGUIS 681 Honors Seminar-Senior Thesis and LINGUIS 682 Honors Seminar-Senior Thesis, leading to submission of an acceptable paper, for a total of 6 credits. A grade of B or better must be earned in the thesis project.
Note that Honors tutorial credits and the Senior Honors Thesis do not count toward the 30 credits required for the major in linguistics.
Learning Outcomes
- Familiarity with data from a wide range of languages from different language families.
- Ability to respond to biased views of language in their communities.
- Knowledge in all core areas of linguistics: Phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
- Sound grasp of linguistic concepts.
- Sound grasp of linguistic methodology.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 3 | 4th semester of Language (if needed)2 | 3 |
| 3rd semester of Language (if needed) | 3 | LINGUIS 101 | 3 |
| L&S Breadth1 | 3 | I/A Math, Comp Sci, or Stat (if needed for BS) | 3 |
| L&S Breadth | 3 | L&S Breadth | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 3 | Communication B | 3 |
| LINGUIS 310 | 3 | LINGUIS 322 | 3 |
| LINGUIS 330 | 3 | Linguistics major elective #1 | 3 |
| L&S Breadth | 3 | I/A Math, Comp Sci, or Stat (if needed for BS) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | L&S Breadth | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Linguistics 500-level course (take any time in years 3-4) | 3 | Linguistics major elective #3 | 3 |
| Linguistics major elective #2 | 3 | L&S Breadth | 3 |
| L&S Breadth | 3 | Electives | 9 |
| Electives | 6 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Linguistics major elective #4 | 3 | LINGUIS 690 | 3 |
| Electives | 12 | Electives | 12 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
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Linguistics majors will have varying needs for L&S Breadth courses outside the major, depending on which Linguistics major electives they choose. Many Linguistics major electives are Humanities courses, but some are Social Science or Natural Sciences. Consult with your advisor to determine your individual needs.
- 2
Linguistics majors are required to complete the 4th unit or higher of a language, whether they are doing the BA or the BS degree.
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the Language Sciences website.
Undergraduate Advising
Contact the undergraduate advisor via email or using the Starfish app to set up an appointment. The advisor is happy to meet with students who want to learn more about the major, careers in linguistics, linguistics course selection, and opportunities for participation in research in language sciences. A meeting with the advisor is required to declare the major.
Careers of our Alumni
Read more about career options for students with the Linguistics major at our career page.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Resources and Scholarships
Linguistics Opportunity Award
The Linguistics Opportunity Award provides several scholarships to Linguistics students each year. Awardees are recognized for excellence in linguistics research and academic achievement, outreach and volunteering activities related to language science, and/or relevance of linguistics to their future plans.
The scholarship is funded through generous donations to the Linguistics Fund from alumni and other supporters of our program.
Deadline: January 15, apply through the WiSH portal.