Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Language and Linguistics

College of Arts and Humanities

Department of English

Program Description and Features

The Linguistics B.A. (36 units) provides insights about how human languages work. We cover topics such as the structure of the world's languages, the production and perception of sounds, the formation of words and sentences, the creation and understanding of meaning, how people use two languages, how languages change over time, and the connection between language-identity-society, just to name a few topics. Our program provides the tools to investigate human language and to reflect upon its function within society and educational systems. Linguistics degrees provide students with general organizational and analytical skills and help to train them in analyzing data.

These skills provide a useful foundation for many careers and graduate school. Linguistics majors pursue careers in English language instruction, speech language pathology, lexicography, communications, marketing, forensic linguistics, data analysis, law school, and administration, in addition to students moving on to graduate studies in theoretical or applied linguistics, computational linguistics, or TEFOL/ESOL, among others.

Academic Advisement

All full-time faculty serve as academic advisors. Students may either choose their own advisor, or they might be assigned to advisors. Students who would like to be assigned to an advisor should come to the department office for assistance.

Preparation

Four years of high school college-preparatory English courses must have been completed in partial fulfillment of the admission requirements of The California State University.

Graduation with Honors

Undergraduate students who have met the following criteria will be awarded departmental honors at graduation:

1.     A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
2.     An overall grade point average of 3.6 for upper-division courses taken for the major in Language and Linguistics at CSUDH.