2026-27 Edition

Language Science, B.A.

The B.A. in Language Science provides students with an interdisciplinary foundation in the scientific study of language, including its mental representations, its development and use, and its biological basis.

Students completing the B.A. in Language Science combine interests in theoretical linguistics, language development and use, the advanced study of natural or formal languages, and some combination of neuroscience, psychology, logic, computer science, anthropology, education, and hearing and speech sciences. In the process of relating these interests to the scientific study of language and its applications, students develop an understanding of the analytical tools of formal language study.

Graduates have an interdisciplinary language science background that makes them attractive for a variety of careers, including teaching, language technology industry positions, teaching English as a second language abroad, interpreting and translation, technical writing, language consulting for legal firms and medical practices, and advertising, among many others.

This foundation in formal and applied language science also prepares graduates for graduate and professional programs in any of the areas related to languages science, including speech-language pathology, linguistics, cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, natural language processing, and education.

All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.

All students must complete at least nine upper-division courses.

Core
A. Complete the following:
LSCI 3 Introduction to Linguistics
LSCI 10 Introduction to Phonology
LSCI 20 Introduction to Syntax
LSCI 43 Introduction to Symbolic Logic
LSCI 51 Acquisition of Language
LSCI 155 Psychology of Language
B. Select one of the following two tracks:
1. Depth Track - select two courses from the following:
Formal Languages and Automata
Elementary Set Theory
Metalogic
Topics in Romance Languages
Structure of Japanese
History of English
Spanish Phonetics
Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
Any "3-level" Language other than English course or any advanced level Language other than English course. 1
2. Breadth track:
Two Language other than English courses at the 1C level. 2
Research Frontier
C. Select any four Language Science courses from the following: 3
Computational Methods for Language Research
Introduction to Phonetics
Introduction to Speech Science
Introduction to Acoustic Phonetics
Introduction to Formal Semantics
Computational Cognitive Models of Language Acquisition
Second Language Acquisition
History of English
Language Science Research I 4
Language Science Research II
Language Science Research III
Any 199 course affiliated with the Language Science Program, for a minimum of 4 units. 4
Additional Miscellaneous
D. Select four additional courses. The courses may be Language Science courses not being used toward any other requirements, or courses from the following:
Microimplants
Classical Chinese
and Classical Chinese
and Classical Chinese
Hearing
Hearing and the Brain
Compilers and Interpreters
Project in Compilers and Interpreters
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Applications of Probability in Computer Science
Speech for the Theatre
Teaching English Internationally
Classical Japanese
and Classical Japanese
Diction
and Diction
and Diction
Selected Topics in Spanish Linguistics
1

Advanced Language other than English courses are those requiring the highest level course in the relevant sequence as a prerequisite.

2

Two Language other than English courses at the 1C level.

3

Any Language Science course that is not listed under requirements A or B but lists any course from requirement A as a prerequisite can also be applied to this requirement.

4

No more than two courses numbered LSCI 195A, LSCI 195B, LSCI 195C, or 199 may be counted toward the major.