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BYU Department of Linguistics


What is Linguistics?

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Linguists investigate speech sounds, grammatical structures, meaning, and more across the world's languages. 

Programs
Undergraduate
Graduate
Minors
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Linguistics BA

Linguistics is the study of how language works—everything from how we produce sounds to where new words and languages come from. This degree provides a solid foundation in all areas of language research and prepares you for graduate studies or a career in a language-related field.

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Applied English Linguistics BA

Study the ins and outs of the English language and apply that knowledge in one of four tracks. Learn to teach English to speakers of other languages, master computer tools for interacting with language, study the relationship between language and culture, or dive into historical English language and literature.
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Editing and Publishing BA

Become an expert on English grammar and style and master the science and art of crafting language as you take books, magazines, and other media from unpolished manuscripts to published products.
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Linguistics MA

Get a master’s degree in the study of language with a focus on corpus linguistics and computing, language acquisition, language in society, or general linguistics. This program prepares you for professional work in linguistics or for going on to a PhD.
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TESOL MA

This master’s program enables you to work with colleges, companies, and communities to teach, design curriculum for, assess, and administrate the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. Get hands-on experience in all these areas as you prepare for a professional TESOL career or further education.
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Linguistics Minor

A great minor for students in a language major or anyone interested in how language works. Learn about the sounds of the world’s languages, theories of language structure, the roles of language in culture and society, and more.
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Linguistic Computing Minor

Ever wondered how your phone assistant understands what you say, how translation software works, or whether artificial intelligences will ever be able to learn human language? Explore the fascinating intersection of language and computing, and master digital tools for studying and processing spoken and written language.
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Editing Minor

Take your writing skills to the next level with classes on grammar, usage, and editing, and get experience editing, typesetting, and publishing books, journals, and magazines. This minor is a fantastic résumé booster for anyone going into a field involving writing, editing, publishing, or research.
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TESOL Minor

Learn to teach English to adult speakers of other languages as you work toward an internationally recognized TESOL certificate. You’ll learn strategies for teaching in the classroom and get in-person, mentored teaching experience at BYU’s English Language Center.
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Careers in Linguistics and Editing


Researcher

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Editor

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Language Teacher

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Professor

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Language Technology Developer

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Technical Writer

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Jobs & Internships

Find an on- or off-campus job in linguistics or editing!
Put your skills to use and build your resume.

News

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A Place for Every Dialect

October 11, 2024 12:00 PM
After studying Polynesian high school students’ speech patterns, Professor Lisa Johnson says belonging manifests in language—here’s how.
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Experiential Journaling

October 02, 2024 03:00 PM
Undergrads learn from academic journals nationwide. In BYU’s College of Humanities, they publish them too.
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No Town Too Small

August 16, 2024 12:00 PM
Undergrad Savannah Jepson’s work on English in Lapoint, Utah, has done more than fill in a research gap—it’s convinced her to become a researcher.
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"I feel that it can safely be said that using language is indeed miraculous. I truly believe that if language did not exist and someone proposed it, it would be dismissed as an impossibility."
- Randall L. Jones