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College of Humanities
Linguistics
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About Us

Our Mission

The Department of Linguistics is committed to the success and sense of belonging of students in each of our degree and minor programs. We wholeheartedly embrace the mission and aims of BYU. In addition, we seek to reinforce the reputation of BYU as a language capital by enhancing students’ curiosity regarding language-related issues, teaching analytical linguistic and problem-solving skills, and mentoring in the science and documentation of language and in professional presentation and publication.

Is Linguistics for Me?

Faculty Support

We will do our best to help you progress toward goals that align with BYU's mission and aims. We strive to be approachable, supportive, and kind. We have high academic standards and want you to reach them. We aim to provide the scaffolding you need to meet those standards and exceed them, showcasing your full potential.

Have you ever wondered...

Why do people speak English so differently depending on where they live? What makes Arabic so different from Spanish? Why was my mission language was so much easier to acquire than the language I studied in high school? What is being done to preserve the world's languages? How are less commonly spoken languages being documented and preserved? What patterns deserve the most attention when giving feedback on another person's writing? How can I support and teach learners of English as a second language? What are the best tools for finding the most common patterns in the languages I'm interested in? If these questions intrigue you, Linguistics is the place for you!

Research

Our faculty produce high-quality, peer-reviewed research across many linguistic fields. Faculty publications are regularly reviewed on our News page. You can also view our faculty's directory information (including personal bios) and research interests. Graduate theses and projects are accessible through BYU ScholarsArchive.

We encourage our students, both graduates and undergraduates, to engage in faculty-mentored research. A current list of research groups open to students can be found here. Students can obtain funding for research and conference travel through the department or through College of Humanities HUM Grants.

Scholarships, Careers, and Hiring

The department is committed to preparing our students for career success, both during their time at BYU and after. In addition to scholarships from the university and external sources, students can find opportunities for funding from the department itself, including the Dee Gardner Scholarship and Linguistics Experiential Learning Grant. All graduate students are eligible for some scholarship aid toward their program classes.

We manage a list of jobs and internships on our website and send out new listings weekly in our newsletter. If you are looking to hire an editor or linguistics student, you can fill out a form here, or send an email to lingoffice@byu.edu, and we will add your posting to the website and newsletter. Faculty members anywhere in the university can hire an editor directly through the Faculty Publishing Service.

Other Resources

Graduate students can find more information about their programs, including an FAQ, in the Graduate Portal. Undergraduate students have their own FAQ page. Resources such as the course substitution form can be found on the Courses page. Other opportunities for involvement include:

Thank you for your interest in the study of language, and we look forward to seeing you on campus!

Department Chair: Dan P. Dewey
College: College of Humanities

Office Information:
4064 JFSB
801-422-2937
linguistics@byu.edu

Advisement Center:
1041 JFSB
801-422-3541
liberalarts@byu.edu