Undergraduate Guide - UMass Amherst

The Majors

The department offers a Linguistics major, and nine interdisciplinary majors combining Linguistics with one of the following: Anthropology, Chinese, German, Japanese, Philosophy, Portuguese, Psychology, Russian or Spanish.

Common requirements for all majors: A grade of C or better must be earned in any course used to satisfy major requirements. All majors must complete the Junior Year Writing requirement. The departmental website, www.umass.edu/linguist, lists courses that satisfy the requirement. All majors must also fulfill College of Humanities and Fine Arts requirements.

Linguistics
Twelve courses, including Junior Year Writing.
Required core:
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists
510 Introduction to Semantics

Cross-linguistic requirement:
Two courses from the following list:
391B Indigenous Languages of North America
390C The Sounds of Englishes
390D Introduction to African American English
404 Field Methods
594A African American English
ANTH 397MG Languages of Mexico and Guatamala
Linguistically oriented courses on a language other than English at the 300-400 level and courses on the structure of a language other than English, with the approval of the the Undergraduate Advisor.

Departmental electives:
Five additional courses are required. No course that is applied to any other requirement can be applied to this one. Otherwise, any linguistics course can be an elective, although no more than one 100-level linguistics course can be so used.

Students may select electives from certain related departments (e.g., Anthropology, Computer Science, Communication Disorders, Legal Studies, Philosophy, Psychology) to this requirement, but must receive prior approval from the Undergraduate Advisor.

Linguistics and Anthropology
Two years (or equivalent) of a foreign language, to be completed before the junior year. 14 courses in Linguistics and Anthropology including all of the following:
ANTHRO 102 Archaeology and Prehistory or ANTHRO 103 Human Origins and Variation
ANTHRO 104 Culture, Society and People
ANTHRO 105 Language, Culture and Communication
ANTHRO 270 North American Indians
LINGUIST 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LINGUIST 401 Introduction to Syntax
LINGUIST 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
LINGUIST 404 Field Methods
LINGUIST 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists

One of the following:
ANTHRO 363 Linguistic Anthropology: Comparative Dimensions
LINGUIST 495C Morphology
LINGUIST 505 Historical Linguistics

One of the following:
ANTHRO 360 Language in Culture and Society
LINGUIST 413 Sociolinguistics
ANTHRO 597LP Language Preservation

One of the following:
ANTHRO 317 Primate Behavior
ANTHRO 368 Old World Prehistory
ANTHRO 369 North American Archaeology

Two additional courses in Linguistics or Anthropology numbered 200 and above.

Linguistics and Chinese
The successful completion of four courses in Mandarin Chinese (24 credits): CHINESE 125, 246, 326, and 327, or the equivalent. 12 courses distributed between Linguistics and Chinese, as follows:

Linguistics courses:
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Three of the following:
404 Field Methods
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
412 Language Processing and the Brain
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists
503 Intermediate Syntax
505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics
510 Introduction to Semantics

Chinese courses:
375 Introduction to Chinese Linguistics
450 Elementary Classical Chinese
Three courses from the following group, at least one of which must be CHINESE 575, 576, or 577:
575 Syntactic Structures of Chinese
576 History of the Chinese Language
577 Chinese Dialectology
426 Advanced Modern Chinese I
427 Advanced Modern Chinese II
432 Media Chinese
433 Business Chinese
451 Intermediate Classical Chinese
570 Research in Chinese Source Materials

One of the following:
138 Religion in Chinese Culture
153 Literature: Poetry
154 Literature: Tales, Short Stories, Novels
241 Contemporary Chinese Literature
HISTORY 114 Chinese Civilization: Ancient Origins to the End of the Mongol Era
HISTORY 115 Chinese Civilization: Early Modern to the Present

Linguistics and German
Successful completion of four courses in German (12 credits): 110, 120, 230 and 240 (or equivalent). 9 courses distributed between Linguistics and German, as follows.

Linguistics courses:
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists

German courses:
310 Advanced German I
320 Advanced German II
425 Advanced Composition
584 The German Language or 585 The Structure of German

Students are encouraged also to take graduate courses in the older Germanic languages for undergraduate credit (e.g., German 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 810, 811, 812). They may also opt to take courses in German literature or civilization, and courses, including language instruction, in Danish, Dutch, or Swedish.

Linguistics and Japanese
The successful completion of four courses in Japanese (24 credits): JAPANESE 126, 246, 326 and 327 (or the equivalent). 12 courses distributed between Japanese and Linguistics, as follows:

Linguistics courses :
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Japanese courses:
Three of the following:
375 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
556 Introduction to Classical Japanese
575 Syntactic Structures of Japanese
580 Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language

Two of the following:
426 Readings in Modern Japanese I
427 Readings in Modern Japanese II
430 Scientific and Technical Japanese
498Y Practicum (3 credits)
532 Media Japanese I
533 Media Japanese II
536 Advanced Japanese I
537 Advanced Japanese II

One of the following:
135 Japanese Art and Culture
143 Literature: Classical and Medieval
144 Literature: Modern
560 Seminar in Japanese Literature

Some of the Japanese course requirements for this joint major are not currently being offered on a regular basis by University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty, but it is possible to arrange for coursework through the Five Colleges or by special arrangement with individual faculty, or by study abroad. For more information, contact the Undergraduate Advisor.

Linguistics and Philosophy
Two years (or equivalent) of a foreign language, to be completed before the junior year. Courses are distributed between Philosophy and Linguistics, including those listed below.

Required Linguistics courses:
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure
409 Formal Foundations of Linguistic Theory
411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
510 Introduction to Semantics

Required Philosophy courses:
310 Intermediate Logic
550 Epistemology or 551 Metaphysics

One of the following:
511 Modal Logic
512 Philosophy and Logic
513 Mathematical Logic I
514 Mathematical Logic II

One of the following:
335 Contemporary Analytic Philosophy
382 Philosophical Approaches to Science
582 Philosophy of Science
584 Philosophy of Language

At the discretion of the directors of undergraduate studies in each department, other senior-level courses in Linguistics and Philosophy may be substituted for those listed.

Linguistics and Portuguese

The successful completion of four courses in Portuguese (12 credits): 110, 120, 230, 240 (First and second year Portuguese or equivalent proficiency demonstrated by testing or high school work). 12 courses distributed between Linguistics and Portuguese as follows:

Linguistics Courses:
201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
401 Introduction to Syntax
402 Speech Sounds and Structure

Three courses chosen from the following:
LING 101 People and Their Language
LING 404 Field Methods
LING 409 Formal Foundations of Linguistics
LING 413 Sociolinguistics
LING 414 Introductory Phonetics for Linguists
LING 503 Intermediate Syntax
LING 505 Introduction to Historical Linguistics
LING 510 Introduction to Semantics

Portuguese Courses:
PORT 301 Conversational Portuguese

One of the following:
PORT 311 Advance Grammar
PORT 312 Composition

Two of the following:
320 Introduction to Portuguese Literature I
321 Introduction to Portuguese Literature II
322 Introduction to Brazilian Literature

One Portuguese or Brazilian culture course at 300 level or above
One elective course in Portuguese at the 400 level or above

Linguistics and Psychology
12 courses distributed between Linguistics and Psychology as indicated below. A senior thesis may contribute up to six credits toward this requirement.

LINGUIST 201 Introduction to Linguistic Theory
LINGUIST 401 Introduction to Syntax
LINGUIST 402 Speech Sounds and Structure
PSYCH 100 Elementary Psychology
PSYCH 240 Statistics in Psychology
PSYCH 241 Methods of Inquiry in Psychology

One of the following:
LINGUIST 409 Formal Foundations of Linguistic Theory
LINGUIST 411 Introduction to Language Acquisition
LINGUIST 510 Introduction to Semantics

Two of the following:
PSYCH 315 Cognitive Psychology
PSYCH 330 Behavioral Neuroscience
PSYCH 350 Child Behavior and Development

One of the following:
LINGUIST 412 Language Processing and the Brain
PSYCH 318 Psychology of Language

Two electives 300-level or above, or a senior thesis.

Linguistics and Russian
Successful completion of four courses in Russian: RUSSIAN 110, 120, 230 and 240 (or equivalent). 10 courses distributed between Linguistics and Russian, as follows:

Russian courses:
301 Advanced Russian I
302 Advanced Russian II
560 Russian Phonetics
561 Structure of Russian
563 Contrastive Structures of Russian and English

The Russian course requirements for this joint major are not currently being offered on a regular basis by University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty, but it may be possible to arrange for coursework through the Five Colleges or by special arrangement with individual faculty, or by study abroad. For more information, contact the Undergraduate Advisor.

Additional courses may be selected from the offerings of the Slavic languages departments in the Five Colleges.

Linguistics and Spanish

The successful completion of four courses in Spanish (12 credits): 110, 120, 230, 240 (First and second year Spanish or equivalent proficiency demonstrated by testing or high school work). 12 courses distributed between Linguistics and Spanish as follows:

Spanish Courses:

SPAN 311 Advanced Grammar (SPAN 354 recommended for native speakers)
SPAN 378 Spanish Phonetics
SPAN 470 General View of Hispanic Linguistics

One of the following:
SPAN 320 Literature of Spain I (to 17th Century)
SPAN 321 Literature of Spain II (18th to 20th Century)
SPAN 322 Spanish American Literature I (to 19th Century)
SPAN 323 Spanish American Literature II (20th Century)

One of the following:
SPAN 415 Culture and Civilization of Spain
SPAN 417 Culture and Civilization of Spanish America

One of the following:
SPAN 471 Linguistic Varieties and Pluralism
SPAN 473 Contrastive Analysis Spanish English
SPAN 512 Spanish Language Minority in the US
SPAN 572 Spanish Dialectology
SPAN 574 Bilingualism and Language Contact
SPAN 579 Structures of Modern Spanish
LLC 475 Story of Romance Languages
or any other Special Topics in Hispanic Linguistics course