Undergraduate Linguistics FAQs
Answers to frequently asked questions about the UAF undergraduate linguistics program.
Getting a BA at UAF
BA requirements:
Be aware that the Linguistics Faculty will NOT sign off on petitions to substitute courses unless they really satisfy the spirit of the Core or Other BA requirements as set down by UAF.
The following is a brief summary of BA requirements. For complete information on the Core requirements, be sure to visit the Advising Center.
Core:
- 9 credits (3 courses) of courses related to Communication/English)
- 18 credits (5-6 courses) of Humanities and Social Sciences from among the courses listed for the Core; these must include the following 4 courses:
- ANTH/SOC 100X
- ECON/PS 100X
- HIST 100X
- ENGL/FL 200X
- 3 credits (1 course) of Mathematics
- 8 credits of Natural Sciences (2 courses)
- 1 credit of Library and Information Research
- Upper-Division Writing and Oral Communication (W and O-designated courses)
Other
IN ADDITION to the Core, there are further requirements for
- 18 credits (5-6) of Humanities and Social Sciences (including Languages)
- 3 credits (1 course) of Mathematics
- 15 credits (5 courses) for your Minor
- 12-18 credits of a Foreign or Native Alaskan Language (# courses varies with language and level of course)
For Linguistics, you specifically need:
Foreign language requirement: 2 years of 1 language, 1 year of another. We recommend at least one non-Indo-European language
When you take these requirements is your choice, but you are responsible for taking these classes BEFORE you graduate; it would be best if you fulfilled these requirements before your Senior year.
The Linguistics Major tends to be an upper-level Major, with many of the courses designed for Juniors and Seniors. You may be well-advised to fulfill as many of your BA requirements during your Freshman and Sophomore years.
You may decide to intersperse Major or Minor courses with the BA required courses each semester. As an example, if you take 2 required Core courses per semester your Freshman and Sophomore years, and then 1 thereafter, you will have completed the Core course requirements by the end of your Senior year. If you also take 2-3 of the Other course requirements for the BA per semester, you will have completed these by the end of your Junior Year. This would allow you to take 1-2 courses in your Major and Minor during of first few years, and most Major and Minor courses during your Junior and Senior years.
Getting a Linguistics Major
What courses do I need?
Required Linguistics courses:
- 101—Introduction to Linguistics (every semester)
- 318—Phonology (every fall)
- 320—Morphology (every other spring)
- ENG 318—Syntax (every spring)
- EITHER 420—Semantics (every other spring) OR 430—Historical (every other fall)
- 482—Senior Seminar (every other spring)
What course sequences should you be aware of?
Prerequisites:
- 101 --> required for most other required courses; can be taken concurrently with 318
- 318 --> required for 320 and 430
- 482 --> By permission of instructor; depending on the instructor, this may involve having taken 318, 320, and ENG 318 at a minimum
Most helpful sequences:
- 101 + 318 --> 320, ENG 318 --> 420, 430 --> 482
(Since 320 and 420 are offered the same semesters, you may end up having a heavy load one spring semester…)
What options do I have?
You can take 5 other courses in the major. There are a number of options; other LING courses could include:
- 308—Language and Gender
- 410—2nd Language Acquisition
- 420/430—whichever is not used for the major
- 431—Field Methods
- 450—Language Policy and Planning
There are also courses in other departments that count! These include, but are not limited to:
- ANTH 320W—Language and Culture
- COMM 320—Communication and Language
- ENGL 462—Applied English Linguistics
- ENGL 472—History of the English Language
Declaring a major
If you are thinking of being a linguistics major, declare it—it will help us plan courses and offer them as needed, as well as offer special topics courses
Getting an Advisor
What is the function of an advisor?
An advisor helps you plan courses, lets you know if courses are canceled, lets you know if there are special courses offered, and signs your paperwork
Why do I need an advisor?
- You need an advisor’s signature on required paperwork
- An advisor in the program has inside knowledge on the courses offered and the problems that students can run into
- An advisor can offer some perspectives on possible career paths
- An advisor can provide references if they get to know you
- An advisor can help focus your studies
Whom should I choose as an advisor?
Any faculty member in the Linguistics Program can advise you, however, you may want to contact someone whose research interests are compatible with yours. You may have already met a potential advisor as an instructor in one of your linguistics courses. Some areas of specialization for the various faculty are:
- Anna Berge—Syntax, Discourse, Eskimo-Aleut
- Burns Cooper—English, Syntax, Forensic Linguistics
- Gary Holton—Morphology, Typology, Athabaskan
- Larry Kaplan—Phonology, Historical Linguistics, Iñupiaq
- Patrick Marlow—Language Policy and Planning, Education
- Sabine Siekmann—Second Language Acquisition, Language Teaching, English as a Second Language
- Siri Tuttle—Phonetics, Phonology, Athabaskan
When should you meet with an advisor?
- soooooon!
- At least once per semester
- At least one substantial talk per year
- If you are thinking of changing majors, let your advisor know
Complementary Majors/Minors
These are suggestions, but you are not limited to them. NOTE: You can’t count the same courses toward a major and a minor
Brooks 421
