Linguistics MA

Admission and Entry:

Application deadline is January 15^th, with possibility for semesters of entry in spring, summer, or fall. We strongly recommend that you apply on-line at http://www.byu.edu/gradstudies. If you do not have access to the Internet, please write us and we will send you the application.

GRE EXAM IS REQUIRED.

A minimum TOEFL score of 580 (paper), 237 (computer), or 90 (internet based – iBT with minimum scores of 23 in Speaking and 22 in Listening, Reading, and Writing) is required prior to admission for nonnative English speakers.

Prerequisites (May be fulfilled after admission):

Ling 330 Introduction to Linguistics (Modern), or equivalent, should be completed before or during the first semester of coursework.

Competency in three languages:

English (ESL 404 Advanced Composition is prerequisite for all nonnative English speakers; ESL 301 Advanced Academic English, 302 Advanced English Pronunciation if indicated by OPI results. ESL 404 and OPI should be completed before or during the first semester.)

Competency in one language other than English* (300 level)

At least 12 credit hours (200-level competency) in a second non-English language* or 12 credit hours of approved computer science (C S) or Computers and the Humanities (CHum) courses.

*One of the non-English languages must be a non-Germanic and non-Romance language. For a list of Germanic and Romance languages see http://linguistics.byu.edu/langlist.html.

Requirements for Degree:

Credit hours: 30.

Required courses (9 credit hours): Ling 596 Research Design in Linguistics, 690 Seminar in Linguistics; 698R (project) or 699R (thesis).

Electives

Analytical Core: two courses (6 credit hours) from the following: Ling 521, 535, or 630.

Applications Core: two courses (6 credit hours) from the following: Ling 550, 558, 581, or 615.

Approved Applications: three courses (9 credit hours) from the following: ELang 522, 525, 529, 623, Ling 540, 545, 551, or other courses approved by the department or the student’s MA advisory committee. (Any of the analytical and applications core courses listed above not selected previously to fill the core requirements can count as electives).

Thesis or project.

Examination: oral defense of thesis or project (consult department for details).

Students interested in the program may contact these faculty:

Field of Interest

Advisor's Name

Office Number

Phone Number

E-Mail Address

English Language

Cynthia Hallen

4073 JFSB

422-2020

cynthia_hallen@byu.edu

Computational Linguistics

Deryle Lonsdale

4039 JFSB

422-4067

lonz@byu.edu

Syntax/Semantics

Alan Manning

4053 JFSB

422-2974

alan_manning@byu.edu

Computational Linguistics

Alan Melby

4051 JFSB

422-2144

alan_melby@byu.edu

Anthropology/Semantics

John Robertson

4064A JFSB

422-8228

john_robertson@byu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Ling 521

Phonology. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 330) Discriminative values of speech sounds: their function in the communicative process. Analysis of phonological data via postulation of underlying forms and derivational rules.

Ling 535

Semantics. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 330) Theory and practice of semantic analysis with special emphasis on Jakobsonian and Peircian semiotics.

Ling 540

Language Acquisition. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 330 or equivalent) First- and second-language acquisition viewed in light of psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics.

Ling 545

Psycholinguistics. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 223 or Ling 330 or equivalent.) How the mind interprets, stores, retrieves, and produces language. Anatomical structures and physiological processes of the brain dealing with language.

Ling 550

Sociolinguistics. (3 cr.) Research and theory in anthropological linguistics and sociolinguistics.

Ling 551

Anthropological Linguistics. (3 cr.) Language in culture and society: development, typology, and description.

Ling 558

Historical-Comparative Linguistics. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 450 or equivalent) Theory and method of language change via comparing daughter languages and reconstructing ancestral languages. Language universals and typology.

Ling 581

Natural Language Processing. (3 cr.) prereq: good programming skills in at least one language (preferably LISP, Prolog, C, C++, Perl, or Java) and a knowledge of basic, discrete math. Upper-division linguistics/CHum students with less programming experience may enroll with instructor’s consent. Intensive overview of natural language processing including computational techniques, hands-on experience with linguistics technologies and corpora, language modeling approaches, and readings from current research.

Ling 596

Research Design in Linguistics. (1 cr.) (prereq: admission to linguistics MA program) Research options in linguistics. Selecting thesis topic and writing first chapters of MA thesis. Students may enroll concurrently for up to 2 hours of Ling 699R (thesis) credit.

Ling 615

Analogical Modeling of Language. (3 cr.) (Prereq: Ling 330 or equivalent.) Nondeclarative approaches to language description; work within the connectionist or neural net framework; analogical or exemplar modeling.

Ling 630

Topics in Syntax. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 430 or equivalent) Theory of generative grammar, emphasizing its history, the competition between different versions of generative theory, and their recent extensions.

Ling 690

Seminar in Linguistics. (2 cr.) (prereq: Ling 521, 535, or 630) Advanced research and analysis of various linguistic problems. Development of publishable work beyond the thesis.

Ling 698R

Master’s Project. (1-3 cr.) Design, production, and evaluation of MA project in linguistics or TESOL. May involve various media: paper/print, computer software, audio recordings, or video recordings. Supervised by graduate advisory committee chair.

Ling 699R

Master’s Thesis. (1-9 cr.)

ELang 522

Language Policy and Planning in English Language Contexts. (3 cr.) (Prereq: Elang 223, 273; or equivalents) Theories and practices of government entities as they formulate policies relating to the status and codification of the English language.

ELang 525

Old English. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 223, 324; or equivalents.) Old English grammar and vocabulary; traditional syntactical patterns in various types of Old English prose and poetry.

ELang 529

Structure of Modern English. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 325 or instructor’s consent) English syntax through modern grammars; theories underlying those grammars.

ELang 623

Discourse Analysis. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 223, 273; or equivalents) Mental and social proceses involved in communicating through language; how we construct and interpret meaning through various contexts.

Linguistics M.A. Program, Revised Aug 2006

Field of Interest	Advisor's Name	Office Number	Phone Number	E-Mail Address
English Language	Cynthia Hallen	4073 JFSB	422-2020	cynthia_hallen@byu.edu
Computational Linguistics	Deryle Lonsdale	4039 JFSB	422-4067	lonz@byu.edu
Syntax/Semantics	Alan Manning	4053 JFSB	422-2974	alan_manning@byu.edu
Computational Linguistics	Alan Melby	4051 JFSB	422-2144	alan_melby@byu.edu
Anthropology/Semantics	John Robertson	4064A JFSB	422-8228	john_robertson@byu.edu

Ling 521	Phonology. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 330) Discriminative values of speech sounds: their function in the communicative process. Analysis of phonological data via postulation of underlying forms and derivational rules.
Ling 535	Semantics. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 330) Theory and practice of semantic analysis with special emphasis on Jakobsonian and Peircian semiotics.
Ling 540	Language Acquisition. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 330 or equivalent) First- and second-language acquisition viewed in light of psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics.
Ling 545	Psycholinguistics. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 223 or Ling 330 or equivalent.) How the mind interprets, stores, retrieves, and produces language. Anatomical structures and physiological processes of the brain dealing with language.
Ling 550	Sociolinguistics. (3 cr.) Research and theory in anthropological linguistics and sociolinguistics.
Ling 551	Anthropological Linguistics. (3 cr.) Language in culture and society: development, typology, and description.
Ling 558	Historical-Comparative Linguistics. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 450 or equivalent) Theory and method of language change via comparing daughter languages and reconstructing ancestral languages. Language universals and typology.
Ling 581	Natural Language Processing. (3 cr.) prereq: good programming skills in at least one language (preferably LISP, Prolog, C, C++, Perl, or Java) and a knowledge of basic, discrete math. Upper-division linguistics/CHum students with less programming experience may enroll with instructor’s consent. Intensive overview of natural language processing including computational techniques, hands-on experience with linguistics technologies and corpora, language modeling approaches, and readings from current research.
Ling 596	Research Design in Linguistics. (1 cr.) (prereq: admission to linguistics MA program) Research options in linguistics. Selecting thesis topic and writing first chapters of MA thesis. Students may enroll concurrently for up to 2 hours of Ling 699R (thesis) credit.
Ling 615	Analogical Modeling of Language. (3 cr.) (Prereq: Ling 330 or equivalent.) Nondeclarative approaches to language description; work within the connectionist or neural net framework; analogical or exemplar modeling.
Ling 630	Topics in Syntax. (3 cr.) (prereq: Ling 430 or equivalent) Theory of generative grammar, emphasizing its history, the competition between different versions of generative theory, and their recent extensions.
Ling 690	Seminar in Linguistics. (2 cr.) (prereq: Ling 521, 535, or 630) Advanced research and analysis of various linguistic problems. Development of publishable work beyond the thesis.
Ling 698R	Master’s Project. (1-3 cr.) Design, production, and evaluation of MA project in linguistics or TESOL. May involve various media: paper/print, computer software, audio recordings, or video recordings. Supervised by graduate advisory committee chair.
Ling 699R	Master’s Thesis. (1-9 cr.)
ELang 522	Language Policy and Planning in English Language Contexts. (3 cr.) (Prereq: Elang 223, 273; or equivalents) Theories and practices of government entities as they formulate policies relating to the status and codification of the English language.
ELang 525	Old English. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 223, 324; or equivalents.) Old English grammar and vocabulary; traditional syntactical patterns in various types of Old English prose and poetry.
ELang 529	Structure of Modern English. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 325 or instructor’s consent) English syntax through modern grammars; theories underlying those grammars.
ELang 623	Discourse Analysis. (3 cr.) (prereq: ELang 223, 273; or equivalents) Mental and social proceses involved in communicating through language; how we construct and interpret meaning through various contexts.