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Liberal Arts and Professional Studies – Linguistics

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Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics

The Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics offers courses in linguistics leading to BA and Honours BA degrees, with 30-credit, 42-credit and 54-credit major concentrations.

Linguistics is the scientific study of natural language organization. It concerns itself with discovering the universal principles of human language and applying these principles to provide systematic descriptions of individual languages. To this purpose, linguists investigate sound and word patterns, sentence structure, language usage and change, the acquisition of first and second languages, as well as the relationship between language and the mind and language and society.

Because language mediates virtually all forms of human endeavour, the study of linguistics can provide new perspectives on almost every aspect of the humanities and social sciences. In addition, it has applications to primary and secondary education, speech-language pathology and the applied sciences of communication engineering and computer science.

In any of the programs described below, a student taking both AP/LING 1000 6.00 and AP/LING 2060 6.00 will be required to complete an additional three credits in linguistics to satisfy the linguistics component of the degree.

Specialized Honours BA: 120 Credits

Residency requirement: a minimum of 30 course credits and at least half (50 per cent) of the course credits required in each undergraduate degree program major/minor must be taken at York University.

Graduation requirement: students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.

General education: a minimum of 21 general education credits as follows:

  • 6.00 credits in natural science (NATS)
  • a 9.00 credit approved general education course in the social science or humanities categories
  • a 6.00 credit approved general education course in the opposite category to the 9.00 credit course in social science or humanities already taken

Major credits: students will take at least 54 credits in linguistics, including:

Upper-level credits: at least 36 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level, including at least 18 credits at the 4000 level.

Credits outside the major: at least 18 credits.

Honours BA: 120 Credits

Residency requirement: a minimum of 30 course credits and at least half (50 per cent) of the course credits required in each undergraduate degree program major/minor must be taken at York University.

Graduation requirement: students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.

General education: a minimum of 21 general education credits as follows:

  • 6.00 credits in natural science (NATS)
  • a 9.00 credit approved general education course in the social science or humanities categories
  • a 6.00 credit approved general education course in the opposite category to the 9.00 credit course in social science or humanities already taken

Major credits: students will take at least 42 credits in linguistics, including:

Upper-level credits: at least 36 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level, including at least 18 credits at the 4000 level.

Credits outside the major: at least 18 credits. (Note: students who are completing a double major or major/minor are deemed to have fulfilled this requirement.)

Honours Double Major BA

The Honours BA program described above may be pursued jointly with approved Honours Double Major degree programs in the Faculties of Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, Health, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Science or the Lassonde School of Engineering. For further details on requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours programs that may be pursued jointly with other Faculties.

Note: in a double major program, a course may count only once toward major credit.

Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary (Linked) BA

Linguistics may be linked with any Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary BA program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. Students must take at least 36 credits in linguistics and at least 36 credits in the interdisciplinary program. Courses taken to meet linguistics requirements cannot also be used to meet the requirements of the interdisciplinary program. Students in these interdisciplinary programs must take a total of at least 18 credits at the 4000 level, including at least six credits in linguistics and six credits in the interdisciplinary program. For further details of requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary BA programs.

Note: in a double major program, a course may count only once toward major credit.

Major credits: students will take at least 36 credits in linguistics, including:

Honours Major/Minor BA

The Honours BA program described above may be pursued jointly with approved Honours Minor degree programs in the Faculties of Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, Health, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Science or the Lassonde School of Engineering. For further details on requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours programs that may be pursued jointly with other Faculties.

Note: in a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit.

Honours Minor BA

The Honours Minor BA program described may be combined with any approved Honours BA program that offers a major/minor option in the Faculties of Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, Health, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Science or the Lassonde School of Engineering. For further details on requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours programs that may be pursued jointly with other Faculties.

Minor credits: the Honours Minor in linguistics comprises at least 30 credits in linguistics, including:

Notes:

  1. At least six credits in the minor must be at the 4000 level.
  2. In a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit.

BA: 90 Credits

Residency requirement: a minimum of 30 course credits and at least half (50 per cent) of the course credits required in each undergraduate degree program major/minor must be taken at York University.

Graduation requirement: students must successfully complete (pass) at least 90 credits that meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 4.00.

General education: a minimum of 21 general education credits as follows:

  • 6.00 credits in natural science (NATS)
  • a 9.00 credit approved general education course in the social science or humanities categories
  • a 6.00 credit approved general education course in the opposite category to the 9.00 credit course in social science or humanities already taken

Major credits: students will take at least 30 credits in linguistics, including:

Note: at least 12 credits in the major at the 3000 level or above.

Upper-level credits: at least 18 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level.

Credits outside the major: at least 18 credits.

Course Substitutes

Subject to course exclusions, program requirements/restrictions and residency requirements, the following courses are acceptable substitutes for the purpose of meeting linguistics program requirements:

Program Course Course Substitute
AP/LING 1000 6.00 GL/EN 2605 6.00 (cross-listed to: GL/LIN 2605 6.00)

With the approval of the program coordinator, and subject to course exclusion and residency requirements, students may complete other GL/LIN courses for program credit in linguistics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

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