Overview

Linguistics studies human language, seeking to define its nature, to establish its relationship to human thought, to discover what distinguishes human language from other forms of communication (human and nonhuman), to understand how children develop a language and acquire additional ones, to understand the ways in which languages may differ from one another and to describe how human beings use language in context to engage in all the other “human” activities.

Program Requirements

General Admission Requirements for the M.A. Degree in Linguistics

Students should consult the Graduate Programs section of this Catalog for the University requirements.

Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 2.85 in the last 60 units of their B.A. Degree work and satisfy the University requirements for Graduate Admission. Students who have GPAs below 3.0 will be required to take the GRE and achieve at least one score at the 50th percentile or higher. A satisfactory GRE score must be submitted within 18 months of admission. International visa students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 563 (paper-based) or 223 (computer-based) or 85 (Internet-based), or an IELTS score of 7.

Academic Standards for the M.A. Degree in Linguistics

Prerequisites: Students must earn a grade of “B” or higher in all prerequisite courses. Students who earn a grade of “B-” or lower in a prerequisite course may repeat up to two such courses for grade improvement. Students will be disqualified from the Program after receiving a third grade of “B-” or lower in prerequisite courses.

Linguistics/TESL Program Linguistics

Required Courses and Electives:

A. University Regulations

Graduate students will be placed on academic probation whenever their GPA falls below 3.0 in all units attempted. To be removed from probation, students must earn sufficient grades in the following semester of enrollment to raise their GPA to 3.0 or above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the University. University regulations allow graduate students to repeat up to 6 units of credit in which a grade of “B-” or below has been received. (See Graduate Programs section of this Catalog.)

B. Additional Regulations for the M.A. Degree in Linguistics

1. Students will be disqualified from the Linguistics/TESL Program if they do not pass the comprehensive exam on their second attempt.
2. No grade below “B-” can be counted in the formal program. Any grade of “C+” or lower must be repeated. If the student does not receive a grade of “B-” or better on the second attempt, the student will be disqualified from the Linguistics/TESL Program. University regulations allow graduate students to repeat only up to 6 units. The repeat grade will appear on the transcript. Students must request approval to repeat a course using the Course Repeat Request Form from the Chair/Advisor in advance of enrolling in the course.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Linguistics

Candidates completing the program leading to an M.A. Degree in  Linguistics will have a fundamental understanding of the core areas in linguistics at an advanced level. In consultation with the Chair/Advisor, candidates build on the Core within their own Program in order to pursue more individual goals.

A. Admission with Conditionally Classified Status

Candidates with undergraduate majors other than Linguistics may be admitted to the Linguistics Graduate Program as Conditionally Classified candidates if they meet the General Admission Requirements stated above. They will be expected to complete prerequisite coursework equivalent to the 18-unit Core of the B.A. Degree: ENGL 301/ANTH 310; LING 402, 404, 408, 417; and 441 or 427.

B. Admission with Classified Status

Candidates may be admitted to the Linguistics Graduate Program with Classified Status if they have 18 or more units in B.A.-level linguistics courses equivalent to the CSUN core major, all units earned with a grade of “B” or higher. Additionally, Classified Status requires successful completion of the UDWPE (Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam) or CSU equivalent, (b) completion of a foreign language requirement (see below), and (c) submission of a satisfactory GRE score where required. All M.A. candidates must apply for Classified Status before they complete more than 12 units above the prerequisite level.

C. Foreign Language Requirement

M.A. candidates in Linguistics are required to demonstrate proficiency in a nonnative language. Native speakers of English may satisfy this requirement in one of three ways: (1) they may enroll for two semesters of coursework in a non-Romance language or three semesters of coursework in a Romance language AFTER initial acceptance into the program; (2) they may pass a departmental examination set by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures (MCLL); or (3) they may submit a transcript showing that they hold a B.A. with a major in a foreign language completed within the previous five years. Students who are nonnative speakers of English are exempt from this requirement. Students who wish to demonstrate proficiency in ASL to satisfy this requirement should consult the Chair/Advisor. Students who choose to satisfy this requirement using coursework must earn grades of “B” or higher in each foreign language course.

D. Culminating Requirements

M.A. candidates in Linguistics may select to complete their degrees by taking a Comprehensive Exam or writing a Thesis. Students selecting the Comprehensive Exam will enroll in LING 697 in the semester during which they plan to take the examination. Students on probation or who have remaining incompletes will not be permitted to take the examination. Students who fail the examination at the first attempt will be required to register for the examination again the following semester. Students who fail the comprehensive examination a second time are disqualified from the Master’s Degree Program. Candidates wishing to write a Thesis should consult the Chair. Students in the Thesis option enroll in 3 units of LING 698C with the permission of and in the consultation with the Chair/Advisor. Thesis units may not be offered every semester.

E. Required Core Courses (9 units)

LING 501 Seminar in Phonology (3)
LING 503 Seminar in Cognitive Linguistics (3)
or LING 505 Seminar in Discourse Analysis (3)
LING 610 Seminar in Syntax (3)

F. Electives (18-21 units):

In consultation with the Chair/Advisor, candidates will select either 21 units of coursework and LING 697—Directed Comprehensive Studies (Comprehensive Examination), or 18 units of coursework and LING 698C—Thesis. All coursework must be from the 400-level and above and at least 12 elective units must be selected from 500 and 600-level courses. Coursework may include LING courses or courses in other Departments, in consultation with teaching faculty and with the Chair/Advisor. Candidates pursuing the M.A. Degree in Linguistics will consult with the Advisor and complete an Approved Program Form, reflecting the courses selected.

G. Unit Count for M.A. in Linguistics

Students Taking the Comprehensive Exam:

Prerequisites: 18 units

Foreign Language: 6 or 9 units

Required Courses: 9 units

Electives: 21 units

Comprehensive Exam: 3 units

Total Units for M.A. Degree: 57 units

Students Writing the Thesis:

Prerequisites: 18 units

Foreign Language: 6 or 9 units

Required Courses: 9 units

Electives: 18 units

Thesis: 3 units

Total Units for M.A. Degree: 54 units

Students should be aware that theses require a minimum of two semesters of work even though only three units are earned.