Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
Linguistics is the science of human language—the scientific study of our ability to communicate with other human beings.
Linguistics enriches the students’ understanding of and appreciation for English and other languages, not just by acquainting them with the rules of English, but also by revealing popular myths which often lead to ill-informed personal or policy judgments.
Study of linguistics can be useful as preparation for a variety of occupations: teaching language arts, English, or other languages; working in journalism or editing and publishing; engagement with literature in teaching, criticism, or authorship; and a variety of applications in computer-mediated uses of language.
Minor Requirements and Curriculum
The minor must be completed prior to, or at the same time as, the requirements for the bachelor's degree. A major and a minor may not be taken in the same degree program, and a minor is not required for a degree. Requirements for the minor include:
- At least half of the units must be from upper-division courses (3000-4000 level).
- At least half of the units must be taken at Cal Poly (in residence).
- No more than one-third of the units will be taken with credit-no credit grading (CR/NC), not counting courses with mandatory CR/NC. Departments may further limit CR/NC grading if desired.
- A minimum 2.0 GPA is required in all units counted for completion of the minor.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| REQUIRED COURSES | ||
| COMS 3316 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2290 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| ENGL 3390 | The Linguistic Structure of Modern English | 3 |
| ENGL 3391 | Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| ENGL 3395 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 4495 | Topics in Applied Language Study | 3 |
| ENGL 4497 | Theories of Language Learning and Teaching | 3 |
| Total Units | 21 | |