Linguistics
Linguistics is the study of language and a window into the human mind. Learn about languages spoken around the world, how the mind processes language, the best ways to teach languages and more. Understanding the complex role language plays in the lives of people, communities and societies prepares you to advocate for positive change as a fully engaged global citizen.
BA in Linguistics
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Linguistics will give you a general background in all aspects of linguistic description and theory. You can use this degree to prepare for all the careers that a linguist can follow, including speech pathology, audiology, language instruction, translation and more.
Students who wish to focus their BA in Linguistics Major or Honours Program in one or more areas can choose to declare one or more of the following concentrations: language and society, language and speech and/or Indigenous languages.
You may also choose to complete a general or minor program in linguistics.
BSc in Linguistics
The Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Linguistics emphasizes quantitative areas of acoustic and auditory phonetics, as well as on the cognitive, neural and biological aspects of language. This program is designed for students who wish to go into careers in speech pathology and audiology, computational linguistics or speech technology, or who wish to pursue further studies in related fields such as experimental psycholinguistics, music acoustics or health sciences.
BA in Applied Linguistics
The BA in Applied Linguistics offers a balanced theoretical and practical education. Working closely with faculty, you'll develop a strong grounding in theories and issues of additional-language teaching and learning. In addition to courses, you'll gain practical experience through a language teaching practicum, classroom observations and further experiential opportunities.
Practicum
Students in applied linguistics must complete a 20-hour language teaching practicum (LING 476) in one of the private or public institutions in and around Victoria that support our program.
Classroom observations
As part of LING 374, students take part in 5 or more classroom observations in English-as-an-additional language or other language classrooms at the University of Victoria and in the community. Students complete reports based on their observations, which complement the LING 374 discussions of teaching approaches and methods. These theoretical-practical connections are critical for students as they prepare for their language teaching practicum in LING 476.
The Applied Linguistics Program is grateful for the ongoing generosity of Victoria language teachers in providing observation opportunities. Teachers who are willing to open their classrooms to student observers may contact the applied linguistics assistant. The observations are tailored to the teacher's availability and other requests they may have.
Diploma in Applied Linguistics
The Diploma in Applied Linguistics is a 1-year program for students who already have a bachelor's degree and wish to specialize in teaching English or other additional languages. The diploma provides a balance of theoretical and practical learning, including courses in pedagogical approaches and methods and a 20-hour language teaching practicum at a Victoria-area school.
Practicum
Students in applied linguistics must complete a 20-hour language teaching practicum (LING 476) in one of the private or public institutions in and around Victoria that support our program.
Honours program
You can take the honours program within any of our bachelor's degree programs. In addition to the requirements for the major, students in the honours program take LING 411 (Advanced Syntactic Analysis), 412 (Advanced Phonological Analysis), and 499 (Honours Thesis). You can see more information on the honours program in the calendar:
Admission requirements
Students usually start the admission process near the end of the prefinal year. Normally, the honours program requires a GPA of 6.0 (B+), calculated using the grades for your upper-level linguistics courses. To gain admission into the program, you will need to:
- Declare a major in linguistics or applied linguistics.
- Contact the undergraduate advisor.
- Find a faculty member who agrees to supervise your thesis project.
- Meet the honours GPA requirements at the end of your prefinal year.
Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization
The award-winning Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization (CILR) was developed in partnership with the and the programs of
The CILR program supports communities in language revitalization initiatives by strengthening understanding of the complex context and characteristics of language loss, maintenance and recovery, and by developing knowledge of strategies and successes in language revitalization in communities. The program honours traditional knowledge and practices to reach a diverse group of learners. It provides the foundation for language activism, language learning, community language programming and further study in linguistics, education and related areas.
The full program is usually offered off-campus in cooperation and collaboration with Indigenous communities, with individual course offerings occasionally at UVic and the En’owkin Centre.
MA in Linguistics
As a student in our Master of Arts (MA) in Linguistics Program, you'll conduct research on a wide range of topics like language variation and change, theoretical linguistics, language revitalization and community based research.
Timeline
This timeline should serve as a guide to completing your MA, designed to be a 2-year program.
- year 1, September - April: complete bulk of coursework (5 courses total = 7.5 units)
- year 1, summer: develop/defend thesis proposal; prepare/submit (if required)
- year 2, September - April: finish up coursework; defend thesis proposal; get ethics approval (if required); write thesis
- year 2, summer: defend thesis (7.5 units)
MA in linguistics requirements
Forms & resources
MA in Applied Linguistics
You'll receive graduate training in formal linguistics, plus theories and research in the areas of second language acquisition and the practice of second language teaching methodology. You'll pursue your own research goals through a thesis or major research paper.
Timeline
Thesis option:
- year 1, September–April: complete bulk of coursework (5 courses total = 7.5 units)
- year 1, summer: develop/defend thesis proposal; prepare/submit (if required)
- year 2, September–April: finish up coursework; defend thesis proposal; get ethics approval (if required); write thesis
- year 2, summer: defend thesis (7.5 units)
Project option:
- year 1, September–April: begin coursework (7 courses total = 11.5 units)
- year 1, summer: begin to develop major research paper
- year 2, September–April: Ffnish coursework; work on major research paper
- year 2, summer: complete major research paper (4.5 units)
MA in applied linguistics requirements
Forms & resources
PhD in Linguistics
As a PhD student in linguistics, you will start by acquiring a solid foundation in formal linguistics, providing you with the tools you need to explore language and linguistics from a wide range of intertwined perspectives. Our students tackle cutting-edge research questions in many different areas of theoretical linguistics, applied linguistics (language learning and teaching) and Indigenous language documentation and revitalization.
Timeline
- year 1, September–April: complete bulk of coursework (5 courses total = 7.5 units)
- year 1, summer: start work on candidacy paper(s)
- year 2, September–April: finish up coursework; work on candidacy paper(s)
- year 2, summer: work on candidacy papers
- year 3: finish candidacy papers; defend dissertation proposal (ABD status); prepare/submit (if required)
- year 4–5: get ethics approval (if required); write and defend dissertation
Forms & resources
Underlings
The UVic Undergraduate Linguistics Course Union () hosts regular research and social events, including colloquiums, study sessions, board game nights and bake sales.
Ready to apply?
Ready to apply to UVic? We'll walk you through the application process.
Questions? Talk to a recruiter or attend one of our events.