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Add/Swap Courses
Consult this page for details on how to add or swap courses for Summer 2026 during weeks 2 and 3. learn more →
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Congratulations to the 2026 speech-language pathology admits
Wishing our students all the very best in graduate school for MSLP, and a highly fulfilling career as a communication health professional. learn more →
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News and Events
Please refer to the SFU Academic Calendar for details. learn more →
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Term Info: Summer 2026
Visit this page for info on office hours, electives, future course offerings and more. learn more →
Hear from our students
Watch videos of our undergraduate students sharing their experiences at LING:
“What I love about linguistics is that language is such a human thing. And what linguistics does is instead of enforcing or prescribing rules for how people should speak, it describes and seeks to understand how languages evolve and develop and how they work.”
— Student of LING 220: Introduction to Linguistics
“My favourite part of this class is developing language games and gaining real-world experience with kids visiting Science World. The course truly brings linguistics to life and you get to see what the science of language is about first hand.”
— Student of LING 350: First Language Acquisition
The science of language
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, including language analytics, how languages evolve, and how we use language to communicate. Linguistic research advances knowledge on how we socialize, how we understand or misunderstand one another, and how we use language to interpret the world around us. Areas of study include sounds (phonetics and phonology), words (morphology), sentences (syntax), pattern and variation analysis (corpus linguistics), narratives and conversations (discourse analysis), meaning (semantics and pragmatics) and the study of individual languages, including Indigenous languages.
SFU Linguistics is one of the largest and most diverse linguistics programs in Canada. We offer a wide range of courses about language at the undergraduate level, including a certificate program in the Linguistics of Speech Science. We also offer graduate programs for MA and PhD degrees. The work conducted in our research labs aims to address questions such as how language is acquired in early childhood, how second languages are acquired, and what insights can be gained from computational analysis of language data.
Career options related to linguistics continue to expand as the value of skills in areas such as natural language processing, discourse analysis, practical application of phonetic science, and sociolinguistic analysis is being recognized in our increasingly data-driven world. Linguistics graduates may choose to work in language analytics, big data processing and management, forensic linguistics, ESL instruction, speech language pathology, and publishing.
News and events
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May 15, 2026
Trusting myself through uncertainty: My journey to MSLP admission
“I wish I had been a little easier on myself. I’ve always been my own biggest critic, and because I cared so deeply about reaching this goal, I put a lot of pressure on myself. Looking back now, I realize growth takes time, and it’s okay not to have everything figured out right away.” -
May 13, 2026
Take your time: Finding a niche within speech-language pathology
“I would tell my first-year self not to focus so much on ‘checking boxes’ to get accepted into MSLP. I’ve realized it’s much more valuable to gain experiences that genuinely interest and inspire me (quality over quantity).” -
May 12, 2026
Expand your horizons: Making the leap from SLPA to SLP
“Not getting accepted during your first round of applications can be a very sobering experience. I definitely struggled and felt a shot to my confidence. However, it was actually a great opportunity.” -
May 11, 2026
Trust the process: Mindfulness on the way to MSLP
“If I could give one piece of advice to my first-year self, it would be to not rush the journey toward becoming an SLP. It’s important to stay present and enjoy your time as an undergraduate student.” -
May 06, 2026
Don’t hold yourself back: Looking fear in the face as an MSLP applicant
“Some of the most valuable experiences that I had as an undergraduate were ones that I almost didn’t pursue because I was afraid of being rejected or failing.” -
May 05, 2026
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People
May 5th is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). On this day, we remember the people who have lost their lives to colonial, gender-based violence. -
May 01, 2026
Congratulations to the 2026 speech-language pathology admits
Wishing our students all the very best in graduate school for MSLP, and a highly fulfilling career as a communication health professional.