Electives: Summer 2026
Looking for an interesting elective to take this Summer term? The courses listed here have no prerequisites and are open to all students. Most can help fulfill your Breadth Requirements, such as for Social Sciences (B-Soc) and Science (B-Sci).
By taking LING 220: Introduction to Linguistics you will gain access to the majority of upper division Linguistics courses, as this course is the key prerequisite.
LING 100: Communication and Language (B-SOC)
Explores the foundations of human language from a variety of perspectives. Young children acquire language effortlessly. How is this possible, and why is it so much more challenging to learn a new language later in life? How does the human brain use complex grammatical systems to communicate? Students will learn new ways to think critically about language and communication. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Download the course flyer.
LING 111: The Wonder of Words (B-SOC)
Introduces students to theories about words and vocabulary. Explores topics such as the roots of the English vocabulary, how we create new words and how we learn them. Also discusses practical applications such as constructed languages for use in science fiction, and word recognition in artificial intelligence. Open to all students. Students with credit for LING 110 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Download the course flyer.
LING 190: The Science of Speech (B-SOC or B-SCI)
Introduces the scientific study of speech, focusing on the mechanisms of speech production and perception, the ways in which speech is described and analyzed, the relationship between speech and technology, and the practical applications of phonetic science. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sci/Science.
Download the course flyer.
LING 220: Introduction to Linguistics (B-SOC)
Explores how language works. Introduces students to the systematic nature of language by exploring the patterns of sounds, words, sentences and meanings in English and other languages. Develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills through hands-on training in pattern recognition and language data analysis. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.
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LING 280: Linguistics in the Real World
Examines “real-world” issues from a linguistic perspective. Topics may range across a wide spectrum: in-depth analysis of specific languages, social issues (stereotypes, inequality), business matters (linguistics in advertising, legal language), the role of linguistics in the technology sector, as well as more general workplace applications for linguistics. As topics examined may vary by term, this course may be repeated once for credit if the topic is different. Open to all students.
Download the course flyer.
