The Department of Linguistics at UCSB is internationally recognized for its innovative research. It is a world leader in its discourse-functional approach to language, a perspective based on the insight that linguistic structure can only be understood by examining language in the context of social interaction. The faculty is known for its focus on linguistic diversity and its active fieldwork with speakers of a variety of languages, particularly those of the Americas, East Asia, the Himalayas, the Caucasus, and Austronesian languages of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. There is also a special interest in varieties of English. In addition, the undergraduate program has particular strengths in the relationship between language and cognition, the evolution of language, and language, culture, and society.
The department offers excellent undergraduate training, with small classes, personal attention, and a faculty that highly values its undergraduate students. The department provides opportunities for undergraduates to pursue individual study, original research, internships, and participation in faculty and graduate student research projects. Linguistics is ideally suited for interdisciplinary studies; students can use the major to explore particular areas of interest such as psycholinguistics, linguistic anthropology, the documentation of endangered languages, and the structure and history of specific languages. Many students choose to study abroad as part of their undergraduate training in order to develop their skills in another language and to become familiar with another culture.
Contact
For more information about the linguistics major or minor or to be added to the undergraduate linguistics listserve, contact:
Jack Du Bois
Undergraduate Faculty Advisor
South Hall 3509
Phone: (805) 893-4779
Ra Tracie Thea
Undergraduate Program Assistant
South Hall 3607
Phone: (805) 893-3776
