Language Studies Major Requirements

Successful completion of the language studies major leads to a BA degree in language studies. To graduate with a BA in language studies, students must complete three course components: (i) a language component, (ii) a linguistics component, and (iii) a context elective component. In addition, students must satisfy the Senior Comprehensive Requirement.

Language Studies majors must satisfy course requirements in languages, linguistics, and cultural context.

Language component
Language Studies majors must achieve a level equivalent to six quarters in the language of concentration. Additionally, one advanced language course after level 6 is required for students concentrating in French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Majors in Chinese and Japanese must take two advanced language courses after level 6, the second of which (and any subsequent) counts toward the cultural context course requirement.

​Master List of Approved Upper Division Foreign Language Courses

List of Approved Upper Division Foreign Language Courses in the Upcoming Quarter​

Foreign language for transfer students. While it is not required for selection, junior-level transfer students are strongly encouraged to complete as much preparation as possible in the foreign language of their choosing. Transfer students who do not place into Level 2 or higher in a language placement test when they enter UCSC may not be able to complete the major in a timely manner. Visit the Languages and Applied Linguistics Department website to find out about language placement, articulation and course offerings.

Linguistics component

The major requires four named courses in linguistics:

50, Introduction to Linguistics
53, Semantics 1
101, Phonology 1
111, Syntactic Structures; or 112, Syntax 1

and two upper-division linguistics elective courses.

Cultural context or linguistics component

The major also requires five upper-division elective courses in linguistics or the cultural context of the language of concentration. Linguistics elective courses include any upper-division course offered by the Linguistics Department (except LING 101, 111, and 112). Cultural context courses are to be selected from among those approved by the department and include disciplines such as literature, history, and politics. These required cultural context courses are related to the language of concentration. A master list of approved context electives is available in the UCSC general catalog.

List of Approved Context Electives in the Upcoming Quarter

Senior exit requirement

In their senior year, language studies majors must satisfy the senior exit requirement in one of three ways:

Option 1. Successful completion of a capstone course. In order to satisfy the senior exit requirement, students must have senior standing and must have completed Linguistics 53, Semantics 1; 101, Phonology 1; and either 111, Syntactic Structures; or 112, Syntax 1. Students then complete a 2-unit senior research course, LING 190.  Each instance of LING 190 is taught concurrently with one of the upper-division electives offered in that quarter. Students must enroll in both an instance of LING 190 and its associated upper-division elective. This elective can also serve as one of the two linguistics electives required for the major.

Option 2. Senior thesis supervised by a faculty member. The proposal for a senior thesis must be submitted for the approval of the department faculty at least three quarters prior to the quarter of graduation. Students enroll in Linguistics 195, Senior Thesis, with the approval of the faculty adviser. The senior thesis is an original investigation of the major language in some relevant way, such as the linguistic structure or history of the language or its historical, literary, cultural, sociological, ethnographic, or political context.

Option 3. By exception, students in their senior year may enroll in a graduate-level class, by permission of instructor. This option is for students who have performed exceptionally in the available undergraduate courses in a particular sub-discipline of linguistics. Under these conditions, a graduate-level course may serve as the student's capstone course.

Sample Academic Plans for the Language Studies Major
The following is a recommended academic plan for four-year students who wish to pursue the language studies major.

The following is a recommended academic plan for junior transfer students who wish to pursue the Language Studies Major.

Note: this major planner presumes that the student enters UCSC having already completed three quarters of foreign language or having equivalent proficiency.

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in language studies is satisfied by completing courses 101 and either 111 or 112.