Applied Linguistics*

The Applied Linguistics major investigates linguistic issues relevant to the everyday world, shedding light on the nature of language and language use. Students will learn linguistic theory, the study of the structure of human language generally. With its focus on service learning, students will also learn linguistic practice, engaging in the community, schools, and workplaces of our geographic setting. Successful graduates will be well acquainted with language use from a variety of perspectives and experiences, and will be able to apply this knowledge to a wide variety of practices including language teaching, speech pathology, and translation and interpretation.

*This major is certified by the US Department of Education as a STEM program, CIP Code 30.2501, which focuses on the study of the mind and the nature of intelligence from the interdisciplinary perspectives of computer science, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines. Includes instruction in mathematics and logic, cognitive process modeling, dynamic systems, learning theories, brain and cognition, neural networking, programming, and applications to topics such as language acquisition, computer systems, and perception and behavior.