Linguistics
Students studying linguistics explore, investigate, and discover the fundamental principles and concepts that underlie the one feature that makes humans so unique: language!
Program Overview
The Linguistics program in the College of Science equips students with the tools to examine and better understand the striking complexity of linguistic knowledge, appreciate the remarkable diversity of linguistic structure, and unravel a bit of the mystique surrounding this critical facet of the human experience.
Central to the study of linguistics is the structure of language:
- sounds and sound patterns (Phonetics and Phonology)
- words (Morphology)
- phrases and sentences (Syntax)
- meaning (Semantics)
This structural knowledge in turn allows students to better understand the social context of language, how it evolves over time, how it is acquired, and how it is processed in the brain.
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Robert Painter
I was trained in phonetics and historical linguistics at the University at Buffalo, but at Northeastern, I’m what you would call a General Linguist, teaching courses in everything from Morphology to Sociolinguistics. As an undergraduate, I studied Greek and Latin at Colby College in Maine, and then earned a Masters in Latin Literature at St […] -
Adam Cooper
Professor Cooper earned his MA and PhD in Linguistics at Cornell University, where he centered his attention on the intersection of phonological theory and historical linguistics, with a focus on the sound systems of Indo-European languages and their reconstructed parent language, Proto-Indo-European. He currently enjoys teaching courses that revolve around these topics, including Phonology, History […] -
Heather Littlefield
Heather Littlefield earned the PhD in Applied Linguistics at Boston University, with special interest in the syntactic properties of lexical and functional categories and in the acquisition of prepositions. She enjoys teaching a wide range of courses, including Syntax, Language Acquisition, History of English, the Research Seminar in Linguistics, and Topics in Linguistics (most recently […]
Linguistics Education
Linguistics courses, taught by faculty passionate about the field, focus on developing the skills needed to build a solid foundation for nearly any type of future profession or graduate-level study.
Analytical Skills
- Pattern identification
- Data interpretation
Critical Thinking Skills
- Independent thinking
- Abstract reasoning
- Persuasion and evidence
Presentation Skills
- Scientific writing skills
- Oral presentation skills
Undergraduate Majors
The major in linguistics is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the study of linguistics at both the structural and social levels.
Combined Majors
In this combined major, students receive extensive training in writing and speaking, both for a technical audience and more generally; and they explore the role of language and communication in society.
This program focuses on the relationship of culture to the institutions, interpersonal relations, and practices that make up their social structure while emphasizing the structure of human language and its involvement in social interaction and culture.
In this combined major, students study the structures and analysis of human languages across multiple levels and apply this knowledge to understanding how the English language works, its rhetorical forms, how it has changed over time, and its cultural context.
This combined major educate students in psychology, linguistics, and the interface between the two disciplines, which are core areas within the field of cognitive science.
In this program, students receive an extensive background in the formal structures of human language, the methods and applications of linguistic analyses of language data, the biology, neurology, and physics of the human vocal tract, and the nature of both normal and disordered human speech communication and language development.
In this combined major, students emerge with the transcultural skills and linguistic competence to communicate in and analyze one of the world’s major languages and with a deep understanding of how this system has flourished across space and time.
Undergraduate Minor
The minor in linguistics provides students with an overview of the field, including exposure to both the structural and sociocultural aspects of the study of language. Students have an opportunity to learn the methods of linguistic analysis and to obtain more advanced exposure to various subdomains of linguistics.
Experiential Learning
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Cooperative Education
Northeastern’s cooperative education provides students the opportunity to get out of the classroom and immerse themselves in real-world contexts. From marketing and journalism to law and special education, there’s a wide range of career options for students to pursue, while exploring their own special interests.
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Global Experiences
Students will also have the opportunity to study abroad, where every experience becomes a first-hand lesson in local language and culture.
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Entrepreneurship
Our Science Connects to Innovation Program empowers undergraduate science students through education, resources, and networks to create entrepreneurial solutions—spanning cleaner energy, eco-friendly pesticides, potential anticancer compounds, sustainable foods, and high-tech assistive devices.
Ready to apply?
Upcoming events
All Events-
Jul 23College of Science
STEM Summer Camp In The UK | London International Youth Science Forum CIC
July 23, 2025, 10:00 am -
Jul 25
Linguistics in the News
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News
Why are people crashing out? Emotional breakdowns have gone viral
Remember when Britney Spears shaved her head and attacked a paparazzo’s SUV with an umbrella? Or when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars? Celebrity meltdowns like these once played out on TV or in tabloids. Now, anyone can go viral for an emotional breakdown, or what Gen Z calls a “crash out.” […] -
News
What is a conlang? A linguist explains how languages in ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Star Trek’ are created
Adam Cooper, director of linguistics and teaching professor, helps explain what a conlang is, their history, and the use of them in Hollywood. -
‘Brain rot’ is Oxford’s 2024 word of the year. What does that say about society?
Adam Cooper, a teaching professor of linguistics at Northeastern, says this year’s selection illustrates how the evolution of language can hold up a mirror to society. -
What’s in a name? A linguistics expert explains why some baby names dominate the charts year after year
What do names like Noah, James, Mateo, Mia, Evelyn and Luna all have in common? They’re not only some of the top baby names in the United States, but they also seem to flow off the tongue. And that’s exactly why parents love them. On May 10, the Social Security Administration released a list of […] -
Interaction Lab takes on Depp v. Heard trial in discourse analysis research
When someone thinks of research, they may think of traditional lab work. When it comes to linguistics, research can take many different shapes. -
Linguist explains how slang like ‘rizz’ comes into being, catches fire with younger generations
If you hadn’t heard the word “rizz” prior to it being declared this year’s Oxford University Press “word of the year” this week, you’re probably not alone. -
Where do accents come from? Linguist explains why we talk the way we talk
When it comes to how we talk, accents are often the thing people focus on first. -
Linguistics Program releases eighth volume of undergraduate Working Papers
The Linguistic Program in the College of Science is proud to announce the publication of the latest in their series of undergraduate working papers. -
Cracking the code to Native American language revitalization
The U.S. Military picked the Navajo language for a World War II secret code because the language was dying. Incidentally, the code jumpstarted the efforts to keep the language alive. Northeastern linguistics professor Adam Cooper explains how this revitalization process works.