Nov 21, 2024

2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Linguistics MA

The University at Buffalo’s Linguistics Department offers a comprehensive program covering the major areas of linguistics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and discourse/pragmatics. Our faculty focuses on the interface between language and cognition, empirically grounded linguistic theory, and both cross-linguistic studies and in-depth studies of individual languages other than English.

General Curriculum

Required Core (12 credits)

Electives (15 credits)

Select 5 from:

Other courses may be selected with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

LIN 504LEC - Discourse Pragmatics Credits: 3
LIN 510LEC - Morphology Credits: 3
LIN 517LEC - Psycholinguistics Credits: 3
LIN 521LEC - Linguistic Anthropology Credits: 1 - 3
LIN 525LEC - Typology and Universals Credits: 3
LIN 533LEC - Phonology 2 Credits: 1 - 3
LIN 552LEC - Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar Credits: 3
LIN 539LEC - Historical Linguistics Credits: 3
LIN 543LEC - Semantics 2 Credits: 3
LIN 595LEC - Sociolinguistics Credits: 3

Other Electives & Culminating Experience (6 credits)

LIN 5XX or LIN 6XX electives
Including LIN 600TUT - Masters Proj /Thesis Guid Credits: 1 - 3

Culminating Experience Milestone: Exam or Project

Total Credit Hours: 33

3.0 Degree GPA required

Germanic Linguistics Curriculum

Germanic Linguistics Concentration Core (18 credits)

GER 558SEM - Topics Credits: 3
LIN 515LEC - Syntax 1 Credits: 3
LIN 531LEC - Phonetics Credits: 3
LIN 538LEC - Semantics Credits: 3
LIN 539LEC - Historical Linguistics Credits: 3

Electives & Culminating Experience (12 credits)

Select 4 from:

Other courses may be selected with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

LIN 504LEC - Discourse Pragmatics Credits: 3
LIN 510LEC - Morphology Credits: 3
LIN 517LEC - Psycholinguistics Credits: 3
LIN 521LEC - Linguistic Anthropology Credits: 1 - 3
LIN 525LEC - Typology and Universals Credits: 3
LIN 532LEC - Phonology 1 Credits: 3
LIN 533LEC - Phonology 2 Credits: 1 - 3
LIN 552LEC - Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar Credits: 3
LIN 543LEC - Semantics 2 Credits: 3
LIN 595LEC - Sociolinguistics Credits: 3
GER 5xx or GER 6xx - Independent Study 3 Credits exclude GER 700
Including LIN 600TUT - Masters Proj /Thesis Guid Credits: 1 - 3

Culminating Experience Milestone: Exam or Project

Total Credit Hours: 30

3.0 Degree GPA required

East Asian Languages Curriculum

East Asian Languages & Linguistics Concentration Core (12 credits)

JPN 521LEC - Japanese Language and Culture Credits: 3
or
KOR 521SEM - Korean Language and Culture Credits: 3
JPN 511LEC - Intro to Japanese Ling Credits: 3
or
LAI 582LEC - Principles of Language Acquisition 1st and 2nd Credits: 3

Teaching Practicum (2 credits)

LIN 599TUT - Supervised Teaching Credits: 1 - 4

Core Electives

Linguistics Core Electives (6 credits)

Select 2 from:

LIN 531LEC - Phonetics Credits: 3
or
LIN 532LEC - Phonology 1 Credits: 3
and
LIN 515LEC - Syntax 1 Credits: 3
or
LIN 538LEC - Semantics Credits: 3

Learning & Instruction Core Elective (3 credits)

Select 1 from:

LAI 581LEC - Linguistics for L2 Education Credits: 3
LAI 590LEC - Technologies and the Second Language Classroom (ONLINE ONLY) Credits: 3
LAI 681SEM - Understanding/Teaching Second Language Culture Credits: 1 - 3
LAI 682LEC - Assessing Second Language Proficiency Credits: 1 - 3

Electives and Culminating Experience (7 credits)

LIN 5XX or LIN 6XX elective
Including LIN 600TUT - Masters Proj /Thesis Guid Credits: 1 - 3

Culminating Experience Milestone: Exam or Project

Total Credit Hours: 30

3.0 Degree GPA required

Sociolinguistics Curriculum

Sociolinguistics Concentration Core (21 credits)

LIN 505LEC - Biling & Contact Ling Credits: 3
LIN 510LEC - Morphology Credits: 3
LIN 515LEC - Syntax 1 Credits: 3
LIN 531LEC - Phonetics Credits: 3
LIN 532LEC - Phonology 1 Credits: 3
LIN 538LEC - Semantics Credits: 3
LIN 595LEC - Sociolinguistics Credits: 3

Core Electives (9 credits)

Select 3 from:

Other courses may be selected with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

LIN 504LEC - Discourse Pragmatics Credits: 3
LIN 517LEC - Psycholinguistics Credits: 3
LIN 521LEC - Linguistic Anthropology Credits: 1 - 3
LIN 525LEC - Typology and Universals Credits: 3
LIN 533LEC - Phonology 2 Credits: 1 - 3
LIN 539LEC - Historical Linguistics Credits: 3
LIN 561LEC - Intro to Dialectology Credits: 3

Other Electives & Culminating Experience (0-3 credits)

LIN 5XX or LIN 6XX electives
Including LIN 600TUT - Masters Proj /Thesis Guid Credits: 1 - 3

Culminating Experience Milestone: Exam or Project

Total Credit Hours: 30

3.0 Degree GPA required

Instruction Method

In Person (100 percent of courses offered in person)

Full/Part Time Options

Full Time
Part Time

Credits Required

30-33 Hours

Time-To-Degree

2 Years

Application Fee

$75

SED Statement

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).

Online programs/courses may require students to come to campus on occasion. Time-to-degree and number of credit hours may vary based on full/part time status, degree, track and/or certification option chosen. Time-to-degree is based on calendar year(s). Contact the department for details.