The department offers a broad range of courses that provide a basic understanding of human language and communication. Linguistics courses examine features of language that underlie the human capacity to express concepts and communicate ideas. They address the connections between language, brain, culture, mind, and history. The major gives students a basic understanding of the human capacity to acquire, perceive, and produce language and of language’s role in contemporary society. Linguistics is a superb preparation for careers that require expertise in the use of language as a means of communication, e.g., business, communications, personnel administration, teaching, health care, and social service. Many majors pursue graduate study in education, law, psychology, computer science, and languages. Why Linguistics? ......because language is a window into the mind. For more information, please see the Undergraduate Catalog for Linguistics. To apply to our undergraduate program, please visit KU's Office of Admissions. A degree in Linguistics may also be combined with Research Experience Certification through the Research Experience Program (REP) (pdf) as well with Global Awareness Certification through the Global Awareness Program (GAP) (pdf).

The study of linguistics is superb preparation for work in a wide variety of fields where skill in the production and interpretation of language from a cultural standpoint is central—in business, communication, or government and public service, for example. Many linguistics majors go on to graduate study in law, psychology, languages, and other fields. The following list of occupations pursued by linguistics majors offers a glimpse of the wide-ranging career paths for which the major provides preparation. This list was compiled from national data and from Major Options by Nicholas Basta (1991, New York: The Stonesong Press), which is available for use at University Career and Employment Services. For some of the occupations listed below, such as teacher of English as a second language, additional skills and/or related training may be necessary. Additional graduate study is generally expected for those occupations marked with a * on the following list. Government Business/Industry Education/Research Human Services U.S. Agency for International Development officer Publisher representative Professor Speech pathologist Cryptographic specialist Travel agent Teacher of English as a second language (TESL) Caseworker, protective services State reference librarian Intelligence systems designer School psychologist Physician Legislative aide Market research analyst University research scientist Agency program manager Policy analyst Overseas trade representative Human resources trainer Child development specialist Speechwriter/press liaison Information systems manager International student advisor Clergy City manager Speech synthesis specialist Museum educational program coordinator Advocate (e.g. aging, ethnic groups) U.S. Census Bureau researcher Technical writer Lexicographer Attorney Journalist Editor Job counselor Salesperson content 3 Human resources manager Bank administrator Marketing researcher Computer programmer