Study Linguistics at Otago

• Overview
• Contact details
• Qualifications
• Papers
• Programme requirements
• Minor subject requirements for undergraduate programmes

Overview

Language is central, and perhaps unique, to human experience. Interest in its study has existed throughout history. Consequently, questions about language, and particularly the nature of its structure, use and development, have engaged scholars from a wide range of disciplines. Linguistics is the discipline that addressses these and other related questions directly.

Linguistics comprises different areas of specialisation:

• phonetics (the study of speech sounds)
• phonology (the study of sound systems)
• morphology (the study of the internal structure of words)
• syntax (the study of how words are combined into sentences)
• semantics (the study of meaning)
• pragmatics (the study of meaning in relation to the way language is used)
• socio-linguistics (the study of language in its social context)
• historical linguistics (the study of language change)
• universal typology (the study of language universals and differences)
• acquisition (the study of how first and second languages are learned)
• applied linguistics (the application of linguistics to language teaching and other professional activities)

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Contact details

Email english@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/linguistics

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Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom)
• Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc)
• Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons))
• Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts)
• Master of Arts (Coursework) (MA(Coursework))
• Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis))
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Papers

See the full list of Linguistics (LING) papers.

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Programme requirements

Bachelor of Arts (BA) majoring in Linguistics

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	LING 111  Language and its Structure One of GLBL 101  Introduction to Intercultural Communication  or  any 100-level paper in Chinese, English (excluding ENGL 126), French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, linguistics, Māori Language (MAOR 110, MAOR 111, MAOR 112), Sanskrit or Spanish	18 18
200-level	LING 217  What's Behind Language: Sound and Structure At least two further 200-level LING papers, one of which may be substituted with DHUM 201 Digital Humanities: Method and Critique	18 36
300-level	Four 300-level LING papers	72
Plus	198 further points; must include 54 points at 200-level or above. Up to 90 points may be taken from outside Arts	198
Total		360

Note: Students majoring in Linguistics are not able to take the TESOL minor subject.

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Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) in Linguistics

Papers
LING 490  Dissertation Three further 400-level LING papers

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Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) in Linguistics

The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) programme in Linguistics is the same as the programme for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)).

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Master of Arts (Coursework) (MA(Coursework)) in Linguistics

Papers
LING 590 Research Dissertation Two of: HUMS 501 Writing and Revision for Graduate Research HUMS 502 Research Methods in the Humanities HUMS 503 Key Debates in the Humanities three 400-level LING papers

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Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis)) in Linguistics

Thesis
Thesis: LING 5 Note: Students who have not completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA(Hons)) in Linguistics or a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) in Linguistics must complete the required papers for the BA(Hons) in Linguistics prior to undertaking the thesis.

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Minor subject requirements

Linguistics as a minor subject for a BA, MusB, BPA, BTheol, BSc, BAppSc, BCom, BHealSc, or BASc degree

Available as a minor subject for a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Music (MusB), Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA), Bachelor of Theology (BTheol), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Applied Science (BAppSc), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Health Science (BHealSc), or Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) degree

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	LING 111  Language and Its Structure One of GLBL 101  Introduction to Intercultural Communication  or  any 100-level paper in Chinese, English (excluding ENGL 126), French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, linguistics, Māori Language (MAOR 110, MAOR 111, MAOR 112), Sanskrit or Spanish	18 18
200-level	LING 217  What's Behind Language: Sound and Structure One further 200-level LING paper (excluding LING 231  TESOL: Guide to Language Teaching)	18 18
300-level	Any 300-level LING paper	18
Total		90

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This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.

Regulations on this page are taken from the 2020 Calendar and supplementary material.