Linguistics

As a linguistics major at Saint Joseph’s University, you will have the opportunity to study the key areas of the field:

• Pragmatics
• Applied Linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Phonetics
• Syntax
• Psycholinguistics

Course topics range from language learning and teaching methods, discourse analysis and forensic linguistics. Several linguistics classes are cross-listed in other departments, such as sociology and philosophy, allowing students to integrate the study of linguistics with other fields of interest.

You can follow a general linguistics track or choose the following major concentration:

• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): This concentration is designed for students interested in teaching English at home or abroad. The curriculum includes an introduction to the field of linguistics, language acquisition, language teaching methods and a required internship in English language teaching.

This program is available as a major and a minor. Many students decide to double major or add minors to their studies. Common additional areas of study include:

• Communications and Media Studies
• Education
  • Elementary PK-4
  • Elementary/Middle School 4-8
  • Secondary Education 7-12
• English
• Sociology
• Spanish

Saint Joseph’s University will prepare you with a future-proof education, promoting a deep sense of service with and for others that will guide you in your first job after college and every role after that.

As a linguistics major, you will engage with faculty and study important questions of the field, helping to further expand your understanding of language and its use in society:

• How do children learn to talk?
• Why does having a stroke affect language ability?
• Do TV shows and movies ruin the quality of modern English?
• Why do judges consult linguists when evaluating a case?
• Are some languages spoken faster than others?
• Do animals speak their own language?
• Is it possible to learn a new language after the age of 10?

View required courses for this program in the academic catalog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.

Affordable tuition rates can be found on our Tuition and Fees page.*

*Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our Tuition and Fees page for a detailed breakdown.

To apply for this program, complete an application online. SAT and/or ACT scores are optional but you can submit them if you think they’ll strengthen your application.

Learn more about admissions requirements and how to apply as a first-year student, transfer student or international student.

First-Year Students
Applications for high school students are available beginning August 1 of your senior year. Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision options are available. For a full timeline of deadlines, visit our admission page.

Transfer Students
Applications to transfer to Saint Joseph’s are accepted on a rolling basis for fall and spring start terms.

1. To be considered for admission, you must have graduated from an approved secondary school (or be on track to graduate), received a diploma from an accredited home school association or earned a GED.

2. A high school transcript with an official school stamp or an official GED transcript is required. High school transcripts must include courses completed through your junior year as well as courses in progress during your senior year. If you’ve attended any post-secondary institutions, official transcripts for those institutions are required as well.

Transfer credit may be awarded for previous coursework. A course must meet the following requirements to be considered for transfer to Saint Joseph’s University:

• Undergraduate courses with a grade of “C” or above
• Graduate courses with a grade of “B” or above
• Pass/Fail grades are not eligible for transfer credit
• Must be from a regionally or programmatically accredited institution
• The coursework must match the course offered at Saint Joseph's
• Some programs have a time limit for specific courses
• Earned credit may be submitted for review based on a timeline of less than or equal to 5 to 10 years between completion of the course and enrollment at SJU

Visit the Transfer Admission page for a detailed breakdown of courses and institutions eligible for transfer.

If you are not a United States citizen, you must show proof of permanent resident visa status. Students educated in another country may be admitted if they:

• Satisfy general admission requirements
• Earn a minimum of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey

Students from English-speaking countries may choose to take the SAT or ACT as an option to the TOEFL exam. An evaluation of foreign transcripts by the World Education Service or other approved agency is required.

Saint Joseph’s is a military-friendly institution and offers assistance and services to veterans and their dependents who are utilizing educational benefits. Benefits include:

• Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill®
• Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation
• Chapter 33 Post 911 GI Bill®
• Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Assistance
• Chapter 1606 National Guard or Reserves
• Chapter 1607 National Guard or Reserves (REAP) (*if eligible, must be utilized by November 25, 2019)
• Pennsylvania National Guard Educational Assistance Program (EAP)
• Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)