City University of New York

What you'll study

The Linguistics BA provides a core grounding in the formal and empirical study of language alongside opportunities to pursue applied and interdisciplinary topics. Core areas typically include phonetics and phonology (speech sounds and sound systems), morphology (word structure), syntax (sentence structure), semantics and pragmatics (meaning and use), and language acquisition.

• Introduction to Linguistic Analysis and Research Methods
• Phonetics Laboratory and Acoustic Analysis
• Phonology and Morphology
• Syntax and Formal Grammar
• Semantics and Pragmatics
• Sociolinguistics and Variation
• Psycholinguistics and Language Processing
• Historical and Comparative Linguistics
• Electives such as Computational Linguistics/NLP, Field Methods, Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition
• Capstone experience: senior seminar, honours thesis or independent research project

Students can expect a mix of lectures, small seminars, hands-on lab work (e.g. acoustic analysis, experimental design), fieldwork opportunities, and supervised independent study. Many programmes encourage or require coursework in a second language, statistics, or introductory programming to support quantitative and computational approaches.

Entry requirements

Admission is at the undergraduate level and follows CUNY's standard procedures for bachelor's degree entry. Applicants normally need a completed secondary-school qualification or equivalent, academic transcripts, and evidence of readiness for university study. Where required, CUNY accepts standardised test scores or places emphasis on high school coursework and grades; individual colleges and programmes may vary in how they assess applicants.

International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency through recognised tests or prior study in English. Transfer students should provide college transcripts and syllabi for transfer-credit evaluation. Some campuses or honours tracks may request a personal statement, letters of recommendation, or a short writing sample related to linguistic interests.

Career prospects

A BA in Linguistics opens multiple career paths. Graduates often move into fields that value rigorous analytical thinking about language and communication:

• Further study in linguistics, cognitive science, speech-language pathology or TESOL/Applied Linguistics (graduate study usually required for clinical roles)
• English language teaching, ESL instruction and curriculum design
• Language-related roles in technology: natural language processing, computational linguistics, data annotation and UX for language products (often combined with programming or additional training)
• Publishing, editing, lexicography and technical writing
• Translation and interpreting (may require professional certification)
• Public-sector and non-profit work in language policy, community linguistics and heritage language programmes
• Research and academic careers following postgraduate study

Because linguistics trains students in analytical reasoning, data analysis and clear communication, graduates are also well placed for careers in education, communications, research support, and industry roles that require interpretation of complex information.

Why study at City University of New York

Studying linguistics at CUNY gives you access to a highly multilingual and multicultural urban environment where language study can be linked directly to community practice and field research. CUNY campuses host faculty with active research in areas from experimental phonetics to sociolinguistics and computational methods, and many programmes maintain laboratories and collaborations across departments such as psychology, computer science and education.

Students benefit from internship and practicum opportunities across New York City, a broad course catalogue across the university system, and pathways to graduate programmes and professional training. As a public urban university, CUNY emphasises access, affordability and community engagement while providing a rigorous foundation in linguistic science.