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Course Offerings

Below you'll find a complete list of graduate course offerings. You can also find a list of courses offered during the current school year.

LIGN 200

Research Forum (2)

  • A forum for discussion of current issues.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U only.)

LIGN 210

Phonetics (4)

  • This is an introduction to articulatory, acoustic and auditory phonetics. Major phonetic theories in these areas, and the relationship between phonetics and phonology are discussed. The course also covers experimental design and methodology and provides hands-on experience with laboratory equipment.
    • Prerequisite: None

LIGN 211

Phonology  (4)

  • Introduction to the description and analysis of the sound patterns of language and to the construction of theoretical models, including cognitive rules, representations and constraints.

LIGN 214

Topics in Phonetics (4)

  • This course examines recent developments in controversial areas of phonetics. Topics will vary and will address issues in speech production (articulation, acoustics), speech perception, phonetic theory, and the relationship between phonetics and phonology. May be repeated for credit up to two times. Prerequisites: LIGN 210 and LIGN 211.

LIGN 215

Topics in Phonology (4)

  • Discussion of a topic of current phonological interest, with a focus on descriptive, analytical, and theoretical issues in phonology and phonological theory.

LIGN 220

Morphology (4)

  • Theories of word structure are examined and confronted with data from a variety of languages: derivational and inflectional morphology, the morphology/phonology, and morphology/syntax interfaces.

LIGN 221

 Syntax(4)

  • An introduction to syntactic phenomena, argumentation, analyses, and theoretical models. Phenomena to be discussed include phrase structure, argument structure, binding, control, and A- and A’-dependencies.x.

LIGN 225

Topics in Syntax (4)

  • Descriptive and theoretical problems in syntactic analysis. Theoretical consequences of alternative analyses.
    • May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

LIGN 228/PSYC 232

Probabilistic Models of Cognition (4)

  • Computational theories of human cognition, particularly Bayesian approaches. Techniques may include directed graphical models; hierarchical models; nonparametric models; probabilistic programming languages. Topics may include decision making; perception; causal reasoning; categorization; language.
    • Recommended preparation: previous experience with statistics, machine learning, and/or functional programming helpful.

LIGN 230

Formal Semantics (4)

  • Theories of semantic structure. The relation of meaning to grammar, and how it is to be accommodated in an overall model of linguistic organization. The application of formal semantics to the description of natural language.

LIGN 232/PSYC235

Semantic Development (4)

  • This course will explore the development of concepts and linguistic meaning via classic case studies in semantics, including word learning, quantifier acquisition, and the foundations of mathematics. The course will draw on evidence from linguistics, the philosophy of language, and developmental psychology.

LIGN 235

Topics in Semantics (4)

  • Advanced material in special areas of the study of meaning and its relation to formal aspects of human language.
    • As subject matter varies, the course may be repeated for credit.
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LIGN 238/COGS 238

Topics in Cognitive Linguistics (0-4)

  • (Same as Cognitive Science 238) Basic concepts, empirical findings, and recent developments in cognitive and functional linguistics. Language viewed dynamically in relation to conceptualization, discourse, meaning construction, and cognitive processing.
    • As topics vary, may be repeated for credit.

LIGN 240

Field Methods (4)

  • Techniques of discovering the structure of a language through elicitation of data from native speaker consultants. Phonemic, morphemic, and syntactic analysis.
    • Prerequisite: LIGN 110 or equivalent.

LIGN 241

Fieldwork (4)

  • Fieldwork continuing the research of the previous quarter; student-directed elicitations on topics of interest.
    • Prerequisite: LIGN 240.

LIGN 245

Computational Corpus Linguistics (4)

  • Introduction to computational corpus tools for performing empirically-grounded linguistic investigations. Annotated and unannotated corpora; annotation schemes. Searching using regular expressions. UNIX tools. The PERL programming language. Publically-available language processing systems.

LIGN 247

Topics in Pragmatics (2-4)

  • IAdvanced material covering particular topics relating to the theoretical analysis of the pragmatics of natural languages. May be repeated for credit up to three times as topics vary. Prerequisites: consent of instructor.

LIGN 248

Topics in Morphology (4)

  • Descriptive and theoretical problems in morphology. Theoretical and empirical consequences of alternative analyses. May be repeated for credit up to three times as topics vary. Prerequisites: LIGN 220.

LIGN 251

Probabilistic Methods in Linguistics (4)

  • Probabilistic approaches to language knowledge, acquisition, and use. Quantitative analysis of linguistic data. Quantitative models in linguistic theory. Covers basic probability theory and tools of statistical analysis for language, including linear regression, ANOVA, generalized linear models (e.g., logistic regression), data visualization. Familiarity with probability theory highly encouraged.

LIGN 252

Advanced Probabilistic Models of Language (4)

  • Probabilistic techniques for data analysis and modeling of linguistics cognition. Hierarchical (mixed-effects) regression, graphical models, Bayesian methods, latent-variable models, nonparametric models, probabilistic grammars. Course covers both mathematical foundations and working with datasets using state-of-the-art computational tools. Recommended prerequisite: LIGN 251 or equivalent course with emphasis on probabilistic methods in linguistics. Prerequisites: graduate standing or consent of instructor.

LIGN 255

Topics in Language Evolution (4)

  • The study of human language evolution from a variety of perspectives: anatomical, comparative, computational, cultural, experimental, generational, genetic, gestural, historical, neural, phonetic/phonological, pragmatic, semantic, semiotic, syntactic, etc.

LIGN 256/CSE 256

Statistical Natural Language Processing (4)

  • Introduction to modern statistical approaches to natural language processing: part-of-speech tagging, word-sense disambiguation and parsing, using Markov models, hidden Markov models and probabilistics context free grammars. Recommended prerequisite: one of LIGN 165, LIGN 245, CSE 151, CSE 250A, CSE 254

LIGN 266

Computational Pragmatics (4)

  • This course will provide an introduction to computational models of pragmatics and their empirical evaluation. The course will mainly focus on probabilistic models, including the Rational Speech Acts model and its various extensions. Students will learn how to build probabilistically coherent models of agent behavior, and how to evaluate the linguistic accuracy of these models.

LIGN 270

Topics in Psycholinguistics (4)

  • We will discuss issues in theoretical linguistics from a perspective of language representation and processing, and current development in psycholinguistics and neighboring disciplines from a methodological point of view.
    • May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

LIGN 271

Advanced Topics in Psycholinguistics (4)

  • Advanced material covering topics in the experimental study of language comprehension, relating to different theoretical analyses of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics; models of linguistic architecture; methodological and statistical issues; cross-linguistic psycholinguistics; and interfaces with broader cognition..
    • May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
    • Prerequisite: LIGN 270

LIGN 272

Topics in Neurolinguistics (4)

  • Issues of language representation and neural instantiation that arise in studies of neural imaging, language disorders, multilingualism and second language acquisition, animal communication, and the origins and evolution of language.
    • May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

LIGN 274

Research in Second Language Acquisition (4)

  • Investigation of problems in psycholinguistics—the study of how humans learn, represent, comprehend, and produce language—from a computational perspective. Research article readings covering word-level, sentence-level, and discourse-level processing. Prior background in psycholinguistics and/or computational linguistics highly recommended.

LIGN 279

Topics in Language Acquisition (4)

  • Language acquisition is central to theories about human development, cognition, brain organization, and language origins and change. Topics include the role of input and critical periods on language outcome and processing, neural organization, and sign language creation. Prerequisites: none.

LIGN 280

Topics in Research in Progress (4)

  • An overview of sign language research in terms of how it informs language theory. Topics include the structure of ASL, acquisition, psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic processing of sign language in comparison to spoken language, critical period effects, and language evolution. Prerequisites: graduate standing or consent of instructor.

LIGN 281

Language Acquisition Theory and Research (4)

  • Children’s first language acquisition and how it illuminates linguistic, cognitive, and neurolinguistic theory. Topics include past and current research with a focus on design, methodology, and data analysis in child language..
    • May be repeated for credit.

LIGN 282

Biology and Environment in Language Acquisition (4)

  • How the environment and the biology of language, including sensory motor modality and neural development, affect language development. Topics include the paradigms used to study the critical period for language.
    • May be taken for credit 1 time.

LIGN 283/PSYC 260

Language and Conceptual Development  (4)

  • This class will investigate case studies in conceptual development that interact with language acquisition, including domains such as time, space, number, and theory of mind. The approach of the class will be to explore the chosen case study from the perspective of philosophy, linguistics, psychology, anthropology, and comparative psychology, with a particular focus on how conceptual development is affected by the acquisition of language.

LIGN 284

 Topics in Sign Language Research (4)

  • The structure and nature of natural sign languages informs multiple questions in linguistics and cognitive and neural science. Topics include linguistic structure, psycholinguistic processing, acquisition, brain processing, and language creation. May be taken for credit up to three times as topics vary.

LIGN 287

 Seminar on Special Topics (4)

  • Special topics in linguistics are discussed.

LIGN 293

Research Practicum (0-4)

  • Gathering and interpreting data, formulating research questions and hypotheses, making the predictions of hypotheses explicit, finding relevant evidence, and organizing research results into suitable form for presentation in abstracts, talks, and research papers.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 296

Directed Research (1-8)

  • Individual research.
    • May be repeated for credit.

LIGN 299

Doctoral Research (1-8)

  • Directed research on dissertation topic for students who have been admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.
    • Prerequisite: admission to candidacy. May be repeated for credit.

LIGN 500

Linguistics Graduate Instructional Assistant Training (1-4)

  • This course, a weekly interactive lecture, is designed to give linguistics instructional assistants (IAs) formal training in pedagogical theory, learning evaluation, classroom management, and the role and expectations of a Linguistics IA. The course will also include microteaching, panel discussions with faculty, direct discussion of supporting students in difficult situations, and offers new IAs a forum to discuss and work through day-to-day difficulties in teaching.

LIGN 502

Apprentice Teaching of Linguistics (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in the department's linguistics courses, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • The student must be serving as a teaching assistant in a LIGN course to receive credit.

LIGN 503

Apprentice Teaching of American Sign Language (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in American Sign Language, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 504

Apprentice Teaching of French (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in French, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 505

Apprentice Teaching of German (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in German, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 506

Apprentice Teaching of Italian (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in Italian, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 507

Apprentice Teaching of Spanish (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in Spanish, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 508

Apprentice Teaching of Language/Directed Study (1-4)

  • The course, designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants in language directed study, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
    • May be repeated for credit. (S/U grades only.)

LIGN 509

Apprentice Teaching, Head Teaching Assistant (1-4)

  • The course, designed for a graduate student serving as Head Teaching Assistant in the Linguistics Language Program, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.