Department of Linguistics

The Department of Linguistics is home to a diverse community with a common interest in language, one of the most crucial and fundamental traits that make us human.

Here you will find courses in linguistics (general linguistics and applied linguistics) as well as courses in modern languages. Our undergraduate programs in Linguistics offer a Minor in Linguistics and a BS degree in Computer Science + Linguistics in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering. In modern languages, students can complete a two-years program and pursue advanced skills in Chinese, Korean, Japanese –three of the world’s most widely spoken languages with deep and rich cultural traditions. Our award-wining faculty are committed to student-centered pedagogy and we pursue linguistic research situated in real-world questions and applications. Through teaching and innovation, we facilitate students in pursuing a wide spectrum of opportunities for living enriched lives professionally and personally.

We are part of the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics

Picking a college major can be hard. It used to be even harder for people who wanted to study both computer science and linguistics — but that all changed when UIC introduced a new major, CS and linguistics. The program, housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, offers a mix of computer science and linguistics courses along with math and statistics.

“This is perfect—this is exactly what I wanted to study.”

Read the full story here. 

Danielle Cartagenes, a first-semester senior in our new BS in Computer Science and Linguistics program, said that until recently, she didn’t consider herself particularly good at school. But since transferring to UIC and changing majors to CS and Linguistics, she now views herself as driven, goal-oriented, and a bit of a nerd in her zest for learning.”

One year into her studies in BS in Linguistics and Computer Science, Danielle will head to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she was accepted into their JSALT 2022 Summer Research for Undergraduates program, working on the project “Recognition of Multilingual and Code-Switched Speech.”

“Sometimes, the best route isn’t always the fastest. It takes time to find a good fit.”

Read the full story here.