Why Study Linguistics?
Many students take their first linguistics course because they have
studied one or more languages other than their native language(s), and
they find that they are intrigued by the languages themselves or
perhaps by the difficulties encountered in learning new languages.
Whatever their initial motivation,
students who pursue linguistics are
usually drawn by the excitement of learning about, and contributing
to, a science that is still in its infancy but undergoing rapid
development.
Linguistics students not only explore
questions about language, but receive broad training that cuts across
traditional boundaries between disciplines.
By virtue of the central
role of language in human interactions and activities, Linguistics is
situated at the intellectual intersection of the humanities, and
social, biological, and behavioral sciences, and is an important
component of a liberal education.
Linguistics takes an analytical approach to the study of language, and
Linguistics concentrators develop skills in data analysis, problem
solving, and logical thinking that can be applied to many fields. For
example, graduates with a B.A. in linguistics have a firm foundation
(sometimes in combination with training in another specialization)
from which they can pursue careers in such areas as
the publishing and communication industries,
translating and interpreting,
computational fields,
foreign language teaching,
and the teaching of English as a second language.
Many students with a linguistics B.A. choose to
undertake graduate study in this area, or in the related disciplines
of psychology, speech and hearing sciences, anthropology, philosophy,
or computer science; Linguistics also provides excellent preparation
for law school. (Recipients of UM linguistics B.A. degrees are
regularly accepted into top graduate programs in linguistics and other disciplines.)
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