Language Science
B.A. Department of Language Science · UC Irvine · 2026-2027 Catalog
The B.A. in Language Science provides students with an interdisciplinary foundation in the scientific study of language, including its mental representations, its development and use, and its biological basis.
Students completing the B.A. in Language Science combine interests in theoretical linguistics, language development and use, the advanced study of natural or formal languages, and some combination of neuroscience, psychology, logic, computer science, anthropology, education, and hearing and speech sciences. In the process of relating these interests to the scientific study of language and its applications, students develop an understanding of the analytical tools of formal language study.
Graduates have an interdisciplinary language science background that makes them attractive for a variety of careers, including teaching, language technology industry positions, teaching English as a second language abroad, interpreting and translation, technical writing, language consulting for legal firms and medical practices, and advertising, among many others.
This foundation in formal and applied language science also prepares graduates for graduate and professional programs in any of the areas related to languages science, including speech-language pathology, linguistics, cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, natural language processing, and education.
Requirements
All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
All students must complete at least nine upper-division courses.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| A. Complete the following: | ||
| LSCI 3 | Introduction to Linguistics | |
| LSCI 10 | Introduction to Phonology | |
| LSCI 20 | Introduction to Syntax | |
| LSCI 43 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | |
| LSCI 51 | Acquisition of Language | |
| LSCI 155 | Psychology of Language | |
| B. Select one of the following two tracks: | ||
| 1. Depth Track - select two courses from the following: | ||
| LSCI 102 | Formal Languages and Automata | |
| LSCI 145A | Elementary Set Theory | |
| LSCI 145B | Metalogic | |
| LSCI 164A | Topics in Romance Languages | |
| LSCI 165B | Structure of Japanese | |
| LSCI 172 | History of English | |
| SPANISH 113A | Spanish Phonetics | |
| SPANISH 113B | Introduction to Spanish Linguistics | |
| Any "3-level" Language other than English course or any advanced level Language other than English course. | ||
| 2. Breadth track: | ||
| Two Language other than English courses at the 1C level. | ||
| Research Frontier | ||
| C. Select any four Language Science courses from the following: | ||
| LSCI 107M | Computational Methods for Language Research | |
| LSCI 115 | Introduction to Phonetics | |
| LSCI 116 | Introduction to Speech Science | |
| LSCI 117 | Introduction to Acoustic Phonetics | |
| LSCI 143 | Introduction to Formal Semantics | |
| LSCI 151C | Computational Cognitive Models of Language Acquisition | |
| LSCI 151S | Second Language Acquisition | |
| LSCI 172 | History of English | |
| LSCI 195A | Language Science Research I 4 | |
| orLSCI 195B | Language Science Research II | |
| orLSCI 195C | Language Science Research III | |
| Any 199 course affiliated with the Language Science Program, for a minimum of 4 units. | ||
| Additional Miscellaneous | ||
| D. Select four additional courses. The courses may be Language Science courses not being used toward any other requirements, or courses from the following: | ||
| BME 148 | Microimplants | |
| CHINESE 100A & CHINESE 100B & CHINESE 100C | Classical Chineseand Classical Chineseand Classical Chinese | |
| COGS 131B | Hearing | |
| COGS 161H | Hearing and the Brain | |
| COMPSCI 142A | Compilers and Interpreters | |
| COMPSCI 142B | Project in Compilers and Interpreters | |
| COMPSCI 171 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
| COMPSCI 177 | Applications of Probability in Computer Science | |
| DRAMA 35 | Speech for the Theatre | |
| EDUC 134 | Teaching English Internationally | |
| JAPANSE 100A & JAPANSE 100B | Classical Japaneseand Classical Japanese | |
| MUSIC 158A & MUSIC 158B & MUSIC 158C | Dictionand Dictionand Diction | |
| SPANISH 187 | Selected Topics in Spanish Linguistics | |
- Advanced Language other than English courses are those requiring the highest level course in the relevant sequence as a prerequisite.
- Two Language other than English courses at the 1C level.
- Any Language Science course that is not listed under requirements A or B but lists any course from requirement A as a prerequisite can also be applied to this requirement.
- No more than two courses numbered LSCI 195A, LSCI 195B, LSCI 195C, or 199 may be counted toward the major.