Linguistics & Teaching English
Linguistics Concentration
Sounds, Words, Meanings, and More
Are you curious about how language works—how we learn it, use it, and shape it to connect with others? The Linguistics concentration lets you explore the science behind human language, with a special focus on English and how it's used in the real world. You’ll dive into big questions about how people acquire language, how meaning is created, and how language reflects identity, culture, and society. Along the way, you’ll learn how to analyze language using tools from across the humanities, social sciences, and even natural sciences.
This concentration is a great fit for students interested in language learning and teaching (especially English as an additional language), as well as those drawn to writing, literature, education, or communication. Whether you’re planning to go on to grad school or looking for a career where strong analytical skills and clear communication matter, studying linguistics will give you the tools to understand and work with language in powerful ways.
The Linguistics concentration offers you the opportunity to study:
Key aspects of language, including phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse patterns
Two foreign languages
Theories and practices in linguistics and second-language learning and teaching
The relationships between linguistic variation and social and cultural variation
Linguistics Roadmap: Courses & Requirements
English majors must complete a minimum of 120 credits, 42 upper-division credits to graduate. Below, learn more about the requirements for the Linguistics concentration.
- CO 150 College Composition
- E 150 English Studies Symposium
- SPCM 200 Public Speaking
- Two Cross-Concentration classes—choose from the following options:
- E 200 Inquiry-Based Teaching and Communicating
- E 202 Language Use in Society
- E 204 Creative Writing as Transformative Practice
- E 206 Language for Activist Rhetoric & Writing
- E 237 Introduction to Science Fiction
- One Introductory Literature class—choose from the following options:
- E 236 Short Fiction
- E 238 Contemporary Global Fiction
- E 240 Intro to Poetry
- E 242 Reading Shakespeare
- E 245 World Drama
- E 270 Intro to American Lit
- E 276 British Literature – Medieval to 1800
- E 277 British Literature – After 1800
- One Methods class—choose from the following options:
- E 301 Framing Texts & Critical Theory in Equity
- E 305 Principles of Writing & Rhetoric
- E 320 Intro to the Study of Language (recommended)
- E 341 Literary Criticism and Theory
Path to My Major
Carli Houston (they/them) is an English major concentrating in Linguistics with a minor in Japanese.
Why did you choose to study English?
I chose the linguistics concentration because language in general has always fascinated me. I’ve loved learning new languages over the years and finding out how the sentence structures differ in each is such an incredible and complex design to me—truly amazing.
What do you love about your major & the English department?
My favorite thing about my major is the vast variety of classes that can be taken, and in any order. It’s not like some other majors where you must take a bunch of prerequisites before; you can easily adjust your schedule as needed. I love the English department because every one of my professors has been incredibly helpful to me and they’re always so caring.
Career path you're interested in pursuing?
After CSU I plan to move to Japan to pursue a career in teaching English! It’s really the main reason I went back to school in the first place; I have a huge love of the culture and language over there.
Explore & Engage
Course Highlights
- E 150: English Studies Symposium
- E 320: Introduction to the Study of Language
- E 324: Teaching English as a Second Language
- E 327: Syntax & Semantics
- E 329: Pragmatics & Discourse Analysis
Get Involved
Interested in joining a language club? Check out the website for the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures to browse club offerings.
Education abroad opportunities abound! Learn more about our faculty-led programs, including:
- Sustainable Energy Futures in Denmark
- Community Education and Health in Zambia
- Summer in Oxford, England
Make friends and create community! Connect with English majors through Inklings, our student-run English social club.
Career Paths
What can I do with this major?
Students who have chosen to major in English with a concentration in Linguistics have pursued careers in teaching English as a second language, information technology, law & policy-making, publishing, healthcare, and more.
Alumni have also enrolled in graduate and professional programs related to language theory and applied linguistics.
What Are Students Saying?
“I love that I have the opportunity to change the way people see things, to share my passion with other people. My friends joke that they hope one day they’ll be as excited about anything as I am about linguistics.”
~ Madison Van Doren, English Major: Linguistics
“I went into the Linguistics concentration with a pre-existing interest in languages and curiosity, but with little knowledge about linguistics other than the very surface-level information you learn at a young age. However, I have come to truly enjoy linguistics because it unveils the deeper world of language and its intricacies, while at the same time deepening my interest and appreciation for language and other cultures."
~ Justin Han, English Major: Linguistics
“I'm proud that with the help of my friend and fellow graduate, Jules, we founded the Korean Club at CSU to share Korean language and culture with the greater CSU campus. We’ve had a ton of fun planning meetings and participating in events.
After I graduate, I'll be moving to South Korea to teach English as a Second Language for a year! I love working with kids and I also love languages so I’m very excited to be combining those two aspects!"
~ Cairn Carr, English Major: Linguistics