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EnglishWhat Academic Programs Does Berkeley Linguistics Offer?
Updated
Berkeley Linguistics offers four main academic paths: an undergraduate program, a graduate program, a Visiting Scholars Program, and two designated emphases—one in Cognitive Science and one in Indigenous Language Revitalization. The right choice depends on whether you are seeking a degree, a visiting research appointment, or a supplementary specialization alongside another graduate field.
Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate program is the entry point for students pursuing a Berkeley degree in linguistics. The department's Academics section lists it alongside courses in linguistics, which serve both majors and students taking linguistics as a supporting field. If you are comparing programs, check the course listings and undergraduate page for requirements and sequencing before committing.
Graduate Program
The graduate program is the path for doctoral study. The site's People section distinguishes graduate students from faculty, emeritus faculty, affiliated faculty, researchers, postdocs, and visitors, and the Publications section includes dissertations and recent PhD alumni—useful signals of the research areas the program supports. Prospective applicants should review the graduate program page and the faculty listing to identify potential advisors.
Visiting Scholars Program
The Visiting Scholars Program is a separate route for scholars who want to spend time in the department without enrolling in a degree program. It appears as its own item under Academics, so it is not a substitute for the graduate program. Use the program page to confirm eligibility and expectations.
Designated Emphases
Two designated emphases let graduate students add a structured specialization:
| Emphasis | What it adds | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Science | A formal secondary specialization in cognitive science | Students whose linguistic research connects to cognition, psychology, or computation |
| Indigenous Language Revitalization | A formal secondary specialization in revitalization work | Students working with endangered or revitalizing languages |
A designated emphasis is a supplement to a primary graduate program, not a standalone degree. Confirm with the department whether your home program participates before planning around it.
How to Decide
- Seeking a Berkeley degree in linguistics: start with the undergraduate or graduate program page.
- Already enrolled elsewhere and want a specialization: look at the designated emphases.
- Visiting researcher, not a student: the Visiting Scholars Program is the relevant route.
The department also maintains research resources—corpora and archival collections, the PhonLab, annual reports, and survey reports—that support work across all these paths. For contact details and directions, the About section lists contact information and officers, committees, and organizers.