UCLA Computer Science and Linguistics Curriculum: An In-Depth Overview

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a comprehensive and highly regarded Linguistics program. It stands out for its theoretical base, internationally recognized faculty, and diverse opportunities for interdisciplinary study and research. This article delves into the specifics of the UCLA Computer Science and Linguistics curriculum, providing prospective students with a detailed understanding of the program's structure, requirements, and potential career paths.

Linguistics at UCLA: A Foundation of Knowledge

The goal of linguistics is the enrichment of knowledge about the nature, grammar, and history of human language. Linguistics is a theoretical discipline, akin to philosophy, anthropology, and cognitive psychology. It is important for prospective students to understand that studying linguistics is not a matter of learning to speak many languages. Linguistics courses draw examples from the grammars of a wide variety of languages, and the more languages linguists know about in depth (as distinct from possessing fluency in the use of them), the more likely they are to discover universal properties. It is also possible to pursue these universal aspects of human language through the intensive in-depth study of a single language.

UCLA's Linguistics program is considered one of the top-ranked in the country. The curriculum adheres to a theoretical base, offering classes in syntax, semantics, psycholinguistics, and phonetics, among other areas. Elective courses allow students to delve into specialized areas of linguistics, such as language acquisition, historical linguistics, or sociolinguistics. The faculty have a reputation for being intellectually rigorous, yet supportive. Professors are active contributors to the field and often include students in ongoing research projects.

Major Options within Linguistics

The Department offers ten (10) “joint majors” that combine linguistics with training in specific languages, e.g. Linguistics and Spanish, or with training in fields allied to linguistics, e.g. Linguistics and Psychology. There are, however, other natural combinations not offered in the Department.

Several specialized tracks are available for students interested in combining linguistics with other disciplines:

Linguistics and Anthropology: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of anthropology, the study of humankind.
Linguistics and Asian Languages and Cultures: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of East Asian languages and cultures.
Linguistics and Computer Science: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of computer science, accommodating students who want professional preparation in computer science but do not necessarily have a strong interest in computer systems hardware.
Linguistics and English: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of English.
Linguistics and Philosophy: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of philosophy, for students who are reflective about their beliefs or who wish to become so.
Linguistics and Psychology: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of psychology.
Linguistics and Spanish: The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of Spanish.

The Linguistics and Computer Science Major: A Deep Dive

The BA in Linguistics and Computer Science offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines the scientific study of language with computational techniques. The program emphasizes understanding the structural aspects of natural language, including syntax, semantics, phonetics, and phonology, while also developing skills in programming, algorithms, and data analysis. Students are equipped to analyze linguistic data using computational methods, preparing them for careers or advanced study in areas such as artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and cognitive science.

The curriculum balances coursework in both core linguistic theories and computer science fundamentals, enabling students to apply computational models to linguistic problems. Students have opportunities to engage in research projects, internships, and courses that explore language technologies and computational linguistics.

Graduates often work at the intersection of these two areas, which is a rapidly growing sector with an ample amount of opportunities concerning computational linguistics, intelligent agent design, human-computer interaction, and natural language processing.

Curriculum Structure and Key Courses

The UCLA General Catalog is published annually in PDF and HTML formats. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the UCLA General Catalog. However, all courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Consult this Catalog for the most current, officially approved courses and curricula.

While specific course requirements may change, certain courses are typically offered every quarter: Linguistics 1, 20, 102 or 103, 119A or 120A, 120B. Most other courses may be offered one or two quarters.

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Core Linguistics Courses: These courses provide a foundation in linguistic theory and analysis.

Computer Science Courses: Students take courses in programming, data structures, algorithms, and other essential computer science topics. CS 31 and CS 32 will have an enrollment restriction for majors only on the first enrollment pass. You can try registering on your second enrollment pass, space permitting. Once you have completed LING 20, Math 31A and Math 31B, and CS 31 and CS 32, please contact the Department’s Undergraduate Student Affairs Officer.

Electives: Students can choose elective courses in both linguistics and computer science to tailor their education to their specific interests.

Linguistics 20: Linguistics 20 must be passed with a letter grade of ‘C’ or better prior to beginning upper-division coursework in the major.

Applied Phonetics/Phonology Track vs. General Phonetics/Phonology Track

Certain majors in the department allow for the student to choose between the applied Phonetics/Phonology track and the general Phonetics/Phonology track while others require that a student complete the general Phonetics/Phonology track. Linguistics 103 is best for students who want to learn about the phonetics of a particular language, or who are interested in language fieldwork, description, and documentation. Please note that 103 is an acceptable prerequisite for both LING 119A & 120A, but 102 is ONLY the prerequisite for 119A and NOT 120A.

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Admission and Enrollment

Students in the College of Letters and Science who have an overall grade-point average of 2.0, completed LING 20 with a grade of C or better, and are projected to complete their degree within “time-to-degree” can contact the Linguistics undergraduate advisor to switch to any of our majors, with the exception of Linguistics and Computer Science. Students who are not in the College of Letters and Science who have an overall grade-point average of 2.0, completed LING 20 with a grade of C or better, and are projected to complete their degree within “time-to-degree” can contact the Linguistics undergraduate advisor to switch to any of our majors, with the exception of Linguistics and Computer Science.

LING courses which have an enrollment restriction will have the restriction removed when the second enrollment pass begins, allowing any student to enroll or join the waitlist, space permitting. Please note that having a priority enrollment pass does not bypass the enrollment restriction. Students who want a Permission to Enroll (PTE) number to bypass the enrollment restriction will need to contact the instructor directly. The Undergraduate Student Affairs Officer and department staff do not distribute PTE numbers. We strongly recommend that students wait until their second enrollment pass before requesting a PTE number from the instructor as seats may still be available by that time. The “Linguistics-related majors” enrollment restriction includes students declared in the following majors: any of the Linguistics majors, Asian Languages and Linguistics, Spanish and Linguistics, and Cognitive Science.

Important Policies and Requirements

A 2.0 grade-point average in linguistics courses is required for all Linguistics Department majors.

Major and Minor Policy Update: (Effective Fall 2023): Linguistics 20 must be passed with a letter grade of ‘C’ or better prior to beginning upper-division coursework in the major.

Pass/No Pass Grading: Only foreign language requirements may be taken for Pass/No Pass grading. All other preparation for the major and upper-division major requirements must be taken for a letter grade.

Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

Students have opportunities to engage in research projects, internships, and courses that explore language technologies and computational linguistics.

UCLA has a Linguistics Fieldwork Seminar where students get to perform real linguistics fieldwork on understudied languages, providing a fantastic opportunity to put theoretical knowledge into practice.

UCLA's location in Los Angeles provides a considerable amount of opportunities. For one, there's a growing tech scene in the city, where skills in linguistics can be applied to things like natural language processing and AI.

Career Paths for Linguistics Graduates

Students with linguistics degrees from UCLA have found positions in academic settings (teaching and research), tech companies (often relating to language technology), and language consultancy. The application of a linguistics degree can be broad and might need a bit of creativity to find the right fit for you. The UCLA career center is a useful resource for finding internships and pinpointing potential career paths.

Additional Linguistics Programs at UCLA

The Department of Linguistics also offers the following majors: Applied Linguistics, Linguistics and Anthropology, Linguistics and Asian Languages and Cultures, Linguistics and English, Linguistics and Philosophy, Linguistics and Psychology, and Linguistics and Spanish.

The Applied Linguistics major investigates linguistic issues relevant to the everyday world, shedding light on the nature of language and language use. Students will learn linguistic theory, the study of the structure of human language generally. With its focus on service learning, students will also learn linguistic practice, engaging in the community, schools, and work places of our geographic setting.

The UCLA Department of Linguistics offers a Minor in Linguistics. This minor is an attractive option for any student where training in linguistic analysis could be an enhancement to their major program, or those who are interested in “language”, but do not have time in their undergraduate program to pursue multi-quarter language courses. Students who are not in the College of Letters and Science who have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 and completed LING 20 with a grade of C or better should then consult their School’s advising unit about the process of adding a minor in the College. Students in the minor are not given priority enrollment into LING 103, LING 120A, or LING 120B on the first enrollment pass. Instead, we recommend that you plan for enrolling into LING 102 (winter course) and 119A (spring course) because these courses are not restricted. LING 120B is a larger course and will likely have seats open on the second enrollment pass.

STEM Certification

*This major is certified by the US Department of Education as a STEM program, CIP Code 30.2501, which focuses on the study of the mind and the nature of intelligence from the interdisciplinary perspectives of computer science, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines.

Recent Program Changes

Please note there were some changes made to the LING major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the APPLING major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new APPLING program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & ANTHRO major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & ANTHRO program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & ALC major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & ALC program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & CS major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & CS program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & ENGL major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & ENGL program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & PHILOS major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & PHILOS program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & PSYCH major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & PSYCH program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Please note there were some changes made to the LING & SPAN major and went into effect Fall 2021. The new LING & SPAN program requirements will apply to any student entering the major in Fall 2021 and beyond.

Securing a Spot in Desired Courses

PTE numbers for LING 1 will not be distributed under any circumstances. If you would like to try to secure a spot in a particular quarter but the course is already full, please continue to monitor the waitlist. It is possible for seats to open up as students decide to drop the class. PTE numbers for LING, ASL, or SWAHILI courses, except LING 1, are distributed at the instructor’s discretion and students will need to contact the instructor(s) directly. The Undergraduate Student Affairs Officer and department staff do not distribute PTE numbers.

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