A master's degree in linguistics offers you a great range of choices, from cognitive studies to computational linguistics or language education.
Why Earn a Master's in Linguistics?
A master's in linguistics provides you with a solid foundational knowledge of the traditional core areas of linguistic analysis, as well as a deeper specialization in a chosen subfield.
Advanced training in linguistics can prepare you to work on speech recognition, text-to-speech synthesis, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, user research and computer-mediated language learning, among many other areas.
Or you might want to use your linguistics background to develop materials for teacher training or design assessments. Many applied linguists are involved in teacher education and educational research.
Why Study Linguistics at CSUN?
A Strong Foundation
Students in our program take a range of advanced courses, covering all of the major subfields in linguistics. Individualized electives allow you to tailor the program to meet your career goals.
Committed to Your Success
We are committed to each student's success and are focused on equity and inclusion. Our faculty members are dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service, with the knowledge that an appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity is a crucial aspect of an inclusive society.
A Graduate Project of Your Own Design
In order to complete your degree, you'll submit a comprehensive graduate project, presenting it publicly during your last semester. While working on this project, you will develop skills for professional presentation and demonstrate an advanced level of proficiency in relation to research, pedagogy and writing.
What You'll Learn
Our M.A. program will give you an understanding of the core areas in linguistics at an advanced level. You'll take 10 core courses from the fields of language, literature and civilization, including:
- Syntax
- Semantics and Pragmatics
- Seminar in Cognitive Linguistics
- Seminar in Phonology
- Foundational Concepts of Phonetics and Phonology
- Foundational Concepts in Linguistics
- Foundational Concepts of Language Development and Acquisition
- Seminar in Sociolinguistics
- Research Methods for Linguistics
- Seminar in Syntax
In consultation with your advisor, you'll choose two additional courses from many pre-approved courses. Examples include:
- Structure of the Spanish Language
- Bilingual/Multilingual Teaching Strategies
- Computational Linguistics
- Literary and Rhetorical Genre Theory
To complete your degree, you'll submit a comprehensive graduate project.
Careers & Outcomes
Our program prepares you for a career in the fields of languages and literatures, education and other areas. Some of our graduates also choose to pursue a Ph.D. degree.
Below are sample job areas where our graduates work.
Job Areas
- Publishing
- Academia
- Lexicography
- Test design
- Consulting
- Translation and interpreting
- Information technology
- Government service
Admission Information
To be considered for admission to CSUN as a master’s student, you will need to:
- Meet university requirements.
- Meet department requirements for the Master of Arts in Linguistics.
- Apply to both the university and the specific graduate program of interest.
Learn more about applying for a master's program at CSUN.