The following courses are offered with lecture, discussion, and readings in English. Courses marked with a (†) satisfy humanities divisional studies requirements. Some may satisfy major requirements within specific programs. The courses are described in their respective language sections.

• †CAS LF 250 Masterpieces of the French Novel
• CAS LF 286 French Cinema
• †CAS LI 250 Masterpieces of Modern Italian Literature
• CAS LI 283 Twentieth-Century Culture and the Italian Film
• CAS LI 285 Topics in Italian Literature
• CAS LI 288 The Novel in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Italy
• †CAS LS 250 The Novelistic Tradition in the Hispanic World
• CAS XL 383 Dante’s Hell

Minor in French

Required courses: six LF courses numbered 300 and above. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses (or a minimum of two, if they have four courses approved for credit toward the minor from Boston University’s programs in Grenoble, Niger, and Paris) on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minors offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Major in French Language & Literature

Twelve courses with a grade of C or higher are required. Students entering with advanced standing in French must complete a minimum of six principal courses in French at Boston University. Students participating in a Boston University program in France must complete a minimum of four principal courses in French on the Boston campus; two of these four courses must be taken at the 400 level or above following study abroad. Internships taken on study abroad programs may not be credited toward a major in French.

Required Courses

1. two semesters of advanced language study at the 300 level from CAS LF 303, 304, 305, 306.
2. five literature courses: CAS LF 350 and 351 and a 400- or 500-level course from each of the following three historical periods:
   Middle Ages, Renaissance CAS LF 451, 457, 564, 565, 574, 575;
   Classical Period, Enlightenment CAS LF 450, 452, 453, 550, 553, 555, 560, 563;
   Nineteenth and Twentieth Century CAS LF 454, 456, 459, 460, 461, 462, 551, 552, 557, 558, 567, 570, 571, 572, 573.
3. CAS LF 475
4. two courses, chosen from the following, in linguistics and/or comparative literature: CAS LX 250; courses in French linguistics (CAS LF 500, 502, 503, 504); CAS XL courses; or other linguistics or comparative literature courses approved by the concentration advisor. (Note that CAS CC 101 and 102 together may be substituted for one course in comparative literature.)
5. two additional electives taken from among other upper-level (300-, 400-, or 500-level) French courses; or, with faculty advisor’s approval, upper-level courses offered in Boston University programs in Grenoble, Niger, and Paris.

BA/MA in French Language & Literature

This program gives students an opportunity to develop a coherent program with the following objectives: a knowledge of the major historical periods of specialization, of the critical approaches applicable in the study of the principal literary genres, and of some of the methods of analysis of linguistic phenomena, as well as a high level of proficiency in oral and written expression. For specific information, consult the Director of Graduate Studies in the department. Please refer to BA/MA programs for general information about these programs.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Students may take courses to fulfill their language requirement or courses toward a French major or minor in the Boston University study abroad programs in Grenoble, Paris, and Niamey, Niger. In Grenoble, students enroll in intensive language courses and in university courses covering a broad curriculum. The BU Center in Paris offers two programs: the Paris Contemporary Studies Program and the Paris Internship Program. Students in the Paris Contemporary Studies Program select three courses at the Université de Paris 8 along with two courses at the Center. Students in the Paris Internship Program take three courses at the Center followed by an internship placement with accompanying academic work. The Niamey program includes some offerings in French language as part of a curriculum focused on development studies. Opportunities to take courses taught in French abroad are also available in BU’s international programs in Geneva and Dakar, and through exchange programs in Paris in the fields of management and political science. Additional information on these programs is available under Study Abroad and International Programs. Students should consult with a faculty advisor to determine which study abroad courses may fulfill major and minor requirements.

Placement Examination

A placement test is required of all students whose most recent course in French was taken in high school or at a college other than Boston University and who wish to continue their study of this language here. Information on testing dates and times is available from the department.

Minor in Italian

Required courses: six courses numbered CAS LI 254 and above, including at least one from the LI 350 to 352 course sequence and at least one from literature courses at the 400 or 500 level. Up to four courses taken at Boston University’s Centro Studi in Padua may count toward the minor. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses (or a minimum of two, if they have four courses approved for credit toward the minor from Boston University’s Centro Studi in Padua) on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minors offered by the department. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Major in Italian Studies

Thirteen courses with a grade of C or higher are required for the major. Students entering with advanced standing in Italian studies must complete a minimum of six principal courses at Boston University. Students participating in the Boston University Program in Italy must complete a minimum of four principal courses in Italian language and literature on the Boston campus; two of these four courses must be taken at the 400 level or above on the student’s return from Padua.

Required Courses

Thirteen courses are required:

1. one course in linguistics (CAS LX 250) or comparative literature (CAS XL 222)
2. two language courses: CAS LI 303, 304
3. six literature courses: CAS LI 350, 351, 352, and three courses from 450, 452, 551, 553, 555, 556, 590
4. two culture courses from CAS LI 340, 349, 452, 473, 480, 540; or one CAS LI cultural course, plus one course from another department, chosen with advisor’s consent
5. two additional CAS LI courses or related courses from other departments chosen with advisor’s approval. Students may use these two courses, along with one cultural offering in #4 (above), to form an interdisciplinary component to their Italian Studies major.

Padua

Students may take courses to fulfill their language requirement or courses toward their major or minor in the Boston University Study Abroad Program in Padua. Additional information on this program is available in the Study Abroad and Internship Programs section of this site.

Placement Examination

A placement test is required of all students whose most recent course in Italian was taken in high school or at a college other than Boston University and who wish to continue their study of this language here. Information on testing dates and times is available in the department.

The Linguistics major and minor enable students to study human language from a variety of perspectives and to consider the relationship between linguistics and other disciplines. The program introduces students to linguistic theory and analysis, and students can choose from a wide range of courses examining the biological, social, cultural, historical, and cognitive bases of language.

Minor in Linguistics

Required courses: six linguistics courses chosen in consultation with an advisor. The core courses for students with a minor in linguistics are CAS LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics, CAS LX 502 Semantics I, CAS LX 510 Phonetics, and CAS LX 522 Syntax I. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses on the Charles River Campus.

Major in Linguistics

The major consists of twelve courses: eight in linguistics (including four basic required courses and four electives) plus four intermediate or advanced language courses (including two different foreign languages).

1. an introductory course—to be taken before all other linguistics courses in the major:

• CAS LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics

2. two courses chosen from the following offerings:

Logic and the philosophy of language

• CAS LX 245 Language and Mind
• CAS PH 160 Reasoning and Argumentation
• CAS PH 360 Symbolic Logic
• CAS PH 421 Frege, Moore, and Russell
• CAS PH 463 Philosophy of Language
• CAS PH 486 Topics in Knowledge, Language, and Logic

Language, culture, and society

• CAS AN 351 Language, Culture, and Society
• CAS AN 521 Sociolinguistics
• CAS AR 208 Lost Languages and Decipherments

Language acquisition and development

• CAS PS 545 Language Development
• SED LS 566 Language Acquisition
• CAS LX 400 Second Language Acquisition

Neurological aspects of language

• CAS PS 544 Developmental Neuropsychology
• SAR SH 505 Introduction to Phonological Disorders
• SAR SH 524 Normal Bases for Language Development
• SAR SH 531 Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology

Linguistic theory

• CAS LX 240 Great Linguists
• CAS LX 500 Topics in Linguistics
• CAS LX 503 Semantics II
• CAS LX 504 Topics in Pragmatics
• CAS LX 513 Introduction to Phonology
• CAS LX 521 Morphology
• CAS LX 523 Syntax II
• CAS LX 535 Historical and Comparative Linguistics

Independent study

• CAS LX 491/492 Directed Study

3. three basic linguistics courses:

• CAS LX 502 Semantics I
• CAS LX 510 Phonetics
• CAS LX 522 Syntax I

4. one course in the linguistic analysis of a specific language:

Offered in English

• CAS LX 501 Linguistic Field Methods
• CAS EN 513 Modern English Grammar
• CAS EN 515 History of the English Language I
• CAS EN 516 History of the English Language II
• CAS EN 518 Linguistic Problems in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language
• CAS LX 505 Structure of African Languages
• CAS LX 533 The Structure of Creole Languages
• SED DE 672 Structure of American Sign Language

Knowledge of the language a prerequisite

• CAS LF 500 French Phonetics and Diction
• CAS LF 502 The Structure of French: Syntax
• CAS LF 503 The Structure of French: Phonology
• CAS LF 504 The History of the French Language
• CAS LJ 410 History of the Japanese Language
• CAS LJ 510 The Structure of the Japanese Language
• CAS LS 504 History of the Spanish Language

5. one additional elective chosen from group 2 or 4, or from other linguistics offerings in the University (with approval of a faculty advisor)

6. four courses made up of any combination of language courses at or above the third-semester level and/or upper-level courses taught in a foreign language, including two different foreign languages. (These include both Indo-European and non-Indo-European languages. One of the two languages may be American Sign Language, taught in the School of Education.)

Joint Major in Linguistics & Philosophy

The joint major in Linguistics & Philosophy provides a solid foundation in both disciplines and allows students to explore theoretical issues and basic philosophical questions raised in connection with discussions of meaning, intention, and reference. Thirteen courses in all are required for the major, with at least six courses each in Linguistics and Philosophy. One semester of work for distinction can be counted toward the thirteen required courses. All courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher. Course descriptions for Linguistics courses are found above; Philosophy courses are described in that section of this site.

Requirements are as follows:

Two foundation courses (one each in Philosophy and Linguistics)

Philosophy

One of the following, to be taken before higher-level Philosophy courses:

• CAS PH 100 Introduction to Philosophy
• CAS PH 110 Great Philosophers
• CAS PH 160 Reasoning and Argumentation

Linguistics

CAS LX 250 Foundations of Language, to be taken before higher-level Linguistics courses.

Four additional Philosophy courses:

• CAS PH 310 History of Modern Philosophy
• CAS PH 360 Symbolic Logic
• CAS PH 463 Philosophy of Language
• CAS PH 422 Analytic Philosophy or CAS PH 443 Philosophy of Mind

Four additional Linguistics courses:

• CAS LX 502 Semantics I
• CAS LX 510 Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology
• CAS LX 522 Syntax I
• One additional course in formal syntax, semantics, or pragmatics, chosen from: CAS LX 523 Syntax II, CAS LX 503 Semantics II, CAS LX 504 Topics in Pragmatics, or an appropriate CAS LX 500 Topics course, selected in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Three additional Linguistics or Philosophy Courses above the 100-level, including at least one each in Linguistics and Philosophy and at most one semester of work for distinction. Recommended courses include:

Philosophy

• CAS PH 265 Minds & Machines
• CAS PH 270 Philosophy of Science
• CAS PH 266 Mind, Brain and Self
• CAS PH 421 Frege, Moore, and Russell
• CAS PH 424 Wittgenstein
• CAS PH 460 Epistemology
• CAS PH 461 Computability and Logic
• CAS PH 462 Foundations of Math
• CAS PH 465 Philosophy of Cognitive Science
• CAS PH 467 Mathematical Logic
• CAS PH 468 Logic and Mathematics
• CAS PH 486 Topics in Knowledge, Language and Logic

Linguistics

• CAS LX 235 Language in the Contemporary World: Technology, Society, and Law
• CAS LX 240 Great Linguists
• CAS LX 245 Language and Mind

Minor in Spanish

Required courses: six LS courses in language and literature numbered 254 and above. Up to four courses taken at Boston University’s programs in Madrid, Burgos, Lima, or Quito may count toward the minor. Students may include up to three transfer courses from other colleges, universities, or non-Boston University study abroad programs and must take a minimum of three courses (or a minimum of two, if they have four courses approved for credit toward the minor from Boston University’s programs in Quito, Burgos, or Madrid) on the Charles River Campus. Internships taken through Boston University or other study abroad programs may not be credited toward minors offered by the department. Up to two related cultural courses taught in Spanish may be taken abroad with the consent of the advisor. A grade of C or higher is required in all courses taken toward the minor.

Major in Hispanic Studies

Courses may be credited toward the major only if a grade of C or higher is earned. Students entering with advanced standing in Hispanic language and literatures must complete a minimum of six principal courses at Boston University. Students participating in the Boston University Madrid, Burgos, Lima, and Quito Programs must complete a minimum of five principal courses in Hispanic studies on the Boston campus. Two of these five, CAS LS 303 and 350, are to be completed before going abroad; three courses must be taken at the 400–500 level on returning from Madrid, Burgos, or Quito. Eleven courses are required for the major, as indicated below.

Required Courses

1. one course in linguistics (CAS LX 250) or comparative literature (CAS XL 222, CAS HU 221). (Note that CAS CC 101 and 102 together may be substituted for one course in comparative literature.)
2. two language courses: CAS LS 303 and CAS LS 304 or 305. (Native speakers of Spanish take one course, CAS LS 309, and one additional Hispanic literature course at the 500 level.)
3. seven literature courses: CAS LS 350, LS 456; two from the following survey courses: CAS LS 454, 455, 457; three courses from the CAS LS 500-level literature courses (a minimum of one course must be selected from Spanish Peninsular literature and one in Spanish American literature). Students in the Boston University Madrid, Burgos, Lima, and Quito Study Abroad Programs may request approval from their advisor for one course taken in Spain or Ecuador not in the field of literature in order to satisfy this part of the requirement.
4. linguistics: CAS LS 504

BA/MA in Hispanic Language & Literatures

This program gives students an opportunity to develop a coherent program with the following objectives: a knowledge of the major historical periods of specialization, of the critical approaches applicable in the study of the principal literary genres, and of some of the methods of analysis of linguistic phenomena, as well as a high level of proficiency in oral and written expression. For specific information, consult the Director of Graduate Studies in the department. For general information, please see BA/MA Program.

Madrid, Burgos, Lima, and Quito

Students may take courses to fulfill their language requirement or courses toward their major or minor in the Boston University Madrid, Burgos, Lima, and Quito Study Abroad Programs. A summer program is also available in Madrid. Additional information on this program is available in the Study Abroad section of this site.

Placement Examination

A placement examination is required of all students whose most recent course in Spanish was taken in high school or at a college other than Boston University and who wish to continue their study of this language here. Information on testing dates and times is available in the department.