Fall 2026 undergraduate courses

For a full list of undergraduate courses in linguistics offered in recent years, see: CAS – Linguistics Courses.

Introduction to Linguistics

CAS LX 250

Properties that languages share and how languages differ with respect to structure (sound system, word formation, syntax), expression of meaning, acquisition, variation, and change; cultural and artistic uses of language; comparison of oral, written, and signed languages. Also offered through Metropolitan College as MET LX 250. (Students must also register for a discussion section.)

BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.

Phonetics & Phonology: Introduction to Sound Systems

CAS LX 301

Introduction to the nature and patterning of sounds in human language. Presents articulatory and acoustic phonetics, and basic phonological analysis, focusing on cross-language typology and comparison. Hands-on development of practical skills, including IPA transcription, field techniques, and digital speech analysis.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor.

BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.

Semantics & Pragmatics: Introduction to Linguistic Meaning

CAS LX 331

Systematic examination of how meaning is encoded in words and sentences, and how it can emerge from the complexity of the grammar. Also touches on various aspects of pragmatics–the study of how meaning is shaped by context. Students must also register for a discussion section.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor.

BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork and Collaboration

Topics in Linguistics: Child Language Acquisition

CAS LX 390 A1

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor.

Topics in Linguistics: Cognitive Science of Language

CAS LX 390 B1

This course serves as an introduction to studying language as a part of broader cognitive science, exploring questions about the nature of linguistic representations, how they are processed and acquired, and how they interact with other cognitive domains.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 250, or consent of instructor

Topics in Linguistics: Academic Writing and Communication.

CAS LX 390 C1

Writing, presenting, and promoting one’s research are the bread and butter of academia. In this seminar course, graduate students and advanced undergraduates interested in graduate study learn to communicate clearly and effectively in a scholarly setting through practice, critique, and peer review. Students from all disciplines are welcome, but the course material will focus on theoretical, computational, and experimental linguistics.

Prerequisites: Students should have at least one piece of academic writing on which they are willing to receive feedback from classmates.

Introduction to Programming for Computational Linguistics

CAS LX 394

Introduction to computational techniques to explore linguistic models and test empirical claims. Serves as an introduction to programming, algorithms, and data structures, focused on modern applications to Natural Language Processing (NLP). Topics include tagging and classification, parsing models, meaning representation, and information extraction. (Not intended for students with a background in programming or computer science.) Carries MCS divisional studies credit in CAS.

BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.

Intermediate Syntax: Modeling Syntactic Knowledge

CAS LX 422

Using linguistic data drawn from a wide variety of languages, students develop a precise model of syntactic knowledge through evaluation of hypotheses and arguments. Exploration of major discoveries and phenomena from the linguistic literature.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 321, or consent of instructor.

Experimental Pragmatics

CAS LX 433

Covers recent developments in the theory of pragmatics and related empirical findings obtained through a variety of experimental methods. Topics include scalar implicature and its relation to vagueness and imprecision, hyperbole, metaphor, irony, politeness, and the pragmatics of reference to objects in visual scenes.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 331/631, or consent of instructor.

HUB credits: [Quantitative Reasoning II; Digital/Multimedia Expression; Creativity/Innovation]

Acquisition of Syntax

CAS LX 454

Exploration of the character and course of acquisition of syntactic knowledge in both first and second language contexts. Covers methodological principles for conducting studies and analyzing data, and topics such as development of verb movement, binding theory, and tense.

Prerequisite: CAS LX 321, or consent of instructor.