Harvard University, established in 1636, is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States. It is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, boasting its 20,000 degree candidates and over 360,000 alumni worldwide. The university is committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and research while developing leaders in various disciplines to make a global difference.

The Harvard Department of Linguistics houses the oldest and most distinguished undergraduate and graduate linguistics programs in the United States. The department stresses the interconnectedness of theoretical and empirical research as well as diachronic and synchronic approaches to the study of language. Requirements for graduate admissions are usually flexible with GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) score taken within the last 5 years as the main prerequisite. You may go to linguistics.fas.harvard.edu for details on admission.

As one of the oldest private Ivy League research universities in the country, Princeton University was established as the College of New Jersey in 1746. With nearly 150 undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in Princeton, New Jersey, the university aspires to develop productive members and leaders who can make exceptional contributions to society.

Students interested in linguistics may take either two of the programs offered at Princeton: Certificate in Linguistics or Independent Concentration in Linguistics. Both programs involve the mastery of the broad scope of linguistic knowledge through intensive coursework where students can acquire various skills in every domain of the discipline including the application of logical problem solving skills to new problems, pattern recognition, gathering and organizing large sets of data, and making and testing hypotheses. The prerequisite for the Independent Concentration in Linguistics is the course “Introduction to Language and Linguistics” which must be taken already or being taken prior to submitting the application. Students under the program take the core courses and submit independent work and pass the oral defense in their junior and senior years, respectively. The Certificate in Linguistics, on the other hand, is a certificate program where students take 5 core courses and submit independent works including a senior’s thesis as well. To know more about the program, go to linguistics.princeton.edu.

Founded in 1701, Yale University is committed to improving the world today through research, education, preservation, and practice for future generations. The university, located in New Haven, Connecticut, accommodates local and international students to promote cultural understanding and train the next generation of world leaders.

The Department of Linguistics at Yale adopts an integrative and interdisciplinary approach to the study of language with the premise that an understanding of the human language faculty originates from developing formal theories and conducting research work. Specifically, their undergraduate programs cover all of the major domains of linguistics offered in various languages with particular expertise in Australian, Germanic, Romance, Native American, and Indo-Iranian languages. The department supports graduate students in their pursuit of academic and non-academic positions and offers mentorship with a faculty adviser in developing their dissertation. Interested students may visit ling.yale.edu for application details.

Columbia University, a member of the Ivy League, is one of the world's most distinctive and distinguished learning environments for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. Established in 1754, the university embraces its location in New York City to link research and teaching to local and international students to the vast resources of a great metropolis while creating academic relationships with many countries and regions.

The School of General Studies at Columbia University offers undergraduate programs of major and special concentration in linguistics. In fulfillment of the linguistics requirements, the language taken by the undergraduate student can either be an ancient or modern language, but should neither be the student’s native (or semi-native) language nor belong to one of the major groups of modern European languages (Germanic, Romance). The courses required to earn a major in linguistics are centered on the core disciplines of linguistics and a number of subfields. Go to gs.columbia.edu for undergraduate admissions.

Brown University, established in 1741, is one of the leading research universities in the United States unique for its student-centered learning and deep sense of purpose. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, the university provides an innovative learning environment where the curiosity, creativity, and intellectual joy of students drive academic excellence. Unlike most universities where students must complete a set of core courses, students at Brown University create their personalized curriculum to have greater freedom and flexibility in choosing their academic journeys.

The Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences (CLPS) at Brown University aims to integrate the study of mind, brain, behavior, and language. Their undergraduate programs focus on basic core areas in linguistics (phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics) in preparation for specific areas such as child language acquisition, language processing, and neurolinguistics. Students accepted into the Linguistics PhD program are guaranteed five years of financial support depending upon their performance toward the degree. Interested applicants may visit brown.edu for more information.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a research university based in Cambridge, Massachusetts offering various programs to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship. Since 1861, the MIT community has been working towards a common goal: to make a better world through education, research, and innovation. It aims to provide its students with an education integrating academic study and excitement of discovery with the support of a diverse campus community.

The Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT is dedicated to discovering the rules and representations in the structure of different languages and what they reveal about the general principles of how language is formed and developed. They offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees which cover traditional subfields of linguistics as well as interfaces with philosophy and logic, speech science and technology, and computer science and artificial intelligence. Visit mitadmissions.org for general information about admissions.

Recognized as America’s first university, the University of Pennsylvania was built on the concept of innovation, entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary collaboration to develop creative solutions to the most pressing social issues. Since 1740, the university nurtures an inclusive learning environment through increasing diversity, expanding financial aid, and offering free online classes to the public. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with over 25,000 local and international students.

As the oldest modern linguistics department in the United States, the Department of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania is known for its interdisciplinary research in various subfields of linguistics as well as the inclusion of theory, research, field work, and cognitive and computer science. It offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in the core disciplines of syntax and phonology, semantics, discourse, historical linguistics, phonetics, sociolinguistics, and some areas of cognitive science. The interests of their faculty and students are inclusive of almost the entire field of linguistics. See ling.upenn.edu/ for more information about admission.

Considered as one of the world’ greatest institutions, University of Chicago is committed to empowering students to challenge conventional thinking in seeking innovative ideas. The university, based in Chicago, Illinois, has been developing critical, analytic, and writing skills of their students through their interdisciplinary core curriculum since 1890.

The Department of Linguistics at the University of Chicago, offering an undergraduate major and minor, and a PhD program, provides extensive courses about the most intriguing aspects of human knowledge and behavior. Their undergraduate programs typically consist of courses related to expertise in linguistics and breadth of study in a non Indo-European language. The department also extends its doctoral programs with other departments such as Anthropology, Comparative Human Development, Psychology, and Philosophy, among others. Students who wish to apply for a program may visit linguistics.uchicago.edu.

Established in 1891, Stanford University is a perfect place for students in learning, discovery, innovation, expression, and discourse. The university is located in Stanford, California with over 16,000 creative and accomplished students from all around the world.

The Stanford University Department of Linguistics is a center of research and teaching offering both undergraduate and MA programs and a top-ranked PhD degree in linguistics program. Their programs emphasize linguistics both as a fundamental human faculty and as a changing social institution. Graduate admissions applications are only considered once a year which usually opens mid-September. Interested students may visit linguistics.stanford.edu for more information.

Dartmouth College is an Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire that ranks among the world’s greatest academic institutions. The university has been educating the most promising students across the globe since 1769 to prepare them for a lifetime of learning and responsible leadership.

Dartmouth’s Department of Linguistics is underscored by the programs overall reputation and learning modalities.  The undergraduate programs are very interdisciplinary with several courses from the sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences. They usually involve an introduction to the discipline itself followed by key courses such as historical linguistics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, typology, and sociolinguistics. Their undergraduate program in linguistics is very flexible and may be taken as a major or minor to suit the students’ needs and interests. Visit linguistics.dartmouth.edu for details on admission.

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is a research university that aims to contribute in diverse ways to the local community, the state, the nation and the world by providing a superior liberal education to undergraduate and graduate students worldwide. In 1838, the university originated as a small school and later on, affiliated to the Methodist Church which reflects their mission in fostering a lively relationship between knowledge and faith. 

The Linguistics degree at Duke is an interdisciplinary program offering undergraduate classes, majors and minors, and honors thesis supervision, emphasizing the use and structure of language in many contexts and different perspectives. Their programs also  shape students in developing excellent problem-solving, pattern-recognition and critical thinking skills. Specifically, the required courses for the major focus on theoretical approaches and empirical methods in different areas of linguistics. For undergraduate admissions, visit linguisticsprogram.duke.edu for inquiries.

Started operating in 1887, Pomona College is one of the nation’s premier private liberal arts colleges located in Claremont, California. The college offers a comprehensive curriculum in 48 programs that focuses on arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Today, Pomona houses around 1,700 students from all 50 states and 59 countries.

The top rated Linguistics Major at Pomona is a program that focuses on the mental structures of language (phonology, syntax, and semantics) and on how people use language to organize their everyday life. Aside from the intensive coursework embedded in the curriculum students are trained in many aspects of linguistics and research such as qualitative and quantitative data analysis, documentation and analysis of understudied and endangered languages, methods for rigorous investigation, writing and argumentation, and investigation of the social impacts of language use. Through the combination of coursework and training, students learn how language creates identities and connections to social groups, the different mental structures of language, and the relationship between language and cognition. To get started, visit pomona.edu.

Cornell University, established in 1865, is a privately endowed research university partnered to the State University of New York. Based in Ithaca, New York, the federal land-grant institution promises to contribute to all fields of knowledge in order to improve the quality of life in the country and the world.

The Department of Linguistics at Cornell focuses on the major theoretical subfields of linguistics as well as modern experimental and computational methodologies such as studies of production of speech using real-time MRI techniques. The central goal of their research is to enhance our understanding of the various cognitive mechanisms during acquisition of language. Both undergraduate and graduate programs allow students to choose from their diverse course offerings to develop personalized programs of study particular to their personal goals and interests. Interested students may visit linguistics.cornell.edu for more information.

Since 1864, Swarthmore College has offered more than 600 courses and undergraduate research opportunities to local and international students with the freedom to design their majors. It is an institution based in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania where passionate students can collaborate for the betterment of their communities and the world.

Having strong ties to Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, the Swarthmore Linguistics Department has an enhanced and expanded community promoting a strong sense of open dialogue and engagement with ideas and issues. The department offers a course major and minor and an honors major and minor. Bi-Co (bi-college) students are given the option to major or minor in the Tri-Co Linguistics Department (Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore). For more information about admissions, visit swarthmore.edu/linguistics.

Established in 1789, Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution of higher education in the United States. This research university located in Washington, District of Columbia, has a forward-looking, diverse community sharing a commitment to social justice and the common good. 

The Linguistics Department at Georgetown is committed to the analysis of structure and context of languages through the use of computational models. They offer undergraduate major and minor, MA, and PhD programs with particular expertise in applied linguistics, computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, theoretical linguistics, and general linguistics. The department regularly conducts research projects where select students can assist in data collection and analysis. To apply for admission, visit linguistics.georgetown.edu.

Washington University in St. Louis, located in Missouri, is a place enriched by learning, exploration, and discovery inspired by big ideas to create knowledge and impact in our ever-changing world. It started as a college educating local men and women in 1853 and eventually transformed as an internationally renowned research university. The university challenges its students to realize their potential in order to promote individual and collective success.

At the College of Arts and Science in Washington University, linguistics majors adopt scientific approaches to the study of language using data analysis and scientific experimental methods. Specifically, the core courses in its undergraduate programs aim to study the form every language takes. Students may or may not be able to speak many languages but they will definitely acquire skills on data collection analysis to answer questions about language. More details about their program can be seen at linguistics.wustl.edu.

Officially established in 1851, Northwestern University is a comprehensive research institution offering various programs across multiple schools and units. The university with over 21,000 students has three campuses located in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, and Doha, Qatar. Its mission is to provide excellent teaching, innovative research and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.

The Northwestern Linguistics Department emphasizes an integrated approach to both cognitive and social aspects of language as well as formal analysis and empirical investigations. The department offers an undergraduate major and minor, an MA degree, and a PhD degree. Aside from having state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, they also specialize in laboratory phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and psycholinguistics. More information about their linguistics programs can be found at linguistics.northwestern.edu.

Originally called William Marsh Rice University in 1891, Rice University is one of the top research universities in the United States. The university, set in the heart of Houston, Texas, is consistently ranked for best quality of life among private institutions because of its strong campus tradition of keeping close-knit, diverse communities.

At Rice University's School of Social Sciences, the top ranked Department of Linguistics is home to an active and engaging community of students with varying interests and goals. It offers an undergraduate major that focuses on the connection of language to different aspects such as social identities, cognitive sciences, speech perception and language evolution. Generally, the department employs a usage-based approach to have an in-depth understanding of theoretical linguistics and human language. Interested students may visit linguistics.rice.edu to find our more information about admissions.

In 1889, Barnard College was founded as a self-sustaining liberal arts college for women in New York City with close affiliation to the then all-male Columbia University. Today, it has become a world-class academic institution which continues to reach and empower smart, ambitious women by providing the same rigorous education available to men to be able to make their mark in the world.

Barnard College is a highly respected higher education institution offering a wide variety of academic programs for students of all types.  From liberal arts to sciences, Barnard offers a breadth of academic programs for a large swath of the student population.  Learn more about the BC difference today.  

Housing almost 46,000 students, the University of Southern California (USC) first opened its doors in 1880 as a private research university with diverse academic offerings and extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary study and collaboration with researchers around the world. The university, located in Los Angeles, California, is considered as a global center for arts, technology and international business.

The Department of Linguistics at USC Dana and Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences is internationally known for its excellence in the scientific study of language. For the past 30 years, the department offers undergraduate major and minor, and PhD programs providing significant contributions to the advancement of theoretical linguistics, with primary focus on the major subfields of formal linguistics. More information about their programs can be found at dornsife.usc.edu.

In 1819, the University of Virginia (UVA) was founded by Thomas Jefferson with the goal to advance human knowledge, educate leaders, and pursue the greater good. UVA is an iconic public institution of higher education in Charlottesville, Virginia, with top-ranked schools and programs, accomplished faculty, diverse student bodies, and a major academic medical center.

At UVA School of Arts and Sciences together with the Interdepartmental Committee on Linguistics, BA and MA in linguistics are available which explores both the independent and interdisciplinary aspects of human language. Apart from the traditional subfields of linguistics, courses focus on the analysis of language at a given time and its changes over time as well as modern approaches to data. Students are encouraged to focus on a specific area of study such as anthropological linguistics or an individual language or family. To apply for admissions, see linguistics.virginia.edu.

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public research university started in 1919 as the southern branch of the University of California. Its primary purpose is to create, disseminate, and apply knowledge in different disciplines for the improvement of our global society by committing to academic freedom at all times.

The UCLA Department of Linguistics provides strong emphasis on the scientific study of language in all aspects with expertise on linguistic theory as well as on fieldwork and experimental study. The department offers a series of comprehensive undergraduate majors and minors, and highly selective PhD programs which allows for numerous research opportunities and collaboration. Information about applications is available at linguistics.ucla.edu.

Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is a place where the brightest minds worldwide meet and collaborate to explore, inquire, and improve the quality of life of each nation. The university, based in Berkeley, California, has been recognized as the top public university across the globe, offering over 350 degree programs in different fields.

The UC Berkeley Department of Linguistics is composed of interacting diverse individuals with unique backgrounds, goals, and values creating a healthy, secure and happy environment. Different courses on individual languages, language families, and general linguistics have been available as early as 1901. The department offers undergraduate and PhD linguistic degree programs with many opportunities to work with original research projects headed by the faculty and outstanding graduate students. You may check lx.berkeley.edu for more details on admissions.

Opened as the Carnegie Technical Schools in 1900, Carnegie Mellon University is a private global research university based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university accommodates more than 14,500 students from 100 countries enrolled in its top-ranked programs in the fields of engineering, sciences, computer science, business, social sciences, fine arts, and information systems.

At Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Linguistics major aims to provide students with the linguistic concepts and analytical skills needed to study human language. Specifically, students are trained to understand language scientifically in different kinds of settings through a set of rigorous core courses which introduces contemporary approaches to the study of linguistics, both its form and meaning. The core courses in the program covers the primary domains of linguistic analysis which include phonetics and phonology, meaning, and syntax. Students then take the extended core courses which offer more advanced and complex topics like intonation and language variation. Aside from the core courses, students complete the program with an independent semester-long research project, also called senior’s thesis. Explore the program at cmu.edu.

Boston College, started as a liberal arts college in 1863, is a Jesuit, Catholic university located in Newton, Massachusetts. Today, it is among the nation’s foremost universities embracing a diverse study body from many faith traditions in order to learn, to search for truth, and to use their knowledge in service to others.

The linguistics program at Boston College under the Department of Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies relies on the acquisition of language skills as well as the analysis of linguistic phenomena to yield significant insights about the nature of language. They offer both undergraduate major and minor programs designed to address a specific area of study tailored to the student’s goals and interests. Examples of such areas are philology, psycholinguistics, and language acquisition. Check the complete list of linguistics programs at bc.edu.