Usage-based linguistics studies language is a dynamic, constantly changing system. Much of this work involves working with large collections of text or speech – referred to as “corpora.” Examples of readily available real-world corpora include Amazon product reviews and collections of Twitter messages.

Linguists use corpora to help identify patterns and structures in language, providing insights into how we both acquire and lose language skills, how language use varies across people and contexts, and how real-life speech and language evolve.

In the data science domain area of linguistics, you will learn methods to identify linguistic structures within corpora, gleaning new insights while using the best and latest practices in the field. These methods will allow you to answer basic science questions as well as questions that are of interest to marketing firms, political consulting groups, or other commercial enterprises. So, for example, you can use the knowledge you acquire in the linguistics domain to explore how the use of a word like “cool” has changed over time (a basic science question) or to identify linguistic strategies associated with leading positive product reviews for different product types (a marketing question).

Domain Requirements

You will take two linguistics domain core courses and four courses from the electives menu.

Linguistics Core Courses (both are required)

Linguistics Electives (choose four)

* Course schedules are subject to change.

** Students with a GPA of 3.75 or higher overall in all data science degree courses are eligible.