Considering taking more Linguistics courses in the upcoming Spring? Check out these options below, and see the full course offerings here.
Exciting Advanced Topics!
LING 414: Advanced Computational Linguistics
Meeting time: TR; 12:30pm-1:50pm
Description: An advanced treatment of core topics in computational linguistics, including approaches to morphology, syntax, and semantics. These areas are studied using traditional symbolic frameworks as well as more recent neural frameworks. There is a focus on integrating symbolic and neural approaches to build complex natural language processing systems, such as natural language understanding. This course provides a theoretical foundation for the field and hands-on experience in working with text-based models.
LING 448: Introductory Machine Learning
Meeting time: TR; 11:00am-12:20pm
Description: Machine learning has been thriving in many areas for both research and industry. It offers solutions to problems that traditional approaches may not be able to deal with or fall short in efficiency. From unsupervised to supervised learning, this course provides a broad understanding of modern machine learning methods and techniques. Knowledge and skills are acquired in solving practical problems in clustering and classification, using techniques such as k-means, Gaussian mixture models, decision trees, support vector machines, and neural networks.
LING 490: Learnability and Linguistic Theory
Meeting time: TR; 3:30pm-4:50pm
Description: How an individual learns a language is a central question of linguistic inquiry. In order to answer this question, one first needs to define what it means to learn. In this class we will study computational learning theory and its relationship to linguistic theory. Computational learning theory provides mathematical definitions of learning and therefore provides a rigorous framework for thinking about how humans learn. The target audience for this course includes (1) students interested in language acquisition/psycholinguistics who might ask questions like, "what type of learning trajectories should we expect given different ideas about what it means to learn/what input data a learner receives?" (2) students interested in linguistic theory who might ask, "are the theories that we have proposed learnable under real conditions present in the natural world?" (3) computational linguistics students interested in questions like, "how do formal constraints on learning interact with empirical tests used in modern machine learning?" or "how do I evaluate my model to ensure that it has actually learned the pattern I want it to learn?" Prerequisites include LING 301 and LING 302 (or a similar set of courses), as well as comfort with formal notation. A prior class on machine learning is recommended but not required.
Improve your Academic English!
ESL 592: Advanced Academic Writing
Description: Provides advanced international students additional support in the conventions of professional academic writing in their own fields. Through the use of Contract Learning, students define and pursue individualized writing goals for their own major programs with the support of the instructor. Lessons in genre analysis enable students to derive field-specific models for research articles, theses, and dissertations.
ESL 593: Academic Presentation Skills
Description: Provides international students with opportunities to improve skills in effectively presenting research in both oral and written formats in preparation for the professional conference presentation process. Students will practice orally explaining their research, asking and answering questions, giving and receiving feedback, and writing a conference proposal with the aim of creating and delivering compelling, professional presentations.
Social & Behavioral Sciences!
LING 100: Intro to Language Science
Description: Introduction to the theory and methodology of general linguistics; includes the various branches and applications of linguistics.
LING 225: Language Mind and Brain
Description: Introduction to the theory and methodology of psycholinguistics with emphasis on language acquisition and linguistic behavior.
LING 250: American Voices: Linguistic Diversity in the US
Description: The United States has a vast and varied linguistic landscape that has been shaped by a unique medley of peoples and cultural practices. From the colonization of North America to contemporary politics and popular culture, language has helped to connect us in many ways, and has also served as a tool for making and maintaining difference. This course explores issues of standardization, language maintenance, linguistic discrimination, identity formation, and many others to consider the ways "diversity" is not only a multiplicity of different histories, beliefs, and practices, but can also become a means of interpersonal prejudice and structural inequity.
LING 270: Language, Technology & Society
Description: What technologies have humans developed to augment the quintessential human ability: language? We start with the development of writing, the first technology that was specifically designed for language, and trace its history through the invention of printing, and into the digital age. With the advent of computers the relevance of language for technology has broadened significantly. We review technologies such as automatic speech recognition, speech synthesis and automatic translation, and discuss their implications for present and future human-machine interaction.
Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures!
LING 115: Language and Culture in India
Description: Examines the relationship between language and culture in the multilingual and multicultural context of India. Special topics of focus are: linguistic and cultural diversity in India, impact of the language and cultural contact on the structure and function of languages (convergence, diglossia, code-mixing, pidgins and creoles), language and identity, language of religion, language and gender, language in the media, literature and culture, language and power, language and globalization.
LING 222: Language in Globalization
Description: Introduction to the role of language in globalization by examining communication issues concerning language use across cultural, political and geographic boundaries. Explores the interaction of language and other cultural forms in the global context. Among the topics discussed are issues of identity, spread of English and its acculturation to local contexts of use, creativity in language mixing, language in global pop cultures, language in cyberspace, as well as minority language experiences, and loss of indigenous languages.