The Linguistics major at UC San Diego explores the scientific study of human language, including its structure, use, learning, and diversity. Students investigate core areas such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, while also examining how languages are acquired, processed, and evolve. The program emphasizes analytical thinking, data‑driven research, and understanding language as a fundamental aspect of human cognition and society. With opportunities to study a wide range of languages and specialized subfields, the major prepares students for careers in research, technology, education, speech and language sciences, and other language‑centered professions.
Specializations
- Cognition and Language
- Language and Society
- Language Studies
- Speech and Language Sciences
Program Highlights
- TBD
Linguistics
This page is intended to give some highlights about the program. If you are interested in learning more about the major and its curriculum, visit the department website.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Co-curricular Programs
Learn how to make the most of your experience at UC San Diego within the context of your major.
Research
Conduct research in your field of study with one of the many research programs available. Research opportunities in this major include, but are not limited to:
- Available Winter, Spring and Summer term (8 weeks; 3 quarter commitment).
- Open to juniors and seniors.
- Stipend, course credit, and housing available.
- Available Fall, Winter, or Spring terms (2-3 quarter commitment).
- Open to undergraduate students.
- Course and co-curricular credit available.
California Louis Stoke Alliance for Maximizing Potential (CAMP)
- Available Spring or Summer (10 weeks).
- Open to juniors and seniors.
- Stipend course credit available.
For more details, eligibility, and to explore more programs, visit our Undergraduate Research website.
Internships
UC San Diego offers strong internship pathways for undergraduates through the Academic Internship Program (AIP) and the Research Experience and Applied Learning (REAL) Portal. AIP enables students to earn academic credit while gaining professional experience in fields across all majors, supported by faculty mentorship and an academic component. The REAL Portal serves as a centralized hub for finding research, internships, service learning, and other hands‑on opportunities on and off campus. Together, these resources help students explore career interests, build professional skills, and connect academic learning with real‑world experience.
Find a Program
- Academic Internship Program: https://aip.ucsd.edu
- REAL Portal: https://real.ucsd.edu
Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to explore study abroad opportunities which allow students to experience the culture and history of another country and gain a global perspective, all while earning academic credit toward their degree.
Learn more about study abroad opportunities for Linguistics.
Student Organizations
With over 600 student organizations, students are able to connect with other students who share similar interests. And, if you can't find something that interests you, it's easy to create a new one with just a few other students. Explore UC San Diego student organizations.
What can I do with this major?
Learn about how you can apply your major to various opportunities after you graduate. The information below is based on recent surveys from alumni in this (or similar) majors and is not an exhaustive list.
- Recent Employers - Top 10 employers alumni reported working for.
- Job Types - Industries and types of jobs that alumni reported.
- Skills - Common skills and skills specific to the major that alumni reported gaining from this major.
- Graduate Programs - The types of graduate programs alumni reported going to (if applicable)
Recent Employers
- University of California
- Apple
- Autism Learning Partners
- Brightmetrics
- California Public Utilities Commission
- Carlsbad Unified School District
- Chapman University
- Clarifai
- Communication Works
Job Types
- Research Assistants
- Product and Marketing Specialists
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Computational Linguistics Scientists
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers
- Language Pathologists
- Substitute Teachers
- Teaching Assistants
- Tutors, Teachers, and Instructors
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Counselors
Graduate Programs
- Audiology
- Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Business Administration and Management
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Teacher Education
- Education
- Humanities
- Artificial Intelligence
- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language
Skills
Common
- Research
- Customer Service
- Communications
- Teaching
- Sales
- English Language
- Management
- Microsoft Office
- Writing
Specific
- Lesson Planning
- Linguistics
- Undergraduate Research
- Marketing
- Data Collection
- Experimentation
- Data Entry
- Speech–Language Pathology
- Data Analysis
- Event Planning