Major map:
Linguistics
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - View all program options
Learn how to get the most out of your degree and prepare for your future career.
In Linguistics you gain a better understanding of the function of language in society and develop the skills essential for exciting careers in speech language pathology; audiology; language documentation, revitalization, and reclamation; language teaching; speech recognition and artificial intelligence; forensics; translation; interpretation; publishing, and many others.
Not a USask student?
Learn more about studying linguistics at USask and apply for admission.
Explore your major
Learn more about some of the required major-specific courses for this degree. View the course and program catalogue or meet with an academic advisor to understand all program requirements.
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
You choose
- LING 111.3 Structure of Language, OR LING 114.3 Indigenous Languages and Stories Introduction to the Structure of Language
- From a variety of courses to fulfill your degree requirements
Academic tips
- Explore information about your program in the course and program catalogue
- Meet with an academic advisor for help choosing your courses and planning your degree
- Visit the student Learning Hub for help developing your academic skills
What will I learn?
- Discover how language shapes our world – Explore how individuals, communities, and nations use language to communicate, express identity, and create cultures
- Uncover the building blocks of language – Study the structure of words, sentences, and sounds, and how languages evolve and adapt over time
- Investigate the science of language – Dive into phonetics, syntax, and semantics, and examine how language varies across regions, histories, and social groups
- Understand the mind behind language – Learn how humans acquire language from childhood, process meaning, and develop literacy skills
- Apply linguistic knowledge in real-world fields – See how linguistics plays a vital role in speech therapy, translation, AI development, cultural studies, education, and more
Gain relevant experience
- Familiarize yourself with study abroad programs to make informed decisions in your later years of study
- Explore undergraduate research opportunities
- Consider enrolling in an experiential learning class
Create local and global connections
- Join the Linguistics Student Committee
- Visit the USask Community Centre to make connections and build community
- Get involved in your campus community through student groups, campus rec, and USask events
- Before you register in your first-year courses, sign up to be a part of a Learning Community
- Get to know your faculty and their research interests
Get career ready
- Meet with a career educator at Career Services to explore your career possibilities
- Take a career assessment to learn more about your strengths, personality, interests, and values
- Create your résumé and cover letter to take advantage of part-time and summer job opportunities
- Develop your LinkedIn profile to begin building your professional brand
Featured courses
- LING 112.3 Dynamics of Language
- LING 244.3 Sociolinguistics
- LING 253.3 Indigenous Languages of Canada
- LING 343.3 Child Language Development
- LING 370.3 Introduction to Speech and Language Pathology
Explore your major
Learn more about some of the required major-specific courses for this degree. View the course and program catalogue or meet with an academic advisor to understand all program requirements.
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
LING 253.3 | Indigenous Languages of Canada
You choose
- From a variety of courses to fulfill your degree requirements
Academic tips
- Check DegreeWorks and meet with an academic advisor to ensure your degree is on track
- Apply for scholarships and bursaries
- Declare your major in PAWS
- Consider applying to the Speech Development and Diversity certificate
- Consider applying to the Linguistics Honours program in your final year
Add to your major
Choose from a variety of options to complement your major.
- French Language and Culture (certificate)
- French-English Translation (certificate)
- Global Studies (certificate)
- Speech Development and Diversity (certificate)
- Study of Indigenous Storytelling (certificate)
Gain relevant experience
- Explore study abroad options or gain support as an international student through the International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC)
- Become a peer mentor through the College of Arts and Science, University Library, or Peer Health
- Sign up for a Student Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)
- Get involved in research by applying for a research assistantship
Create local and global connections
- Join the Linguistics Student Committee
- Engage with your community through volunteering and Co-Curricular Record activities
- Meet with new people and grow your cultural understanding through Building Bridges and Global Connections
- Consider attending a linguistics conference
Get career ready
- Discover job opportunities, explore career options, and meet professionals at Career Services events and career fairs
- Explore experiential learning opportunities to gain relevant experience and skills
- Expand your professional network on LinkedIn
- Get a better understanding of your career possibilities through career informational interviews
- Conduct occupational research through Job Bank and LinkedIn
USask Student Competencies
USask Student Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attributes developed and leveraged to achieve success in your learning and work:
- Engaging in our intercultural society
- Nurturing successful relationships
- Leveraging technology
- Adaptive design and problem solving
- Communicating meaningfully
- Cultivating well-being
Explore your major
Learn more about some of the required major-specific courses for this degree. View the course and program catalogue or meet with an academic advisor to understand all program requirements.
The courses listed here and in the Course and Program Catalogue are not necessarily offered each year and do not represent the totality of your requirements.
You choose
- From a variety of courses to fulfill your degree requirements
Academic tips
- Apply for scholarships and bursaries
- Consider applying to the Linguistics Honours program
Gain relevant experience
- Consider running for a leadership position with the Arts and Science Student Union (ASSU) or the USask Students' Union (USSU)
Create local and global connections
- Join the USask Alumni and Friends community
- Consider attending a linguistics conference
- Get connected with the following organizations:
- Atlantic Provinces Linguistic Association (APLA)
- Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (CAAL)
- Canadian Linguistics Association (CLA)
- Institute on Collaborative Language Research (CoLang)
- International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA)
- International Phonetic Association (IPA)
- Linguist List
- Linguistic Society of America (LSA)
- National Indigenous Knowledge & Language Alliance (NIKLA)
- Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas (SSILA)
- Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC)
Get career ready
- Update your résumé, cover letter or CV to apply for jobs
- Meet with Career Services to prepare for your interview
- Explore experiential learning opportunities to gain relevant experience and skills
- Learn about the linguistics employment fields
- If you are new to Canada, take time to learn about how to search for a job in Canada
Career readiness competencies
USask Student Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attributes developed and leveraged to achieve success in your learning and work:
- Engaging in our intercultural society
- Nurturing successful relationships
- Leveraging technology
- Adaptive design and problem solving
- Communicating meaningfully
- Cultivating well-being
Possible destinations
People with a linguistics degree take their knowledge and skills into many different industries and occupations. Some of the career paths listed here require further education and training.
Career paths
- Academic Facilitator
- Artificial Intelligence Development
- Assistant Technical Editor
- CELPIP Speaking Rater
- CLB-PT/LPT Assessor
- Community Development Worker
- Copy Editor
- EAP Program Coordinator
- English For Employment Instructor
- English Second Language Instructor
- Freelance Writer
- IELTS Trainer
- Import/Export Language Specialist
- Interpreter
- Language Consultant
- LINC Instructor
- Linguist
- Localization Language Specialist
- Proofreader
- Research & Development Linguist
- Specialist in Language Documentation
- Specialist in Language Learning
- Specialist in Online Search Algorithms
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Terminologist
- Text Annotator
- Transcriber Assistant
- Translation And Interpretation Services Coordinator
- Voice Recognition Software Technician
The linguistic knowledge, communication, research, critical thinking, digital expertise, and the cross-cultural and interdisciplinary skills that graduates from the USask Linguistics program bring to Global Gathering Place have been invaluable. As instructors and language and disability services staff, your graduates support student learning within our federally and provincially-funded language training programs, helping ensure the settlement success of newcomers to our community and to Canada.
—Azalea Barrieses, PhD, Language Services Manager, Global Gathering Place
Where do USask alumni work?
- Alberta Health Services
- Appen
- Canadian National Institute for the Blind
- Deloitte
- Global Gathering Place
- International Women of Saskatoon
- Ministry of Children and Family Development
- Paragon Testing Enterprises
- Saskatchewan Intercultural Association
- Saskatoon Open Door Society
- Studiosity
- Ukrainian Canadian Congress
- University of Ottawa
- University of Saskatchewan
Explore Canadian salaries for various occupations using the Job Bank Career Planning Tool
"This program not only taught me valuable skills related to reasoning, problem-solving, analysis and critical thought but also illuminated important relational, social and political linguistic phenomena. Studying linguistics has made me a stronger academic, both intellectually and interpersonally. This major has made me courageous in my studies by challenging me intellectually, but most of all, linguistics has made me attentive to the world in ways I had never been before."
—Cadence, Bachelor of Arts in linguistics '24
"The courses and the faculty in the Linguistics Program have provided me with a foundation for further training in any field of linguistics such as speech-language pathology or language research. Additionally, the training in conducting culturally safe and inclusive work in research and practice that I have received in the USask Linguistics Program has given me an advantage in-regards to future employment."
—Lubna, fourth-year linguistics student
"The sense of community that I find within this program is very valuable to me. The people I've met here have been some of the coolest people I've ever been lucky enough to know. Additionally, the general knowledge about languages has enriched my life. As a lover of learning, being able to know, categorize, and understand phenomena in language that occur in everyday life has been amazing."
—Caleb, third-year linguistics student