What is Linguistics?

Linguistics is the scientific study of language.  Language is a human behavior, a product of the human brain.  It is used for social purposes, and can be acquired by human children and adults.  Languages are also a community’s means of communication — they change over time, and today, they are increasingly becoming endangered.  The subfields of linguistics are dedicated to understanding and explaining these aspects of language.

Undergraduates in Hawai’i have many good reasons to study Linguistics.

• Knowledge about language is more important here than in most places in the country, because of the State’s unique diversity of languages — hundreds of languages from all over the world are spoken here.
• Hawai’i offers a natural laboratory for trying to understand multilingualism, code-mixing (changing from one language to another mid-sentence), second language learning, language endangerment and revitalization (of the Hawaiian language, for example), and pidgins and creoles.
• Languages are closely tied to cultural, geographic, and ethnic identity, issues that are central to Hawai’i’s education and politics.
• Knowledge of linguistics provides a strong foundation for multiple career paths, including ones in speech pathology and speech sciences; interpretation and translation; law; education; communications; naming, branding, and marketing; and data science, technology, and artificial intelligence.

Students at UH Manoa who study Linguistics discover that it helps them understand a number of different things:

• how language is used as a means to gain and maintain power.
• how it is used to influence people.
• how it is tied to ethnic and geographical identity.
• how it is processed by the mind.
• how children acquire it.

Majoring in Linguistics

Students can currently follow 3 paths to a BA involving linguistics:

• An existing path through Interdisciplinary students
• A new path, opening Fall 2026, for a general, standalone BA in Linguistics
• A new path, opening Fall 2026, for a standalone BA in Linguistics with a Concentration in ASL

The BA in Linguistics can be readily combined with another major; see more information below.

BA in Linguistics (general) – Opening Fall 2026

Starting Fall 2026 (or earlier), students can declare a major in Linguistics for the B.A. degree. This major requires 30 credits of coursework, 9 of which can be in related disciplines or in Linguistics. Students who declare this major will receive general advising through the College of Arts, Languages & Letters (CALL) Advising Center for completion of General Education requirements and graduation requirements, and through the Undergraduate Chair of the Department of Linguistics for courses in the major. Please see the BA in Linguistics (general) Program Sheet for detailed requirements.

BA in Linguistics (Concentration in ASL) – Opening Fall 2026

Starting Fall 2026, students can declare a major in Linguistics with a Concentration in ASL for the B.A. degree. The Concentration in ASL will be indicated on transcripts. This major requires 30 credits of coursework, 9 of which are fulfilled by ASL 202, ASL 301, and ASL 302. Students who declare this major will receive general advising through the College of Arts, Languages & Letters (CALL) Advising Center for completion of General Education requirements and graduation requirements, and through the Undergraduate Chair of the Department of Linguistics for courses in the major. Please see the BA in Linguistics (Concentration in ASL) Program Sheet for detailed requirements.

Interdisciplinary BA in Linguistics (through the Interdisciplinary Studies Program)

Students who have already declared a major in Linguistics through the Interdisciplinary Studies Program can continue to complete their degree as planned, or can transfer to either version of the standalone BA in Linguistics described above.  Students who continue in their current programs will continue to receive general advising through Interdisciplinary Studies for completion of General Education requirements and graduation requirements, and through the Undergraduate Chair of the Department of Linguistics for major equivalent courses. Please see the IS-LING Program Sheet for detailed requirements.

Earning Multiple Degrees

UH Mānoa students may pursue multiple undergraduate majors or degrees in one or more schools and colleges at UH Mānoa simultaneously. Please consult your advisor and UH Mānoa policies for details. The Department of Linguistics encourages majors to consider building expertise in a neighboring discipline while completing their B.A. in Linguistics.

Undergraduate Research

There are many opportunities for undergraduates to engage in linguistic research, both inside and outside of classes. Aside from the State’s natural laboratory, students also have access to the Language Analysis and Experimentation Laboratories, where they can conduct research on phonetics (the details of how speech sounds are produced), psycholinguistics, language acquisition, reading, computer models of language, and various other topics. Students are encouraged to meet with faculty in Linguistics and pursue opportunities through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

Many undergraduate courses also include Linguistics Beyond the Classroom activities as an opportunity to explore how the material learned in class can relate to current research being conducted in the fields of Linguistics and Second Language Studies. Visit LBC to see current opportunities.

Getting Involved in the Program

Undergraduate students taking linguistics courses, majors and non-majors alike, are encouraged to join the Linguistic Society of Mānoa, attend Tuesday Seminar and discussion groups, participant in the Language Documentation Training Center, and seek out research opportunities. We also offer multiple email lists to help students stay informed about activities and events. For more information, please contact linguist@hawaii.edu.