The program would like to remove the language requirement.

Rationale:

In making this change, we are bringing the CUNY Graduate Program in Linguistics in line with many other linguistics programs around the country (MIT, UMD, UDelaware, UPenn, UMass Amherst, UKansas, and Rutgers to name a few). We fully recognize that trained linguists require a working knowledge of at least one additional language or symbolic system in addition to English. However, there are three reasons why we argue that the language requirement is redundant for our program:

1. First, it is extremely common for students entering the Linguistics Program to have working proficiency in at least two languages or language varieties in addition to English. While not a requirement for admission to our program, candidates are evaluated on their interest and knowledge of particular languages and/or prior experience conducting research on various languages.

2. The Linguistics Program trains students how to analyze language as a system and in its social context, neither of which requires mastery. For example, a linguist can analyze the sound system of KiSwahili or the acquisition of KiSwahili in its social context without being able to speak it.

3. Furthermore, our course content is replete with opportunities for students to analyze languages other than English. Students also very commonly analyze languages other than English in their research papers and exams as recent dissertations on Yiddish, Navajo, Hebrew, Tunisian Arabic, Taiwan Mandarin, Italian, Guyanese Creole, Mandarin, and Spanish attest.

For these reasons, we have concluded that the language requirement is essentially redundant for the Linguistics Program and an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle for our students and staff.

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Linguistics

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