COURSE CURRICULUM

The BSc in Linguistics at the University of Victoria is a science-oriented program designed for students interested in the biological, cognitive and experimental study of language. It provides strong preparation for advanced study in speech and hearing sciences, psycholinguistics, phonetics and related health or research fields. Students begin in Year 1 with foundational courses in linguistics alongside supporting studies in biology, psychology, mathematics and physics, helping them understand both the structure of language and the scientific systems behind speech, perception and cognition. In Year 2, the program focuses on core linguistic theory through courses in phonetics, phonology, morphology and syntax, while also building research skills through psychology courses in research methods and mind-brain relationships. Upper-level study in Years 3 and 4 becomes highly specialized, covering advanced topics such as syntax, phonology, psycholinguistics, child language acquisition, acoustic phonetics and experimental phonetics. Students also complete psychology statistics and cognitive science courses to strengthen their analytical and research capabilities. Electives allow further exploration of language variation, neurolinguistics, sign language and second-language acquisition. Overall, the BSc emphasizes a scientific and empirical approach to language, combining linguistic theory with laboratory-based and cognitive research training, making it suitable for students aiming for graduate study or careers in speech therapy, audiology, neuroscience, language technology or research-focused fields.