A major in Linguistics offers a diverse and flexible program of study that prepares students for any analytical work that requires collection of information or data, analysis of it, and presentation of results.

The employment outlook is positive for students with a degree in Linguistics. With the acceleration of global linguistic and cultural assimilation, the need for skilled language teachers, conservationists, translators, and interpreters continues to rise, as well as the need for skilled workers in the high-tech industry. In addition, Linguistics pairs well with many majors in the languages and sciences.

Linguistics majors are noted for their attention to detail and strong analytical skills. They can take their education in many directions, whether moving directly into a career or going on to graduate or professional studies.

Initial and long-term destinations for graduates include positions in many job sectors:

• education at all levels, including staffing college and university administrative offices and teaching abroad
• non-governmental organizations, tourism, and recreation
• journalism
• community outreach
• business communications
• state and federal government agencies
• translation/literacy organizations

Linguistics majors can become educators, higher education and business administrative support personnel, educational and community outreach coordinators for non-profit and government agencies, journalists, recreational facility administrators, language and research lab technicians, high-tech experts, and social media specialists, among many other options.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics offers career information about hundreds of occupations.

Talk with the Linguistics faculty, academic advisor, career coach, director of undergraduate studies, and other students to gain insights into the career paths taken by graduates of the Department of Linguistics.