Linguistics at NC State

Linguistics at NC State is a relatively small but highly productive program that combines research and engagement. The linguistics program, initiated in 1993, operates as a subdivision within the English department, and consists of an undergraduate minor in Linguistics and a graduate program in Language Study and Linguistics, with an emphasis on sociolinguistics. NC State currently has five faculty members in the sociolinguistics concentration within the English Department as well as several others in the Foreign Languages and Literatures Department, making it one of the most concentrated sociolinguistics programs in the United States. The program also has a cooperative Ph.D. program with Duke in English Linguistics in which students obtain their degree from Duke but take courses and do research at both NC State and Duke.

The centerpiece of the NC State program is the opportunity for students to become actively engaged in field-initiated research and extension while receiving close professional mentoring by faculty. These activities are supported through a variety of external and internal research grants as well as endowment funding. The establishment of a number of field research sites and a state-of-the-art linguistics laboratory afford students a unique opportunity to develop first-hand research skills as well as skills in working with communities in outreach programs.