Linguistics

Graduates of our master linguistics program routinely credit our dedicated faculty as the feature they love most about our curriculum. Passionate, personable and knowledgeable experts lead classes and research opportunities, giving you a competitive edge when it comes to seeking or advancing your career with a linguistics degree.

Other benefits you will enjoy in our linguistics degree program include:

• Unmatched student success. Earning a master's in linguistics is just the first of many successes our graduates experience. Our alumni have a 100% passing rate for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) in the ESL endorsement subject area, and students have gone on to speech-language pathology programs, to teach ESL domestically and abroad, to work in industries as diverse as IT or automotive, and to Ph.D. programs in linguistics.
• Evolving and experimental research. Our renowned faculty members are active in the field and have diverse research interests, including all core areas of linguistics, language instruction and topics such as linguistic diversity and justice. Students can build their own CVs through our linguistics program by joining professors in their research and taking advantage of the linguistics lab, which provides space, equipment and resources for studies in TESL, phonetics and psycholinguistics.
• Substantial teaching opportunities. Ready to put your passion for education and linguistics into practice? Our linguistics program offers two teaching graduate certificates: K12 Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and Teaching English as Second Language. Both programs provide an internship opportunity where you'll teach an actual course under the supervision of an expert faculty member — an extraordinary opportunity to gain important practical skills that you'll use in your future classroom on day one.
• Important community leadership. Improve your community through civic and engagement opportunities available through your M.A. in Linguistics program. Not only can you teach in underserved communities in our TESL outreach programs, but you can also help cultivate a diverse and inclusive community through the Oakland University Linguistic Diversity Initiative (OULDI), which celebrates linguistic diversity and advances linguistic justice both on campus and throughout Southeast Michigan.