Handbook for Undergraduate Concentrators in Linguistics

Frequently-asked Questions

Q. What Core courses am I exempted from if I concentrate in Linguistics?
A. You are exempted from taking courses from the following four areas:
1. Foreign Cultures;
2. Quantitative Reasoning;
3. Social Analysis;
4. One of following areas: Historical Study A; Literature and Arts A; Literature and Arts C.
See pages 21-30 of the Handbook for Students for a further explanation of the Core requirements.

Q. Can I count courses from my A.B. towards my A.M.?
A. Yes and no. If you have already taken all of the courses required for the A.M. as part of your A.B. program, this does not mean that you do not have to take any additional courses to receive the A.M. Instead, every A.M. course that you count towards your A.M. degree must be replaced by another course for your A.B. degree. This does not have to be a more advanced course, however. For further details, see the Joint A.B./A.M. section of the handbook.

Q. If I have advanced standing and want to do an A.B./A.M., do I have to take the sophomore tutorial in my first year and write the thesis in my third year?
A. No. The tutorials still begin in your second year, and you write your thesis in the fourth year.

Q. Can I count a course from a closely related field towards my Related Field requirement? For example, can CS50 count for Math as Related Field?
A. Yes, subject to approval by the Head Tutor. Some examples of sanctioned crossovers include:
Philosophy of Language for Psychology
CS50 for Mathematics, Psychology, Philosophy, etc.
Math 1b for Computer Science
(As a general rule, we will count any CS or Math class towards any scientific Related Field.)

Q. Can I create my own hybrid Related Field, such as Deaf Studies, Amerindian Studies, or Language Acquisition?
A. Yes and no. You are free (within the limits of reason) to build your own related field, but you must do it within the confines of an official Harvard department or program. For example, Amerindian Studies can be done within Anthropology or Ethnic Studies.

Q. I took Introduction to Linguistics at Topeka University when I was a senior in high school. Do I pass out of the department’s 110 requirement?
A. As a general rule, yes. However, you must then replace this course with another linguistics course. Furthermore, if the course you took before entering our program is not directly analogous to any of the offerings in our department, the final decision on course exemption will have to be made by the Head Tutor.

Q. I just transferred from Brown, and now I’m a junior. Do I have to take the Sophomore Tutorial?
A. No.

Q. If one class is prerequisite for another, can the two be taken simultaneously, e.g. Linguistics 112a and Linguistics 152?
A. Yes, subject to the approval of the relevant instructor. (This is a general Harvard policy.)

Q. I did my A.B. in Classics, but would like to do my A.M. in Linguistics. Do I need to i) write a thesis, ii) take the senior thesis tutorial, iii) take the sophomore and junior tutorials?
A. Yes to (i) and (ii); no to (iii). See the section of this handbook dealing with the Joint A.B./A.M. degree.

Q. Does my thesis have to be in the area of my related field? For example, do I have to write a psycholinguistics thesis if my related field is Psychology?
A. For Linguistics with Related Field: no, but it is recommended. For a Joint Concentration: yes.

Q. I’m a first-year student with Advanced Standing. Can I take five courses this year?
A. The final decision lies with the Freshman Dean’s office, which generally forbids five courses in the first-semester. However, since during your second semester you are officially a sophomore, you are free to take five or more courses at that point.

Q. Can I do two related fields, e.g. ‘Biology and Psychology’? If so, what is the split between them?
A. Yes and no. You can mix courses from different departments, just as long as they form a coherent whole. So, for example, you can take a Psychology class as part of your Biology related field. These courses can be mixed in any proportion. Note though that we can only list one Related Field on your degree.

Q. Does my junior tutorial advisor also have to direct my senior thesis?
A. No.

Q. Can taking ASL at an adult education center count for the concentration language requirement, since it isn’t offered at Harvard?
A. Yes, subject to approval by the Head Tutor after reviewing the syllabus and other course materials. Note though that the Head Tutor cannot give credit toward the Harvard College language requirement.