For the first time in Princeton University history, undergraduate students can declare a major in linguistics. The course of study was formally approved at a faculty meeting on Monday, February 2.
“The creation of an official linguistics major is a wonderful step as the program continues to grow and develop,” said Adam Elga, director of the program and professor of philosophy. “This change will further strengthen both the intellectual life and cohesiveness of the program.”
Establishing a formal major has been in the works for almost 10 years and is a result of “strong and sustained” student interest in the field, said Laura Kalin, associate professor of linguistics and associate director of the program. Linguistics faculty and staff worked closely with the Office of the Dean of the College, the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Dean of the Faculty, and the community of students in the program to develop the undergraduate curriculum.
“This is a crucial step in our continuous effort over the last decade to grow linguistics at Princeton,” said Florian Lionnet, associate professor of linguistics. “Thanks to the University’s constant support and to our wonderful students, this is now a reality!”
The creation of a linguistics major will strengthen the program’s presence at the University and remove key hurdles for students interested in the program. Previously, students interested in linguistics were required to apply as Independent Majors through the University.
“With an official linguistics major, more students will have the opportunity to study the fascinating intricacies of language and what it reveals about human cognition, its social and political entanglements, its artistic potential, the incredible and still underdocumented diversity of the 7,000 or so languages spoken on the planet, and the shared properties that partly define our common humanity,” said Lionnet.
Students pursuing the major develop the skills of a linguist through gathering and interpreting data from many different languages, utilizing diverse methodologies, and investigating language through a variety of lenses.
To fulfill the major, students complete “Introduction to Language and Linguistics,” as well as at least nine departmental courses. Students will also write a junior paper and a senior thesis on linguistic topics.
In Fall 2025, the faculty voted to declare the Program in Linguistics an independent academic unit, granting the program the capability to host tenured and tenure-track faculty appointments. The program was also reclassified within the social sciences academic division, now independent of the Humanities Council, its previous academic home. The changes laid the groundwork for the February approval of the major.
“I am absolutely thrilled that we now have an official major in linguistics,” said Kalin, who joined the faculty with Lionnet in 2016. “Alongside growth in our faculty, our independence as an academic unit, and other developments, the future of linguistics at Princeton is very bright!”
The linguistics major is available to students in the Class of 2028 and beyond. Current students in the Class of 2027 who are enrolled as Independent Majors will work with program directors to convert to the formal major. Students can also pursue a minor in the program.
For more information about eligibility, visit the Program in Linguistics website.
