Overview

The Linguistics programme at the University of California, Santa Barbara provides a comprehensive foundation for students seeking to understand the complex relationship between language, culture, and cognition. This curriculum encourages scholars to explore diverse linguistic structures through empirical research and theoretical investigation.

Academic staff focus on how language is shaped over time by human interaction and social use. Students gain a broad perspective by studying a wide range of languages, allowing them to appreciate both universal characteristics and unique differences across global communication systems.

Why Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Barbara?

The department is renowned for its supportive and interactive atmosphere, maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio that ensures personalised guidance. Faculty members are deeply committed to graduate training, viewing students as colleagues-in-training through collaborative research opportunities and professional mentoring.

Research is supported by various informal groups, such as the New Approaches in Indigenous Languages Group and the Prosody Group. These forums allow for the discussion of ongoing work and the sharing of technical expertise between experienced scholars and those entering the field.

Facilities and resources include specialised training in discourse transcription, ethnographic methodologies, and computational analysis. The institution also offers interdisciplinary Ph.D. emphases, allowing students to connect their linguistic studies with related academic disciplines across the campus.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 14430 per year
National fee: USD 14430 per year
Local fee: USD 14430 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

Modules may include:

Corpus Linguistics
Discourse & Grammar
Language & Cognition
Language Change
Language Documentation
Prosody
Sociocultural Linguistics
Transcription
Typology
Applied Linguistics
Field Methods
Quantitative, Computational, and Corpus-based Analysis
Ethnographic and Video-based Methodologies

Careers with Linguistics

Graduates are prepared for professional roles in academia and research through intensive training in publishing original work and presenting at scholarly meetings. The programme includes specific professional preparation for writing grant proposals, drafting abstracts, and navigating the job interview process.

Many students pursue careers as professional linguists, researchers, or educators within higher education institutions. Additional experience gained through teaching and research assistantships ensures that graduates possess the practical skills required for diverse roles in the global linguistic community.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Language and Linguistics for Non-linguists

Research Methodology and Statistics in Linguistics

Advanced Research Methods and Statistics

Phonetic Methodology

Statistical Methodology

Computational Linguistics

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-21 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-15 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Santa Barbara, United States

Disciplines

Linguistics View 220 other Masters in Linguistics in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – Due March 2nd

Submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) & Financial Offer Letter – Due April 15th

Submit your Statement of Legal Residency (SLR)

Apply for housing – Due May 15th

Complete new hire paperwork (for TAs and GSRs)

Obtain ACCESS card (student ID card)

Attend orientation and departmental social events

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

14430 USD / year

≈ 14430 USD / year
Out-of-State

14430 USD / year

≈ 14430 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

14430 USD / year

≈ 14430 USD / year

Living costs

Santa Barbara

United States

1640 - 2480 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Linguistics.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Santa Barbara

Financing

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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