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Diploma in Linguistics

The Department of Linguistics offers the post-baccalaureate Diploma in Linguistics. The Diploma is designed primarily for those intending to apply to a master’s program in linguistics or speech-language pathology or audiology or those intending to apply to second-language teaching programs*. Current language education teachers are also encouraged to apply to the Diploma Program to enhance their knowledge base.

The Diploma in Linguistics provides a rigorous investigation into various linguistics phenomena including grammar, phonology, phonetics and semantics. The program requires 30 credits of coursework that can be completed in one year of full-time study, but may be taken part-time and extended over a maximum of five years.

Students who wish to practice as speech-language pathologists or audiologists in Canada or the U.S. must complete an appropriate master’s program. See The School of Audiology and Speech Sciences for the required prerequisites for the two-year Master’s program at UBC.

Admission Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree
  • LING 200, 201 and 222 or equivalent. Students who lack the prerequisite courses are encouraged to take them at UBC under the "Unclassified" student category in Summer Session prior to starting the Diploma program.

Diploma Requirements

The diploma requires 30 credits of coursework, including:

  • 6 credits from LING 300, 311, 313 and 327
  • An additional 24 credits of courses numbered 300 or higher. These must all be LING courses, except for a maximum of 6 credits which can be taken from senior-level courses in related areas. A list of pre-approved courses outside Linguistics can be found on our website.

Students who wish to be language teachers in the BC school system must complete a program of Initial Teacher Education for elementary or secondary teaching, including teaching methodology courses appropriate to the languages to be taught.


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