Are you interested in different languages? Would you like to study various forms of communication? If you said yes, consider majoring in linguistics in college. Linguistics majors study how languages like Spanish and French or even computer programming function and how people learn to communicate with those languages.
Education
According to the College Board, linguistics is taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In order to prepare for a linguistics program, take classes like AP English Literature, AP Psychology and several foreign languages in high school. Linguistics majors typically take courses including cultural anthropology, philosophy of language and historical linguistics in college.
What to know before you apply
Before deciding on a program or college, find out whether the school offers a B.A. or B.S. in linguistics, since there is a difference in the degrees and they will make a difference in your job prospects. Also, you should find out whether there is an individual linguistics department or whether it is a part of another department. Finally, find out whether you will be able to study abroad in order to immerse yourself in a foreign language.
Salary
Linguistics programs prepare students for careers including interpreters, speech-language pathologists and computer scientists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters earned a yearly salary of $50,610 in 2011. Speech-language pathologists earned $72,000, while computer scientists earned $103,160.
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