Overview

This interdisciplinary program will acquaint you with how culture affects language development and use, issues regarding language change, and technical knowledge of syntax and phonetics. You'll take courses in sociolinguistics, stylistics, phonetics and the history of the English language, as well a number of literature courses. The linguistics program also includes at least one internship experience.

Careers in English - Linguistics

• ESL teacher
• computational linguist
• Bible translator
• government linguist
• speech therapist

See job placement rates for Calvin grads.

Student involvement

Study abroad in England, Hungary, Ghana or New England; Participate in biannual, department-wide retreats; Write or help to coordinate Chimes or Dialogue; Attend the Festival of Faith and Writing; Volunteer to help out with the Festivals of Youth Writing.

Course Requirements 2012-13

Linguistics major

(37-38 semester hours)

• ENGL-295 Introduction to Studies in English (prerequisite for all 300-level literature courses)
• ENGL-370 Linguistics
• ENGL-371 History of the English Language
• ENGL-372 Sociolinguistics and Issues in Language Education
• ENGL-373 Stylistics and Discourse Analysis
• One course from:
  • ENGL-374 English Grammar
  • ENGL-375 Grammar for Teachers of ESL
• Two courses from: (at least one literature course)
  • ENGL-200 Literature in a Global Context
  • ENGL-202 Russian Literature
  • ENGL-212 Survey of British Literature I
  • ENGL-213 Survey of British Literature II
  • ENGL-214 Survey of British Literature III
  • ENGL-220 Survey of American Literature I
  • ENGL-221 Survey of American Literature II
  • ENGL-225 African American Literature
  • ENGL-226 Ethnicity in American Literature
  • ENGL-230 Understanding Literature
  • ENGL-234 Gender and Literature
  • ENGL-238 Film as a Narrative Art
  • ENGL-299 Special Topics in Literature
  • ENGL-300 Advanced World Literature
  • ENGL-310 British Literature of the Middle Ages
  • ENGL-311 British Literature of the Sixteenth Century
  • ENGL-312 British Literature of the Seventeenth Century
  • ENGL-313 British Literature of the Eighteenth Century
  • ENGL-314 British Literature of the Early Nineteenth Century
  • ENGL-315 British Literature of the Middle and Later NineteenthCentury
  • ENGL-316 British Modernism
  • ENGL-317 Comtemporary British and Commonwealth Literature
  • ENGL-320 Literature of the United States I: Settlement to Civil War
  • ENGL-321 Literature of the United States II: Civil War to Great Depression
  • ENGL-322 Literature of the United States III: WW2 to the Present
  • ENGL-332 The Novel
  • ENGL-333 Poetry
  • ENGL-334 Drama
  • ENGL-335 Genre Study
  • ENGL-337 Major Authors
  • ENGL-338 Shakespeare
  • ENGL-340 Children's Literature
  • ENGL-341 Adolescent Literature
  • ENGL-360 Creative Nonfiction
  • ENGL-362 Creative Writing
  • ENGL-390 Independent Study
  • or an approved English interim
• SPAUD-216 Phonetics
• One course from:
  • CLAS-242 Biological and Medical Vocabulary from Greek and Latin
  • CAS-231 Global Media
  • CAS-238 Theory and Communication
  • CAS-240 Group Communication
  • CAS-253 Intercultural Communication
  • CAS-260 Interpersonal Communication
  • CAS-305 Persuasion and Propaganda
  • CAS-311 Child Language Development
  • CAS-327 Rhetorical Criticism
  • CAS-352 Communication Ethics
  • CAS-384 Phonological Disorders
  • CHIN-216 Advanced Grammar and Composition
  • DUTC-309 Netherlandic Civilization
  • FREN-302 Advanced Grammar
  • FREN-372 French Linguistics
  • GEOG-320 Introduction to Cultural Geography
  • IDIS-301 Introduction to Bilingual and ESL Education
  • IDIS-302 Bilingual and ESL for Secondary Teachers
  • IDIS-356 Introduction to Elementary World-Languages Pedagogy
  • IDIS-357 Introduction to Secondary World-Languages Pedagogy
  • JAPN-216 Advanced Grammar and Composition
  • PHIL-273 Introduction to Symbolic Logic
  • PHIL-375 Philosophical Anthropology
  • PHIL-378 Philosophy of Language and Interpretation
  • PHIL-381 Advanced Logic
  • PSYC-201 Developmental Psychology: Lifespan
  • PSYC-208 Developmental Psychology I: Child
  • PSYC-333 Brain and Behavior
  • PSYC-334 Cognitive Psychology
  • REL-307 Interpreting the Bible
  • SOC-153 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • SOC-253 Intercultural Communication
  • SPAN-301 Advanced Grammar, Composition, and Conversation I
  • SPAN-302 Advanced Grammar, Composition, and Conversation II
  • SPAN-310 Hispanic Culture in the United States
  • SPAN-340 Spanish Phonology and Dialectology
  • SPAN-341 Advanced Spanish Syntax and Sociolinguistics
  • SPAN-370 Advanced Cultural Topics
  • SPAUD-210 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech, Hearing and Language Mechanisms
  • SPAUD-212 Speech and Hearing Science
  • SPAUD-215 Introduction to Speech Pathology and Audiology
  • SPAUD-311 Child Language Development
  • SPAUD-361 American Sign Language I
  • SPAUD-362 American Sign Language II
  • or another cognate or English elective approved by advisor
• One course from:
  • ENGL-380 Internship in Journalism and Publishing
  • ENGL-390 Independent Study
  • ENGL-399 Honors Thesis
• ENGL-395 Senior Seminar

Only one interim may count toward the major

Linguistics minor

(21 semester hours)

• ENGL-370 Linguitics
• ENGL-371 History of the English Language
• CAS-140 Communications and Culture
• SPAUD-216 Phonetics
• Three electives chosen in consultation with advisor

Only one interim may count toward the minor

Scholarships

Dollar amounts reflect awards given for the 2012-13 academic year.

Edna Greenway Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.3+
• financial need not required; submit an essay on how to integrate faith into teaching Spanish
• apply through the Spanish department

George G. Harper Scholarship

• award amount: $2,400
• junior or senior
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; U.S. African American minority student
• automatic consideration

Winifred Holkeboer Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need not required
• apply through the English department

Kenneth and Lillian Kuiper Scholarship

• award amount: $2,600
• senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need considered
• apply through the English department

Helen Hoogland Meulink Education Scholarship

• award amount: $1,500
• junior or senior
• financial need required; secondary education; preference to an English major
• apply through the Calvin Portal

William and Matilda Monsma Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• sophomore, junior, or senior
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; preference to students from the South Chicago area
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Schemper-Kamp Family Scholarship

• award amount: $1,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; demonstrate a Christian perspective in writing
• apply through the English department

Henrietta Ten Harmsel English Scholarship

• award amount: $2,300
• sophomore or junior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need not required; show an enthusiasm and love for reading and writing
• apply through the English department

Richard R. and Kathleen J. Tiemersma Scholarship

• award amount: $2,100
• senior
• GPA of 3.3+
• financial need required
• apply through the English department

Steve J. and Viola Van Der Weele Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; interest in English language and literature; demonstrate an ability to integrate faith and learning
• apply through the English department

William E. and Margaret J. Van Wienen Scholarship

• award amount: $2,200
• junior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; have an interest and be active in community involvement projects
• apply through the English department

Clarence and Janice Walhout Scholarship

• apply through the Calvin Portal

Henry and Mildred Zylstra Scholarship

• award amount: $1,600
• senior
• GPA of 3.5+
• financial need considered; planning to attend graduate school in literature or language within five years following graduation
• apply through the English department

View all scholarship opportunities

Faculty

Karen Saupe Co-Director of RAC Program, Professor Department of English CFAC 294 ksaupe@calvin.edu (616) 526-6467 William Vande Kopple Professor Department of English CFAC 279 vkop@calvin.edu (616) 526-6465

James Vanden Bosch Professor Department of English CFAC 292 vand@calvin.edu (616) 526-6592 Elizabeth Vander Lei Professor Department of English CFAC 273 bvlei@calvin.edu (616) 526-6434