Program Information

School: McMaster University
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
Degree: Bachelor; Honours
Field of Study: Linguistics
Description: Have you ever wondered how many languages are spoken in the world? Are you intrigued by how children begin to acquire language, or by how we can teach machines to understand human language? If so, you should think about studying linguistics. Linguistics is the scientific study of human language – its structure, origin and evolution, and its uses in society. The discipline is organized around different areas such as phonetics – the study of speech sounds; phonology – the study of the patterning of sound; morphology – the study of word formation; syntax – the study of sentence formation; and semantics – the study of meaning.

This program is designed for students who are concentrating on the scientific study of language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, etc.). Students should speak with the Departmental Counsellor for Linguistics to determine which linguistics electives are most appropriate for their academic and professional objectives.
URL: Linguistics and Another Subject (BA) (Combined Honours) at McMaster University
Length: 4 Year(s)
Cost per year:*
International: $27,151

Cost per year is based on 30 units, and includes the cost of tuition and mandatory supplementary fees.
Careers: Linguists

Admission Requirements

Grade for Entrance Previous Year (%)* 75 to 78
Prerequisites:*

These courses are intended as guidelines. Speak to your guidance counsellor to see what courses are offered at your school.

  •  Grade12 English 

Applicants are required to have at least six Grade 12 U/M level courses, including: ENG4U. SBI4U is recommended for students planning to enter a Cognitive Science of Language program.
Test Scores:

  • International English Language Testing System (academic or immigration) [min. 6.5] or Canadian Academic English Language Assessment [min. 70] or Test of English as a Foreign Language (Internet Based) [min. 86] or Cambridge English for Speakers of Other Languages: Certificate in Advanced English [min. 176] or Michigan English Language Assessment Battery [min. 85]

Students who have been asked to meet McMaster’s English Language Proficiency requirement must demonstrate English language proficiency by achieving the minimum requirements as specified by McMaster: IELTS: 6.5, CAE: 176, PTE: 60, CAEL: 70, MELAB: 85, TOEFL (iBT): 86