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Welcome to Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language

The Department of Linguistics and TESL at California State University, Northridge, is an interdisciplinary department in the College of Humanities.

In addition to full-time, tenure-line faculty, the department's teaching and advisory faculty include lecturing faculty as well as tenure-line faculty housed in related departments. At the undergraduate level, the department offers a major in Linguistics, and minors in Linguistics and TESL. At the graduate level, the department offers an M.A. in Linguistics, an M.A. in TESL and a TESL Certificate.

Mission Statement

The Department of Linguistics and TESL is committed to student success, with a focus on equity and inclusion. Students in the department engage with the study of human language from a broad spectrum of perspectives. These perspectives include formal, cognitive, and social approaches to linguistics, as well as the theory and practice of language teaching and learning.

Courses in linguistics seek to illustrate the importance of language across social interactions, focusing on both language knowledge and use. Many of our courses discuss the ways in which language is a site for social oppression and self-expression. Courses in TESL are oriented towards the application of linguistic and educational research on language teaching, assessment, and curriculum development.

The department fosters an appreciation of the diversity of language learners and the variety of educational settings. The faculty of the department is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, with the knowledge that an appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity is a crucial aspect of an inclusive society.