The Department of Linguistics offers a broad and dynamic selection of courses. Introductory classes provide students with a strong foundation in core linguistic subfields and their interfaces while encouraging them to explore and pursue their individual interests. Subfields include phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, and psycholinguistics. The department emphasizes a scientific approach to language, supports interdisciplinary research and fosters critical engagement with issues such as language diversity, social justice, and language revitalization. Certain courses may also hold special interest for students interested in Speech-Language Pathology or other professional outlets.
Below we have included sample syllabi for our general interest introductory course (LIN200H1), as well as our 100 and 200 level required courses (LIN101H1, LIN102H1, LIN228H1, LIN229H1, LIN232H1, LIN241H1, LIN251H1).
Descriptions of all undergraduate courses can be found on the Academic Calendar, if you require a syllabus for studies abroad, please contact undergrad.linguistics@utoronto.ca. Please note that syllabi are considered intellectual property of the professor and should not be replicated or shared without permission.
Introduction to Language is a general-interest course on language. Possible topics include: the structure of language; how language changes over time, the social and psychological aspects of language, language and culture, the origin of language, writing systems, and language acquisition. (This course does not count towards the Linguistics minor, major, or specialist programs.)
Exclusions: LIN100Y1, LIN101H1, LIN102H1, LIN101H5, LIN102H5, LINA01H3, LINA02H3, LIN200H5
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: 
LIN200H1_2024_Fall_MateoPedro_Syllabus.pdf
Introduction to fundamental principles of linguistics with particular attention to sound structure and its acquisition, processing, and variation; practice in elementary analytic techniques using data from a broad spectrum of languages.
Exclusion: LIN100Y1, LIN101H5, LINA01H3, LINA02H3
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: LIN101H1_2025_Fall_Sanders_Syllabus.pdf
Introduction to fundamental principles of linguistics with particular attention to sentence and meaning structure, their acquisition, processing, and variation; practice in elementary analytic techniques using data from a broad spectrum of languages.
Exclusions : LIN100Y1, LIN102H5, LINA01H3, LINA02H3
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: LIN102H1_2022_Winter_Moulton+Bejar_syllabus.pdf
Phonetics is a linguistics course that investigates the sounds most commonly used in languages from an articulatory and acoustic point of view, with practice in their recognition and production. Students will learn the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and practice transcribing a wide variety of speech sounds.
Recommended Preparation : LIN101H1/ LIN200H1
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: LIN228H1_2024_Fall_Kochetov_Syllabus.pdf
The nature and organization of phonological systems, with practical work in linguistic analysis.
Prerequisites: LIN101H1, LIN228H1
Exclusions: LIN229H5, LINB04H3
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: LIN229H1_2022_Winter_Sanders_Syllabus.pdf
The nature and organization of syntactic systems; their relation to semantic systems and the linguistic organization of discourse; practical work in linguistic analysis.
Prerequisites: LIN102H1
Exclusions: LIN232H5, LINB06H3
Sample Syllabus:LIN232H1_2021_Winter_Moulton_Syllabus.pdf LIN232H1_20259_Bejar_Syllabus.pdf
An introduction to meaning within linguistics and the interpretation of language in context. Topics include logical and semantic relations, pragmatic concepts such as presupposition and implicature, the nature of thematic roles, quantifiers and scope relations, the expressions of temporal and modal relations in natural language.
Prerequisite: LIN102H1
Exclusions: LIN237H5, LIN247H5, LINC12H3, FREC12H3
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: LIN241H1_2024_Winter_Thomas_Syllabus.pdf
How does linguistic variation construct identity? Introduction to recent sociolinguistic literature on language contact, multilingualism, code-switching, expressions of ethnic solidarity and regional identity, sex and gender differentiation, dialect geography, sociophonetics, perceptual dialectology, diffusion of norms in mobile populations, documentation of variation in lesser studied languages, and changes across the life-span.
Prerequisites: LIN101H1, LIN102H1
Breadth Requirements: Thought, Belief and Behaviour (2)
Sample Syllabus: LIN251H1_2022_Fall_Nagy_Syllabus.pdf
Descriptions of all undergraduate courses can be found on the Academic Calendar, if you require a syllabus for studies abroad, please contact undergrad.linguistics@utoronto.ca . Please note that syllabi are considered intellectual property of the professor and should not be replicated or shared without permission.
For information about course timetabling, please see our current course offerings or check the University’s timetable builder tool.
For information about Auditing, please see the Auditing Undergraduate Courses webpage. For any other questions or inquiries please contact our undergraduate office.