Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field that addresses the use of computers to process or produce human language. Linguistics contributes to this field an understanding of the special properties of language data, and also provides theories and descriptions of language structure and use. Computational linguistics is largely an applied discipline concerned with practical problems. Typical applications include natural language processing, machine translation (translating from one language to another), speech synthesis, speech production, information retrieval (finding relevant documents or parts of documents in large collections of texts) cognitive modeling, and, in general, almost anything dealing with natural language interfaces.

M.S. in Computational Linguistics

Note: These are the most recent requirements updated in 2024-2025.

If you started earlier, please check your year's requirements in the bulletins under "University Graduate School".

Core Requirements

The M.S. in Computational Linguistics consists of a minimum of 33 credit hours, or 36 if the student needs to fulfill the Statistics Requirement, which consists of S520 (Department of Statistics), Q520 (Cognitive Science Program) or an equivalent course approved by the department. Core requirements include:

• LING-L541  Phonetics
• LING-L565  Fundamentals of Speech Processing
• LING-L545  Computation and Linguistic Analysis
• LING-L605  Adv Data Modeling for CL
• LING-L645  Advanced Natural Language Processing
• LING-L665  Applying Machine Learning Techniques in Computational Linguistics
• LING-L715  Seminar in Computational Linguistics

Additionally students will have to fulfill the requirements of one of the following areas of specialization:

Language and Engineering

One of:

• LING-L 543 Phonology
• LING-L 543 Syntax
• COGS-Q 520 Math & Logic for Cognitive Science
• LING-L 544 Morphology
• LING-L 546 Semantics
• LING-L 670 Typology
• LING-L 614 Alternative Syntactic Theories
• LING-L 615 Corpus Linguistics

Natural language processing

• One of:
  • LING-L 503 Intro Ling
  • LING-L 542 Phonology
  • LING-L 543 Syntax
  • LING-L 544 Morphology
  • LING-L 546 Semantics
  • LING-L 670 Typology
  • LING-L 675 Adv ML for CL
• One of:
  • CSCI-B 555, CSCI-B 551

Speech processing

• LING-L 641 Adv.Phonetics
• LING-L 635 Applications of Speech Processing
• One of:
  • ENGR-E 511 (Machine Learning for Signal Processing)
  • LING-L 675 (Adv ML for CL)
  • CSCI-B 555
  • CSCI-B 551

Electives

Two additional electives must be taken from the following:

• LING-L 520 Sociolinguistics
• LING-L 541 Introductory Phonetics
• LING-L 542 Phonological Analysis
• LING-L 543 Syntactic Analysis
• LING-L 544 Morphological Analysis
• LING-L 546 Semantics
• LING-L 615 Corpus Linguistics
• LING-L 642 Advanced Phonological Description
• LING-L 643 Advanced Syntax
• LING-L 646 Advanced Semantics
• LING-L 7xx (relevant seminars)
• CSCI-A 590 Topics in Programming
• CSCI-B 401
• CSCI-B 403 Introduction to Algorithm Design and Analysis
• CSCI-B 555 Machine Learning
• CSCI-B 651 Natural Language Processing
• CSCI-B 659 Topics in Artificial Intelligence
• INFO-I 529 Machine Learning in Bioinformatics
• INFO-I 532 Seminar in Bioinformatics
• INFO-I 534 Seminar in Human-Computer Interaction
• ILS-Z 543 Computer-Mediated Communication
• ILS-Z 639
• COGS-Q 550 Models in Cognitive Science

Programming Language Requirement

• LING-L 555  Programming for Computational Linguists, or a computer programming course (or the equivalent) approved by the department.

• B.S.
• M.S.
• Joint B.S./M.S.
• M.A.
• Ph.D.
• Ph.D. Minor