Point of Contact
- Professor Marissa Fond
Director of Undergraduate Research
marissa.fond@georgetown.edu - Professor Jennifer Nycz
Director of Undergraduate Studies
jn621@georgetown.edu
Philosophy of research
Research in Linguistics involves the analysis of empirical linguistic data with the aim of arriving at generalizations about what kinds of patterns are shared across linguistic varieties, and at developing theories to account for those generalizations. Some linguistics research is also more applied in nature, aiming to for example develop methods that are effective for language teaching/learning, or for using computational methods to better discern patterns in language.
How to get started
Linguistics majors are introduced to research in their Introduction to Language class, which involves a small research project.
In the LING 3930: RULE+ course , undergraduate students work on research with advanced doctoral students, Postdoctoral fellows, or faculty, for either 1, 2, or 3 credits (elective), as part of the Research-based Undergraduate Linguistics Experience (RULE) program.
What does the “+” mean? RULE+ reflects that LING 3930 runs concurrently with the Senior Honors Thesis cohort’s seminar (LING 4930: RULE-THESIS), creating a shared professional and research community in which multi-semester RULIEs and Senior Thesis writers (most of whom have completed at least one semester of RULE, themselves!) work side-by-side—combining the perspectives of Research Assistants supporting faculty and graduate student projects with those conducting their own full-scale research.
Earning credit for undergraduate research
- LING 3930: RULE+ (variable course for 1, 2, or 3 credits, for up to a maximum of 6 total credits across multiple semesters; up to 3 credits may count towards a Linguistics Major or Minor)
- LING 4930: RULE-THESIS (3 credits throughout Senior year; 1 credit in the fall and 2 credits in the spring; formerly known as the Senior Honors Thesis Seminar)
Getting funding for research
The College offers numerous fellowships to support undergraduate research over the academic year or in the summer. Click here for information on specific awards and deadlines.
The Senior Honors Thesis in Linguistics
In the spring of Linguistic Majors’ junior year, students who meet the threshold for excellent academic achievement receive an invitation to submit a Project Proposal for a Senior Honors Thesis. All instructions, deadlines, and the review process for thesis proposals are shared in the email and during the Department’s info session(s). If approved, students are encouraged to apply for the Royden B. Davis Fellowship for grant funding and are required to enroll in LING 4930: RULE-THESIS for both the fall and spring semesters during their senior year.
LING 4930: RULE-THESIS (formerly the Senior Honors Thesis Seminar) is a year-long course sequence designed to provide support and guidance for linguistics majors writing an invitational Senior Honors Thesis. In this seminar, the instructor will introduce students to the research and writing process, helping students to get organized, break down a project into manageable stages, avoid mistakes, present scholarly work clearly, incorporate feedback from peers, and keep on schedule as the year progresses. Using a key readings, published models, peer review, and workshop-format discussions of preliminary work, the instructor and seminar participants will discuss progress and problems at each stage. In addition, each student will have a thesis mentor who will be responsible for overseeing the content of the research and for evaluating the final version of the thesis. The seminar will meet “half-time” (approximately every other week) during the fall and spring semesters, with students receiving a total of 3 credits for the course, distributed across the year: 1 in the fall and 2 in the spring. The seminar is required for all students writing a Senior Honors Thesis in Linguistics, and credit for the seminar will count toward Linguistics Major requirements.
Last updated on January 30, 2026