Students may choose from one of two tracks:
- Functional linguistics
- Generative linguistics
Students in both tracks study a common core of introductory courses and a range of electives.
Functional linguistics
The program of studies includes the detailed study of diverse languages and of different theories and research methods that highlight structural, comparative, historical, discursive, and interactional aspects of language research. The program includes the following subfields:
- Synchronic linguistics: the study of the structure of languages with respect to different levels of analysis
- Comparative linguistics: the study of common properties of languages and the classification of languages into families
- Typological linguistics: the study of language universals and linguistic diversity
- Historical linguistics: the study of language change over time
- Sociolinguistics: the study of the correlations/relationships between language use and social structure
- Interactional linguistics: the study of language use in different discursive contexts
Generative linguistics
The program of study familiarizes students with the principles and scientific methods in language study in contemporary linguistic theory. Language is seen as a complex cognitive system unique to human beings. Consequently, the linguistic system is taken to be universal in its principles and foundation and thus common to all languages.
During the years of study, we focus on theoretical courses which gradually acquaint the students with analysis skills focalizing on different levels of linguistic analysis, such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, and this in parallel to studying at least one foreign language, to the student's choice.
Possible combinations
Studying in the linguistics department combines naturally with the following programs of study:
Cognition, Philosophy, Psychology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Communication, Sociology and the literary-cultural departments of the Humanities, for instance: Hebrew, English, Latin-America studies, Romance studies, German studies, Russian studies, Asian studies, Classical Studies, Comparative and General literature.
Of course, other combinations are possible and worthwhile!