- Linguistics is one of three concentrations within the M.A. in English.
- The M.A. in Linguistics provides students with a solid grounding in the tools of language analysis. The course offerings in contemporary linguistic theory cover a broad spectrum of the components of linguistic structure: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse analysis, cognitive linguistics, and sociolinguistics. Students interested in any field involving language analysis – including but not limited to law, education, anthropology, sociology, psychology, computer science, and linguistics – benefit from preparation in examining language data with the rigorous methods of the discipline.
- The M.A. in Linguistics prepares students for a variety of teaching and research positions in which the emphasis is on the structure of language. Graduates of the program may teach English language or writing, work in the fields of computational linguistics, communications, or go on to further study in linguistics or related disciplines.

Study English: Concentration in Linguistics at San Francisco State University, a Master degree offered at its main campus in San Francisco, United States of America. This Full Time program is delivered on campus in English and takes approximately 2 years to complete. Students benefit from a structured learning experience designed to build both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The next intake is scheduled for August 16, 2027.
About Master of English: Concentration in Linguistics
- English M.A. students will critically evaluate scholarship using knowledge of disciplinary history, foundational theories, epistemologies, and scholarly debates to participate in professional communities of Composition, TESOL, and Linguistics.
- English M.A. students will conduct principled inquiry (critical reflection, observation, and/or formal research) using appropriate methods and tools of analysis to address disciplinary questions and problems of practice.
- English M.A. students will produce effective written and oral presentations that follow the professional disciplinary standards of Composition, TESOL, and Linguistics.
- English M.A. students will apply pedagogical knowledge and skills to the teaching of language, literacy, or linguistics.
- Students in the Linguistics M.A. concentration will demonstrate a solid understanding of the fundamental linguistic subfields of syntax, phonology, morphology, semantics, discourse analysis, and sociolinguistics.
- Students in the Linguistics M.A. concentration will document the grammar and lexicon of an unfamiliar language (including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.)
Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of English: Concentration in Linguistics at San Francisco State University
Entry Requirements
Eligible Degrees: Bachelor's degree.
Required Academic Documents: Degree certificate and transcript (record of subjects taken and marks earned) If your academic record is not in English, an English translation must accompany all academic documents. Academic documents must be university issued and sealed.
GPA Equivalency: a GPA of "B" or higher is required for graduate study 70 - 79
English Requirements
- PTEMin 59
- IELTSMin 6.5
- TOEFLMin 80
Tuition and Fee Information for Master of English: Concentration in Linguistics at San Francisco State University
How to Apply for Master of English: Concentration in Linguistics at San Francisco State University
Before Applying
- Spend time reviewing your desired program's information
- Note your program deadline for application. Applications are due by 9:00 pm the day of your application deadline. Refer to the lists below to determine your application deadline.
- Review the minimum university requirements for admission for domestic or international students.
- Gather your transcripts, test scores, and additional program materials that can be uploaded online. At this time, you may use unofficial copies, however, official copies will be required for formal review.
- International students should also gather uploadable versions of their TOEFL or IELTS scores.
- Provide notice to your recommenders prior to completing your application.
Submitting Your Application
- Go to the Cal State Apply portal, select semester from dropdown menu, create an account or login with account credentials
- Upload and attach all required materials under the four quadrants
- Once you have submitted names and emails for recommendations, recommendation requests are automatically generated.
- Complete payment for application: $70. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
- Once your application and payment have been submitted, you cannot add documents.
Cal State Apply
San Francisco State Graduate program applications are submitted through Cal State Apply. Cal State Apply is a Centralized Application Service (CAS) that simplifies the process of applying to CSU programs. You will only submit one application for the university and the graduate program.
Quadrant I: Personal Information
- Complete all of the required fields in the 7 sub-sections
- Fields noted as optional may be skipped
Quadrant II: Academic History
- Colleges attended: Add all previous institution information and dates attended
- Standardized tests: Standardized tests will be reported under Program Materials, click on "I am Not Adding Any Standardized Tests"
- GPA entries: Graduate Studies will calculate your GPA from your previous institution transcripts, click on "Don't have a GPA to add"
Quadrant III: Supporting Information
- Experiences: You may opt out of all supporting materials, unless your intended program instructs you to use these fields. Select "I Am Not Adding Any Experiences" in this section of the application.
Quadrant IV: Program Materials
- Program materials is composed of 4 separate tabs. Carefully read the Home tab as the program lists all required materials and important information on this tab.
- Questions: All required questions must be answered
- Documents: All required documents must be uploaded. Attach documents that are legible. You may need to resize any scanned PDFs so that you do not exceed the MB limit for each document.
- Recommendations: Once you have submitted names and emails for recommendations, recommendation requests are automatically generated.
- Do not wait for recommendations to be returned. Continue with the application process in order to meet your deadline.
After Submitting
- Applications will be sent electronically to the program once all materials have arrived and evaluators have evaluated the minimum requirements are met.
- The program reviews applications and makes their recommendations to the Graduate Division.
- You will receive an email notifying you that a decision is ready.
- Log into your Student Center to review the acceptance checklist. If you have not already arranged for submission of official copies of transcripts, test scores and degree certificates, you will need to make these arrangements.

United States of America, San Francisco