The BA-Linguistics program, offered by the Department of Linguistics and Language Development, undertakes the scientific study of the nature, structure and function of language. Linguists study the origins of language, the meaning and history of words, variation in language, what language tells us about the workings of the human mind, and the practical aspects of language, including intercultural communication, language learning and teaching, and language as a conveyor of information in profound human arenas, such as medicine and law. Linguistics is also a central discipline that is involved in communicating with machines using natural language (i.e., artificial intelligence and machine recognition and synthesis of speech). The program offers state-of-the-art equipment for the acoustic and perceptual study of speech. Students in the major acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills and receive excellent preparation for advanced studies in linguistics as well as anthropology, communication, education, law, and speech and hearing. Students with knowledge of more than one language have an excellent background for the study of linguistics.