Our Accelerated Graduate Pathway to the University of Maine School of Law allows you to complete both a Bachelor’s and a JD degree in as few as six years, rather than the usual seven. During your final year of undergraduate study, if you meet progress requirements and Law School admissions standards, you can begin taking graduate-level Law courses. These courses will satisfy credit requirements for your undergraduate program as well as the Law program. You’ll save up to 30 credits worth of undergraduate fees, tuition, and expenses.

This means that you’ll complete your undergraduate Linguistics credit requirements at the University of Southern Maine in 3 years, rather than the usual 4. This involves a rigorous full-time course schedule. The sample Course Progression below illustrates what your undergraduate course schedule could look like if you major in Linguistics.

Course Progression

BA Linguistics

Year 1: Fall

  • Departmental Language Study Requirement (4 cr)
  • ENG 100 College Writing (3 cr)
  • International Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 1: Spring

  • Department Language Study Requirement (4 cr)
  • LIN 185/LIN 186 Language, Mind, and Society: An Intro to Linguistics/Lab (4 cr)
  • Quantitative Reasoning Core Requirement (4 cr)
  • LIN course [excluding LIN 498 and interpretation courses] OR
  • ENG 230, 330. 331, 332, 336, 337, 338, or 431 (3 cr)

Year 2: Fall

  • Departmental Language Study Requirement (4 cr)
  • LIN 314 Semantics OR LIN 317 Two Languages, One Mind (3 cr)
  • LIN 313 Syntax (3 cr)
  • Creative Expression Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • WRI 2 Core Requirement (3 cr)

Year 2: Spring

  • Departmental Language Study Requirement (4 cr)
  • LIN 312 Phonology and Morphology (3 cr)
  • LIN 315 Field Methods OR LIN 316 Language Variation (3 cr)
  • 300- or 400-level LIN course OR ASL 416 ASL Linguistics in ASL (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr) 

Year 3: Fall

  • LIN 400-level course (3 cr)
  • LIN 311 Phonetics (3 cr)
  • Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, and Citizenship Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • WRI 3 Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 3: Spring

  • LIN 490 Introduction to Language Research (3 cr)
  • LIN 400-level course (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

BA Linguistics, Concentration in ASL-English Interpreting

Year 1: Fall

  • LIN 105 Contrastive Analysis: ASL and English (3 cr)
  • ASL 201* Intermediate American Sign Language I (4 cr)
  • ENG 100 College Writing (3 cr)
  • International Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 1: Spring

  • LIN 331 ASL/English Interpreting (3 cr)
  • ASL 202 Intermediate American Sign Language II (4 cr)
  • LIN 185/186 Language, Mind, and Society: An Intro to Linguistics/Lab (4 cr)
  • Quantitative Reasoning Core Requirement (4 cr)

Year 2: Fall

  • LIN 310 Signs of Language in the Brain (3 cr)
  • LIN 313 Syntax (3 cr)
  • LIN 401 Foundations of Interpreting I (1 cr)
  • ASL 401 Advanced American Sign Language I (4 cr)
  • WRI 2 Core Requirement (3 cr)

Year 2: Spring

  • LIN 425 Topics (3 cr)
  • LIN 203 Introduction to the Deaf World (3 cr)
  • LIN 400-level course [excluding LIN 498 and interpretation courses] (3 cr)
  • ASL 402 Advanced American Sign Language II (4 cr)

Year 3: Fall

  • LIN 332 Consecutive Interpreting and Deaf/Hearing Interpreter Teams (3 cr)
  • LIN 334 Interpreting: Source Language English (3 cr)
  • LIN 333 Interpreting: Source Language ASL (3 cr)
  • LIN 402 Foundations of Interpreting II (1 cr)
  • Creative Expression Core Requirement (3 cr)

Year 3: Spring

  • LIN 410 Ethical Decision Making in ASL/English Interpreting (3 cr)
  • LIN 435 Advanced Interpreting and Practicum I (6 cr)
  • ASL 415 Literature in ASL OR ASL 416 ASL Linguistics in ASL OR ASL 417 Deaf Art, Film and Theater in ASL (3 cr)
  • LIN 403 Foundations of Interpreting III (1 cr)
  • WRI 3 Core Requirement (3 cr)

*It is expected that students attempting this pathway have either 1. taken ASL 101 and 102 at USM, 2. transferred the equivalent of ASL 101 and 102 into USM, or 3. have attained a commensurate level of proficiency and tested into the ASL 201 level.

If you’re admitted to the University of Maine School of Law:

Year 4: Fall

  • LAW 613 Civil Procedure (4 cr)
  • LAW 603 Contracts (4 cr)
  • LAW 607 Legal Research, Analysis, & Communication I (3 cr)
  • LAW 611 Torts (4 cr)

Year 4: Spring

  • LAW 620 Constitutional Law (4 cr)
  • LAW 605 Criminal Law (4 cr)
  • LAW 608 Legal Research, Analysis, & Communication II (3 cr)
  • LAW 610 Property (4 cr)

 Read more about University of Maine School of Law First Year Courses