A self‑paced, entirely free curriculum designed to give you the core knowledge of an undergraduate Theoretical Linguistics program.
Inspired by Forrest Knight’s Open Source CS Degree.
- Work through the modules in order (or tailor to your background).
- Track your progress by editing the check‑boxes in the tables below or in each module’s README.
- Join linguistics communities (e.g. r/linguistics, Linguist List) for discussion and accountability.
- Complete a small capstone project to synthesize everything you learn.
| # | Module | Representative Course | Est. Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundations & Intro | MIT 24.900 – Intro to Linguistics | 12 wks | Basics of linguistics |
| 2 | Phonetics & Phonology | MIT 24.961 – Intro to Phonology | 12 wks | IPA mastery |
| 3 | Morphology & Syntax | MIT 24.951 – Intro to Syntax | 12 wks | Generative grammar |
| 4 | Semantics & Pragmatics | MIT 24.903 – Semantics & Pragmatics | 12 wks | Meaning & use |
| 5 | Logic & Formal Tools | Language, Proof & Logic | 8 wks | Formal reasoning |
| 6 | Field Methods & Typology | WALS & Fieldwork Guide | 8 wks | Cross‑linguistic data |
| 7 | Sociolinguistics & Historical | OSU Sociolinguistics; Comparative IE Ling. | 8 wks | Language change & society |
| 8 | Capstone & Electives | ELAN / Praat project | 4–12 wks | Original research |
- [ ] Foundations & Intro
- [ ] Phonetics & Phonology
- [ ] Morphology & Syntax
- [ ] Semantics & Pragmatics
- [ ] Logic & Formal Tools
- [ ] Field Methods & Typology
- [ ] Sociolinguistics & Historical
- [ ] Capstone & ElectivesMIT