Undergraduate Course Descriptions
LCD 101. Introduction to Language. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
A survey of the study of language: Structure, language and society, first and second language acquisition, and other related topics. Fall, Spring.
Satisfies Pathways LANG requirement.
LCD 102. Analyzing Language. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Developing and evaluating hypotheses about linguistic data drawn from a variety of languages in the areas of sound structure (phonology), word structure (morphology), and sentence structure (syntax).
Satisfies Pathways SW, LANG requirements.
LCD 103. Multilingualism in the United States. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
This is a reading course for undergraduates, with an intersection of topics and concepts from linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology and education. It is designed for students interested in gaining a deeper understanding of some of the linguistic and cultural groups that make up US society and the issues that surround and confound them.
Satisfies Pathways USED and PLAS CV, US requirements.
LCD 105. Introduction to Psycholinguistics. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Linguistic and psychological processes underlying communication. Fall, Spring
LCD 106. Introduction to Communication Disorders. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
The study of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders in children and adults. Fall, Spring
LCD 110. Phonetics. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
The nature of speech production; phonetic properties of language; practice in hearing, producing, and transcribing speech sounds. Fall, Spring
LCD 116. Introduction to Morphology. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Morphological theory; how words are formed; rules for determining the meaning and pronunciation of words cross-linguistically.
LCD 120. Understanding English Grammar. 3 hr.; 3 cr. Introduction to the salient characteristics and major patterns of words, phrases, and sentences in English.
LCD 130. The Sound Structure of English. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
The study of the articulation and patterning of sounds in English, with implications for TESOL.
LCD 150. Linguistic Phonetics. 3 hr.; 3 cr. An introduction to phonetic science as used in linguistic theory and research. It covers how speech sounds in the world’s languages are articulated and transcribed with the International Phonetic Alphabet as well as the use of acoustic analysis software to reveal acoustic properties of consonants, vowels, and prosody.
LCD 203. Languages of the World. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 101 or 104 or 105 or Anth 108. A survey of selected aspects of several languages, drawn from different families. There are several writing assignments in this course.
LCD 205. Sociolinguistics. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 101 or 104 or 105 or Anth 108. Introduction to the study of the relationship between language and society. Socio-cultural factors which influence language form, use, and history. Spring
LCD 206. Bilingualism. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 101 or 105. Psychological, social, and educational aspects of bilingualism. There are several writing assignments in this course.
LCD 207. Anatomy and Physiology for Speech and Language. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 105, 106, and 110 with a combined GPA of at least 2.6. Study of respiratory, phonatory, articulatory, and nervous systems as they relate to speech production and language systems. Course must be completed with a grade of B– or better to satisfy the major requirement. Fall, Spring
LCD 208. Hearing Science. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 105, 106, and 110 with a combined GPA of at least 2.6. Principles of acoustics, anatomy, and physiology of the ear and auditory system, and psychoacoustics. Course must be completed with a grade of B– or better to satisfy the major requirement. Fall, Spring
LCD 209. Language and Mind. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 101/ANTH 108 or LCD 105. Influential views in the acquisition of language; the relationship between language and thought; the relation between language and culture/world view.
LCD 216. Language Acquisition. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 105, 106, and 110 with a combined GPA of at least 2.6. The acquisition of language in children with special attention to linguistic, cognitive, and social development. Course must be completed with a grade of B– or better to satisfy the major requirement. Fall, Spring
LCD 220. Advanced English Syntax. 3 hr.; 3 cr. Prereq.: LCD 101 and 120. Developing a theoretical framework for the analysis of simple and complex sentences in English.
LCD 240. Second Language Acquisition and Teaching. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 101 and satisfactory performance on the department’s English Language Proficiency Test. The application of linguistic science to teaching in language-related areas. Includes a survey of research in the linguistic, psychological, and sociolinguistic aspects of second language acquisition. There is a substantial writing commitment in this course.
LCD 241. Methods and Materials of TESOL: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. 3 hr. plus 50 hr. of fieldwork; 4 cr.
Coreq./Prereq.: LCD 240, SEYS 201, 221, EECE 310. Prereq.: LCD 120 and 130. This course is an introduction to the methods and materials used in TESOL/ESL courses. We will focus on applying these methods to the teaching of the four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The class covers how to adapt methods and materials to suit learner populations of different ages and at varying levels of English proficiency. The role of instructional technology (e.g. audiovisual, multimedia, computers in ESL instruction) will also be addressed. There is a field experience requirement in a variety of school settings in conformity with New York State Certification requirements. Classes may sometimes be held at these locations.
LCD 244W. Language and Social Diversity. 3 hr.; 3 cr. Students explore dialectal and linguistic diversity as a form of social diversity in various countries around the world. Students read and report on research articles on these topics and collaborate on an original class research project that examines one linguistic phenomenon in its social context.
LCD 250. Phonology. 3 hr; 3 cr. Prereq.: LCD 101 and 150. This course examines the major sound patterns of human language, as gleaned from a wide variety of languages. It teaches in a step-by-step fashion the techniques of phonological analysis and the fundamental theories that underpin it. Students will learn how to analyze phonological data, how to think critically about data, how to formulate rules and hypotheses, and how to test them.
LCD 283. Quantitative Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
An introduction to the quantitative analysis of data. Topics include probability, descriptive statistics, basic measurement, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, simple analysis of variance, and simple correlation. Spring
LCD 306. Semantics and Pragmatics. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Coreq./Prereq.: LCD 220. A survey of properties of meaning in language (semantics) and communication strategies people use when they talk to each other (pragmatics). There is a substantial writing commitment in this course.
LCD 307. Assessment in TESOL. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Coreq./Prereq.: LCD 340. An introduction to the field of language assessment, with particular emphasis on TESOL. Basic concepts in measurement and statistics, standardized and classroom-based language test development and evaluation, standards-based assessment—with particular reference to New York State ESL and content-area standards—and assessment of specific language skills. How to design classroom-based language tests (objectives- and standards-referenced), to articulate the rationale for a self-designed test, and to become informed users of tests taken by New York State English language learners.
LCD 309. Speech Science. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: A grade of B– or better in LCD 207 and 208. The acoustical components of speech and their physiological correlates: information-bearing elements in the speech signal and their perceptual processing. Fall, Spring
LCD 312. Literacy and Language Arts in Multicultural Populations. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 241. This course provides a theoretical and practical background in the issues related to the development of reading and writing for second language, bilingual children and adolescents. Among the units are the relationships between oral and written language, the role of oral language acquisition and phonemic awareness, the influence of socio-cultural factors, developing advanced literacy through the language arts and literature, and the effect of specific language disabilities. The course will include assessment, methods, and materials development.
LCD 316. Language and Communication in the School-Aged Child. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: A grade of B– or better in LCD 216. Linguistic, cognitive, and communicative development in children with a view toward application in educational settings. Fall, Spring
LCD 322. Disorders of Speech. 3 lec., 1 clinical lab. hr.; 4 cr.
Prereq.: A grade of B– or better in LCD 207. The symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of various speech disorders, such as stuttering, disorders of voice and articulation, and speech impairments associated with cleft palate, dysarthria, and motor disorders. Includes laboratory. Fall, Spring
LCD 323. Disorders of Language. 3 hr. lec., 1 hr. clinical lab.; 4 cr.
Prereq.: A grade of B– or better in LCD 207 and 216. The symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of language disorders in children and adults, such as aphasia, autism, language-learning disabilities, and language disorders associated with cognitive disorders. Fall, Spring
LCD 324. Linguistic Field Methods and Endangered Languages in Queens. 3 hr.; 3 cr. Prereq: LCD 116, 250, and 220. In this course, we take turns eliciting words and sentences from a native speaker of an unfamiliar language and collectively work out the rules and patterns of their language based on their responses. We record stories and narratives and analyze them word by word with the same goal. Students will learn state-of-the-art techniques in video and audio recording as well as creating time aligned annotations and linguistic databases. The course will be typologically oriented, meaning we will tackle grammatical themes with a view towards cross-linguistic comparison. It will also be concerned with collecting examples of authentic spoken language and the analysis of (oral) texts.
LCD 330. Audiology I. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: A grade of B– or better in LCD 207 and 208. An introduction to the measurement and evaluation of hearing loss, stressing pure tone audiometry, basic speech audiometry, basic impedance tests, and clinical aspects of masking. An introduction to hearing aids and aural rehabilitation. Fall, Spring
LCD 340. Methods and Materials of TESOL: The Content Areas. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Coreq.: LCD 341. Prereq.: LCD 241. Introduction to the theory and practice of language teaching approaches used in TESOL/ESL courses which focus on thematic units and subject areas, i.e., mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. With particular attention to the development of language and literacy skills, the course will include adaptation of methods and materials to suit non-native speakers of English as well as special education students at the elementary and secondary levels.
LCD 341. Student Teaching Internship in TESOL I. 3 hr. plus 20 hr. per week of student teaching; 5 cr.
Coreq.: LCD 340. Supervised student teaching in ESL classes at either the elementary or secondary level, plus a weekly seminar at the College.
LCD 342. Student Teaching Internship in TESOL II. 3 hr. plus 20 hr. per week of student teaching; 5 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 340 and 341. Supervised student teaching in ESL classes at either the elementary or secondary level, complementing the level of student teaching in LCD 341, plus a weekly seminar at the College.
LCD 360. Issues in Linguistic Research. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: LCD 101. This course focuses on contemporary issues in any of the major branches of linguistics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary sufficiently. There is a substantial writing commitment in this course.
LCD 388 Voices of New York. 3 hr.; 3 cr.
Prereq.: 6 credits in social sciences or in courses in the Department of Linguistics and Communication Disorders, or permission of instructor. A research seminar using sociolinguistic and anthropological perspectives to explore current language use and attitudes in New York. Students will formulate research questions, and design and carry out original field research projects to answer these questions.
LCD 396. Honors Thesis Tutorial. 3 cr. Prereq. 324, 360, 380, or 388: Open to students in their final semester. The thesis is the exposition of a major work of original research in linguistics the student creates. The topic should be a continuation of research the student has worked on in a previous 300-level class such as LCD 324, 360, 380, 388, or a prior independent study. Students meet weekly alone or in small groups with a faculty mentor as they carry out research and write up their results. The deadline for submitting theses is the meeting of the 13th week of classes of the semester. Students defend their work before two or more faculty during finals week.