<p>I'm a prospective linguistics major and I know the linguistics department at Carleton is very small; when I visited last spring I sat in on a class and talked with one of the linguistics professors and she seemed very nice and knowledgeable. Because of the size of the program, however, and the fact that it's technically a "special major" and not an official one, I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about the linguistics program. Is it decent or does it end up falling in the shadow of Carleton's extremely strong sciences? Does it feel limiting to be in such a small program? And would it be a disadvantage if I was looking at grad schools later on?</p>
<p>I have several friends who are taking linguistics classes and are exploring a possibility of majoring in it, and they are simply fascinated. I don’t know if it’s because of the department specifically, or linguistics in general. The professors seem to be very up to standard from what I have heard.</p>
<p>The linguistics department has now reached a critical mass with two professors and one visiting professor, and is no longer a “special major.” This term is the first time that sophomores have been able to declare a linguistics major the same way they would declare a biology major or what have you. Carleton has committed resources to the department, and it seems to be growing and to have a devoted group of students and faculty. Of course, it probably cannot compare with a well-established linguistics major at a school known for its strength in that discipline. That said, a student who believes that Carleton’s atmosphere is the right one for him or her can probably learn and thrive in the linguistics department there.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn’t know it wasn’t a special major anymore! What you both said sounds promising. I’m going to be visiting in a couple weeks, so I guess I’ll be able to see for myself how much it’s grown in the year since I last visited 
Thanks for the input.</p>