Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other.

Degree Overview

Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other (CIP 16.9999) is the ultimate multidisciplinary "catch-all" category for language professionals who operate at the frontiers of human communication. While traditional degrees focus on a single, well-known language, this field is designed for linguistic pioneers who manage rare languages, extinct tongues, or the interaction between human speech and artificial intelligence. It is a path for "polyglot analysts" who study constructed languages (Conlangs), endangered indigenous tongues, or the mathematical modeling of language families.

This field is ideal for "intellectual architects"—individuals who are fascinated by the "DNA of speech" and want to apply linguistic theory to global security, technology, or cultural preservation.

What Is a 16.9999 "Other" Foreign Language Degree?

A degree in this category is a research-intensive STEM-adjacent path that emphasizes structural logic, cross-cultural data analysis, and language documentation. You will study the "Linguistic Core"—phonetics, syntax, and semantics—but apply them to highly specialized or emerging areas. Because this code is used for programs that are "ahead of the curve," your studies might focus on Linguistic Relativity (how language shapes thought), Computational Philology, or the revitalization of "dormant" languages. It prepares you to be a "Master Language Consultant" capable of navigating communication systems that don't fit into a standard box.

Schools offer this degree to:

• Train "Language Engineers" who create the data sets used to teach AI to understand "low-resource" languages (languages with little online presence)
• Develop experts in Decipherment and Epigraphy, helping to unlock the meaning of lost scripts and ancient writing systems
• Prepare professionals for Forensic Language Analysis, identifying the origin of anonymous text through "linguistic fingerprinting"
• Study Language Policy and Planning, advising governments on how to manage multi-lingual societies and minority rights

What Will You Learn?

Students learn that language is both a biological instinct and a digital data set. You focus on the deep structural patterns that connect all human speech, regardless of the specific language.

Core Skills You’ll Build

Most students learn to:

• Master Phonetic Analysis—using acoustic software to map the exact physical sounds of rare or unwritten languages
• Use "Syntax Trees" to diagram the logical architecture of complex sentences across different language families
• Design Field Research Frameworks for interviewing native speakers of endangered tongues in remote areas
• Perform Statistical Linguistics—using math to determine how quickly languages change and branch off over time
• Utilize Natural Language Processing (NLP) Fundamentals to bridge the gap between human grammar and computer code
• Understand Cognitive Semantics—how the brain organizes meaning and metaphors in different cultural contexts

Topics You May Explore

Coursework is a highly customizable blend of social science, history, and technology:

• Endangered Language Documentation: Learning the ethics and techniques for recording languages before they go extinct.
• Constructed Languages (Conlanging): The study of how languages like Esperanto or Klingon are built from scratch.
• Translation Theory and Ethics: Understanding the "untranslatable" and the power dynamics of global communication.
• Areal Linguistics: Studying how different languages in the same geographic area (like the Balkans or the Amazon) begin to sound alike.
• Bio-Linguistics: Exploring the genetic and neurological foundations of the human "language faculty."
• Linguistic Human Rights: The study of how law and policy affect the survival of minority languages.

What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?

Graduates find roles as elite analysts, technical leads, and researchers in the tech, government, and non-profit sectors.

Common job roles include:

• Computational Linguist: Training AI models to understand human intent, sarcasm, and cultural nuance.
• Regional Intelligence Specialist: Working for agencies like the State Department or NSA to decode complex regional communications.
• Localization Lead: Managing the "globalization" of software, ensuring it is culturally and linguistically accurate in hundreds of markets.
• Language Revitalization Coordinator: Working for tribal governments or NGOs to teach and preserve indigenous languages.
• Forensic Linguist: Working with law enforcement to analyze threats, ransom notes, or legal contracts.
• Lexicographer/Data Curator: Building the massive digital dictionaries and "word-nets" that power modern search engines.

Where Can You Work?

These specialists are the "bridge-builders" of the globalized, digital age:

• Tech Giants: Working on the future of AI and voice technology at companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, or Meta.
• Intelligence and Defense: Working on national security, signals intelligence, and diplomatic strategy.
• International Organizations: Working for the UN, UNESCO, or the Red Cross on global communication and cultural rights.
• Higher Education and Research Labs: Leading the next generation of discovery in the "Science of Language."
• Museums and Libraries: Protecting and interpreting the world's most rare and ancient linguistic artifacts.

How Much Can You Earn?

Because of the "AI Boom" and the high demand for experts in "low-resource" languages, salaries for these specialists have risen sharply.

• Computational Linguists/NLP Specialists: Median annual salary of approximately $98,000–$150,000.
• Regional Intelligence Analysts: Salaries typically range from $85,000 to $125,000+.
• Global Localization Managers: Median annual salary of around $80,000–$115,000.
• Entry-Level Language Researchers: Often start between $55,000 and $72,000.

Is This Degree Hard?

The difficulty is in the extreme level of abstraction. You are not just learning "words"; you are learning the mathematical and logical structures of human thought. It requires a highly analytical and precise mindset—you must be comfortable with formal logic, data sets, and the deep, often messy history of human culture. It is a research-intensive major that requires immense patience for "deciphering" patterns that others might miss. It is a major that rewards those who are "bilingual" in both the humanities and the sciences.

Who Should Consider This Degree?

This degree may be a good fit if you:

• Are a "natural code-breaker" who sees patterns in grammar and accents
• Love the idea of using technology to save a dying culture or language
• Are fascinated by the "Big Question" of whether our language determines how we see the world
• Want a career that allows you to be a "Global Citizen," working across borders and cultures
• Enjoy the mix of deep library research and high-tech computer modeling

How to Prepare in High School

• Take at least two Foreign Languages; focus on how they differ in structure, not just vocabulary
• Take AP Psychology and AP Computer Science; they provide the cognitive and digital foundations of the field
• Practice Logic Puzzles and Coding; the way you analyze a sentence is very similar to the way you analyze an algorithm
• Join a Speech, Debate, or Model UN club to practice the art of high-level communication
• Read about The History of Writing and the "Decipherment of Ancient Scripts" to see the "detective work" side of the field

The ability to apply deep linguistic mastery and structural logic to the world's most complex and rare communication systems is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.