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Engineering, Mathematics and Science
121
Is this the right course for you?
This course offers a unique combination of skills – technical,
mathematical, analytical and communicative. In doing so, it
provides two of the most sought after skills today: degree-level
fluency in a second language and a degree in computing,
opening up hosts of future career possibilities. Many of these
careers also involve the third degree-level competency of the
course – linguistics. Predictive text in telephones, automatic
speech recognition in directory enquiries, and internet search
engines are just three examples of technologies that derive from
computational linguistics; countless others are on the horizon.
The course is appealing to students with strengths in analytical
reasoning and an affinity for mastering languages but who do
not want to choose between arts and sciences. While the course
involves 50% focus on mathematics and computing, 25% on
linguistics and 25% on the language, the optional elements allow
students considerable flexibility to rebalance their major focus. If
you enjoy mathematics, languages and problem solving and are
interested in combining topics in creative and insightful ways,
then this may be the right course for you.
Course content
In the first two years, half of the programme is devoted to
computer science and half to the study of linguistics and your
chosen language. Computational linguistics is a theme that
unifies the three components. A year abroad is an integral part
of the programme, further developing language skills and
providing first-hand experience of university life in another
country. The year abroad provides additional options that
enhance the potential for students to define their own specialist
areas within the programme. The final year offers students the
opportunity to explore in greater depth areas where computers
and language meet or in the classical core of the constituent
disciplines: computer science, linguistics and a language.
Students complete increasingly complex projects in each
year of the programme.
All CSL students also participate in the Dublin Computational
Linguistics Research Seminar Series. This weekly seminar is
hosted jointly by TCD, UCD, DCU and DIT, rotating annually
among these partners. Seminars vary from industry talks to
breaking academic research. You will notice many CSLL (the
former course title for CSL) graduates among the world leaders
giving these lectures.
Junior and Senior Freshman
(first and second year) modules:
Junior Freshman
(1st year)
Senior Freshman
(2nd year)
Computer
science
Mathematics
Introduction to
programming
Representations and
computation
Discrete and
continuous
mathematics
Data structures
and programming
techniques
Natural language
processing
Linguistics
Introduction to the
study of language
(general linguistics)
Introduction to
phonetics and
phonology
Introduction to syntax
Syntactic theory
Introduction to
speech science
Formal semantics
Instrumental
phonetics
Computational
morphology
Statistics for
linguistics
Language
Written, oral and
aural language
fluency
Area studies
Written, oral and
aural language
fluency
The Sophister years
Junior Sophister (third year) students study computer science
and linguistics at a university abroad (typically in Belgium,
France, Germany or Scotland, depending on the language
studied). The subjects you study during this year will depend
on the specialist area of the particular university you choose,
allowing you build a degree specifically focused on your interests
and strengths. In the Senior Sophister (fourth) year you will take
advanced modules in interdisciplinary areas such as artificial
intelligence, information systems, computer processing of
human language, and the analysis and synthesis of the human
voice. You will also proceed to advanced study in your chosen
language, perfecting both your oral skills and your written skills
in résumé, translation and essay writing.
An optional module and a major interdisciplinary project allow
you to specialise in areas you particularly enjoy and to shape the
degree around your individual strengths. Examples of final-year
module options include computer graphics, databases, fuzzy
logic, natural language evolution, and human second-language
acquisition.
Assessment
Written examinations, course work and projects are all used
in assessment. You will also complete a final-year dissertation
amounting to a substantial proportion of your overall degree
result.