UTM190H5: Sociolinguistics and Writing for Social Change (SSc, HUM)
Special Topics at the Intersection of Social Science and Humanities
This 0.5 credit course can be used to satisfy either your Social Science (SSc) or Humanities (HUM) distribution requirement. This course is offered in the Winter term (January–April).
How does language reflect and reproduce social inequalities, and how can writing be used to challenge them? This course introduces students to foundational concepts in sociolinguistics, including language variation, multilingualism, language and identity, standard language ideologies, and attitudes toward language varieties (e.g., accented speech, non-standard grammar or spelling). Students will examine how these issues play out in the speech communities they belong to or are interested in and in society more broadly.
In addition to learning how language works socially, students will strengthen their academic and public writing skills. The course culminates in a research project in which students investigate a sociolinguistic issue they care about, write an argumentative essay, and then transform it into a public genre (e.g., podcast, op-ed, infographic) tailored to a real-world audience.
This course offers students the chance to:
- Understand how language shapes and reflects identity, power, and belonging.
- Develop critical thinking, research, and argumentation skills.
- Communicate effectively to both academic and public audiences.
- Learn to use writing as a tool for meaningful, socially engaged change.
This utmONE Scholars first-year seminar is taught by:
How to Apply
Students who receive an email invitation are eligible to apply. Invitations are sent on a rolling basis from May to June. In the application form, you will have the opportunity to provide application answers for both your first and second choice of utmONE Scholars seminar. Please be sure to read our FAQ section before applying.