Forensic Linguistics Certificate Overview
This advanced practice certificate in forensic linguistics is designed for professionals interested in gaining a foundational understanding of the application of science to language in the context of criminal and civil law.
This certificate is offered entirely online, and credits from the certificate’s coursework can be applied to several master’s degrees offered by CSFS.
Program Highlights
Pathway to a Master’s
The credits from this certificate coursework can be applied toward earning your master of science degree in forensic behavioral science or forensic leadership administration.
Entirely Online
The program is offered online, giving you the flexibility to complete your coursework virtually from a location of your choice.
From Discourse Analysis to Linguistic Profiling
You will gain skills in language and discourse analysis, forensic phonetics, linguistic dialectology, linguistic pattern analysis, plagiarism detection, and author profiling.
Admissions
Learn About Admissions Requirements
Faculty
Get to Know Our Diverse Faculty
Degree Information
Curriculum Plan
Course One: The Fundamentals of Forensic Linguistics
This course covers basic concepts in forensic linguistics, including a brief history of the field and the contexts in which it has been applied, such as author identification, discourse analysis, forensic phonetics, linguistic dialectology, and plagiarism detection.
Case examples that include death threats and suicide letters, valid and false confessions, authorship investigations, and perjury will be surveyed to illustrate the use of forensic linguistics in criminal and civil court proceedings, investigations, and intelligence. Considerations related to forensic linguistics and the judicial process, such as admissibility under Frye and Daubert standards and the contexts in which forensic linguists have served as consultants to the justice system to support comprehensibility of a range of legal issues by laypersons, both in the U.S. and internationally, will also be examined.
Course Two: Discourse as Evidence
This course provides an overview of the methodological approaches to language analysis, with a particular examination of the language of police interrogations, emergency calls, victim-witness and witness statements, confessions, and criminal threats.
Course Three: Evaluating Authorship
This course will teach students how to use metadata to evaluate linguistic patterns and variations that support accurate author profiling.
Links and Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this course taught online or on-campus?
The certificate program is offered exclusively online. All classes and coursework can be completed virtually, allowing you flexibility with your schedule.
Are scholarships and financial aid available?
Yes, there are private and public scholarships to help you meet the cost of your education and Alliant offers institutional scholarships for many of our students. Learn more about these scholarship opportunities here. Additional financial aid is available for those who qualify in the form of loans, grants, federal work study, and military aid. Learn more in our Financial Options Guide.
Why Alliant
At Alliant, our mission is to prepare students for professional careers of service and leadership and to promote the discovery and application of knowledge to improve lives. We offer an education that is accredited, focused on practical knowledge and skills, connected with diverse faculty and alumni, and aimed at the student experience.
Why CSFS
CSFS is dedicated to graduating rigorously educated and trained professionals who impact society, public opinion, and policy by applying science in preventing, investigating, and mitigating conflict and violence. CSFS is a corporate partner of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), and many of our advanced practice certificates are eligible for continuing education credit.
