Virtual Summer 2020 Orientation for Incoming Students

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, Iowa State University has made the difficult decision to transition to online orientation services this summer and expand programming during Week of Welcome in August. Even though orientation and course registration will be virtual this summer, we promise you a warm welcome this fall and assure you that you will get the support you need to succeed and thrive at Iowa State.

New students will be contacted by May 4 with more details on how to complete online orientation at your own pace anytime between June 1 and 26. Please watch your email for more details. The primary family member listed on the application for admission will also be contacted.

After completing the online modules, you will be able to set up a virtual advising appointment in the month of June. We recommend starting the online orientation as soon as possible.

Preparing For Your Advising Meeting

Please start by downloading either the Linguistics Program Requirements Worksheet or, if you are interested in following the pre-Speech Language Pathology path, the Linguistics + SLP Requirements Worksheet.

Please watch a short video on how to prepare for your advising meeting, then read the following.


Step 1

Begin by clicking on this link to access the General Education Approved Course List for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The courses listed on this page are approved courses you can take to meet general education requirements.

  • Be sure to note that you’re looking at each tab separately – Arts and Humanities, Mathematical Disciplines, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Department of English majors need 9 credit hours of Arts and Humanities, 3 credit hours of Mathematical Disciplines, 8 credit hours of Natural Sciences, and 9 credit hours of Social Sciences.
  • Click on individual courses to read the course description as well as see whether a course is offered Fall, Spring, or both.
  • Write down which classes you’d be interested in taking for the Fall 2020 semester. A student needs 12 credit hours to be considered full-time. In case your first choices are full by the time you register, have a list of 2nd and 3rd choices.

Step 2

After you’ve reviewed your options for the General Education courses and read the course descriptions, click on this link to access the Schedule of Classes. Here you can view what classes are being offered for the Fall 2020 semester.

  • Write down the sections and times of classes you are interested in taking. Be sure to write down the course and section numbers (for example Psych 230 Sec. 1 Tues/Th 9:30-10:45).
  • Make sure you are writing down classes that do not overlap or conflict in meeting times. Keep in mind that you should plan to register for the Science of Language Learning Community, which includes LING 101 on Fridays 1:10-2, LING 119 on MWF 3:10-4, and ENGL 214 on MWF at 12:10-1.
  • Consider how to make a schedule that will work best for you. Some students like starting fresh in the morning, others prefer to go later into the day. Some like the efficiency of having classes back to back and others prefer some time in between to get work done. Not every class has a choice about times, but it’s good to think about how scheduling can help you set yourself up for success.

Additional Resources

From Our Graduates

Hear from some of our graduates about their experiences in the Linguistics Program.

Carly Sommerlot, Linguistics and International Studies

Wesley Martin, Linguistics

Miles Conlan, Linguistics

Riley Dawson Hushak, English and Linguistics

Mary O’Bannon, Linguistics


The English Advising Team:

  • Taylor Anne Barriuso (Linguistics advisor) barriuso@iastate.edu
  • Christiana Langenberg, Advising Coordinator (focus on Engl Literature, Creative Writing) clang@iastate.edu
  • Pat Johnson (focus on English Education) pat@iastate.edu
  • Samantha Robinson-Adams (focus on English Rhetoric, also advisor for Technical Communications, Speech Communications) slr@iastate.edu