The academic advising system distinguishes The College of William and Mary as a university that values high-quality faculty/student interaction. Meetings with faculty advisors are a key feature of the program preparation and educational development of students.

Linguistics is the study of language both as a faculty of mind and as a social institution. Although linguistics is itself a discipline, the concentration at William and Mary is administered through the Roy R. Charles Center as an interdisciplinary program. The minor in linguistics is offered through the Department of English, where most of the linguistics faculty are also housed. A concentration in linguistics provides the student with comprehensive exposure to a range of topics concerning the structure, history, acquisition, and cultural use of language.