Summer Language Courses and Programs

In the summer, students from around the nation enroll in intensive UW-Madison courses to complete the equivalent of one year of instruction in just 8 weeks. Languages are taught in the summer term through the Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI) and through departments in the College of Letters & Science.

Summer 2024 Language Offerings

To enroll in one of UW-Madison’s intensive language classes follow these steps.

  1. Choose from the languages listed below. Be sure to note the program/department through which the language is offered.
  2. Enroll for the language course, or if the course is offered through Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes, apply to the program first.

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Intensive Summer Multilanguage Seminar

The Department of African Cultural Studies in partnership with the Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI) administers a FLAS-eligible online program, African 672: Intensive Summer Multilanguage Seminar.

Developed by Professor Katrina Daly Thompson and led by Dr. Adeola Agoke, this eight-week, eight-credit course is forstudents to engage in supported, self-directed language study. Students wishing to study languages from any world region are eligible to apply. The Summer Intensive Multilanguage Seminar will be offered as an online asynchronous course, so students can take part from anywhere.

Successful applicants fit one of two criteria:

  1. Students who have achieved such an advanced level of language proficiency that traditional programs no longer serve their learning needs, or
  2. Students who are studying rarely taught languages that are otherwise not offered in the classroom.

Please find more information here.

American Sign Language (ASL)

LING 351: American Sign Language I

LING 352: American Sign Language 2

Offered through the Language Sciences

Contact Rebecca Shields, rashields@wisc.edu, with questions.

Arabic

Offered in the summer through the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI). (Offered in the academic year through the Department of African Cultural Studies.)

AFRICAN 339: First Semester Summer Arabic

AFRICAN 340: Second Semester Summer Arabic

AFRICAN 341: Third Semester Summer Arabic

AFRICAN 342: Fourth Semester Summer Arabic

AFRICAN 343: Fifth Semester Summer Arabic

AFRICAN 344: Sixth Semester Summer Arabic

Offered through the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI).

Azerbaijani

Offered in the summer pending student interest through the Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI)

Bengali

Elementary and Intermediate Bengali offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Bengali

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Bengali

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Bengali

ASIALANG 358: Fourth Semester Bengali

Burmese

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI).

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Burmese

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Burmese

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Burmese

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Burmese

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Burmese

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Burmese

Danish

Offered in the summer through NORD: The Scandinavian Summer Language Institute.
(Offered during the academic year through the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+.)

SCAND ST 121: First Semester Danish

SCAND ST 122: Second Semester Danish

Dari

Offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Dari

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Dari

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Dari

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Dari

Filipino

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Filipino

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Filipino

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Filipino

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Filipino

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Filipino

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Filipino

French

French 101: First Semester French
French 102: Second Semester French
French 203: Third Semester French
French 204: Fourth Semester French

Offered through the Department of French and Italian.

Contact ugrad@frit.wisc.edu with questions.

German

German 101: First Semester German
German 401: First Semester German for Graduate Students

Offered through the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+.

Contact Joanna Schuth, jschuth@wisc.edu, with questions.

Gujarati

Elementary and Intermediate Gujarati offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Gujarati

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Gujarati

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Gujarati

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Gujarati

Hebrew

Elementary Hebrew is offered in the summer through the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI). (Offered during the academic year through the Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies.)

HEBR-MOD 101: First Semester Hebrew

HEBR-MOD 102: Second Semester Hebrew

HEBR-MOD 201: Third Semester Hebrew

HEBR-MOD 202: Fourth Semester Hebrew

Hindi

Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Hindi offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Hindi

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Hindi

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Hindi

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Hindi

ASIALANG 517: Fifth Semester Hindi

ASIALANG 527: Sixth Semester Hindi

Hmong

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Hmong

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Hmong

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Hmong

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Hmong

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Hmong

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Hmong

Indonesian

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Indonesian

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Indonesian

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Indonesian

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Indonesian

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Indonesian

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Indonesian

Italian

Italian 201: Accelerated First Year Italian

Offered through the Department of French and Italian.

Contact ugrad@frit.wisc.edu with questions.

Japanese

Offered through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures

ASIALANG 376: Japanese Conversation

Contact Rachel Weiss, rweiss@wisc.edu, with questions.

Javanese

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI).

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Javanese

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Javanese

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Javanese

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Javanese

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Javanese

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Javanese

Kazakh

Offered in the summer through the Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+.)

GNS 331: First Semester Kazakh

GNS 332: Second Semester Kazakh

GNS 431: Third Semester Kazakh

GNS 432: Fourth Semester Kazakh

GNS 531: Fifth Semester Kazakh

GNS 532: Sixth Semester Kazakh

Khmer

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI).

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Khmer

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Khmer

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Khmer

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Khmer

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Khmer

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Khmer

Korean

Offered through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures

ASIALANG 205: Third Semester Korean

ASIALANG 206: Fourth Semester Korean

Contact Rachel Weiss, rweiss@wisc.edu, with questions.

Kyrgyz

Offered pending student interest through the Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI).

Lao

Offered through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI).

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Lao

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Lao

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Lao

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Lao

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Lao

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Lao

Marathi

Offered through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Marathi

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Marathi

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Marathi

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Marathi

Nepali

Offered through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Nepali

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Nepali

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Nepali

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Nepali

Pashto

Elementary and Intermediate Pashto offered through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Pashto

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Pashto

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Pashto

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Pashto

Persian

Offered in the summer through the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI). (Offered in the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 355: First Semester Persian

ASIALANG 356: Second Semester Persian

ASIALANG 357: Third Semester Persian

ASIALANG 358: Fourth Semester Persian

ASIALANG 337: Fifth Semester Persian

ASIALANG 338: Sixth Semester Persian

Portuguese (Brazilian)

Beginning Brazilian Portuguese is offered in the summer through the Summer Intensive Portuguese Institute (SIPI). (Offered in the academic year through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.)

PORTUGUESE 301: Intensive Portuguese

PORTUGUESE 302: Intensive Portuguese

Punjabi

Elementary and Intermediate Pashto offered through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Punjabi

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Punjabi

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Punjabi

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Punjabi

Russian

Offered through the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+

SLAVIC 101: First Semester Russian

SLAVIC 102: Second Semester Russian

SLAVIC 117: Intensive Second Year Russian

SLAVIC 118: Intensive Second Year Russian

Contact Joanna Schuth, jschuth@wisc.edu, with questions.

Sanskrit

Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Sanskrit offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI). Offered in the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Sanskrit

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Sanskrit

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Sanskrit

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Sanskrit

ASIALANG 517: Fifth Semester Sanskrit

ASIALANG 527: Sixth Semester Sanskrit

Sinhala

Offered through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Sinhala

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Sinhala

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Sinhala

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Sinhala

Spanish

Offered through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Spanish 101: First Semester Spanish

Spanish 203: Third Semester Spanish

Spanish 204: Fourth Semester Spanish

Spanish 223: Introduction to Hispanic Cultures

Spanish 224: Introduction to Hispanic Literatures

Spanish 225: Lying, Swearing, and Breaking the Rules: An Introduction to the Linguistic Study of Spanish

Spanish 311: Advanced Language Practice

Spanish 319: Topics in Spanish Language Practice

Spanish 325: Advanced Conversation

Spanish 445: Culture and Environment in the Luso-Hispanic World

Spanish 468: Span-American Urban Palimpsest

Spanish 468: Truth and Justice

Contact Karen Francis, karen.francis@wisc.edu, with questions.

Swedish

Offered in the summer through NORD: The Scandinavian Summer Language Institute.
(Offered in the academic year through the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+.)

SCAND ST 111: First Semester Swedish

SCAND ST 112: Second Semester Swedish

Tajik

Offered in the summer through the Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI).

GNS 351: First Semester Tajik

GNS 352: Second Semester Tajik

GNS 451: Third Semester Tajik

GNS 452: Fourth Semester Tajik

GNS 551: Fifth Semester Tajik

GNS 552: Sixth Semester Tajik

Tamil

Offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Tamil

ASIALANG 356: Second Semester Tamil

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Tamil

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Tamil

Thai

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Thai

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Thai

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Thai

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Thai

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Thai

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Thai

Tibetan

Elementary and Intermediate Tibetan offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Modern Tibetan

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Modern Tibetan

ASIALANG 357: Third Semester Modern Tibetan

ASIALANG 358: Fourth Semester Modern Tibetan

Turkish

Offered in the summer through the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+.)

GNS 339: First Semester Turkish

GNS 340: Second Semester Turkish

GNS 439: Third Semester Turkish

GNS 440: Fourth Semester Turkish

GNS 539: Fifth Semester Turkish and Azeri

GNS 540: Sixth Semester Turkish and Azeri

Urdu

Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Urdu offered in the summer through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 317: First Semester Urdu

ASIALANG 327: Second Semester Urdu

ASIALANG 417: Third Semester Urdu

ASIALANG 427: Fourth Semester Urdu

ASIALANG 517: Fifth Semester Urdu

ASIALANG 527: Sixth Semester Urdu

Uyghur

Offered in the summer through the Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI).

GNS 351: First Semester Uyghur

GNS 352: Second Semester Uyghur

GNS 451: Third Semester Uyghur

GNS 452: Fourth Semester Uyghur

GNS 551: Fifth Semester Uyghur

GNS 552: Sixth Semester Uyghur

Uzbek

Offered in the summer through the Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI).

GNS 351: First Semester Uzbek

GNS 352: Second Semester Uzbek

GNS 451: Third Semester Uzbek

GNS 452: Fourth Semester Uzbek

GNS 551: Fifth Semester Uzbek

GNS 552: Sixth Semester Uzbek

Vietnamese

Offered in the summer through the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI). (Offered during the academic year through the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures.)

ASIALANG 307: First Semester Vietnamese

ASIALANG 308: Second Semester Vietnamese

ASIALANG 407: Third Semester Vietnamese

ASIALANG 408: Fourth Semester Vietnamese

ASIALANG 507: Fifth Semester Vietnamese

ASIALANG 508: Sixth Semester Vietnamese

Non-Credit Programs

The UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) offers non-credit courses for individuals who want to learn a new language or improve their current language skills.

To learn more about non-credit language courses, view the DCS program guide online or contact Christopher Moore at christopher.moore@wisc.edu or (608) 262‑7389.