The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a national powerhouse when it comes to language education and research, offering instruction in over 60 languages during the academic year and summer. UW-Madison awarded more bachelor’s degrees in languages than any other university in the United States in 2022-2023 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS, first and second majors).
The study of languages is a key component of the Wisconsin Experience, preparing UW-Madison students to become outstanding leaders who are engaged locally, nationally, and globally. In fact, UW-Madison has more undergraduates who major in a language other than English than any other public university in the United States, when first and second majors are taken into account.
Our dedicated faculty in UW-Madison departments of languages, literatures, linguistics, and cultures, and affiliated with the university’s centers for international and area studies, are world-renowned scholars with research expertise that spans the globe.
The UW-Madison Languages website is here to help you discover which languages and programs are right for you.
The website is hosted and maintained by the Language Institute, a hub on the UW-Madison campus for collaboration in education, research, advising, and outreach related to the study of human languages. Learn more about our mission here.
Which UW-Madison departments teach languages?
Languages are taught at UW-Madison through a number of departments and programs, including:
- African Cultural Studies
- American Indian and Indigenous Studies
- Asian Languages and Cultures
- Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
- Division of Continuing Studies
- French and Italian
- English
- German, Nordic, and Slavic+
- Language Sciences
- Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies
- Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies
- Spanish and Portuguese
- Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes