About UW–Madison Languages
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a national powerhouse when it comes to language education and research, offering instruction in approximately 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 2023-2024 (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