Languages at UW-Madison
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a national powerhouse when it comes to language education and research. The university offers instruction in over 60 languages during the academic year and summer. In the summer, the languages are taught through the Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes and in L&S departments.
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 had more undergraduates who majored in a language other than English than any other university in the United States in 2022-23 (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS, first and second majors).
Our dedicated faculty in UW-Madison departments of languages, literatures, linguistics and cultures, and affiliated with university centers for international, area, and Indigenous studies, are world-renowned scholars with research expertise that spans the globe.
Language Institute Mission
The Language Institute was founded in 2004 to enable and promote collaboration in research, education, and outreach related to the study of human languages.
The Language Institute strengthens the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a leader in language education and research by promoting: excellence in language teaching, innovation in the design and delivery of effective and inclusive language programs, student success in reaching their professional and personal language learning goals, research in applied language studies, and increased awareness of the value of linguistic diversity and of language and intercultural learning for all. In each of these areas, we strive to foster meaningful and productive collaboration across campus and beyond, exemplifying the Wisconsin Idea.