About the Language Institute

The Language Institute, established in 2004 as a joint initiative of the College of Letters & Science and International Division, is a center for collaboration in research, education, outreach, and advising related to the study of human languages.

Our work is guided by the four main pillars of our mission to promote:

  • excellence in language teaching, and 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 second language acquisition (SLA) and related fields, and
  • increased awareness of the value of language learning and of linguistic diversity

In each of these areas, we strive to foster productive collaboration across campus and beyond, exemplifying the Wisconsin Idea.

Interested in learning more? Please contact Language Institute director Dianna Murphy.

Major Activities

  • Serves as the administrative home to two interdisciplinary academic programs: the Doctoral Program in SLA and the undergraduate Russian Flagship Program
  • Carries out research in areas such as language program design, student perspectives on language learning, and learning outcomes in postsecondary language education
  • Hosts invited lectures by leading scholars in applied linguistics and SLA
  • Provides pedagogical training and professional development for UW–Madison language educators through local and inter-institutional initiatives
  • Raises awareness of the many opportunities for language study at UW–Madison, including through Languages at UW–Madison website and at Student Orientation, Advising, and Orientation
  • Offers a career development course, pre-major and career advising for students interested in language studies and for other multilingual students, and events, and resources for multilingual students.
  • Leads collaborative initiatives that raise awareness of linguistic diversity and bi/multilingualism such as the Language Ideologies and Linguistic Discrimination working group and initiatives that improve language education such as the Wisconsin Language Roadmap
  • Spearheads outreach programs such as Languages of the World Day that help to connect Wisconsin K-12 students and teachers with UW–Madison expertise in languages, literatures, and cultures, and inter-institutional collaborative initiatives such as the Big Ten Language Center Alliance
  • Provides leadership and support for external grants