Information for Prospective Students
Welcome to the Department of Modern Languages at UW-L. Included here is information to help you decide whether one of our Modern Languages is the field you wish to study, and information to get you started in our department. Please explore all the links provided throughout this site. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
Options for courses of study
- Spanish (Major, Major with Business Concentration, Minor)
- French (Major, Major with Business Concentration, Minor, Certificate in French Studies)
- German (Major, Major with Business Concentration, Minor)
- Teaching English to speakers of Other Languages (Minor)
- Chinese, Japanese and Russian Language Studies
- Beginning level Hmong courses
- Hmong for heritage speakers
Reasons to study Modern Languages
Learning another language is highly
rewarding for its own sake. The pleasure of being able to
communicate with people from another culture, to read their
literature, and to understand their culture lasts a lifetime.
Traveling is far more rewarding when you can speak with the
people. Also, studies have shown that learning another
languages develops areas of the brain that improve memory and
reasoning in other subjects.
But learning another language is also becoming an important job
skill in its own right. As globalization expands in the 21st
century, businesses and non-profit
organizations have an increasing need for personnel who can
communicate in French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and
Japanese. Adding a year of study abroad to your college
portfolio will strengthen your language skills and add a dynamic
dimension to your resume.
For more information, see
Career Options.
Program Options: Majors and Minors
The department of Modern Languages has programs leading to the B.A. and B.S. in French, German, Spanish and TESOL (minor only). For information about options in each of these programs, click on the major/minor link.
Applying To UW La Crosse
For information about applying to UW La Crosse, contact the Admissions Office. An Undergraduate Application for Admission is required of all freshmen, transfer and post baccalaureate applicants. For advice about General University Requirements, contact the Academic Advising Center.
If you're thinking about transferring to UW La Crosse from another state of Wisconsin college or university and you're wondering what courses will apply toward the major in Modern Languages, check out the Transfer Information Systems (TIS) on the Admissions website for transfer students for assistance. You may also contact Tim Walls, academic advisor for transfer students, at (608) 785-6634.
Once you have been admitted to UW La
Crosse, we recommend that you formally declare the major as soon
as possible in order to establish a plan of study, gain access
to classes during the first phase of registration, and receive
important information from the department.
Declaring The Modern Language Major
Majors: French, French with Business Concentration, German Studies, German Studies with Business Concentration, Spanish, Spanish with Business Concentration
Procedure For Declaring:
Contact the College of Liberal Studies to declare the major at any time throughout the year. College Office: 235 Morris Hall, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI 54601.Phone: (608) 785-8113 or 8116, FAX: (608) 785-8119
Registering For Classes
If you are thinking of declaring a Modern Language major, it is to your advantage to declare as soon as possible in order to gain registration access. For details about registering for classes, see Registration Information.