The University of Wisconsin Green Bay requires no foreign language for admission, and to graduate, the number of foreign language credits required depends on the student's major. The University of Wisconsin La Crosse does not require any foreign language credits for admission, according to a study on foreign language requirements in Wisconsin Colleges and Universities conducted by Paul Sandrock, Foreign Language Consultant to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. However, to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree at this university, a student must complete 16 semester credits in a foreign language.
Most Wisconsin private colleges do not require foreign language credits for admission. These include Cardinal Stritch, Carroll College, Carthage College, Edgewood College, Lawrence University, Marian College, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Northland College, Ripon College, Silver Lake College, Viterbo College and Wisconsin Lutheran College. Many of Wisconsin's private colleges conduct interviews and examine transcripts on an individual basis, and some look at an applicant's class ranking and ACT or SAT score.
Some universities may not require a foreign language for admission, but foreign language credits are highly recommended and may give an applicant a competitive edge.
The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee strongly recommends that applicants include a foreign language in their college prep requirements, according to college entrance requirements suggestions for students of Wisconsin's Waterford Union High School. Applicants to UW-Milwaukee must show that they have completed four elective credits in academic areas. A foreign language is one of many options for satisfying this requirement.
A foreign language is optional for admission to the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, but successful applicants should take at least one semester of a foreign language. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Freshman Admission information sheet suggests, "Students completing rigorous courses, including senior year, will be stronger candidates for admission," so applicants should select courses beyond the minimum.
As for private colleges, Beloit College does not require a foreign language for admission, but "gives preference to applicants who have challenged themselves in a demanding college preparatory program," including three years of a foreign language.
Applicants to some public and most private colleges in Wisconsin are required to take a certain number of courses or electives in academic areas, and foreign language credits will satisfy this requirement. The public universities with these requirements include the following University of Wisconsin campuses: Oshkosh, Green Bay, Waukesha, Parkside, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior and Whitewater.
Alverno College, a private Catholic women's college in Milwaukee, requires at least 17 units of academic study for applicants entering directly from high school, with a foreign language being one of the recommended options.
Other private colleges that require academic units from a combination of English, social studies, math, natural sciences, social studies, history and foreign language, and that recommend foreign language classes in high school, are Marquette University, Mount Mary College and St. Norbert College.