The World Languages minor is designed for individuals who wish to earn a Wisconsin teaching certification to teach a foreign language. Students wishing to pursue this certification must be in the process of obtaining or already have an initial certification.

Requirements

Criminal Background Check

Criminal Background Check (CBC). For all students, a background check shall be completed no more than 6 months prior to the date of admission (advance to professional sequence) into the educator preparation program. The background check shall include a review of criminal conduct at the state and federal levels.

Language Content Area

Complete total credits in chosen language, plus any prerequisites.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language
ASL 301American Sign Language I3
ASL 302American Sign Language II3
ASL 303American Sign Language III3
ASL 304American Sign Language IV3
ASL 305American Sign Language V3
ASL 306American Sign Language VI3
ASL 325Skills Development: ASL V1
ASL 326Skills Development: ASL VI1
ASL 327Skills Development: Classifiers1
ASL 328Skills Development: ASL Depiction1
ASL 330Deaf History3
ASL 352American Deaf Culture3
ASL 358ASL/English Linguistics I3
ASL 363ASL/English Linguistics II3
ASL 500Fingerspelling & Numbers3
ASL 510Classifiers3
ASL 520ASL Literature3
Total Credits43

Chinese 

Chinese
Reading, Writing, and Linguistic Development
CHINESE 201Third Semester Chinese5
CHINESE 202Fourth Semester Chinese5
CHINESE 301Fifth Semester Chinese4
CHINESE 302Sixth Semester Chinese4
Choose one of the following:3
Contemporary Chinese Societies through Film
Chinese Language and Culture
Chinese Martial Arts Fiction
Popular Culture, Entertainment, and China's Modernization
Seventh Semester Chinese
Eighth Semester Chinese
Business Chinese
Study Abroad:
Advanced Independent Study
Total Credits21

French 

French
Reading and Writing Development
FRENCH 204Fourth-Semester French3
FRENCH 303Conversation and Composition: Intermediate Level3
Linguistics
FRENCH 392Phonetics3
Literature
FRENCH 332Reading French Texts3
Literature Elective (choose one):3
Literature of the French-Speaking World in Translation:
Seminar in Literature of the Francophone World:
Seminar in French Literature:
Seminar on Masterpieces of Literature Written in French:
Seminar in Contemporary French Literature:
Culture Elective (choose one):3
French Immersion: Advanced
Growing Up French
Castles, Cathedrals, and Common People: The Foundations of French Culture
Royalty, Reason, and Revolution: The Golden Age of French Culture
Reaction and Innovation: French Culture of the 19th and 20th Centuries
Seminar in French and Francophone Cultures:
Institutions and Culture of Contemporary France
Cinema of the French-Speaking World:
Total Credits18

German 

German
Reading and Writing Development
GERMAN 204Fourth-Semester German3
GERMAN 332Presentation and Composition3
Linguistics
GERMAN 331German Grammar in Practice3
Literature
GERMAN 333Texts and Contexts3
Culture Elective (choose three):
History of Film I: Development of an Art
History of Film II: Development of an Art
Rococo to Revolution: European Art, 1750-1850
Modernism and the Avant-Garde, 1900-1960
German Painting, 1800-1933
Dada and Surrealist Art
History of Film I: Development of an Art
History of Film II: Development of an Art
Europe: East and West
German Life and Civilization: Part I
German Life and Civilization: Part II:
Views of Germany:
The History of Medieval Europe: The Early Middle Ages
The History of Medieval Europe: The High Middle Ages
Women and Gender in Europe: 1350 to 1750
The First World War
The Second World War in Europe
Germany: Hitler and the Nazi Dictatorship
The Holocaust: Anti-Semitism & the Fate of Jewish People in Europe, 1933-45
Topics in European History:
Introduction to Jewish History
Representing the Holocaust in Words and Images
General History of Western Music I
General History of Western Music II
German and French Lyric Diction
Music of the Baroque Era
Music of the Classic Era
Music of the Romantic Era
Music since 1900
Song Literature I: Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain
Existentialism
Phenomenology
Modern Political Thought
Total Credits12

Latin 

Latin
Reading and Writing Development
LATIN 103First Semester Latin4
LATIN 104Second Semester Latin4
LATIN 205Third Semester Latin4
Literature Electives (choose two):6
Readings in Latin Literature:
Readings in Latin Prose:
Readings in Latin Poetry:
Directed Reading
Literature or Culture Elective (choose one):3
The Celtic World
Greek Art and Archaeology
Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East
Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
Roman Art and Archaeology
Cities and Sanctuaries of Ancient Greece
Greek Sculpture
Introduction to Greek Life and Literature
The Life and Literature of Classical Athens: Herodotus and Dramatists
The Life and Literature of the Roman Empire
Readings in Ancient Greek Literature:
Readings in Classical Greek Prose:
Readings in Ancient Greek Poetry:
A History of Greek Civilization: The Greek City-State
A History of Greek Civilization: The Age of Alexander the Great
A History of Rome: The Republic
A History of Rome: The Empire
Total Credits21

Spanish 

Spanish
Reading and Writing Development
SPANISH 308Advanced Writing and Reading3
Reading and Writing Development Elective (choose one):3
Advanced Speaking and Listening
Advanced Speaking and Listening for Heritage Speakers
Linguistics (choose one):3
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
Spanish Phonetics and Phonology
Spanish Syntax and Morphology
Hispanic Sociolinguistics
Seminar in Hispanic Linguistics:
Literature Electives (choose two):6
Understanding Literature and Culture (preferred course)
From the Middle Ages to Modernity: The Rise of the Hispanic World
Contemporary Literature and Culture of Latin America
Contemporary Literature and Culture of Spain
Seminar in Spanish Literature:
Seminar in Latin-American Literature and Culture:
Seminar in Hispanic Literature and Culture:
Seminar in Spanish Golden Age Literature:
Seminar on Cervantes:
Seminar in Modern Spanish Literature and Culture:
Literature, Linguistics, or Culture Elective (choose one):3
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (preferred course)
Understanding Literature and Culture (preferred course)
Introduction to Latino Literature in English
Topics in Latino Literature in English:
Spanish Phonetics and Phonology
Spanish Syntax and Morphology
Hispanic Sociolinguistics
From the Middle Ages to Modernity: The Rise of the Hispanic World
Contemporary Literature and Culture of Latin America
Contemporary Literature and Culture of Spain
Seminar in Spanish Literature:
Seminar in Latin-American Literature and Culture:
Seminar in Hispanic Literature and Culture:
Seminar in Hispanic Linguistics:
Seminar in Spanish Golden Age Literature:
Seminar on Cervantes:
Seminar in Modern Spanish Literature and Culture:
Total Credits18

 Japanese

Japanese
Linguistic, Reading, and Writing Development
JAPAN 201Third-Semester Japanese5
JAPAN 202Fourth-Semester Japanese5
JAPAN 301Fifth Semester Japanese4
JAPAN 302Sixth Semester Japanese4
Linguistics, Literature, or Culture Elective (choose one):3
Reading Japanese Short Stories
Extensive Reading in Japanese
Japanese News Media
Japanese Performance Traditions: Readings
Seminar in Japanese Literature and Culture:
Translating Japanese Media
Fun Kanji
Total Credits21

Arabic 

Arabic
Reading, Writing, and Linguistic Development
ARABIC 201Third Semester Arabic5
ARABIC 202Fourth Semester Arabic5
ARABIC 301Fifth Semester Arabic3
ARABIC 302Sixth Semester Arabic3
Literature or Cultural Elective (choose one):3
Internship in Arabic, Upper Division
Study Abroad:
Ad Hoc:
Advanced Independent Study
Total Credits19

Professional Education Requirements

Students wishing to pursue this certification must be in the process of obtaining or already have an initial certification.

Students must earn a C or better and a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all professional courses, including student teaching. Prerequisites may be required.

CURRINS 350Field Seminar in Language Education1
CURRINS 437
CURRINS 637
Pre-Student Teaching in World Language Education
and World Language Methods and Materials
6
CURRINS 445Seminar in Language Education3
CURRINS 438Student Teaching in World Language Education 3
CURRINS 542History and Politics of Second Language Education3
CURRINS 543Developing Biliteracy3
CURRINS 546Language, Content, and Comprehensible Input3
Total Credits22

Students must complete an application to request/be assigned a student teaching placement. To be approved for placement, additional criteria must by met. See Benchmarks for details.

Additional Requirements for Certification

  • Undergraduate students must meet the graduation and certification requirements for their primary certification.
  • Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in all UWM and transfer courses.
  • Demonstrate successful completion of the Pedagogical Knowledge Assessment (PKA).
  • Meet all applicable Wisconsin statutory and testing requirements.
  • Complete approved coursework in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin, met through one of the following:
ANTHRO 213American Indian Peoples of Wisconsin (GER-CD, GER-SS)3
ENGLISH 276Introduction to American Indian Literature: (topic: History, Literature & Sovereignty of Wisconsin Tribes (GER-CD, GER-HU)3
ACT 31: History, Culture and Sovereignty Rights of Wisconsin Indians Workshop
Or an approved equivalent

Benchmarks

Student Teaching

Prior to requesting/being assigned a student teaching placement, students must:

  • Demonstrate Foreign Language Proficiency - A minimum score of Intermediate-High on the ACTFL OPI or equivalent is required prior to student teaching placement. Submit scores from your language proficiency test to your academic advisor.
  • Complete an Immersion Experience - Required for all prospective language teachers, this requirement must be met by spending a semester or a year in a country where the chosen major language is spoken. Submit documentation of immersion experience to your academic advisor prior to student teaching placement.
  • Complete and submit an application. Deadlines for submission are posted by the Office of Clinical Experiences.

To be approved, students must ALSO meet the following criteria:

  • Be admitted to the School of Education
  • Complete all required coursework. An exception to allow a student to take a course concurrently with student teaching requires approval by the student's faculty advisor.
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on all undergraduate coursework, including transfer courses.
  • Have a minimum 2.75 GPA in all content area and professional education courses.
  • Passing scores reflected on your transcript for the Praxis II exam: English to Speakers of Other Languages: Content Knowledge #5361.
  • Removal of all F and/or I (incomplete) grades.
  • TB test results submitted to the Office of Clinical Experiences (may take up to 6 weeks).
  • Criminal Background Check submitted to the Office of Clinical Experience

Undergraduate Advising

Our purpose is to provide collaborative, mentoring relationships which promote educational, career, and professional development. We value a student-centered, holistic, and ethical approach to advising based on strong partnerships with students, faculty and staff, and the larger campus community. We are committed to creating a respectful and supportive environment. We encourage students to be self-reliant through informed decisions and choices based upon dissemination of accurate information. We value our own continuous professional development to enhance the quality of the advising experience.

How to Prepare for an Advising Meeting

  • Review your Advisement Report in PAWS.
  • Come prepared with questions or topics for discussion.
  • Make a list of courses you think you should take.
  • Investigate opportunities to prepare for the job you want.
  • Keep a record of your academic progress.
  • Understand you are ultimately responsible for creating your educational, life, and career plans.
  • Maintain honest and open communication with your advisor.
  • Take responsibility for choices you make as a student and member of the UW-Milwaukee community.

Scheduling an Appointment

Office of Student Services
Enderis Hall, Room 209
(414) 229-4721
soeinfo@uwm.edu

Graduate Advising

If you are a School of Education graduate student, you may schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor by contacting your faculty advisor directly. Faculty contact information can be found in the Directory. Your faculty advisor will be listed in your PAWS account.