Foreign Language Courses Growing on Campuses

Foreign Language Courses Growing on Campuses: A growing number of college students are studying foreign languages, a trend propelled by greater interest in Arabic, a broader palette of languages being taugh,t and more crowded language classes at community colleges, a new study finds.

But, despite the strong interest, experts warn that foreign language study on campuses is in peril because of budget cuts and a dwindling number of graduate students who form the foundation of future college language faculties.

The latest figures from the Modern Language Association, released Wednesday, show that enrollment in foreign language courses grew 6.6 percent between 2006 and 2009, achieving a high mark since the study began in 1960.