According to the Modern Language Association, between the years of 2013-2016, 651 foreign language programs were dropped by universities. In addition to this, many colleges are dropping all if not most language requirements for students of all ages and academic levels. This can be the result of two main factors: student interest and technology in the workforce.
Every year, more and more colleges and universities are dropping language departments – whether it is getting rid of all but a few (generally French, Spanish, and German) or all programs, the availability of language studies in higher education is rapidly dropping. Many say it is because of the advent of AI that language education is no longer needed. In addition, many students are losing interest in language learning, at least as it is taught in school. Those students who are interested in language learning are no longer limited to learning a language at school. Independent study has grown in popularity over the years, allowing students to have access to resources across the internet that allow them to study virtually any language of their choice on their own.
Because of this lack of interest, numbers in language programs have gone down across the nation, less commonly taught language (LCTL) programs are among the first to be cut. While faculty and students are signing petitions asking universities and colleges to keep these programs, most of these efforts have been unsuccessful. The schools that do keep a few language departments in reaction to the petitions retain either romance languages or high-demand languages like Mandarin Chinese. In effect, the petitions were somewhat successful in convincing the schools not to completely eliminate language programs.
Source
The Problem with the United States’ Foreign Language Programs – Emily’s Blog. https://sites.psu.edu/eejenkins/2022/02/02/the-problem-with-the-united-states-foreign-language-programs/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2024.