Even though a great deal of research exists that speaks to the individual and societal advantages of foreign language learning, enrollment in world language courses at universities across the United States continues to plummet. The research site for this case study is no exception to this phenomenon. To understand the decline in foreign language majors, it is necessary to understand how and why students choose their majors. Although studies on variables influencing choice of major abound, a gap exists in relating the influence of these variables to the choice of foreign language per se as a major. In this case study a qualitative approach was employed to identify the factors that influence students’ choice of major and to explore initiatives that might strengthen the foreign language program at this small, private university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had chosen foreign language majors and 10 elementary-level foreign language students who had chosen majors other than foreign language. An analysis of the data from these two groups answered the overarching questions of the study: What factors influence students to choose a foreign language major? What factors influence students to choose majors other than a foreign language? Are there differences and similarities in the factors influencing major choice identified by students majoring in a foreign language and those not majoring in a foreign language? What initiatives do students suggest as ways to strengthen the foreign language program? Triangulation of data, pilot testing, peer review, member checking, an audit trail, and reflexivity augmented the study’s validity and trustworthiness. The findings revealed little difference and great similarity in the factors identified as influential in degree choice among students majoring in a foreign language and those majoring in other fields. In ascending order of frequency, the most influential variables cited include middle and high school programs, K-12 teachers, economic considerations, and intrinsic interest or passion for the subject matter. The suggestions offered by the participants to strengthen the foreign language program centered on interdisciplinary collaboration with a focus on careers, departmental outreach to feeder schools, and curricular and pedagogical approaches with an emphasis on conversation and community-based learning.