About

The Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a leading academic institution in improving the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy and the practice of governance.


We offer domestic and international master’s degrees as well as certificates for undergraduate students.

Vision and leadership

What we stand for

At the La Follette School, we strive to inspire evidence-based policymaking and to advance the public good.

Professor Manny Teodoro addresses a class of students during a lecture.

Our director

Susan Webb Yackee is Director of the La Follette School of Public Affairs and a Collins-Bascom Professor of Public Affairs at UW–Madison.

Susan Webb Yackee sits in a chair at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

Board of Visitors

La Follette School Board of Visitors members are experts chosen to help advise the school. They have experience in government, nonprofits, and the private sector.

The Wisconsin State Capitol is visible from Bascom hill

The Kohl Initiative

Funded by former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, the Kohl Initiative has transformed the La Follette School's ability to expand public outreach, train future public leaders, and support influential research

Herb Kohl attends the La Follette School's graduation ceremony in the state capitol

Land acknowledgment

Humans have called this place home for 12,000 years and counting. Today, the University of Wisconsin–Madison rests in the ancestral land of the Ho-Chunk Nation, the People of the Big Voice, who have called this place Teejop (day-JOPE) for time immemorial. We as a university community continue to create and build upon our partnerships with the 12 First Nations of Wisconsin. We as a state university respect the inherent sovereignty and unique legal status, as affirmed and set forth in state and federal law, of the First Nations of Wisconsin.

Our shared future

Diversity, equity, and inclusion


We strive to create diverse, inclusive, and excellent environments for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Our goals and initiatives

Outreach

Icon of a group of people.

Serving communities


Our students and faculty partner with public, nonprofit, and private sector organizations to address real-world challenges.

Submit a project proposal

Supporting policymakers


We connect state legislators and policymakers with resources at the La Follette School and at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Our programs for policymakers

Icon of a podium and microphone

Convening the public


We host public events with policy experts to inform and engage the public.

Our event series

Newspaper

Informing the media


Our faculty regularly share their expertise with the media on timely policy topics.

Find an expert