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Graduate Degree and Joint Programs
Degree Programs
- Master of Public Affairs
- Master of International Public Affairs
- Accelerated Program
- Joint Programs in Energy Analysis; Urban Planning; Law; Neuroscience; Public Health
La Follette's two primary degree programs — the Master of Public Affairs and the Master of International Public Affairs— attract students with backgrounds in political science, international affairs, and economics, and those with undergraduate majors in business, history, English, and communications. While some students enter La Follette directly from college, others arrive with several years of experience in government or the private sector.
The small size and the diversity of the student body is an attractive feature of La Follette public affairs education. The flexibility of the curriculum allows students to choose among the many courses offered by all departments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
For general admissions information, frequently asked questions and more program-unspecific information, see the Prospective Students section.
Double, Dual, Certificate Programs
Some students choose to secure additional credentials while they work toward their La Follette degree. Students can choose to pursue one of the following joint programs or add a masters degree from a different department. For more information on the following programs, please contact the La Follette Admissions Office at (608) 262-3582 or e-mail .
Accelerated Program
UW-Madison seniors can begin taking MPA or MIPA core courses during their last undergraduate year and finish their graduate degree with one additional year as a full-time graduate student. An accelerated student must apply and be accepted into the program by the end of their junior year.
Energy Analysis and Policy
A certificate in Energy Analysis and Policy is offered by the La Follette School and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. The Energy Analysis and Policy curriculum prepares students for professional work with governments, utilities, consulting firms, and other organizations concerned with energy issues.
Urban Planning and Public Affairs
A double degree in Planning and Public Affairs is available from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and La Follette School of Public Affairs. The three-year program, 66 credit program culminates in an M.S. degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Master of Public Affairs degree. Admission must be secured from both departments, though application for admission need not be simultaneous.
Law and Public Policy
A four-year dual-degree program culminating in a
J.D. degree in Law and a Master of Public Affairs or a Master of International Public Affairs is available from the Law
School and La Follette School of Public Affairs.
Neuroscience and Public Policy
A dual-degree program culminating in a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and a
Master of Public Affairs is available from the La Follette School and
the Neuroscience Training Program. Simultaneous admission is required. The program integrates neuroscience and public policy work in all
semesters.
Public Health and Public Policy
The Master of Public Affairs and Master of Public Health dual-degree program prepares health policy professionals as policy analysts and public managers in the increasingly important area of health care. Dual-degree MPA/MPH students develop a firm foundation in policy analysis and public management offered by public affairs experts and a deep substantive knowledge in public health that can only be offered through a program in the School of Medicine and Public Health. The dual degree requires 55 credits and generally takes two years and a summer to complete.