The La Follette School of Public Affairs provides selected UW–Madison undergraduates an opportunity to jumpstart the Master of Public Affairs or Master of International Public Affairs program.
Accepted students take specific graduate Public Affairs courses in the last year of their undergraduate program. After completing their undergraduate degree, students begin a fifth graduate year devoted to full-time graduate study with the La Follette School.
How to apply
Application for admission to the accelerated program for MPA or MIPA must be made directly to the La Follette School after five semesters of undergraduate study.
Curriculum
Final Undergraduate Year
In addition to courses needed to complete a BA or BS, students take 3-4 courses depending on their undergraduate course work:
- Fall: 4-7 credits, students choose from core courses
- Spring: 3-6 credits, students choose from core and elective courses
- Undergraduate degree conferred in May or August
Graduate Year
- Summer: optional internship (0-3 credits)
- Fall: 9-12 credits
- Spring: 9-12 credits
- MPA or MIPA degree conferred in May or August
Student experience
Student profiles
Brelynn Bille, MPA
"The accelerated MPA program drew me to the La Follette School."
Haoyan (Ken) Wang, MIPA
"I was drawn to La Follette mainly because of its faculty expertise, alumni network, and most importantly, many professional opportunities offered to its students."
Angela Maloney, MPA
"Learning more about the human impact of policy as well as the benefit of being able to obtain an MPA with just one additional year post-undergrad were huge draws for me."
Troy Wilson, MPA
"I would like to use my La Follette education and previous experience in legislative and NGO settings to make a difference and promote the Wisconsin Idea."
Ben Vargas, MIPA
"I was drawn to the Accelerated MIPA program when I learned that I could gain skills and earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in five years by the age of 22."
Alumni launch professional careers in public policy after completing accelerated degree
The program provides students with a unique opportunity to fast-track their education, acquire professional skills, and begin a career in public policy.
Accelerated students and graduate certificates
It is difficult and uncommon for students in the accelerated program to pursue a graduate certificate along with their accelerated master’s degree. This is due to scheduling constraints in the reduced credit accelerated program as well as policies in other departments that limit the eligibility of undergraduate students to take credits toward a graduate certificate.
If you wish to discuss your options further, you can contact the Graduate Program Manager at mcoconnor@lafollette.wisc.edu after you have been admitted to the accelerated program.