The undergraduate certificate in public policy allows students to apply a policy perspective to their major, building a strong foundation for careers in government, nonprofit organizations, or the private sector.
Courses are interdisciplinary, with students interested in careers related to key domestic and international issues such as health policy, criminal justice, education, energy, environmental studies, finance, transportation, and poverty. Students also learn to be engaged citizens, ready to improve the world around them.
Program details
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Requirements and courses
Students must complete four 3-credit courses, listed below. To earn a certificate, students must also complete all requirements for a bachelor’s degree, requirements of their declared major(s), and graduate from UW–Madison. Learn more about program requirements in the Guide.
- Public Affairs 200 | Issues in Contemporary Public Policy (3 credits). You can take courses in the certificate in any order, although we do encourage students to take PA 200 first.
- Choose one: Public Affairs 380 | Analytical Tools for Public Policy (3 credits) OR Public Affairs 240 | Evidence-based Policymaking (3 credits). These courses provide students with practical, analytical, and communication skills and tools utilized in public policy careers.
- Policy Specialization Course (3 credits): This course allows students to focus on policy-related issues in their major or area of policy interest (e.g., science & technology, education, health, climate, or social policy). View course options on the Guide.
- Internship (3 credits): Students complete a professional policy experience and a concurrent course either during one semester of the academic year or during the summer. Internships can be paid. Download information about internships (pdf), including finding internships and enrolling in the internship course. Note: The Wisconsin in Washington program may be used to fulfill this requirement. More details appear further down this page.
We encourage you to explore public policy; any of the above courses will count if you decide to apply to the certificate program later. Other points to consider:
- Certificate students must enroll in an approved, credit-bearing internship course at the time of their internship for the experience to fulfill the requirement. Courses are listed below.
- Not all certificate courses are offered every semester. Consult enroll.wisc.edu to see La Follette School courses that will be offered.
- La Follette currently offers one online course (PA 327) for the internship requirement, but does not offer any other online courses; other departments may offer online courses that meet the specialization course requirement.
- Courses completed for the Certificate in Public Policy can count toward degree requirements. Please speak with your assigned undergraduate academic advisor/s to learn if they can count toward undergraduate major requirements.
- We try to minimize course substitutions. If you need to request a substitution, please complete the Petition for Special Consideration form and include a course syllabus.
How to apply
Apply to the certificate in public policy during one of our application windows, from May 1-May 31 or November 1-30 each year. A link to the application will appear on this page during those periods.
To apply for the undergraduate certificate in public Policy, you must:
- Have at least sophomore standing
- Be in good academic standing with your school or college
- Have taken, be enrolled, or have registered in at least one class that meets certificate requirements
- Complete a short online application, including a brief statement of interest
Accelerated program
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. 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. Students who plan to complete their undergraduate degree in 3 years are not eligible for the accelerated program.
Internship details
Through an internship, you will gain valuable applied experience and make professional connections in the field of public policy. You’ll apply concepts and practice problem-solving skills from coursework, improve your understanding of public policy debates and how to approach questions and research with a public policy lens.
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Finding an internship
Learn tips for finding an internship and enrolling in a 3-credit course.
For current certificate in public policy students, Marie Koko, career services coordinator at La Follette, (marie.koko@wisc.edu) can offer insights on how to find an internship or career in public policy. You can also consult the internship listings Marie shares with certificate students.
If you are a student in the College of Letters and Science and have not yet been accepted into the certificate in public policy, SuccessWorks is a valuable resource to help you find an internship. Inter-LS 210 and Inter-LS 215 are sophomore career courses that provide you with the skills to find an internship. Inter-LS 210 is offered for 1 credit, while Inter-LS 215 is offered for 3 credits and also satisfies your Comm B requirement. Neither course satisfies any requirements for the certificate in public policy.
Substituting internships
We do not encourage substituting internships for those listed in our requirements. In some cases, however, we will consider substitution requests. Please note that unless you have enrolled in a 3-credit course alongside your internship, we cannot count it as fulfilling the requirement.
Criteria we consider: a) Did you enroll in and complete a comparable 3-credit course that is transferrable to UW-Madison? b) Did your internship include tasks and content relevant to building your skills or understanding of public policy? and c) Did you contact us to review your plan before enrolling to check into whether the internship would qualify for a substitution? Keep in mind that retrospective requests–requesting a substitution after completing an internship–are far more difficult for us to approve.
If you wish to substitute an internship course, students should complete the Petition for Special Consideration form, and include a course syllabus and a brief summary of your internship responsibilities, clearly addressing the above criteria. If you have questions, please reach out to Marie Koko (marie.koko@wisc.edu).
Internship courses
You are required to enroll in one of the following 3-credit courses at the time you are working in your internship.
- Public Affairs 327: Administrative Internship
- Wisconsin in Washington Internship program
- Washington DC Semester in International Affairs Internship Seminar
- Political Science 315: Legislative Internship
The internship/fieldwork must be taken for a letter grade. It cannot be taken pass/fail.
Undergraduate courses
Undergraduate news
Skills and careers
Learn more about the skills you'll gain, and explore potential career options relevant to public policy.
Faculty
Our multidisciplinary faculty are nationally recognized experts in public policy analysis, public management and administration, and specialized policy fields.
Our commitment to Diversity
We strive to create diverse, inclusive, and excellent learning and work environments for all students, faculty, staff, alumni
Contact
You can make an appointment with our advisors over email or Starfish. If you are not enrolled in the public policy certificate yet, please contact Kelly Otto or Mary Davis Michaud. Contact Marie Koko for help finding a job or internship.
