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Urban Planning and Public Affairs

A double degree that includes a Master of Science in Urban Planning offered through the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture and a La Follette School Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree or Master of International Public Affairs (MIPA) degree.


An education in urban planning, policymaking, and public affairs to address domestic and global environmental, housing and transportation policy issues.

Most La Follette School students finish the double degree requirements in 3 full years, including summers.

Applying

One application to the graduate school can be used to apply to both the La Follette School and the Urban Planning Program. At the time of original application to the Graduate School, applicants can apply check off up to three programs.

If an applicant did not apply to both programs at the time of application, they can apply to add one program while enrolled in the other after they have matriculated.

To maximize time spent in both programs, it is recommended that matriculated students be admitted to both programs by their second year on campus.

Requirements

Enrolled students must meet the degree requirements and progression expectations of both programs and are encouraged to seek academic advising from each program every semester.

Unique to this double degree is the 25% rule, which permits 11 cr. to count toward each of the respective Master’s programs.

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MPA Core Courses (19 cr.)

  • Professional Development Workshop focuses on essential skills students must have to be successful in graduate school and in their careers
  • Introduction to Statistical Methods for Public Policy Analysis develops competence with analytical tools for studying public affairs.
  • Microeconomic Policy Analysis explores how to evaluate the implications of policies for efficiency and equity, and to employ statistical methods for interpreting and presenting quantitative data.
  • Introduction to Policy Analysis focuses on defining policy problems, determining goals, designing policy alternatives, and assessing trade-offs to make recommendations.
  • Policymaking Process examines the political processes that shape U.S. public policy.
    Introduction to Public Management introduces key theories of how public organizations work, the relationship between democracy and management, and critical public management issues such as accountability and policy implementation.
  • Workshop in Public Affairs, the capstone course taken in the final semester, gives students experience working in teams with a faculty supervisor on a real-world policy project. They apply conceptual and analytical tools to issues their clients face in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.

MPA Elective Courses (23 cr.)

MIPA Core Courses (19 cr.)

* Students choose one of these

Elective Courses (23 cr.)

Careers

Courses provide planning professionals with a strong policy analysis and management background to excel in roles as city, community, development, or environmental planners.

Contact

Urban Planning advising


Amy Rivera

arivera3@wisc.edu

La Follette School graduate advising


Mo O’Connor

mcoconnor@lafollette.wisc.edu

Requirements


Enrolled students must meet the degree requirements and progression expectations of both programs and are encouraged to seek academic advising from each program every semester.

Unique to this double degree is the 25% rule, which permits 9 cr. to count toward each of the respective Master’s programs.

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Requirement Details

MPA Core Courses (19 cr.)

  • Professional Development Workshop focuses on essential skills students must have to be successful in graduate school and in their careers
  • Introduction to Statistical Methods for Public Policy Analysis develops competence with analytical tools for studying public affairs.
  • Microeconomic Policy Analysis explores how to evaluate the implications of policies for efficiency and equity, and to employ statistical methods for interpreting and presenting quantitative data.
  • Introduction to Policy Analysis focuses on defining policy problems, determining goals, designing policy alternatives, and assessing trade-offs to make recommendations.
  • Policymaking Process examines the political processes that shape U.S. public policy.
  • Introduction to Public Management introduces key theories of how public organizations work, the relationship between democracy and management, and critical public management issues such as accountability and policy implementation.
  • Workshop in Public Affairs, the capstone course taken in the final semester, gives students experience working in teams with a faculty supervisor on a real-world policy project. They apply conceptual and analytical tools to issues their clients face in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.

Elective Courses (17 cr.) 

Administrative Internship, Program Evaluation, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Health Systems and Policy, Economics of Healthcare

MIPA Core Courses (19 cr.)

 

  • Professional Development Workshop focuses on essential skills students must have to be successful in graduate school and in their careers
  • Introduction to Statistical Methods for Public Policy Analysis develops competence with analytical tools for studying public affairs.
  • Microeconomic Policy Analysis explores how to evaluate the implications of policies for efficiency and equity, and to employ statistical methods for interpreting and presenting quantitative data.
  • International Governance provides students with the substantive framework for studying public affairs in the context of globalization.
  • *Macroeconomic Policy and International Financial Regulation surveys international macroeconomics, with special reference to international monetary policy and international financial market architecture.
  • *Trade, Competition, and Governance in a Global Economy provides students with an understanding of international trade theory, rules, politics, and institutions, and the major policy issues facing the global trading system.
  • Introduction to Policy Analysis focuses on defining policy problems, determining goals, designing policy alternatives, and assessing trade-offs to make recommendations.
  • Workshop in International Public Affairs, the capstone course taken in the final semester, gives students experience working in teams with a faculty supervisor on a real-world policy project. They apply conceptual and analytical tools to issues their clients face in public, private, and nonprofit sectors around the world.

* Students choose one of these

Elective Courses (17 cr.) 

Administrative Internship, Advanced Statistics, Community Economic Analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Global Environmental Governance, Program Evaluation