The La Follette School and the Department of Planning and Landscape Achitecture (DPLA) offer a three-year double-degree program in planning and public affairs that culminates in two degrees: a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning and a Master of Public Affairs or Master of International Public Affairs degree. The program requires 66 units of graduate credits and normally requires three years for completion.
Admissions
Persons interested in this double-degree program must apply to both departments. At the time of original application to the University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School, applicants may apply for both programs simultaneously. At any time during enrollment at UW–Madison, students may also request to add the second major. In applying for the second major, currently enrolled students should inquire about the timeline for admission decisions by the second program.
More details are available from advisers in either department. Students considering the double-degree program are urged to contact both URPL and La Follette representatives.
Degree Requirements
Students in the double-degree program must satisfy the 18 credits of core courses, one three-credit policy elective and a one-credit career development seminar for public affairs. The remaining credit requirements for the La Follette degree (the concentration requirement) are met with courses that may also be counted toward the 45-unit Urban and Regional Planning (URPL) curriculum. A student completes 72 credits to earn both degrees.
In general, students in the program are expected to complete core requirements for both programs by the end of their second year of studies. This permits course work in year three to focus upon one of the URPL areas of concentration: land use, housing and growth management; economic and fiscal planning; social planning; generalist planning; or resources and environmental planning.
Core Public Affairs Courses
Introduction to Statistical Methods for Policy Analysis
Introduction to Policy Analysis
Workshop in Domestic Public Affairs
Core Urban & Regional Planning Courses
Methods of Planning Analysis
Introduction to Planning
Planning Thought & Practice
Planning Workshop
Planning & the Legal System
Structure & Functions of Cities & Regions
Links
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School Application
Adding a major (For students already enrolled in the MPA, MIPA or URPL)
Contacts
Please contact Mo O'Connor at the La Follette School 608-262-3582 for more information about La Follette programs and Lauren Szafranski for information about Urban and Regional Planning 608-890-4697 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.