Accelerated Program Admissions

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.


Applications are due January 1 and will be accepted after that on a rolling basis based on available space in the program.

About the Accelerated Program

How to apply for accelerated admissions

Application for admission to the accelerated MPA or MIPA program must be made directly to the La Follette School after five semesters of undergraduate study. Email all application materials to: admissions@lafollette.wisc.edu.

Students who plan to complete their undergraduate degree in 3 years are not eligible for the accelerated program. They should instead apply to the 2-year MPA or MIPA program.

Requirements for admission

The following items are required for consideration for the accelerated degree. Applicants do not need to resubmit them when seeking formal Graduate School admission.

Other considerations

Students who receive an admission offer to the accelerated program can accept or decline the offer of admission but cannot defer. Students enrolling in the accelerated program also must formally apply for regular Graduate School admission during their final year of undergraduate study by filling out the Graduate School online application and submitting an updated resume. Because accelerated students are in a program that has special approval and has been vetted by the Graduate School, accelerated students are not eligible to complete dual, double, joint, or combined degree programs. Applicants to the accelerated program are not considered for fellowships, assistantships, or scholarships. However, it is not uncommon for accelerated students to find graduate assistantships in other departments on campus in their second year in the program as matriculated graduate students.

Prerequisites

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MPA prerequisite courses

(A strong MPA applicant has taken these courses and earned a B or above.)

MIPA prerequisite courses

(A strong MIPA applicant has taken these courses and earned a B or above.)

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Contact admissions staff

Email: admissions@lafollette.wisc.edu
Phone: 608-262-9163

Contact students and alumni

  • Photo of Angela Maloney.

    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."

  • Photo of Troy Wilson.

    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."

  • Photo of Master of International Public Affairs student Ben Vargas

    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."

  • John O'Malley stands in front of a leafy green background wearing a suit.

    John O’Malley, MIPA

    "My status as an accelerated student has allowed me to apply for numerous internships that I otherwise would have never had access to."

  • Profile photo of Evan Steck

    Evan Steck, MPA

    "I met with the incredibly kind and accommodating faculty at the La Follette School and was blown away by the tightly knit academic community they have cultivated."