Through the Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree program, professionals and new college graduates learn the skills needed to transform an interest in public affairs into serious careers.
Learn about our program, our faculty, how to apply, costs and paying for school, and careers in Public Affairs.
Program details
With rigorous professional training across several disciplines, La Follette School MPA graduates take up positions as managers and analysts in government at all levels, in the rapidly growing nonprofit sector, and in private firms across the United States.
The school admits about 50 students per year, approximately 35 to the MPA Program and 15 to the Master of International Public Affairs Program. The small class size enables students in the cohort to get to know each other and their faculty members well.
Students must complete 42 credits, including six core courses, a one-credit professional development seminar, plus eight elective courses. An internship can count for up to three elective credits. The program generally takes two years and you can find a detailed degree plan here.
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Selection into the program
Students are selected for the Master of Public Affairs Program on the basis of:
- strong academic achievement
- relevant experience
- potential for success in the public affairs graduate programs
- evidence of commitment to a public affairs career
- commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion
Requirements
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the UW-Madison Graduate School found here and below:
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution
- A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work), or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
- An English proficiency score for every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English
To demonstrate English proficiency, all international degree-seeking applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:
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- Earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university.
- Earned a Masters or PhD degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university not more than 5 years prior to the anticipated start of enrollment.
- Earned an undergraduate degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an international institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction. The language of instruction must be stated on the official transcript or verified as the only language of instruction.
- Completed at least two full-time semesters of graded coursework from an accredited institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction not more than 5 years prior to the anticipated start of enrollment. This coursework cannot include English language learning classes.
- Provided official and admissible results of an English proficiency exam to the Graduate School. Scores must be within two years from the anticipated start of enrollment.
Accepted English proficiency tests
The Graduate School accepts test results from TOEFL, IELTS, IELTS Indicator, and Duolingo English Test to fulfill the English proficiency requirement. The required proficiency scores are listed below. We do not accept scores compiled from multiple tests to meet English proficiency requirements (i.e. TOEFL MyBest, IELTS One Skill Retake). Scores are valid if they are less than two years from the first day of the anticipated enrollment term.
Minimum TOEFL requirement: 92 for tests taken before January 21, 2026
Minimum TOEFL requirement: 5.0 for tests taken on and after January 21, 2026
Minimum IELTS requirement: 7.0
Minimum IELTS Indicator requirement: 7.0
Minimum Duolingo English Test requirement: 125
How to submit English proficiency test scores
You must submit your scores following the directions below:
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- TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. Our institution code is 1846.
- IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by mail via IELTS. To send electronically, select our account name University of Wisconsin Madison Graduate Studies. To send by mail, use the following address:
UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions
232 Bascom Hall
500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706 - Duolingo English Test scores must be submitted electronically via Duolingo to University of Wisconsin – Madison – Graduate Admissions.
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- Tests should be completed to ensure scores are received by January 1.
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- Adequate financial resources to cover expenses for the duration of their studies is required of UW-Madison international applicants.
Prerequisites
(A strong MPA applicant has taken these courses or their equivalents and earned a B or above.) All prerequisite courses directly related to three required core courses taken in the first fall semester.
- Introduction to microeconomics or course equivalent to Microeconomics 101 or Economics 111 or Agricultural and Applied Economics 101 or Public Affairs 380 or Political Science 350
- Introduction to statistics or calculus or course equivalent to Statistics 301 or Statistics 371 or Math 211 or Math 221 or Sociology 360 or Psychology 210 or Political Science 270
- Introduction to American government or course equivalent to Political Science 104
Core courses
- 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
- Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Health Systems and Policy
- Inequality, Race and Public Policy
- Public Program Evaluation
- State and Local Government Finance
Students also may take courses from other highly regarded UW–Madison graduate programs, such as economics, political science, public health, urban and regional planning, social work, law, business, educational leadership and policy analysis, sociology, and environmental studies.
Accelerated degrees
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. Learn more about the accelerated program.
Combined degrees
We offer established combined, double, and dual degrees in coordination with other university schools and departments.
Careers
Career development is an integral part of the La Follette School experience. Most graduates find employment three to six months after graduation. Our Career and Professional Development office helps prepare students to work in government, nonprofits, and private firms across the U.S. and the world. Career development offers:
- Career development events
- Employment and internship position postings
- Networking opportunities
- Visits with local employers as well as regular trips to Washington, D.C.
Applying and paying for school
Hear what our students say
Laila McLaughlin, MPA
"These courses have shaped how I approach policy questions, grounding analysis in data while remaining attentive to lived experience and institutional power."
Sam Wood, MPA
"I am already seeing the payoff of building these quantitative foundations which provide me with a stronger analytical skillset when evaluating policy."
Katie Simaz, MPA-MS URPL
"I was drawn to La Follette for the opportunity to study in two really excellent master programs."
- See more student profiles
Faculty
Our multidisciplinary faculty are nationally recognized experts in public policy analysis, public management and administration, and specialized policy fields.
News
Alumni return to the classroom with real-world insights
This spring, the La Follette School welcomed a wide range of alumni back to campus, not as students, but as teachers.
Thursday, May 14, 2026Celebrating the graduate class of 2026!
On May 8, the La Follette School celebrated its 2026 master’s degree graduates in a ceremony at the Wisconsin State Capitol with 37 MPA and MIPA graduates.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026La Follette students build database to monitor youth climate cases
La Follette students developed a database monitoring the impact of OCT cases around the United States in Nelson Institute undergraduate course.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026- See more La Follette MPA news
Talk to an advisor
Do you have questions, but aren’t sure where to look? We have advisors to talk to prospective students.
Frequently asked questions
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Does a student have to take both policy analysis and public administration courses?
La Follette School faculty believe that students need skills in public management and policy analysis to be effective administrators and policy analysts. After students take the core courses, they can choose to specialize more in management or in policy analysis depending on which electives they choose. A student who prefers to work in nonprofit or management might take electives such as Advanced Management, Performance Management, and Personnel Management. A student who plans to become an analyst can choose to take electives such as Program Evaluation, Advanced Statistical Methods for Public Policy, and Benefit-Cost Analysis.
Why does a student who wants to be an administrator or work in the nonprofit sector need to study statistical methods and microeconomic analysis?
Leaders in government agencies and nonprofit organizations are called upon to report on the performance of the programs that they manage. They have to be able to showcase the advantages and disadvantages of programs with regard to cost and social value. To make a compelling case for the relative effect of a particular program requires an understanding of basic statistical concepts. Such professional skills are badly needed in the nonprofit area, and La Follette School graduates have an advantage when competing for higher-level administrative positions.
Can I study a specific type of policy like education policy or environmental policy?
Students take the core required courses and acquire skills that will allow them to work in a variety of types of administration and policy. Students can tailor their studies to develop a focus on one or two types of policy such as health, education, social and poverty, environmental, trade and finance, security, and international development policy. They do this by carefully selecting electives offered by public affairs faculty and by other departments on campus.
Students considering applying to the La Follette School, are encouraged to check out our double- and dual-degree programs and graduate certificate options.