Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
The Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, commonly known as the "La Follette School", is a public graduate public policy school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It offers master's degrees in public affairs and international public affairs, and joint degrees with other departments. The La Follette School is housed in the Observatory Hill Office Building. History. The school was founded in 1967 as the Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration by Clara Penniman, the first woman to chair the university's political science department, making  it one of the longest established institutions by type for the specific study of public policy. In 1983 it was separated from the department by an act of the Wisconsin Legislature, which established an Institute of Public Affairs named for Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator Robert M. La Follette Sr. The Institute was upgraded to a School in 1999, and offers a relatively small class size from a competitive international admissions process. Program of study. Two graduate degrees are offered by the La Follette School: The MPA is based around a core curriculum of policy analysis and development, public management , microeconomics, and statistics. The MIPA has a greater focus on macroeconomics and international trade. Both are designed as two-year professional programs, with a capstone research project for real-world clients during the final semester. Students select one or more focus fields, such as public finance, health policy, public management, social and poverty policy, or international development. Students may enroll in joint degree programs with other university departments: An accelerated program allows undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to complete their first year of graduate study during their senior year. Undergraduate Certificate. The Undergraduate Certificate in Public Policy  allows undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to apply a policy perspective to their major course of study. Students build a strong foundation for careers in government, nonprofit organizations, or the private sector. The certificate program is ideal for students seeking careers related to key domestic and international issues such as health policy, criminal justice, education, energy, environmental studies, finance, transportation, and poverty. It also prepares students to be engaged citizens, ready to use their talents to improve the world around them. Recognition. For 2014, "U.S. News" ranked the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs #12  in the nation among graduate schools of public affairs. The school is recognized as one of the top-three leaders in the study of cultural and social policy, a field covering sociological elements in public affairs to federal social programs, planning, and implementation, along with the University of Michigan and Harvard University.