The certificate in Public Policy complements majors across campus and extends the La Follette School of Public Affairs’ mission to training and mentoring the next generation of leaders in their careers and communities.
The certificate program allows undergraduate students to apply a policy perspective to their major course of study and bolsters their skills for success in the workforce or in their graduate school coursework. Students build a strong foundation for careers in government, nonprofit organizations, or the private sector.
The certificate in Public Policy is ideal for students seeking careers related to key domestic and international issues such as 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.
How to Get in
No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, see Advising & Careers.
To declare the certificate in public policy through the La Follette School of Public Affairs, students must:
- Hold UW-Madison sophomore standing or above and be in good academic standing, according to the rules of your school or college
- Have taken, are enrolled, or are registered for at least one class that meets certificate requirements
Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Course (complete one): | 3 | |
| Contemporary Public Policy Issues | ||
| Analytical Tools for Policy Design, Implementation, and Evaluation (complete one): | 3 | |
| Evidence-Based Policy Making | ||
| Analytic Tools for Public Policy | ||
| Internship/Fieldwork Experience (complete at least 3 credits): | 3 | |
| Administrative Internship | ||
| Workshop in Health Policy | ||
| Workshop in Public Policy | ||
| International Internship | ||
| Legislative Internship | ||
| Wisconsin in Washington Internship Course | ||
| Policy Specialization (complete one course from any one area below): | 3 | |
Social Policy, Inequality Poverty | ||
| Inequality, Race and Public Policy | ||
| Globalization, Poverty and Development | ||
| American Indian Communities: Sovereignty, Struggles, and Successes | ||
| Economics of Poverty and Inequality | ||
| Urban and Regional Economics | ||
| Behavioral Economics | ||
| Disability and the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Introduction to Public Policy | ||
| Psychology, Law, and Social Policy | ||
| Introduction to Social Policy | ||
| Poverty and Social Welfare | ||
Public Management | ||
| Public Leadership | ||
| Strategic Public Management | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Financial Markets, Institutions and Economic Activity | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Business, Government and NGOs | ||
| State Government and Public Policy | ||
Technology | ||
| Digital Footprints: Privacy and Technology | ||
| Data and Algorithms: Ethics and Policy | ||
| Human Factors in Information Security | ||
Health Policy | ||
| Policy, Privacy, and Personal Identity in the Postgenomics Era | ||
| Global Health: Economics, Natural Systems, and Policy | ||
| The Economics of Health Care | ||
| International Migration, Health, and Human Rights | ||
| Digital Health: Information and Technologies Supporting Consumers and Patients | ||
| Health Systems, Policy, Economics, and Research | ||
| Insuring Life's Risks: Health, Aging, and Policy | ||
| Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities | ||
Environmental Policy | ||
| U.S. Environmental Politics and Public Policy | ||
| Climate Change Economics and Policy | ||
| Energy, Resources and Economics | ||
| Natural Resource Economics | ||
| Energy Technologies and Sustainability | ||
| Environmental Sustainability Engineering | ||
| Food Production Systems and Sustainability | ||
| Environmental Studies: Social Science Perspectives | ||
| Rhetoric, Science, and Public Engagement | ||
| People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems | ||
| Green Urbanism | ||
| Climate Change Governance | ||
| Preserving Nature | ||
| US Environmental Policy and Regulation | ||
| Government and Natural Resources | ||
| Natural Resources Policy | ||
| Green - Sustainable Development | ||
Education | ||
| Introduction to Education Policy | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality in American Education | ||
| Wealth, Poverty and Inequality: Transnational Perspectives on Policy and Practice in Education | ||
| School and Society | ||
| Climate Change, Sustainability, and Education | ||
| Urban School Policy | ||
| Introduction to Debates in Higher Education Policy | ||
| Law and Public Education | ||
| Gender and Education | ||
| Education Policy and Practice | ||
Family Policy | ||
| Consumer Policy Analysis | ||
| A Family Perspective in Policymaking | ||
International Policy | ||
| The Private and Public Sectors in Policymaking | ||
| The International Agricultural Economy | ||
| Human Trafficking: Global and Local Perspectives | ||
| The Human Rights of Children and Youth: Global and Local Perspectives | ||
| The Financial System | ||
| Economic Problems of Developing Areas | ||
| Issues in International Macroeconomics | ||
| Multinational Business Finance | ||
| Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | ||
| American Foreign Relations, 1901 to the Present | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Business, Government and NGOs | ||
| International Business | ||
| Chinese Politics | ||
| The European Union: Politics and Political Economy | ||
| Theories of International Security | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Residence & Quality of Work
- At least 6 credits must be completed in residence
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses
- 1
Courses taken Pass/Fail do not meet certificate requirements or calculate in the GPA.
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of major current and past public policy debates, and how to approach questions and research with a public policy lens.
- Gain knowledge and demonstrate application of methodological tools utilized in the public policy arena (e.g., policy memo writing, policy analysis, experience working with administrative data, program evaluation, cost-benefit analysis, performance management).
- Demonstrate understanding and application of knowledge regarding the substantive policy area of interest of their choice (e.g., education, health, social, environmental, science).
- Gain practical professional experience in a public policy work setting.
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the La Follette School of Public Affairs website.
Looking for Advising?
Please visit our undergraduate advising page to connect with our team.
Skills and Careers
Given the increasing complexity in every realm of public policy, students in the undergraduate certificate in public policy program gain skills in quantitative analysis, communication, writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving that are in demand by more and more employers in almost every sector.
The certificate program focuses on evidence-based practices and provides students with the skills to gather data and information from various sources, analyze and synthesize the findings, and write a clear and concise report to illustrate the main points.
With the focus on evidence-based practices, the public policy certificate program provides research and data analysis skills that are transferrable to nearly any occupation. Students maximize their electives and earn a credential that highlights these highly sought-after skills in the context of real-world practice.
Career development is an integral part of the La Follette School experience, with staff members and alumni eager to support and mentor students with diverse interests. Students benefit from networking opportunities, employer visits, professional development seminars, and other services.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students