Graduate Guide < University of Wisconsin-Madison

Graduate Guide < University of Wisconsin-Madison
Skip to Content
AZ Index
Catalog Home
niversity
of
isconsin
–Madison
Graduate Guide
The Graduate
Guide
provides an overview of UW–Madison programs that offer graduate degrees, doctoral minors, graduate/professional certificates, and capstone certificates. The Graduate
Guide
is the key source for program-specific policies regarding admission, degree requirements, funding, prior coursework, and more.
On This Page
Editions and Archives
Graduate School Degrees
Graduate Student Resources
Graduate Student Professional Development and Communications
Equal Opportunity, Equal Access, and Non-Discrimination
Accreditation
Editions and Archives
The information in this
Guide
is current for the academic year, including the summer, fall, and spring terms. The
Guide
is an official document of record and is reviewed and updated every year.
The
Guide
is published only online; printed copies are not available. Archived editions from past years are available in the
Archive
Students are responsible for meeting the academic requirements that were in effect at the time they matriculated, including satisfactory progress and degree requirements. In situations when academic requirements change during a student’s time of enrollment, the Graduate School and the academic program, together with the student, may elect to enforce requirements that are in the best interest of the student.
Graduate School Degrees
The UW–Madison Graduate School confers:
Master of Arts (MA)
Master of Science (MS)
Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Engineering (ME)
Master of International Public Affairs (MIPA)
Master of Music (MM)
Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The Graduate School oversees the administration of those degrees, doctoral minors, graduate/professional certificates, and capstone certificates. Some major programs have identified sub-majors, known as “named options”. Official named options are approved by university governance and appear on the transcript when the degree is conferred. Some programs also have unofficial pathways that do not appear on the transcript.
Degree programs must be rationally unified, with courses that contribute to an organized program of study and/or research. Courses must be selected from groups embracing one principal subject of concentration called the major (see
Degrees
).
The major field is normally coextensive with the work of a single department or with one of the subjects under which certain programs have been formally arranged.  The Graduate School requires all doctoral programs to incorporate a
breadth requirement
. The breadth requirement is designed to represent a coherent body of work, taken as a graduate student, and should not be simply an after-the-fact ratification of a number of courses taken outside the major department.
Graduate School minimum credits and other requirements necessary to earn degrees are listed in the Graduate School Minimum Degree
Requirements
and
Policies
sections; each program may set degree requirements and expectations more stringent than Graduate School policy.
Graduate Student Resources
The
Graduate School
offers links to information about
admissions
program data profiles
funding resources
diversity
professional development
graduate student life
, and other resources.
The Graduate School's
Academic Policies and Procedures Glossary
provides information about Graduate School academic and administrative policies, procedures and definitions of commonly used terms in graduate education. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official
UW–Madison Policy Library
. This glossary reflects current policies and procedures of the Graduate School, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of the Bursar, the International Students Services (ISS), and other university units.
Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures (GAPP)
outlines employment-related practices for graduate student teaching, research, and project assistantships.
Graduate Student Professional Development and Communications
The Graduate School Office of Professional Development and Communications (OPDC) coordinates, develops, and promotes learning opportunities to foster the academic, professional, and life skills of graduate students.
Professional development topics include
Individual Development Plans
, communication, mentoring, grant writing, dissertation writing, career exploration, job search strategies, and more. The office provides a wealth of resources and events tailored to the needs of UW–Madison graduate students.
The Office of Professional Development and Communications developed and maintains
DiscoverPD
, an innovative tool for UW–Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. DiscoverPD introduces eight areas (or "facets") of professional development, includes a self-assessment, and provides a customized report of areas of strength and weakness. The report comes with recommendations to help graduate students strengthen their ability within each area.
More information on campus resources for student professional development is available at
Professional Development
. Students may keep up-to-date by reading
GradConnections
, the newsletter for graduate students, bookmarking the
Events Calendar
to keep tabs on upcoming workshops of interest, and following the Graduate School’s
, or
accounts.
Equal Opportunity, Equal Access, and Non-Discrimination
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is committed to providing equal opportunity and equal access in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations and Universities of Wisconsin and university non-discrimination policies and procedures.
Policies & Procedures
The Office of Compliance promotes ethical conduct and compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and UW-Madison policies. UW-Madison’s non-discrimination statement, contact information for the university’s Equal Opportunity Investigations Administrator, Title IX Coordinator, ADA Coordinator as well as information regarding UW-Madison’s Equal Opportunity Complaint process is available on the
Office of Compliance’s website
Disability Resources
The McBurney Disability Resource Center is an office within the Division of Student Affairs that views disability as an important aspect of the diversity of UW-Madison. The Center is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive educational experience for students, by partnering with students, faculty, and staff to design accessible environments and to provide academic accommodations so that students can engage, explore and participate in the Wisconsin Idea.
The Center works with UW-Madison students with physical, learning, hearing, vision, psychological, health and other disabilities substantially affecting a major life activity (e.g., walking, communicating, learning, seeing, breathing, reading, etc.). Many students have non-apparent disabilities such as depression, anxiety, autism spectrum, learning disabilities, AD/HD and health conditions such as Crohn’s disease or fibromyalgia.
Common accommodations include extended time and/or small group environment for exams, note taking support, sign language interpreting, real time and media captioning, and conversion of printed materials to accessible formats. McBurney Center staff members also collaborate with students and faculty to determine reasonable flexibility with regard to attendance, participation, and deadlines for conditions that fluctuate in severity over the course of enrollment. The Center makes referrals to other campus offices or community resources for non-classroom accommodations related to housing, transportation, personal care needs, and so on. Students should contact the Center upon admission to begin the eligibility for services process. Early notice is essential in order to have accommodations in place prior to the start of the semester. For detailed information, see
apply for accommodations
McBurney Disability Resource Center
702 West Johnson Street, Suite 2104
Madison, WI 53706
608-263-2741 (voice)
608-225-7956 (text)
608-265-2998 (fax)
mcburney@studentlife.wisc.edu
www.mcburney.wisc.edu
Accreditation
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is accredited by the:
Higher Learning Commission
230 South Lasalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
telephone 1-800-621-7440
www.hlcommission.org
UW–Madison, which was first accredited in 1913, was last accredited in 2019, and will go through a reaccreditation process again in 2028–29.
See Mark of Affiliation
Registration with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education:
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public institution registered as a "Private Institution" with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.
The information, policies, and rules contained herein are subject to change.
Degrees/Majors
Filter Graduate Degrees
Explore Graduate School Program Data
African Cultural Studies, MA
African Cultural Studies, MA
African Cultural Studies, PhD
African Cultural Studies, PhD
Agricultural and Applied Economics, MS
Agricultural and Applied Economics, MS
Agricultural and Applied Economics, PhD
Agricultural and Applied Economics, PhD
Agroecology, MS
Agroecology, MS
Agronomy, MS
Agronomy, MS
Agronomy, PhD
Agronomy, PhD
Animal and Dairy Sciences, MS
Animal and Dairy Sciences, MS
Animal and Dairy Sciences, PhD
Animal and Dairy Sciences, PhD
Animal Sciences, MS
Animal Sciences, MS
Animal Sciences, PhD
Animal Sciences, PhD
Anthropology, MA
Anthropology, MA
Anthropology, MS
Anthropology, MS
Anthropology, PhD
Anthropology, PhD
Applied Biotechnology, MS
Applied Biotechnology, MS
Art History, MA
Art History, MA
Art History, PhD
Art History, PhD
Art, MA
Art, MA
Art, MFA
Art, MFA
Asian Languages and Cultures, MA
Asian Languages and Cultures, MA
Asian Languages and Cultures, PhD
Asian Languages and Cultures, PhD
Astronomy, MS
Astronomy, MS
Astronomy, PhD
Astronomy, PhD
Athletic Training, MS
Athletic Training, MS
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, MS
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, MS
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, PhD
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, PhD
Audiology Consortial Program with U...
Audiology Consortial Program with UW-Stevens Point, AuD
Bacteriology, MS
Bacteriology, MS
Biochemistry, MS
Biochemistry, MS
Biochemistry, PhD
Biochemistry, PhD
Biological Systems Engineering, MS
Biological Systems Engineering, MS
Biological Systems Engineering, PhD
Biological Systems Engineering, PhD
Biomedical Data Science, MS
Biomedical Data Science, MS
Biomedical Data Science, PhD
Biomedical Data Science, PhD
Biomedical Engineering, MS
Biomedical Engineering, MS
Biomedical Engineering, PhD
Biomedical Engineering, PhD
Biophysics, MS
Biophysics, MS
Biophysics, PhD
Biophysics, PhD
Biotechnology, MS
Biotechnology, MS
Botany, MS
Botany, MS
Botany, PhD
Botany, PhD
Business, MS
Business, MS
Business, PhD
Business, PhD
Business: Accounting and Business A...
Business: Accounting and Business Analysis, MS
Business: Accounting, MAcc
Business: Accounting, MAcc
Business: Analytics, MS
Business: Analytics, MS
Business: Arts and Creative Enterpr...
Business: Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership, MA
Business: Data, Insights, and Analy...
Business: Data, Insights, and Analytics MS
Business: Executive, MBA
Business: Executive, MBA
Business: Finance, Investment, and ...
Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking, MBA
Business: Finance, Investment, and ...
Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking, MS
Business: Financial Management and ...
Business: Financial Management and Accounting, MS
Business: General Management, MBA
Business: General Management, MBA
Business: Management and Human Reso...
Business: Management and Human Resources, MBA
Business: Marketing, MBA
Business: Marketing, MBA
Business: Operations and Technology...
Business: Operations and Technology Management, MBA
Business: Real Estate and Urban Lan...
Business: Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, MBA
Business: Real Estate and Urban Lan...
Business: Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, MS
Business: Risk Management and Insur...
Business: Risk Management and Insurance, MBA
Business: Supply Chain Management, MBA
Business: Supply Chain Management, MBA
Business: Supply Chain Management, MS
Business: Supply Chain Management, MS
Cancer Biology, MS
Cancer Biology, MS
Cancer Biology, PhD
Cancer Biology, PhD
Cartography and Geographic Informat...
Cartography and Geographic Information Systems, MS
Cellular and Molecular Biology, MS
Cellular and Molecular Biology, MS
Cellular and Molecular Biology, PhD
Cellular and Molecular Biology, PhD
Cellular and Molecular Pathology, MS
Cellular and Molecular Pathology, MS
Cellular and Molecular Pathology, PhD
Cellular and Molecular Pathology, PhD
Chemical Engineering, MS
Chemical Engineering, MS
Chemical Engineering, PhD
Chemical Engineering, PhD
Chemistry, MS
Chemistry, MS
Chemistry, PhD
Chemistry, PhD
Chinese, MA
Chinese, MA
Chinese, PhD
Chinese, PhD
Civil and Environmental Engineering...
Civil and Environmental Engineering, MEng
Civil and Environmental Engineering, MS
Civil and Environmental Engineering, MS
Civil and Environmental Engineering, PhD
Civil and Environmental Engineering, PhD
Classical and Ancient Near Eastern ...
Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, MA
Classical and Ancient Near Eastern ...
Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, PhD
Clinical and Health Informatics, MS
Clinical and Health Informatics, MS
Clinical Investigation, MS
Clinical Investigation, MS
Clinical Investigation, PhD
Clinical Investigation, PhD
Clinical Nutrition, MS
Clinical Nutrition, MS
Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, MS
Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, MS
Communication Arts, MA
Communication Arts, MA
Communication Arts, PhD
Communication Arts, PhD
Communication Sciences and Disorders, MS
Communication Sciences and Disorders, MS
Communication Sciences and Disorder...
Communication Sciences and Disorders, PhD
Comparative Biomedical Sciences, MS
Comparative Biomedical Sciences, MS
Comparative Biomedical Sciences, PhD
Comparative Biomedical Sciences, PhD
Computer Sciences, MS
Computer Sciences, MS
Computer Sciences, PhD
Computer Sciences, PhD
Counseling Psychology, PhD
Counseling Psychology, PhD
Counseling, MS
Counseling, MS
Creative Writing, MFA
Creative Writing, MFA
Curriculum and Instruction, MS
Curriculum and Instruction, MS
Curriculum and Instruction, PhD
Curriculum and Instruction, PhD
Dairy Science, MS
Dairy Science, MS
Dairy Science, PhD
Dairy Science, PhD
Dance, MFA
Dance, MFA
Data Engineering, MS
Data Engineering, MS
Data Science, MS
Data Science, MS
Design + Innovation, MS
Design + Innovation, MS
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, PhD
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, PhD
Economics, MS
Economics, MS
Economics, PhD
Economics, PhD
Educational Leadership and Policy A...
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, EdS
Educational Leadership and Policy A...
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, MS
Educational Leadership and Policy A...
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, PhD
Educational Policy Studies, MA
Educational Policy Studies, MA
Educational Policy Studies, PhD
Educational Policy Studies, PhD
Educational Psychology, MS
Educational Psychology, MS
Educational Psychology, PhD
Educational Psychology, PhD
Electrical and Computer Engineering, MS
Electrical and Computer Engineering, MS
Electrical and Computer Engineering, PhD
Electrical and Computer Engineering, PhD
Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiolo...
Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology, MS
Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiolo...
Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology, PhD
Engineering Management, MS
Engineering Management, MS
Engineering Mechanics, MS
Engineering Mechanics, MS
Engineering Mechanics, PhD
Engineering Mechanics, PhD
Engineering, MEng
Engineering, MEng
English, MA
English, MA
English, PhD
English, PhD
Entomology, MS
Entomology, MS
Entomology, PhD
Entomology, PhD
Environment and Resources, MS
Environment and Resources, MS
Environment and Resources, PhD
Environment and Resources, PhD
Environmental Chemistry and Technol...
Environmental Chemistry and Technology, MS
Environmental Chemistry and Technol...
Environmental Chemistry and Technology, PhD
Environmental Conservation, MS
Environmental Conservation, MS
Environmental Remediation and Manag...
Environmental Remediation and Management, MS
Epidemiology, MS
Epidemiology, MS
Epidemiology, PhD
Epidemiology, PhD
Financial Economics, MS
Financial Economics, MS
Food Science, MS
Food Science, MS
Food Science, PhD
Food Science, PhD
Forestry, MS
Forestry, MS
Forestry, PhD
Forestry, PhD
French, MA
French, MA
French, PhD
French, PhD
Freshwater and Marine Sciences, MS
Freshwater and Marine Sciences, MS
Freshwater and Marine Sciences, PhD
Freshwater and Marine Sciences, PhD
Gender and Women's Studies, MA
Gender and Women's Studies, MA
Gender and Women's Studies, PhD
Gender and Women's Studies, PhD
Genetics, MS
Genetics, MS
Genetics, PhD
Genetics, PhD
Geography, MS
Geography, MS
Geography, PhD
Geography, PhD
Geological Engineering, MS
Geological Engineering, MS
Geological Engineering, PhD
Geological Engineering, PhD
Geoscience, MS
Geoscience, MS
Geoscience, PhD
Geoscience, PhD
German, MA
German, MA
German, PhD
German, PhD
Health Services Research in Pharmacy, MS
Health Services Research in Pharmacy, MS
Health Services Research in Pharmac...
Health Services Research in Pharmacy, PhD
History of Science, Medicine and Te...
History of Science, Medicine and Technology, MA
History of Science, Medicine and Te...
History of Science, Medicine and Technology, PhD
History, MA
History, MA
History, PhD
History, PhD
Horticulture, MS
Horticulture, MS
Horticulture, PhD
Horticulture, PhD
Human Ecology, MFA
Human Ecology, MFA
Human Ecology, MS
Human Ecology, MS
Human Ecology, PhD
Human Ecology, PhD
Industrial Engineering, MS
Industrial Engineering, MS
Industrial Engineering, PhD
Industrial Engineering, PhD
Information, MS
Information, MS
Information, PhD
Information, PhD
Integrative Biology, MS
Integrative Biology, MS
Integrative Biology, PhD
Integrative Biology, PhD
Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies, MA
Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies, MA
Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies, PhD
Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies, PhD
International Public Affairs, MIPA
International Public Affairs, MIPA
Italian, MA
Italian, MA
Italian, PhD
Italian, PhD
Japanese, MA
Japanese, MA
Japanese, PhD
Japanese, PhD
Journalism and Mass Communication, MA
Journalism and Mass Communication, MA
Kinesiology, MS
Kinesiology, MS
Kinesiology, PhD
Kinesiology, PhD
Landscape Architecture, MS
Landscape Architecture, MS
Latin American, Caribbean, and Iber...
Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies, MA
Learning Analytics, MS
Learning Analytics, MS
Library and Information Studies, MA
Library and Information Studies, MA
Life Sciences Communication, MS
Life Sciences Communication, MS
Linguistics, MA
Linguistics, MA
Linguistics, PhD
Linguistics, PhD
Manufacturing Systems Engineering, MS
Manufacturing Systems Engineering, MS
Mass Communications, PhD
Mass Communications, PhD
Materials Science and Engineering, MS
Materials Science and Engineering, MS
Materials Science and Engineering, PhD
Materials Science and Engineering, PhD
Mathematics, MA
Mathematics, MA
Mathematics, PhD
Mathematics, PhD
Mechanical Engineering, MS
Mechanical Engineering, MS
Mechanical Engineering, PhD
Mechanical Engineering, PhD
Medical Physics, MS
Medical Physics, MS
Medical Physics, PhD
Medical Physics, PhD
Microbiology, MS
Microbiology, MS
Microbiology, PhD
Microbiology, PhD
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, MS
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, MS
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, PhD
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, PhD
Molecular and Environmental Toxicol...
Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, MS
Molecular and Environmental Toxicol...
Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, PhD
Music, MA
Music, MA
Music, PhD
Music, PhD
Music: Education, MM
Music: Education, MM
Music: Performance, DMA
Music: Performance, DMA
Music: Performance, MM
Music: Performance, MM
Neuroscience, MS
Neuroscience, MS
Neuroscience, PhD
Neuroscience, PhD
Nuclear Engineering and Engineering...
Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, MS
Nuclear Engineering and Engineering...
Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, PhD
Nursing Practice, DNP
Nursing Practice, DNP
Nursing, MS
Nursing, MS
Nursing, PhD
Nursing, PhD
Nutrition and Metabolism, MS
Nutrition and Metabolism, MS
Nutrition and Metabolism, PhD
Nutrition and Metabolism, PhD
Occupational Therapy, OTD
Occupational Therapy, OTD
Pharmaceutical Sciences, MS
Pharmaceutical Sciences, MS
Pharmaceutical Sciences, PhD
Pharmaceutical Sciences, PhD
Pharmacy, MS
Pharmacy, MS
Philosophy, MA
Philosophy, MA
Philosophy, PhD
Philosophy, PhD
Physics, MA
Physics, MA
Physics, MS
Physics, MS
Physics, PhD
Physics, PhD
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, MS
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, MS
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, PhD
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, PhD
Plant Pathology, MS
Plant Pathology, MS
Plant Pathology, PhD
Plant Pathology, PhD
Plant Science and Technology, MS
Plant Science and Technology, MS
Plant Science and Technology, PhD
Plant Science and Technology, PhD
Political Science, MA
Political Science, MA
Political Science, PhD
Political Science, PhD
Population Health, MS
Population Health, MS
Population Health, PhD
Population Health, PhD
Portuguese and Spanish, MA
Portuguese and Spanish, MA
Portuguese and Spanish, PhD
Portuguese and Spanish, PhD
Psychology, MS
Psychology, MS
Psychology, PhD
Psychology, PhD
Public Affairs, MPA
Public Affairs, MPA
Quantitative Economics, MS
Quantitative Economics, MS
Quantum Computing, MS
Quantum Computing, MS
Rehabilitation Counselor Education, PhD
Rehabilitation Counselor Education, PhD
Russian, East European and Central ...
Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, MA
Scandinavian Studies, MA
Scandinavian Studies, MA
Scandinavian Studies, PhD
Scandinavian Studies, PhD
School Psychology, EdS
School Psychology, EdS
School Psychology, MS
School Psychology, MS
School Psychology, PhD
School Psychology, PhD
Science Communication, PhD
Science Communication, PhD
Second Language Acquisition, PhD
Second Language Acquisition, PhD
Slavic Languages and Literatures, MA
Slavic Languages and Literatures, MA
Slavic Languages and Literatures, PhD
Slavic Languages and Literatures, PhD
Social Welfare, PhD
Social Welfare, PhD
Social Work Advanced Standing, MSW
Social Work Advanced Standing, MSW
Social Work, MSW
Social Work, MSW
Sociology, MS
Sociology, MS
Sociology, PhD
Sociology, PhD
Soil Science, MS
Soil Science, MS
Soil Science, PhD
Soil Science, PhD
Southeast Asian Studies, MA
Southeast Asian Studies, MA
Spanish, MA
Spanish, MA
Spanish, PhD
Spanish, PhD
Special Education, MS
Special Education, MS
Special Education, PhD
Special Education, PhD
Special Graduate Committee, MA
Special Graduate Committee, MA
Special Graduate Committee, MS
Special Graduate Committee, MS
Special Graduate Committee, PhD
Special Graduate Committee, PhD
Sports Leadership, MS
Sports Leadership, MS
Statistics, MS
Statistics, MS
Statistics, PhD
Statistics, PhD
Urban and Regional Planning, MS
Urban and Regional Planning, MS
Urban and Regional Planning, PhD
Urban and Regional Planning, PhD
Water Resources Management, MS
Water Resources Management, MS
Wildlife Ecology, MS
Wildlife Ecology, MS
Wildlife Ecology, PhD
Wildlife Ecology, PhD
Distance or Flexible Programs
The university offers several degree and capstone certificate programs that are fully or partially available at a distance or that are flexible to working schedules with evening and/or weekend courses. To learn more about the graduate-level degrees and certificates offered in flexible and online formats, visit the Wisconsin
Professional Degrees & Certificates
portal.
Doctoral Minors
Breadth is a required component of doctoral training at UW–Madison. A student’s doctoral major program determines how breadth is achieved: students either complete an additional program of a doctoral minor or
graduate/professional certificate
, or breadth is built into the doctoral major program curriculum. Most major programs advise students to enroll in a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate to meet the breadth requirement. If a doctoral minor or graduate/professional/capstone certificate is not required by the student’s doctoral major program, it is noted on the Requirements tab of the
Guide
degree or named option page. See the
Graduate School: Breadth Requirement in Doctoral Training
policy for minimum course requirements for the minor.
African American Studies, Doctoral Minor
African Cultural Studies, Doctoral Minor
African Studies, Doctoral Minor
Agricultural and Applied Economics, Doctoral Minor
Anthropology, Doctoral Minor
Art History, Doctoral Minor
Art, Doctoral Minor
Asian Languages and Cultures, Doctoral Minor
Astronomy, Doctoral Minor
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Doctoral Minor
Biochemistry, Doctoral Minor
Biomedical Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Biophysics, Doctoral Minor
Botany, Doctoral Minor
Business, Doctoral Minor
Cartography and Geographic Information Systems, Doctoral Minor
Chemical Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Chemistry, Doctoral Minor
Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, Doctoral Minor
Chinese, Doctoral Minor
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Classics, Doctoral Minor
Clinical Investigation, Doctoral Minor
Communication Arts, Doctoral Minor
Communication Sciences and Disorders, Doctoral Minor
Community and Environmental Sociology, Doctoral Minor
Community-Engaged Scholarship, Doctoral Minor
Computer Sciences, Doctoral Minor
Counseling Psychology, Doctoral Minor
Creative Writing, Doctoral Minor
Culture, History and Environment, Doctoral Minor
Curriculum and Instruction, Doctoral Minor
Developmental, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Doctoral Minor
Distributed, Doctoral Minor
East Asian Studies, Doctoral Minor
Economics, Doctoral Minor
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Doctoral Minor
Educational Policy Studies, Doctoral Minor
Educational Psychology, Doctoral Minor
Electrical Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology, Doctoral Minor
Energy Analysis and Policy, Doctoral Minor
Engineering Mechanics, Doctoral Minor
English Linguistics, Doctoral Minor
English, Doctoral Minor
Environment and Resources, Doctoral Minor
Environmental Chemistry and Technology, Doctoral Minor
Folklore, Doctoral Minor
Forestry, Doctoral Minor
French, Doctoral Minor
Gender and Women's Studies, Doctoral Minor
Geography, Doctoral Minor
Geological Engineering, Doctoral Minor
German, Doctoral Minor
Global Studies, Doctoral Minor
Greek, Doctoral Minor
Hebrew Bible, Doctoral Minor
History of Science, Medicine and Technology, Doctoral Minor
History, Doctoral Minor
Human Ecology, Doctoral Minor
Industrial Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Integrative Biology, Doctoral Minor
Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies, Doctoral Minor
Italian, Doctoral Minor
Japanese, Doctoral Minor
Kinesiology, Doctoral Minor
Landscape Architecture, Doctoral Minor
Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies, Doctoral Minor
Latin, Doctoral Minor
Law, Doctoral Minor
Life Sciences Communication, Doctoral Minor
Linguistics, Doctoral Minor
Mass Communications, Doctoral Minor
Materials Science and Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Mathematics, Doctoral Minor
Mechanical Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Medieval Studies, Doctoral Minor
Microbiology, Doctoral Minor
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Doctoral Minor
Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, Doctoral Minor
Music, Doctoral Minor
Neuroscience, Doctoral Minor
Nuclear Engineering, Doctoral Minor
Nursing, Doctoral Minor
Philosophy, Doctoral Minor
Physics, Doctoral Minor
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, Doctoral Minor
Plant Pathology, Doctoral Minor
Polish, Doctoral Minor
Political Science, Doctoral Minor
Population Health, Doctoral Minor
Portuguese, Doctoral Minor
Prevention and Intervention Science, Doctoral Minor
Print Culture History, Doctoral Minor
Psychology, Doctoral Minor
Qualitative Research Methodology in Education, Doctoral Minor
Quantitative Biology, Doctoral Minor
Religious Studies, Doctoral Minor
Russian, Doctoral Minor
Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, Doctoral Minor
Scandinavian Studies, Doctoral Minor
Science and Technology Studies, Doctoral Minor
Second Language Acquisition, Doctoral Minor
Slavic Languages and Literatures, Doctoral Minor
Sociology, Doctoral Minor
Soil Science, Doctoral Minor
Southeast Asian Studies, Doctoral Minor
Spanish, Doctoral Minor
Statistics, Doctoral Minor
Urban and Regional Planning, Doctoral Minor
Visual Cultures, Doctoral Minor
Water Resources Management, Doctoral Minor
Wildlife Ecology, Doctoral Minor
Graduate/Professional Certificates
Graduate/professional certificates are available to all degree-seeking graduate and professional students (Graduate, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine careers) and meet the Graduate School’s breadth requirement. Graduate/professional certificate programs coordinate teaching and research among scholars active in interrelated disciplines.
African Studies, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Applied Bioinformatics, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Data Analytics, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Bilingual Psychological Services: Esperanza, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Business Analytics, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Business, Environment, and Social Responsibility, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Community-Engaged Scholarship, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Culture, History and Environment, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Education Law and Civil Rights, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Energy Analysis and Policy, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Entrepreneurship, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Fundamentals of Clinical Research, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Gender and Women's Studies, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Global Health Online, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Health Advocacy, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Implementation Science and Community Health Outcomes, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Instructional Coaching, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Nurse Educator, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Planning and Design Technologies, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Prevention and Intervention Science, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Science Communication, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Strategic Innovation: Technology, Organizations, and Society, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Sustainability, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Visual Cultures, Graduate/Professional Certificate
Capstone Certificates
Capstone certificates allow individuals with a bachelor’s degree to obtain additional professional skills. Capstones do not lead to the conferral of a degree but do appear on a student’s UW–Madison transcript.
Graduate students are not eligible to enroll in capstone certificates.
Capstone certificate students are admitted as University Special students through
Adult Career and Special Student Services
(ACSSS). ACSSS is the academic dean and is responsible for issues related to student enrollment and the student's official record.
An Adult Career and Special Student Services student services coordinator works with each department's capstone certificate coordinator on advising, admissions, enrollment eligibility, and program completion. Capstone certificates typically follow the rules of the
Graduate School
for tuition, credit limits, and grading.
International Students
The availability of a capstone certificate program to an international student varies as follows:
Capstones
The 100% online programs are available to international students who remain abroad.
Individuals already in the U.S. on another visa type (e.g. J-1 scholar, J-2 dependent, H1B) may be eligible for admission to any of the capstone certificate programs.
F-1 or J-1 student visa holders must enroll full-time in on-campus courses to study legally in the United States. The programs approved by the U.S. government for F-1 or J-1 student visas include
Actuarial Science
Communication Sciences & Disorders
, and
Computer Sciences.
Actuarial Science, Capstone Certificate
Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nursing, Capstone Certificate
Advanced GIS, Capstone Certificate
Applied Bioinformatics, Capstone Certificate
Applied Drug Development, Capstone Certificate
Applied Engineering Management, Capstone Certificate
Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Data Analytics, Capstone Certificate
Clinical and Health Informatics, Capstone Certificate
Clinical Nutrition, Capstone Certificate
Communication Sciences and Disorders, Capstone Certificate
Community and Nonprofit Leadership, Capstone Certificate
Computer Sciences for Professionals, Capstone Certificate
Fundamentals of Clinical Research, Capstone Certificate
GIS Fundamentals, Capstone Certificate
Global Health Online, Capstone Certificate
Implementation Science and Community Health Outcomes, Capstone Certificate
Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health, Capstone Certificate
Pediatric Primary Care Nursing, Capstone Certificate
Polymer Processing & Manufacturing, Capstone Certificate
Post-Graduate Psychiatric Nursing, Capstone Certificate
Power Conversion and Control, Capstone Certificate
Powertrain Electrification, Capstone Certificate
Psychoactive Pharmaceutical Investigation, Capstone Certificate
Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs in Biotechnology, Capstone Certificate
Spanish-English Bilingual-Bicultural Education, Capstone Certificate
User Experience Design, Capstone Certificate
Admissions
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has offered graduate study for more than a century. The faculty of more than 2,000 distinguished scholars and teachers, supported by an academic staff exceeding 10,000 confers graduate degrees in more than 160 fields of study.
As one of the nation's major research institutions, the university maintains extensive research facilities.
Keep in mind:
Deadlines for applications, fellowships and other types of funding vary among programs.
Requirements for admissions also vary; therefore, it is important to check program websites and the program page in
Guide
before applying.
The application fee is set by the legislature and is nonrefundable.
Admitted graduate students may request a change to their initial term of enrollment, provided the request is supported by a valid reason as outlined
here
and receives approval from both the admitting program and the Graduate School. International students must comply with
full-time enrollment requirements
applicable to their new term of entry.
Council of Graduate Schools Policy Resolution
Acceptance of an offer of financial support* (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties.
Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15. Earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. If an applicant accepts an offer before April 15 and then decides to withdraw that acceptance, they may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. Applicants must inform the program that they are withdrawing their acceptance of the offer, they then can accept any other offers.
It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.
*Note that this Resolution applies to offers of financial support only, not offers of admission.
Requirements
Graduate School Minimum Degree Requirements
Students are responsible for reviewing
Guide
and obtaining specific program requirements from the program. Many programs publish a graduate student handbook, which provides more details about graduate study and other policies and processes.
The table below includes Graduate School minimum degree requirements and other information that is featured on each program page. Schools/colleges, departments and programs may set more stringent requirements than the Graduate School.
Requirements
Graduate Requirements
Requirements
Detail
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement
Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy.
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement
3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy.
Other Grade Requirements
Programs may have additional and/or more stringent policies. Refer to individual program Guide pages.
Assessments and Examinations
Each program may have unique policies. Refer to individual program Guide pages.
Language Requirements
Each program may have unique policies. Refer to individual program Guide pages.
Master's Degrees
MA, MS, MAcc, MBA, MM, MEng, MIPA, MPA, MSW
Minimum Graduate Degree Credit Requirement
30 credits
Minimum Graduate Residence Credit Requirement
16 credits
Master of Fine Arts Degree or Educational Specialist Degree
MFA, EdS
Minimum Graduate Degree Credit Requirement
42 credits
Minimum Graduate Residence Credit Requirement
24 credits
Doctoral Degrees
AuD, DMA, DNP, OTD, PhD
Minimum Graduate Degree Credit Requirement
51 credits
Minimum Graduate Residence Credit Requirement
32 credits
Graduate School Breadth Requirement
All doctoral students are required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. Refer to the
Graduate School: Breadth Requirement in Doctoral Training
policy.
For more information, please consult the Graduate School
Academic Policies and Procedures
Policies
All institutional policies can be found in the
policy library
. The table below highlights select Graduate School academic policies. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Refer to specific program pages for more information.
Graduate School Policies
Graduate Requirements
Requirements
Detail
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW-Madison
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Refer to the Graduate School: Advisor (
) and Graduate School: Committees (Doctoral/Master’s/MFA) (
) policies.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credit maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
Refer to School/College and program policy.
Other
Each program may have unique policies. Refer to individual program Guide pages.
Academic Calendar
Establishment of the
academic calendar
for the University of Wisconsin–Madison falls within the authority of the faculty as set forth in Faculty Policies and Procedures. Construction of the academic calendar is subject to various rules and guidelines prescribed by the Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate and State of Wisconsin legislation. The Faculty Senate approves an academic calendar which spans a future five-year period.
Overview
Degrees/Majors
Doctoral Minors
Graduate/Professional Certificates
Capstone Certificates
Admissions
Requirements
Policies
Academic Calendar
Contact Information
Graduate School
grad.wisc.edu
Print page
Download page
Download Overview
Download Degrees/Majors
Download Doctoral Minors
Download Graduate/Professional Certificates
Download Capstone Certificates
Download Admissions
Download Requirements
Download Policies
Download Academic Calendar
Download all Graduate pages
Expand Headers
/​api/​
/​pdf/​
Archive
Courses
Explore Graduate Opportunities
Explore UW-​Madison's Undergraduate Opportunities
Faculty
Graduate Guide
Accounting and Information Systems
African American Studies
African Cultural Studies
Agricultural and Applied Economics
Agricultural and Life Sciences -​ College-​Wide
Animal and Dairy Sciences
Anthropology
Art
Art History
Asian Languages and Cultures
Astronomy
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Bacteriology
Biochemistry
Biological Systems Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
Botany
Business -​ School-​Wide
Cell and Regenerative Biology
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Chemistry
Chicana/​o and Latina/​o Studies
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Civil Society &​ Community Studies
Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Communication Arts
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Community and Environmental Sociology
Computer Sciences
Counseling Psychology
Curriculum and Instruction
Dance
Economics
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
Educational Policy Studies
Educational Psychology
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Engineering -​ College-​Wide
Entomology
Finance
Food Science
Forest and Wildlife Ecology
French and Italian
Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Gender and Women's Studies
Genetics
Geography
Geoscience
German, Nordic, and Slavic
Graduate -​ School-​Wide
History
Human Ecology -​ School-​Wide
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Information School
Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
Institute for Regional and International Studies
Integrative Biology
Journalism and Mass Communication
Kinesiology
La Follette School of Public Affairs
Language Institute
Language Sciences
Law -​ School-​Wide
Life Sciences Communication
Management and Human Resources
Marketing
Materials Science and Engineering
Mathematics
Mead Witter School of Music
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Physics
Medicine and Public Health -​ School-​Wide
Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics
Nursing -​ School-​Wide
Nutritional Sciences
Oncology
Operations and Information Management
Pathology
Pharmacy -​ School-​Wide
Philosophy
Physics
Planning and Landscape Architecture
Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences
Plant Pathology
Political Science
Population Health Sciences
Psychology
Real Estate and Urban Land Economics
Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education
Religious Studies
Risk and Insurance
Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work
Sociology
Soil and Environmental Sciences
Spanish and Portuguese
Statistics
Veterinary Medicine -​ School-​Wide
Law Guide
Nondegree/​Visiting Student Guide
Pharmacy Guide
School of Medicine and Public Health Guide
Undergraduate Guide
Veterinary Guide