F. A. Q.'s for Prospective Students
We are pleased you are considering the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. The degree and certifications area of the academics section http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/academics/index.html offers detailed descriptions of our programs, but you may want to review the questions listed below. They may answer some of your initial questions.
Q. I am interested in graduate school. What do I do first?
A. To obtain information regarding the Graduate School and their admission and application process http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admissions/appinstr.html
To obtain information on the Department requirements refer to the information on these sites:
http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/admissions/index.html
http://www.education.wisc.edu/edadmin/about/index.htm
Q. I already have a Master’s degree. Who do I contact to have my previous course work evaluated to determine what course work would be accepted in your Ph.D. program?
A. Contact the Student Services Coordinator at 608-263-2701 or ssmith@education.wisc.edu. You can also submit your transcripts with a request for evaluation to: Shari Smith, ELPA, 1025 W. Johnson St., Room 1152, Madison, WI 53706.
Q. I want to be certified as an administrator. If I receive a M.S. or Ph.D., will I automatically have K-12 leadership certification?
A. Not necessarily. Administrator Certification requires specific coursework not necessarily taken to receive a M.S. or Ph.D. Feel free to review the requirements for K-12 leadership certifications http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/academics/degrees/certificationprogs.html or the requirements for the Educational Specialist Certificate http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/academics/degrees/EdSCertificate.html
Q. What are the procedural and academic requirements for admission into the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis program?
A. Procedural Requirements: All programs require the submission of an on-line application form submitted to the Graduate School http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/appinstr.html and an application fee paid directly to the Graduate School. The department will obtain the application from the Graduate School and recommend students for admission. The department does not require a separate application form. Department admission requirements and application process are available at http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/admissions/general_adm.html
Academic Requirements: The Department requires the last 60 hours UGPA of 3.25 or better, GGPA of 3.5 or better, and GRE scores (verbal & quantitative) of 1100 or better, three letters of recommendation, official copies of all transcripts, and a reason for study essay.
Applicants who earned an UGPA below 3.25 or a GGPA below 3.5 or a GRE score below 1100 points (verbal and quantitative combined score) should provide additional explanation/documentation to support his/her admission (e.g. an explanation as to why scores do not accurately reflect potential, documentation of high potential for leadership, relevant experiences that affect their abilities to serve in leadership roles).
The graduate school minimum requirements link: http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html
Q. I have done graduate work at another school. Will those credits transfer?
A. All transcripts will need to be reviewed before transfer credits are accepted. Students seeking K-12 leadership administrator certification from this department must take a minimum of six credits at UW-Madison.
Students seeking the M.S. degree must complete a minimum of 16 (of 30 total) credits from UW-Madison.
Students seeking the Ph.D. degree must take at least 39 (of 75 total) credits from UW-Madison.
Students seeking the Educational Specialist Certificate must take at least 32 (of 60 total) graduate credits from UW-Madison.
Q. I have enrolled as a Special Student. How many credits will transfer?
A. A maximum of six credits of course work taken as a special student will be accepted toward either certification or a degree.
Information regarding enrolling as a special student can be found at http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/admissions/SpecialStudentEnrollmentProcess.htm
Q. What is considered full-time and part-time status?
A. The Graduate School considers full-time enrollment to be 8-12 graduate-level credits (300 and above; no audits or pass/fail) during the fall and spring semesters and 4-8 graduate credits during the eight-week summer session. A student who has dissertator status is considered full-time with 3 graduate-level credits.
Q. Can I schedule a tour of the Department?
A. Contact the Student Services Coordinator: ssmith@education.wisc.edu or 608-263-2701for an advising appointment and options for meeting with faculty, sitting in the classes and touring the campus. If you wish to arrange your own tour, contact (link).
Q. What time of day are classes offered?
A. During the academic year, fall and spring, the majority of courses are offered in the evening from 4:40-7:10 or 7:15-9:45. Occasionally courses are offered on weekends. During the summer session, most courses are offered in the day.
Q. Are new students grouped together in a cohort, or am I free to take whatever classes I choose?
A. Students are not grouped in a cohort. Students meet with their advisors and develop a program plan. Advisors will assist you in selecting the appropriate course work for you.
Q. How many credits should I take each semester?
A. Full-time/Part-time Status: The Graduate School considers full-time enrollment to be 8-12 graduate-level credits (300 and above; no audits or pass/fail) during the fall and spring semesters and 4-8 graduate credits during the eight-week summer session. A student who has dissertator status is considered full-time with 3 graduate-level credits.
Q. How do I find out about and apply for funding?
A. The Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis supports students by providing opportunities for graduate assistantships, graduate fellowships, teaching assistantships, scholarships and travel support. A listing of funding opportunities including to how to apply for graduate/teaching assistantships, stipends, the number of students currently funded, how to find funding for research and travel to conferences and fellowship/scholarship opportunities is available on the Department website http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/admissions/funding.htm
Q. I am an International Student. Where can I find information regarding opportunities, options, and assistance?
A. Online information can be found at the International Student and Scholar Services XXX website, or at the Global Gateway site.
The Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis does not provide financial support to first year international students and funding after the first year is very limited. International applicants are required to have sufficient funds to cover their expenses completely while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You must certify that you have a minimum of $37,746 (U.S. dollars) per calendar year. This amount may be greater than $37,746 because of insurance costs for dependents. The university's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is mandatory for international students and their dependents living in the U.S.
Q. How do I get a student ID card?
A. http://www.union.wisc.edu/photoid/ XXX
Q. How do I enroll in courses?
A. Enrollment is done on-line via My-UW Madison http://my.wisc.edu/portal/index.jsp If you do not know your Net ID and password, contact the DoIt Help Desk at 608-264-4357.
Q. How do I find out what is happening in the Department?
A. The Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis runs a low traffic listserve to update present and future students, faculty, and alumni on available courses, conferences, financial aid opportunities and other news from the Department and field. To make sure you are informed be sure to register on the following website http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/reference/listserve.html
Q. Who will be my academic advisor?
A. Students are assigned initial advisors by the Department. Students have the option of requesting a faculty member to serve as their advisor and may make the change by submitting a change of advisor form (link to forms page)
Q. I am a Ph.D. student. How do I select my dissertation committee?
A. http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/academics/degrees/PhD.html#exams
Q. What will my program look like?
Ph.D. Road Map
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Complete A Program Plan
The student’s program plan is developed in consultation with a departmental advisor. The program plan is signed by the student and advisor and is then submitted to the Department of approval. Program plans may be changed with advisor approval.
Credit/GPA Requirements
Overall, doctoral students must take 75 credits of course work, distributed across the categories indicated on the program plan. At least 39 credits of the total program have to be in Educational Policy and Analysis courses.
Transfer students from other institutions must enroll for at least 39 credits from UW-Madison.
No more than 6 credits of special student course work are applicable toward degree requirements. Once you become a graduate student, you can no longer take courses as a special student.
The student must maintain a minimum overall GGPA of 3.00 in educational administration coursework between admission and the time of the preliminary examination (see below).
The Ph.D. qualifying examination must be passed as a partial requirement for completion of the Ph.D. degree. The student may take the exam after the completion of at least 18 credits in Educational Administration course work, and must take the exam no later than the semester is which 24 credits in Educational Policy & Analysis courses are completed.
The format of the exam requires that the student pre-select up to six courses for exam questions. Several faculty will provide students with the question(s) prior to the exam. Students are required to write on 4 courses; 2 in the morning session and 2 in the afternoon session. Whenever possible, the faculty who taught the course is also the grader. The morning session is 8:30-11:30; the afternoon session is 1:00-4:00. Students complete the exam in a computer lab on campus.
The Ph.D. qualifying examination is given three times a year, typically the first Friday in May, August and December. You must apply to write the exam. The application is available online http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/reference/forms.htm, in the Educational Policy & Analysis Department Office, or will be mailed upon request.
If failure results, the qualifying examination may be repeated one time. After a failure, the student is required to complete a minimum of six (6) additional credits in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis course work before retaking the examination.
Preliminary Examination
The Ph.D. preliminary examination must be passed as a partial requirement for completion of the degree. The student must have completed or must expect to complete the research requirements during the semester in which the preliminary examination is taken. The student’s program plan, research requirement plan, and minor option plan must have been approved by the Department prior to taking the preliminary examination.
The preliminary examination is an oral examination based on the departmentally approved program requirements and the dissertation proposal. The examination committee is composed of three faculty members, two of which must be from the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis.
The preliminary examination must be passed with seven years from the date of admission to the program. The dissertation must be satisfactorily completed within five years of passing the preliminary examination.
Additional information is available under “prelim information” on this website http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/reference/forms.htm.
Dissertator Status
Once the preliminary examination is passed and all course work is completed, a Ph.D. student becomes a “dissertator”. The Graduate School requires that after completion of the preliminary examination and all program requirements, students enroll for at least three graduate credits (990 credits) each semester as a "dissertator" until completion of the final oral examination. You do not need to enroll as a dissertator during the summer session unless you intend to do your final oral examination during the summer. Dissertator credits require departmental permission prior to registration.
Final Oral Examination
The final oral examination must be passed as a partial and final requirement for completion of the degree. The student must have completed or expect to complete ALL program requirements during the semester in which the final oral examination is taken. Certification of program completion must have been obtained by the Department Chair prior to scheduling the examination. The final oral examination committee is composed of a three-member reading committee and two additional professors, non-readers, who make up the five member final oral committee. At least three of the final oral committee members must be from the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. If a student follows the Minor Option A Plan, then at least one member must be from the Option A department. In both Option A and Option B plans at least one member must be from outside the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis.
Additional information is available under “final oral” on this website http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/reference/forms.htm
Master’s Degree Road Map
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Complete A Program Plan
The student’s program plan is to be developed in consultation with your department advisor. The program plan is signed by the student and advisor and is then submitted to the Department of approval. Program plans may be changed with advisor approval.
Credit/GPA Requirements
Overall, Master’s students must take 30 credits of course work, distributed across the categories indicated on the program plan. At least 16 credits of the total program have to be UW-Madison course work.
No more than six (6) credits of special student course work are applicable toward degree requirements. Once you become a graduate student, you can no longer take courses as a special student.
The student must maintain a minimum overall GGPA of 3.00 in educational administration coursework between admission and the completion of the degree.
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Master’s Examination
The Master’s examination must be taken and passed as a requirement for the M.S. degree in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. The examination may be taken during or after the final semester of course work that fulfills the program requirements. The examination is offered three (3) times a year near the end of each academic semester and summer session.
The Master’s examination covers only courses taken in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. Writing time for the examination is approximately six (6) hours. If failure results, the Master’s examination may be repeated one time. After a failure, the student is required to complete a minimum of six (6) additional credits in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis course work before retaking the examination.
Q. How long do I have to complete a degree?
A. http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/academics/degrees/MS.html
The M.S. degree program must be completed within five (5) years from the date of admission to the program. Failure to complete the program in 5 years will result in the student being declared "inactive." Students declared "inactive" will be ineligible to take the Master's Examination and receive the degree until a new graduate program has been approved by the Department and any new or different program or examination requirements then in effect have been met. Students declared "inactive" for three (3) years may be dropped from the M.S. program. Students who have been dropped must seek readmission to a specific degree program in the Department and meet all existing admission, program, and examination requirements.
Ph.D. Program
The Preliminary Examination must be passed within seven (7) years from the date of admission to the program. The dissertation must be satisfactorily completed within five (5) years of passing the Preliminary Examination. The Graduate School requires that after completion of the Preliminary Examination and all program requirements the student enroll for at least three (3) graduate credits each semester as a "dissertator" until completion of the final oral examination. Any student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree will be declared "inactive." Students declared "inactive" will be ineligible for any final examination or degree in the Department. "Inactive" students must have a new graduate program approved and must meet the new program and examination requirements in effect at that time.
Students declared "inactive" for three years may be dropped from the Ph.D. program. Students who have been dropped must seek readmission and meet all existing admission, program, and examination requirements.
Q. Does every student have to take the qualifying exam?
A. Ph.D. students are required to take the qualifying exam. Upon consultation with their advisor, alternatives to the exam may be available.
All Master’s students take the exam. It can be used as their Master’s degree exam and as the qualifying exam.
Q. I am a student looking for an internship. Are there such opportunities?
A. The Department offers field experiences and internships in conjunction with ELPA courses 700/900. Field experiences are typically K-12 experiences and internships at the Higher Post Secondary level and are arranged by the instructor of the courses in consultation with the student.
Q. May I complete my dissertation elsewhere?
A. To receive a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from UW-Madison, you must complete and deposit your dissertation at UW-Madison.
Q. Am I able to take a semester off from my studies and return to the department without reapplying?
A. Yes. Well in advance of the semester you intend to enroll in class, you need to complete the reentry process http://www.education.wisc.edu/elpa/admissions/re-enrollment.htm If the last time you enrolled was more than five (5) years ago, you will need to reapply to the Graduate School and pay the application fee.
(Updated 12/12/2008)
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