Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis

School of Education
The Red doors at the front of the education building

Shaping the future of education

Home to some of the top-ranked education programs in the nation

#1 School of Education in the United States

#2 Online Master’s Program in Educational Administration and Supervision

#4 Educational Administration and Supervision Program

#11 Higher Education Administration Program

The Department

Who We Are and What We Do

Welcome to the UW–Madison Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA), where our courses and research give students a deep understanding of educational and sports organizations, educational policy, and policy systems. We offer PhD programs which specialize in one of three areas: K-12 leadership, higher education, and educational policy analysis and evaluation. Our Master's programs offer degrees in K-12 leadership, higher education, educational policy analysis and evaluation, global higher education and sports leadership.  

No matter which unique strand you choose, when you graduate, you will be an effective leader, prepared to pave the way to better education for all students.

Anjalé (AJ) Welton - Rupple-Bascom Professor of Education, College of Education.

Department Chair

Anjalé (AJ) Welton
Rupple-Bascom Professor of Education

Group of scholars talking in a group outside the Red Doors

A Supportive Community

“I was drawn to ELPA because of the quality of the curriculum, the faculty, and the staff. My gratitude toward my ELPA family is immeasurable for making the department feel like home from the first day, and for cultivating and unleashing the Super Genius in me and each and every one of us.” --(Walter Parrish III, PhD Spring 2023)

Dr. Xueli Wang with PhD graduates.

Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei LAB)

The mission of Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei LAB) is to design, conduct, and disseminate research that informs policymakers, practitioners, and concerned citizens on how to best promote equitable and inclusive learning and work environments in education in general, and higher education in particular.

Dr. Brian A. Burt, Director

Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS)

The Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS) initiative harnesses the power of the university, bringing top-level research and athletics together. BIOS bridges the athletic department, campus, Wisconsin, and beyond to "grow the good" of the world in and through sports.

Dr. Peter Miller, Director (center)
Dr. Sara Jimenez Soffa, Director of the Master's in Sports Leadership Program (right)
Maria Dehnert, Associate Director (left)

ELPA 2026-2027 Fellowships and Scholarships

Applications for ELPA scholarships and fellowships for the 2026-2027 academic year open on March 1 and close on April 15, and can be completed via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (the WiSH system). When applying, refer to the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Scholarship Application. Applications are considered in early May each year and awarded for the following academic year.

Meet Our Alumni

Principal Preparation program fuels Arabel Marcano Colón’s passion for multilingual education

Check out this Q&A with Arabel Marcano Colón, who graduated from the Wisconsin Idea Principal Preparation (WIPP) master’s program in 2023. Originally from Puerto Rico, Colón relocated to Wisconsin six years ago and today is an eighth-grade bilingual resource teacher and dual language immersion coordinator in Madison.

Q&A with 2025 spring graduate, Nicole Contreras-García

Dr. Nicole Contreras-García is a May 2025 graduate from our Higher Education PhD program. A first-generation college student and an award-winning scholar, her research advances support for underserved community college student populations. Read more about her research and journey to her PhD in her Q&A with the School of Education.

Principal Preparation program helps Sarah Bosch succeed in director of instruction role

Sarah Bosch is a 2024 graduate of our Wisconsin Idea Principal Preparation (WIPP) program and a director of instruction working in Fort Atkinson, WI. Originally unsure if she wanted to be an education administrator, Bosch ultimately found her way into the field and credits the WIPP program for helping her succeed in her current position.

Department Newsletter

An image of a snowy Bascom Hill looking towards Bascom Hall. There is a title that reads, "Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis Winter 2026 Newsletter," in bold red font. The UW–Madison crest is positioned at the bottom center of the image.

It has been a cold and snowy fall and winter in Madison, but that didn’t stop the ELPA community from keeping busy and shining bright. Check out what we’ve been up to so far this school year in our Winter 2026 newsletter!

Read our Winter 2026 newsletter here.

Find an archive of our previous newsletters here.

ELPA Student Organizations

LEADS

Leadership, Engagement, Advancement, & Development of Students (LEADS) is a student organization devoted to providing opportunities and professional development resources to all graduate students in ELPA. LEADS serves an important and needed function in fostering community and building skills within ELPA. Contact LEADS at leads.elpa@gmail.com.

HESAB

The Higher Education Student Advisory Board (HESAB) provides professional development opportunities and social networking for students in ELPA’s Masters of Higher Education track. This group focuses on providing opportunities for professional growth and connections in higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and across other institutions.

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