Certificate FAQs

13 credits (4 courses of 3 credits each, plus a 1-credit seminar)

Most students complete the certificate in about a two-year timespan, which averages about one EAP course (3-4 credits) per semester.

The EAP certificate can be completed in as little as one year. However, this requires careful planning to make sure that you have the capacity within your schedule to enroll in multiple EAP courses, especially the core courses. The Intro and Seminar courses are only offered in the Fall semester, and the Capstone course is only offered in the Spring semester.

For PhD students, the certificate requirements can be completed up to the point when you become a dissertator.

No, it does not cost extra to pursue the certificate in most cases. The certificate courses are covered by the tuition that you pay for your degree program.

The exception to this is if you enroll in courses for EAP in addition to the minimum number of credits needed for your degree program. This is very rare and mostly applies to professional degree programs (please check with your degree program coordinator or advisor).

The EAP certificate is completed concurrently with a graduate degree — no extra time or coursework is necessary in most cases. The certificate acts as a formalized way to focus your elective courses on a specific topic/theme. Master’s students can often choose courses that fulfill both major and certificate requirements, while PhD students can use the certificate for their breadth requirement (i.e. in place of a doctoral minor).

The rare exception is for professional programs where a student may need to take an extra course or two outside of their program’s curriculum in order to also complete the certificate requirements (please check with your degree program coordinator or advisor). Certificate requirements must be completed before graduation; students may not take certificate courses after they have completed their degree requirements.

There are no prerequisites other than students must be admitted to a graduate degree program at UW-Madison in order to enroll in EAP.

The EAP certificate is open to nearly any major at both the master’s and doctoral levels, as well as professional programs such as law and public health. Students come from a variety of majors, and diversity of disciplines and backgrounds is one of the key benefits to the program. In recent years, the EAP program has enrolled students from nine different schools and colleges (in descending order of student enrollment): the College of Engineering, La Follette School of Public Affairs, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, College of Letters and Science (not including Public Affairs), School of Business, Law School, School of Medicine and Public Health, and School of Human Ecology.

However, some graduate degree programs do not allow students to take courses outside of their defined curriculum. These are often called accelerated, professional, or online master’s programs, and they have a different tuition structure than traditional programs. Some of these programs may allow students to obtain a certificate, provided that they have tuition agreements in place with departments/schools/colleges outside of their program. Please check with your advisor or coordinator to see whether your program allows you to pursue a graduate certificate.

No. The EAP certificate, along with all graduate/professional certificates at UW-Madison, must be completed concurrently with a graduate degree. It cannot be taken as a standalone certificate.

No, the EAP program is not offered as a degree. The EAP certificate is designed to add value to, but not replace, disciplinary graduate degrees by providing interdisciplinary breadth and greater understanding of the energy industry. Students who wish to complete a degree program consisting mostly of EAP courses may consider the Environment and Resources M.S. and PhD programs.

Students may apply to the EAP program concurrently with their graduate school application or once they have matriculated at UW-Madison. The EAP program has a separate application form. Acceptance into EAP is contingent on enrollment in a graduate degree program.

Applications to EAP may be submitted at any time, but applicants are encouraged to apply before the end of their first year in graduate school to ensure timely completion of certificate requirements. Students may take courses that meet certificate requirements prior to completing their application.

To declare the certificate, students must first complete the online Energy Analysis and Policy (EAP) application form, which includes the following elements:

• Information on prior educational attainment
• Information on degree program being pursued
• A brief statement of interest in the EAP program
• For prospective students applying to the Environment and Resources MS or PhD programs, the EAP application provides a matching service with potential thesis advisors.

All Graduate School students must utilize the Graduate Student Portal in MyUW to add, change, or discontinue any graduate/professional certificate. To apply to this certificate, log in to MyUW, click on Graduate Student Portal, and then click on Add/Change Programs. Select the information for the Energy Analysis and Policy certificate. Professional students in the careers of Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary cannot add the certificate in the Graduate Student Portal, and should contact the program for more information.

EAP has three core courses: the Intro, Seminar, and Capstone. The Intro and Seminar courses are offered in the Fall semester. The Capstone course is offered in the Spring and is meant to be one of the final courses that you take for the EAP program.

Courses in the Energy Analysis and Energy Policy elective categories can vary in their timing. Many are offered once per year; however, because the scheduling of these courses is coordinated with the needs of their home departments, EAP cannot guarantee that specific courses will always be offered at specific times or rotations.

Each semester, the EAP program coordinator sends out a list of eligible courses for the upcoming semester. You can find past course lists to get a sense of when courses are typically offered on the EAP curriculum page here.

Capstone projects are primarily sourced by EAP faculty and staff, who work with outside partners to develop a project scope. Students then rank their project preferences and are placed in interdisciplinary teams, typically 3-4 students per team. Past examples of capstones can be found here.

Scholarships are available for incoming and continuing students who newly enroll in EAP. The open period for this is typically the Spring and Summer. Click here to learn more about the scholarships.

Every 2-3 years, the EAP program also offers the George Bunn Fellowship, which awards an academic year of financial support towards an exceptional EAP student’s education and research.

There are very limited internship opportunities directly offered through the EAP program, but program faculty and staff regularly share employment opportunities with students and alumni through the Energy Jobs Google Group.

RENEW Wisconsin, a non-profit advocacy organization, offers a paid internship exclusive to an EAP student. Click here to learn more about the RENEW Wisconsin internship.

Research opportunities are offered through individual faculty investigators at UW-Madison. While many EAP students conduct research as part of their graduate experience, the EAP program does not keep track of current opportunities offered by individual faculty. Prospective and current students may inquire with individual faculty listed on our Faculty and Staff page or with other faculty listed on the Wisconsin Energy Institute’s Energy Experts database.

Professional development is a key focus the EAP program. Students have many opportunities for professional development, including our Professional Skills Seminar, our “Delegations” program (small group field trips to professional opportunities), and networking events in partnership with organizations such as the Association for Energy Services Professionals (AESP) and RENEW Wisconsin. Students also gain experience working in a consulting role for a real-world client in the EAP capstone.

Graduates end up in a variety of sectors and roles, from government and non-profits to private industry and academia, but most work in an energy-related career. Our professional skills seminar features a variety of EAP alumni and energy professionals who share about their career pathways; you can see a list of past speakers and their current job titles.

Current students and alumni are encouraged to join the EAP Networking Group on LinkedIn. Reviewing the members list is another way to understand the various occupations that alumni currently hold.

Some alumni profiles can also be found on our Alumni webpage.

As of Fall 2024, there were 46 students currently enrolled. That does not include students who have completed the certificate requirements but are still finishing up a degree program at UW-Madison.

You can find a student directory here.

We host lots of community-building and professional development activities, such as our Delegations (small-group field trips), receptions with the Association of Energy Services Professionals, access to the annual RENEW Wisconsin summit, and other social events led by our student representatives. EAP-sponsored events are posted here.

Once you join the EAP program, you will join our mailing list to be notified about upcoming events and other opportunities.

The EAP program first started in 1980. The program originally started as a 40-credit program that could only be earned concurrently with an M.S. degree in Land Resources, Urban & Regional Planning, or the La Follette School of Public Affairs, but it is now a 13-credit certificate that can be earned with most graduate degree programs. Learn more about EAP history here.