University of Wisconsin-Madison

Ranked #41 among national universities and #11 among public varsities by the U.S. News & World Report, UW-M offers the whole spectrum of liberal arts and professional programmes

Sprawled across a 936-acre campus in Madison city, the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-M, estb. 1848) is a highly respected teaching-research public university. In its 2014 league table of America’s best colleges, the U.S. News & World Report ranks UW-M #41 among national universities, and #11 among public universities. Internationally too, UW-M is top-ranked at #19 in the annual Academic Ranking of World Universities of the Jiao Tong University, Shanghai while in the QS World University Rankings 2014, it’s ranked #37 worldwide. UW-Madison alumni, faculty, or former faculty have been awarded 19 Nobel and 34 Pulitzer prizes

Founded in 1848 through an incorporation Act approved by Wisconsin’s first governor, Nelson Dewey, UW-M’s 20 schools and colleges offer the whole spectrum of liberal arts studies and professional programmes to 43,275 students including 4,000 from abroad. Altogether, the varsity offers more than 132 undergraduate majors, 149 Masters and 120 doctoral programmes.

“At UW-Madison we make two contributions that are essential to a 21st century economy: we train highly skilled workers, and are the primary engine of development, discovery and innovation in Wisconsin. It’s important that UW-Madison serves students well, preparing the next generation of citizens and workers with the skills they need to compete in a rapidly changing global economy. It’s a top priority to keep the university on the front edge of research and innovation,” says Rebecca Blank, chancellor of UW-Madison.

Madison. The administrative capital of Wisconsin state, Madison (pop. 233,000) tops many ‘best’ lists in the US, including best place to live and work, best college sports town, and one of America’s safest cities. Boasting four lakes, the city offers excellent art galleries, a centre for theatre and music, and hosts several sports events ranging from Big Ten competitions to minor league baseball.

In a city where bicycles outnumber cars, there are more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails, 260 parks and 6,000 acres of parkland. In summer, sailboats dot the lakes and picnics abound, while in winter, skating, skiing, and snowboarding are popular activities. State Street, a mile-long pedestrian mall boasting over 35 restaurants and shops, is a popular student hangout.

Madison has four distinct seasons — cool spring, hot and sunny summers, crisp fall days, and freezing winters. Summer temperatures average between 25-32oC while in winter, they can drop to -18oC.

Campus facilities. The expansive UW-Madison campus is sited along the shore of Lake Mendota and features several heritage buildings. The hub of campus life is the Memorial Union, a student centre with dining rooms, theatres, lounges, meeting and game rooms, and the Terrace and Rathskellar (a German-style pub). Other prominent landmarks include Bascom Hall (office of the chancellor and vice chancellor), Music Hall, The George L. Mosse Humanities Building, Vane Hise Hall (languages department), Grainger Hall (business school) and Clinical Science Centre (hospital, medical and nursing schools). The campus also hosts ten museums and galleries, five theatres, and as many concert halls which stage 1,500 performing arts events annually.

The UW-Madison Libraries house the 11th largest research collection in North America. The Memorial Library (the main research library) and 40 specialist/subject libraries offer over 7.3 million printed volumes, 55,000 serial titles, 6.2 million microforms, 160 linear feet of manuscripts, and over 7 million items in other formats, including government documents, maps, musical scores, etc.

Sports facilities include the Southeast Recreational Facility featuring an indoor running track, large cardio room, Olympic-size swimming pool, and fitness studio; the Natatorium hosts a racing pool, diving well and the outdoor Perrier Paracourse Fitness Circuit, while the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center offers exercise equipment, a 200-metre indoor running track, basketball courts and an indoor ice rink. Other sports facilities include the Nielson Tennis Stadium (tennis and squash courts), and Lathrop Hall (dance). Students can choose from more than 100 group fitness classes per week, 35 club teams, or participate in 40 different intramural sports. Moreover there are over 800 student organisations on campus.

Admission. The minimum eligibility requirement for admission into undergraduate programmes is successful completion of Plus Two. In addition, student applicants must submit IELTS/TOEFL scores to demonstrate proficiency in the English language and SAT/ACT scores. Completed application forms must be supported by official transcripts of secondary school/qualifying exam report cards, two written statements of purpose, teacher/counselor recommendations, and extra-curricular achievements. All applications must be made online (fee: $44) on www.wisc.edu. The application deadline for entry into term beginning September 2015 is November 3.

For admission into postgraduate programmes, applicants should have completed a bachelor’s degree followed by a Masters programme (first year) or a bachelor’s degree followed by postgraduate diplomas that are either AIU (Association of Indian Universities) or AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) approved.

For further information contact Office of Admissions, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 702 West Johnson Street, Suite 1101 Madison, WI 53715-1007. Ph +1 608-262-3961; fax: +1 608-262-7706; e-mail: onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu; website: www.wisc.edu.

Accommodation. The university’s halls of residence are sited in two neighbourhoods — Lakeshore, near Lake Mendota and offering easy access to libraries and classrooms and Southeast, located in the heart of academic buildings and recreational facilities. The halls provide furnished rooms with shared kitchens, laundry and internet access. Uniquely, all residence halls offer academic programmes featuring academic advice, tutoring services, study rooms, and classrooms. Students can choose from a variety of dining rooms, carryout stores, delis, coffee houses, and even room delivery service.
For those wanting to live off-campus, the university’s Campus Area Housing offers help and advice on private rental accommodation.

Degree programmes. UW-Madison’s 20 schools and colleges offer a range of undergrad, postgrad and doctoral programmes (see box).

SUMMIYA YASMEEN