The University of Wisconsin–Madison Interdisciplinary Training Program for Predoctoral Research in the Education Sciences

The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Interdisciplinary Training Program for Predoctoral Research in the Education Sciences (ITP), initially funded by IES in 2005, trains doctoral students to conduct education policy research in collaborative partnerships with education agencies. ITP is housed within the Wisconsin Center for Education and includes faculty and students from the departments of sociology, economics, psychology, political science, social welfare, educational leadership and policy analysis, educational policy studies, and educational psychology.

Over the course of the 5-year grant, the program will recruit approximately 22 doctoral students for 5-year fellowships. IES funding will cover up to 3 years of a fellow's training and the remaining fellowship years will be funded by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. All ITP fellows will receive tuition and benefits, stipends, and a small research fund.

ITP fellows will participate in an interdisciplinary core curriculum consisting of coursework in quantitative methodology, research design, and education policy. Fellows will also participate in year-long research apprenticeships and year-long policy/practice apprenticeships. The training program also includes an ongoing interdisciplinary seminar on conducting education research as well as course work for a minor in Education Sciences.

The total projected costs of the training program are $6.12 million. In addition to grant from IES, the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be contributing approximately $1.8 million as a cost-share.