Program Overview

The Wisconsin Certified Public Manager (WCPM) Program is a professional development program for public managers administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Classes are offered by UW campuses as well as state and local government agencies. Classes are also available online. Visit the online classes page for details and descriptions.

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Requirements for certification:

The WCPM program consists of three phases, totaling 300 instructional hours. This includes a total of 23 one-day, six-hour, face-to-face classes, and 3 multiple-day classes. Online classes are also available. You must complete all three phases to be certified.  You may work on Phases I and II concurrently.  Phase III is open only to those people who have completed Phases I and II. The requirements are:

PHASE I: SUPERVISION (72 Hours)

(Focuses on supervisory training and assessment of managerial skills; it concludes with a written project.)

• MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT (6 Hours): You must complete the one-day course, Management Assessment for Personal Planning and Development within one year of enrollment. This class gives you an understanding of your strengths as a manager and an overview of the program.
• SUPERVISORY TRAINING (60 Hours): The WCPM Program does not offer supervisory training on a regularly scheduled basis. Classes may be scheduled on request. Most students meet this requirement through university credit or noncredit courses, training offered through governmental units, vocational/technical classes and professional training seminars focused on supervision. Provide evidence of at least 60 hours of supervisory training within 1 year of enrolling in the program.
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2 Hours): Develop a long-range plan for your personal and professional development which addresses the competencies, skills or effectiveness characteristics you believe are necessary to be a better public manager. Requires identification of specific methods to achieve goals, as well as an anticipated timeline and evaluation component.
• WRITTEN PROJECT (4 Hours): A paper in which you discuss a supervisory situation in which you were the supervisor or in which you discuss three or more supervisory situations in which you were the one supervised. Main focus is on the lessons learned about effective supervision from personal experience.
  

PHASE II: MANAGEMENT (138 Hours)

• MANAGEMENT CORE COURSES (42 Hours): Complete the following seven one-day courses:

1. The Public Management Profession and Environment
2. Strategic Planning and Goal Setting for Public Administration
3. Productivity and Quality Improvement
4. Problem Analysis and Problem Solving
5. Presenting Yourself to One or Many
6. Ethics, Values and the Public Manager
7. Leadership

• MANAGEMENT ELECTIVE COURSES (90 Hours): Take three courses in each of five categories.

1. Quantitative Methods and Tools (18 Hours): Topics include quantitative decision making, research methods, systems techniques, productivity measurement, and others. Descriptions of Quantitative Methods courses are found on the index of courses page.
   
   
2. Public Policy (18 Hours): Topics include legislative relations, policy analysis and implementation, media relations, customer/client relations, negotiating with the public and others. Please note: Effective January 1, 2001, new candidates must take #227 "Executive Writing" as well as two additional public policy courses. Descriptions of Public Policy courses are found on the index of courses page.
   
   
3. Organizational Management (18 Hours): Topics include organizational design and analysis, team building, change management, conflict management and others. Descriptions of Organizational Management courses are found on the index of courses page.
   
   
4. Resource Management (18 Hours): Topics include budgeting, information management, risk management, program evaluation, project management and others. Descriptions of Resource Management courses are found on the index of courses page.
   
   
5. Personnel Management (18 Hours): Topics include personnel law, advanced interpersonal relations, human resource development, advanced performance appraisal, advanced discipline and grievance, labor relations, managing the diverse work force and others. Descriptions of Personnel Management courses are found on the index of courses page.

• WRITTEN REVIEW (6 Hours): Take-home review requiring synthesis and application of material learned in Phase I and Phase II courses.

PHASE III: SENIOR MANAGEMENT (90 Hours)

• DECISION MAKING CASE STUDIES (24 Hours) Four days devoted to analyzing cases which synthesize management practices and theory.
• SIMULATION (18 Hours) Three days working as a team in a management simulation.
• WRITTEN PROJECT/CASE STUDY (12 Hours) An applied project or case study which can be done individually or as a group.
• LEADERSHIP SEMINAR (12 Hours) Presentation of project or case study to other class members, and discussion of topics such as the future of public management, public management ethics or other timely topics.
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ELECTIVES (24 Hours) Electives may be general or professionally-specific management courses. You may choose CPM courses or courses provided by other approved sources. It is strongly recommended that you arrange prior approval for an elective course not provided by a UW System campus or governmental unit. Professional Development Electives may be taken at any time during the program.

Photo by Jeff Miller, UW-Madison Communications

WCPM is a program of the
Department of Professional Development & Applied Studies
610 Langdon St., Rm. 313.....Madison WI 53703
Phone: 608-263-2088 or .....(800) 442-4617
Fax: 608-265-2329.....E-mail: pdas@dcs.wisc.edu