From capstones to internships to other real-world coursework, experiential learning at UW–Madison benefits students and employers alike. The below opportunities will allow you to leverage student and faculty expertise while helping develop the workforce of the future.
Please note: this list is not exhaustive. Experiential learning opportunities are always being added across campus. Employers interested in working with UW–Madison students who aren’t represented on this page can contact OBE’s Brendan Casey for more information.
| Program | Available levels | Deadline | Description | Application website | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Engineering (BME) | Undergraduate | 8/15/26 | Engage first-year through senior engineering students to solve focused design challenges tailored to your unmet biomedical needs. Partners gain innovative, customized solutions through hands-on service-learning projects guided by student talent. Contact: John Puccinelli, PhD | https://bmedesign.engr.wisc.edu/ideas | bmedesign@bme.wisc.edu |
| Chemistry | Undergraduate | Partner with highly motivated undergraduate chemistry students to advance your pharmaceutical, environmental, or scientific research. These well-trained students fulfill degree requirements while providing companies with valuable research support and technical expertise. Contact: Bryan Wakefield | https://undergradresearch.chem.wisc.edu/ | bhwakefield@wisc.edu | |
| Computer Sciences | Undergraduate | Sponsor a capstone project to connect with top software talent applying best-practice development skills to your computing challenges. Partners gain direct access to potential hires, engage with faculty, and help shape technology education. Contact: Justin Hines | https://www.cs.wisc.edu/computer-sciences-capstone-course/ | jhines3@wisc.edu | |
| Corporate Sustainability | Undergraduate, Graduate | Access an interdisciplinary pool of undergraduate and graduate talent to advance your environmental performance. Supported by the Office of Sustainability and Nelson Institute, interns deliver quantifiable financial savings and measurable environmental impacts. Contact: Will Erikson | https://nelson.wisc.edu/corporate-sustainability-internship-program/interest-form/ | werikson@wisc.edu | |
| Data Science in Human Behavior Master's Program | Graduate | Behavioral data science challenges (e.g. more data than time to analyze, data pipeline challenges from raw data to end-user visualizations, database implementation issues, ideas for recommendations/predicting behavior using machine learning, etc.). Contact: Caitlin Roa | https://datascience.psych.wisc.edu/projects/ | ceiverson@wisc.edu | |
| Data Science Institute | Undergraduate | Expand your research. Implement new methods. Extend your impact. WISCURDS simplifies the process of engaging motivated, trained students through mentored individual and team projects rooted in data science, machine learning, AI, and related topics. Contact: Adam Ross Nelson | https://dsi.wisc.edu/wiscurds/ | wiscurds@datascience.wisc.edu | |
| Data Science Institute Open Source Program Office (OSPO) | Undergraduate, Graduate | OSPO interns contribute to open source software and hardware projects. Students join a mentored project or propose a self-directed project. Partners can indicate the types of projects they wish to support and attend closing flash talks. Contact: Bethany Philbrick | https://ospo.wisc.edu/students/ | ospo@datascience.wisc.edu | |
| Economics | Undergraduate, Graduate | Connect with the Economics Career Development Office (ECDO) to reach more than 1,600 undergraduates and more than 200 master’s students through job shadowing, case competitions, and career trips. Fill your internship and entry-level positions with top-tier analytical talent. | https://econ.wisc.edu/careers/employers-partner-with-us/ | econcareers@ssc.wisc.edu | |
| School of Education | Undergraduate, Graduate | Across the arts, health, and education, our students are prepared to lead, innovate, and make a difference. Contact us if you have opportunities for job shadows, internships, project-based work, and full-time opportunities. Contact: Leanne Morris | https://careercenter.education.wisc.edu/employers/ | leanne.morris@wisc.edu | |
| Energy Analysis and Policy | Graduate | Tackle complex energy and sustainability challenges with interdisciplinary graduate teams. Through semester-long capstone projects, clients receive rigorous, data-driven analysis and actionable solutions tailored to their organizational needs. Over the years, EAP Capstone clients have included Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, research laboratories, think tanks, and non-profit organizations. | https://eap.wisc.edu/connect-with-students/ | spwilliams@wisc.edu | |
| Engineering Summer Internships and Co-ops | Undergraduate | Students gain invaluable real-world engineering experiences working with a variety of industries and governmental agencies throughout the world through the Engineering Career Services co-op/summer intern program. Employers can hire outstanding students early in their engineering education and participate in the education process while pre-screening potential full-time hires. Contact Drew Graf with questions. | https://ecs.wisc.edu/employers/#co-op-intern | aagraf@wisc.edu | |
| Government Partners: UniverCity Alliance | Undergraduate, Graduate | UniverCity Alliance is looking for new local government partners to collaboratively develop solutions to community-identified challenges. UniverCity Alliance staff especially enjoy seeing applications that include cross-sector collaborations with businesses and/or non-profits alongside local governments. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. | https://univercity.wisc.edu/ucy/ | univercityalliance@wisc.edu | |
| Industry Internships for Doctoral Students | Graduate | The Graduate School Industry Internship Pilot Program provides a unique opportunity for advanced graduate students to gain practical experience, work alongside experienced professionals, and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems. The UW–Madison Graduate School provides interns with a summer stipend and fringe benefits. Doctoral students will be invited to apply for the internship program during the fall semester, with the Summer 2027 internship application deadline in December 2026. Participating employers will review, interview, and select interns by February 2027 for summer 2027 internships. Contact: Elizabeth Hart | https://grad.wisc.edu/professional-development/internship/ | emhart2@wisc.edu | |
| Information School (CAI) | Graduate | Sponsor an iSchool capstone project to receive high-impact deliverables in UX design, data analytics, or cybersecurity from MS Information student teams. With a minimal time commitment and no fee, partners gain custom consulting work, professional deliverables, and direct access to specialized, high-demand tech talent. Contact: Bradley Bryant | https://uwmadison.box.com/v/ischool-exl-2026-obe | bradley.bryant@wisc.edu | |
| International Internships | Undergraduate, Graduate | UW International Academic Programs connects global employers with students who have global competency, language proficiency, and expertise in their fields. Intern Abroad staff can help you define the internship position and customize it to your needs. They also assist in managing recruitment and placement and help students arrange visas, class credit, and funding. | https://studyabroad.wisc.edu/intern-abroad/partner-with-us/ | ||
| Job Shadowing | Undergraduate | The SuccessWorks Job Shadow Program provides a diverse population of students from UW–Madison with an opportunity to get direct experience with careers that interest them during winter break. This short-term program is a great way to host fellow Badgers and familiarize them with your industry and workplace culture. | https://successworks.wisc.edu/job-shadow-program/ | employers@successworks.wisc.edu | |
| La Follette School of Public Affairs: Jobs and Internships | Undergraduate, Graduate | Our graduate and undergraduate students are uniquely qualified to carry out policy design, implementation, analysis, research, advocacy, and evaluation. If you have a policy-related internship or job opportunity, students are looking for fall internships now. | https://career.lafollette.wisc.edu/channels/employer/ | marie.koko@wisc.edu | |
| La Follette School of Public Affairs: Project Proposals | Undergraduate, Graduate | If you have a public policy project or management issue needing some analysis, student teams can provide research and analytic support for your organization, at no cost to you. | https://lafollette.wisc.edu/outreach/partner-with-our-students/ | outreach@lafollette.wisc.edu | |
| Master of Science in Design + Innovation (MD+I), School of Human Ecology | Graduate | The MD+I program is life-centered, partnership-based, and community engaged. A wide range of corporations and organizations partner with this interdisciplinary program that is connected equally and seamlessly to Human Ecology (Design Studies), Engineering, Business, Art, and UX Design. MD+I students have a circular view of the vast ecological and economic possibilities that exist here in Wisconsin. Contact: Trudy Watt | https://mdi.wisc.edu/ | tawatt@wisc.edu | |
| Mechanical Engineering | Undergraduate | 8/15/26 | Partners in the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design program engage with a team of students as they work to solve a real-world design problem with faculty guidance. Small startups, large corporations, community members and organizations, and faculty researchers have all benefited from this program, which runs over the course of two semesters. Contact: Michael Cheadle | https://seniordesign.me.wisc.edu/partners/ | mcheadle@wisc.edu |
| School of Human Ecology | Undergraduate | School of Human Ecology (SoHE) students are required to complete a for-credit internship before graduation. The SoHE Career Center is eager to connect with new partners and develop talent pipelines for all majors in SoHE. Contact: Sarah Fox | https://advising.humanecology.wisc.edu/careers/internship-guide-for-employers/ | stfox3@wisc.edu | |
| Wisconsin in Washington | Undergraduate | Host motivated UW–Madison students interning 20–40 hours per week in Washington, D.C. Employers gain career-ready Badger talent from all majors who combine real-world experience with rigorous coursework, bringing practical skills and fresh perspectives to your organization during a semester or summer term. Contact: Lucas Young | https://studyabroad.wisc.edu/uwindc/ | lucas.young@wisc.edu | |
| Wisconsin School of Business (WSB) | Undergraduate, Graduate | The WSB Master’s Consulting Capstone connects teams of students with organizations on a 12-week, live consulting-style analytics project. Students get real-world experience and your business gets fresh insights on important business questions. There are similar opportunities to work with our undergraduate students on a Strategic Capstone Project as well. Contact: Halley Jones and Natalie Norton | https://business.wisc.edu/sponsor-student-projects/ | pso@wsb.wisc.edu | |
| Program | Available levels | Deadline | Description | Application website | Contact |