Washington, DC Internship

Remain fully enrolled at Occidental and earn 16 in-residence credits while conducting a full-time internship at a government agency, think-tank, non-governmental organization, or elected officials' offices.

Eligibility

  • Junior status during participation
  • Target GPA of 3.2 at the time of application
  • Appropriate and well-articulated scholarly purposes for participation demonstrated in all parts of the application
  • Neither on academic or disciplinary probation nor under investigation for code of conduct violations which may result in probation between application and departure
  • All holds must be cleared with campus departments and offices before leaving campus

This is a two-tier application process. You must apply both to IPO and to WII for approval.

  • Oxy Application: Use the to apply.
  • Program Application: Go to the website to start the program application.

Usually, a maximum of 8 credits (two courses) will be applied toward the POLS* major. Exceptions considered by the Chair on a case-by-case basis.

internship 8 credits
(4 credits College elective, 4 credits POLS internship)

Oxy students have interned at:

American Bar Association - Governmental Affairs Office American Foreign Policy Council Ameson Education and Cultural Exchange Foundation Aspen Institute Battleground Alliance Bretton Woods Committee Center for American Progress Congressman Adam Schiff Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Council on American-Islamic Relations C-SPAN Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Embassy of the Republic of Iraq Global Language Network Hill (The) Human Rights First Internal Revenue Service International Center for Religion and Diplomacy Intersect Public Affairs National Peace Corps Association Northeast-Midwest Institute Washington Report on Middle East Affairs Offender Aid and Restoration Office of the Attorney General - Family Services Division Senator Harry Reid Senator Kamala D. Harris Shared Hope International Society for International Development The DC Center for the LGBT Community The Normandy Group US Attorney's Office US Department of Justice - Criminal Division US Department of Justice - Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section US Department of the Treasury - Office of Legislative Affairs US Global Leadership Coalition Washington Report on Middle East Affairs Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

internship seminar 4 credits - Reflections on Public Service, Leadership and Professional Development
(POLS elective)

thematic seminar 4 credits - select one course

  • US Foreign policy (equivalent to POLS major international relations requirement)
  • Inside Washington (equivalent to POLS American Politics major elective)

Interns share program apartments in Washington, DC, a short commute by Metro.
Meals are on your own in the apartment kitchen or at many restaurants.

As with Occidental at the United Nations, participants are charged Occidental tuition and a standard double room for the semester. The College pays the program fee to WII and rent. Meals are purchased on your own, but Financial Aid eligible students may have the cost of meals included in their total package. Consult with Financial Aid.

Program Contacts

Program Advisor

Regina Freer, Professor, Chair, Politics

Program Contact

Robin Craggs, Executive Director, International Programs
Contact International Programs
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson 102
Phone: (323) 259-2533
Fax: (323) 341-4976
ipo@oxy.edu