Every semester and during the summer, students pair classroom learning with internship experiences to create linkages with real-world problems and issues. Many courses are tied to urban, national and global institutions, through internships and partnerships. Seeing up close the policy making apparatus in Washington offers an irreplaceable opportunity to hone knowledge and witness the construction of expertise in matters at hand, from environmental science and protection, to social policy, bioethics, and historic preservation.

Earning Academic Credit

Academic credit associated with an internship experience may be obtained in a number of ways. Students affiliated with an academic unit may register for an internship class in that unit (ex. A geography student may sign up for GEOG 4199) or outside, if the content of the internship matches more closely to another subject (ex. A history student working with a publishing company may sign up ENGL 4470). Students looking to receive elective credit for an internship, may register for CCAS 2154. Additionally, the Center for Career Services offers an online Internship Experience and Reflection class, UNIV 2001. In each case, academic work is assigned in addition to time spent at the internship, so that students actively integrate the experience into their GW learning.

Consult the chart below for a quick guide to courses that may be utilized for an internship. Contact the respective department to learn more about what coursework is expected and how to obtain permission to register.