Program Overview
Undergraduate students as well as recent college graduates benefit from powerful internships that are purposefully designed and individually tailored. Students from many fields of study have successfully participated in rewarding internships that have helped them focus on and further their career goals.
At the Washington Internship Institute, you have access to a wide range of organizations that match your career goals. You’ll also benefit from advisers who offer guidance through the entire internship to ensure your experience leads to significant professional and personal growth.
Four days a week, you will contribute to meaningful projects and tasks in professional settings like federal agencies, Congressional offices, embassies, businesses, and a variety of nonprofit and advocacy organizations.
Visit our website to see where students like you have recently interned.
During your internship, you will take
two courses designed to enhance your internship experience and your future career: the Core Course, a seminar-style class that emphasizes in-depth discussions about politics and policy, and the Internship Seminar, which helps you make the most out of your internship.
How We Help You Find Internships
Our internship placement process results in the best possible placement for
you—and we walk you through every step.
- We do the research for you after talking with you about your interests.
- We provide you with a list of places we think will be the best for you.
- We help you prepare your applications, with feedback on your cover letter, resume, and writing sample.
- We send your applications out for you.
- We help prepare you for interviews.
- We help you decide which internship will be best for you.
Internship Learning Goals
You develop individually tailored learning goals specific to your internship as the first assignment in the Internship Seminar in collaboration with your internship supervisor and on-campus adviser.
The Nation’s Capital…Your Cool New Neighborhood
One of the best features of your internship experience is living in the political center of our country. The internship program offers housing located just outside of Washington, DC, minutes from the heart of DC by convenient public transportation and within a short walk to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Apartments feature balconies, full kitchens, and access to an exercise room and rooftop deck.
The Washington Internship Institute’s orientation helps you feel like a resident of the city, so you are confident to explore on your own. We also arrange activities throughout the experience, such as sporting events, cultural events, and tourist hotspots. The city also has tons of networking events and social activities, so you can get to know the city and other young professionals even better. You’ll thoroughly enjoy your time spent in Washington, DC.
More Information
Internship programs are offered year-round. Students are encouraged to apply well in advance of the deadlines for the widest range of placement options, especially for high-profile organizations and government placements like the State Department and the White House.
Hear from Students Like You about Their Experience
Watch brief videos about
Credit and Billing
Most students earn a full semester's worth of credits and pay what they normally pay to attend their institution. However, please consult with us and your adviser about the specific credit and billing arrangements with your school.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTION
The application is a two-tier process. You must apply to both of the following:
1. Oxy Application for approval from Oxy International Programs Office (click "Apply Now" at the top of this page)
2.
Direct Application to
WII DC Start your direct application to the program (#2) as you submit your Oxy IPO application (#1) for college approval.
The most recent evaluations can be
found here.
Washington Internship provides Occidental College students with an opportunity to learn about D.C. politics and policy making through first-hand experience through the Washington Internship Institute. Students receive a full semester of college credit (16 units) while volunteering full-time for a branch of government, a policy non-profit, or a media organization that covers politics. Students who participate in the Washington Internship take the following three courses (Politics 280 and 281, and either 282, 283, 284, 285, or 286) simultaneously.
280 - Washington, D.C. Internship
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. will work four full days per week in an internship in a political office, non-profit corporation, or for-profit company engaged in political or policy work. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills upper-division American Politics credits for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101. 8 units.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: UNITED STATES and US DIVERSITY
281 - Seminar in Political Leadership
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. are required to take a political leadership seminar that explores how active, global citizenship can advance career goals. This course develops leadership skills through the themes of public speaking, professional writing, networking, interviewing, and giving and receiving feedback. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills upper-division American Politics requirements for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: UNITED STATES and US DIVERSITY
282 - Seminar in Washington Politics: Environmental Law and Policy Studies
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. are required to enroll in one of five courses on policy-making (282, 283, 284, 285, or 286). This course focuses on environmental law and public policy. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills upper-division American Politics requirement for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101. Corequisites: Politics 280 and Politics 281.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: UNITED STATES and US DIVERSITY
283 - Seminar in Washington Politics: Global Public Health Policy
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. are required to enroll in one of five courses on policy-making (282, 283, 284, 285, or 286). This course focuses on public health policy in a global context. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills Comparative Politics requirement for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101. Corequisites: Politics 280 and Politics 281.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL and GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
284 - Seminar in Washington Politics: Global Women’s Leadership Development
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. are required to enroll in one of five courses on policy-making (282, 283, 284, 285, or 286). This course focuses on women’s leadership in a global context. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills Comparative Politics requirement for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101. Corequisites: Politics 280 and Politics 281.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL and GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
285 - Seminar in Washington Politics: Inside Washington Politics and Policies
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. are required to enroll in one of five courses on policy-making (282, 283, 284, 285, or 286). This course focuses on politics and public policy in the Washington, D.C. context. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills upper-division American Politics requirement for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101. Corequisites: Politics 280 and Politics 281.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: UNITED STATES and US DIVERSITY
286 - Seminar in Washington Politics: International and Foreign Policy Studies
Students enrolled in the Washington Internship Institute in D.C. are required to enroll in one of five courses on policy-making (282, 283, 284, 285, or 286). This course focuses on international relations. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Washington Internship Institute Program. Course fulfills International Relations requirement for the major. Prerequisite: Politics 101. Corequisites: Politics 280 and Politics 281.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL and GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
STUDENT TESTIMONIAL:
My journey to Washington D.C. provided me with the exposure necessary to sustain a vision for the future that would otherwise be disconnected from the real hurt of injustice that exists within our society. The connections, skills and experiences earned this past semester will be invaluable in pursuing my long-term vision of advocating for "equal justice under law".
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Caleb Betts '18, Politics major, participated in Washington DC Internship in Fall 2016. Caleb interned at the Office of the Attorney General with Child Protective Services.
