Internships

Political Science Majors with a 3.0 GPA or higher are eligible to receive 1-3 credits for completing an internship. The work completed during an internship must be related to the field of political science and approved by the Director of the Undergraduate Program in Political Science. Students interested in a political science internship should contact the current Director, Dr. Rebecca LeMoine, at rlemoine@fau.edu, at least one semester prior to the desired internship semester for approval and further information.

Most of our majors complete internships with law firms, political campaigns, government offices, or non-governmental organizations. Students are responsible for securing their own internships and having them approved by the Director of the Undergraduate Program in Political Science, who will serve as the intern’s academic advisor. Interns must also have an on-site advisor who is willing to complete an evaluation of the student’s work and submit it to the Director at the end of the term.

Students are expected to work in their place of internship for the duration of one semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer). Students may earn 1 credit for 50 hours of unpaid work, 2 credits for 100 hours of unpaid work, or 3 credits for 150 hours of unpaid work. Students are required to keep a weekly log of their hours and activities, and have their supervisor sign this form at the end of the internship. Students are also required to submit written academic work, explained by the Director upon approval of an internship.

The Department of Political Science works with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Programs for semester-long internships in Washington, DC (www.twc.edu). The State of Florida provides limited financial support for Washington Center internships. The FAU Career Center is also a great resource for locating political science-related internships, and the Director of the Undergraduate Program in Political Science maintains a list of internship opportunities.