The department encourages internships for all majors and minors, whether locally, in Washington DC, or in other areas of the country. Students may find unpaid or paid internships and volunteer opportunities to gain valuable, hands-on experience that builds a resume before graduation.
Students have interned at small and large law firms, government agencies, corporations, political parties, and within the offices of many different politicians. While students are encouraged to identify internship opportunities themselves, the Department does email relevant internship announcements to political science majors whenever they are brought to our attention and works with alumni to identify opportunities. We are happy to work with you to find a good fit!
Some opportunities can also be established as for-credit opportunities, combining practical experience with progress towards graduation:
First Steps
Students wishing to earn course credit for internships must contact a faculty sponsor or the internship coordinator (Associate Professor Hong Min Park) and secure their support, and then enroll in that faculty member’s section of POL SCI 489: Internship in Political Science.
There are two prerequisites for POL SCI 489: junior standing and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Each faculty member may have their own course syllabus and will share expectations with students before enrollment.
Requirements
The requirements of the internship program are described in the Internship Contract (PDF), which must be signed by all students enrolling in POL SCI 489, their supervising faculty members, and their internship site supervisor. In addition, interns must secure a letter from their internship site supervisor, detailing their job responsibilities and expectations. Interns are expected to work a minimum of 120 hours (40 hours per credit).
Past Internships
Students enrolled in POL SCI 489 have interned in a variety of places, including the offices of Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin, the Mayor’s office for the City of Milwaukee, large and small law firms, federal and state agencies, in offices for both of the major political parties, the County Executive’s Office for Milwaukee County, and the Milwaukee Justice Center, among many others.
Contact
For further information about the Political Science Department’s internship program, please contact Associate Professor Hong Min Park.