The main goals of this course are to provide students with practical political experience in a legislative or administrative setting. This should enable students a greater opportunity to put theory into practice and to establish professional relationships outside the classroom environment. The aim is to enhance the marketability of our undergraduates and give them the tools to operate in the political realm. This course may be taken twice for a maximum of 6 credit hours. To this end, each individual must make the effort to stay in touch with the instructor in order to minimize scheduling conflicts or miscommunication.
Students are responsible for finding their own internship, which can be either paid or unpaid.
The instructor will assist students in this effort. Help on establishing political contacts, resume writing and interviewing is gladly given and will be among the topics covered at the first couple of class meetings. It is recommended that students avoid working on electoral campaigns in order to avoid the appearance of endorsement by the university. Students must work the minimum number of hours, be prompt, courteous, reliable, and receive an overall favorable recommendation from their immediate supervisor. Again, it is crucial that students maintain open lines of communication with the instructor so that classes are not inadvertently missed.