Internships offer students the opportunity to apply their academic skills to "real world" situations and to experience the public sector work place in a foretaste of their selected career.

From internships in the British Parliament to the powerful offices in the Washington beltway to working for the manager of a local small city, these experiences provide invaluable insights to students seeking to learn the practical skills needed in post-graduation life and give students a chance to "try on" their career choice to see if the fit is less than perfect.

Future employers prefer applicants with an internship experience on their resume. An internship can give the applicant a competitive edge in a tight economy.

Students can develop a network of contacts that can prove very useful in their later job searches. Sometimes the internship can lead to employment with the agency or office worked for as an intern.

If students want to receive academic credit for the internship, enrollment in Political Science 3910, "Government Internship," is available for two (2) or three (3) maximum hours in any one semester and six (6) total hours in a student's undergraduate program. Only students in good standing with 45 credit hours, including three classes in political science (nine credit hours), are eligible. Ewing Fellowships are an exception to these requirements. 

Information about internship credit and an application form is available in PDF format here.

Students needing more information should make an appointment with Professor Ann-Marie Szymanski at 325-6436 or ams@ou.edu.