PSIA and Experiential Learning Requirements

Fulfilling the Experiential Learning Requirement through
Political Science / International Affairs

1. What the University Requires (General Education Requirements for BA/BS Degrees)
Experiential Learning. One faculty supervised experience involving a significant experiential learning component designed to challenge students to go outside of the bounds of the typical classroom.

2. How to meet the EL requirement in Political Science/ International Affairs (3 options)

– URES 197 – Undergraduate Research, 1 – 3 credit hours registered in a semester for a maximum of 6 credits
http://www.umw.edu/cas/acaffairs/ures_197_projects/default.php

– PS 491 – Individual Study in Political Science, 3 credit hours registered

– PSCI 499 – Internship, minimum of 1 credit hour registered

Note: To qualify for EL, Political Science Internships must have a final project/paper evaluated by the sponsoring faculty member

Note: Effective Fall 2010 semester, Political Science majors who enroll in PS 499 may be able to apply a maximum of 3 credits as elective credit to the Political Science major.

Useful links:
UMW Career Services Internships Page
http://www.umw.edu/careerservices/students/internship_resources/search_links1.php

Political Jobs – national clearinghouse for internships
http://www.politicaljobs.net/

International Internships website – summer and academic year
http://www.globalexperiences.com/

Virginia State Government –
http://jobs.virginia.gov/emplInternship.html

Federal Government – Note: Students interested in working for a particular Department (e.g., State Department) should go the department – specific website. The same is true for internships with United States Senators and Representatives.
http://www.studentjobs.gov/e-scholar.asp

Recent Examples of PS/IA internships, Independent Studies (IS),
AND Experiential Learning (EL) Opportunities:

Katherine Allen, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DC)
Laura Boyette, First Nations Development Institute (F’burg); http://www.firstnations.org/
Samantha Bradshaw, IS on VA Republican Party
Victoria Brandis, Pearl S. Buck International (Perkasie, PA); http://www.psbi.org/
Joe Buonannata, U.S. Consulate, Italy (Florence)
Kate Elvey, Virginia Tech Legal Counsel (Blacksburg) Melissa Gonzalez, Peruvian Mission to the Organization of American States (DC)
Eric Halsey, Genocide Watch (Fredericksburg)
Elizabeth Jennings, U.S. Department of Commerce (DC)
Jonas Kjaer, Maersk (internship in Denmark)
Julie Longpre, Office of U.S. Senator John Kerry (DC)
Kelly McCain, Bob McDonnell for Governor (Richmond and Fairfax)
Mike O’Donnell, Office of NY State Assemblyman Mark Alessi (New York)
Taylor Quarles, Building Goodness Foundation (located in Charlottesville; he worked for them in Honduras); http://www.buildinggoodness.org/
Ken Scheiber, Transparency International (Quito, Ecuador); http://www.transparency.org/
Kaya Singleton, IS on Party Dynamics and the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee
Natalie Weiner, Human Rights Committee (DC)
Scott Zagrodny, Nadine Zataar, U.S. State Department; http://careers.state.gov/students/ug_students.html
Last thoughts:
1. Start early – plan ahead for your internship and/or independent study
2. Be proactive – If you have an abiding interest that coincides with the research and/or teaching interests of a faculty member, ASK THEM about independent study and URES 197 opportunities