EIU Department of Political Science

Internships in Political Science

Internships are valuable tools for students to learn about careers, develop professional skills and networks, and apply what they learn in the classroom to professional settings. Many of our majors complete internships, and a 3-credit internship fulfills the applied learning requirement for students.

Locating Internships

If you are interested in earning internship credit, contact our internship coordinators: Mr. John Morris (jsmorris@eiu.edu) coordinates undergraduate Political Science internships and Dr. Karen Swenson (kbswenson@eiu.edu) coordinates pre-law internships. Some internships are local to East Central Illinois, special semester-long programs are available in Washington, DC, and you may identify great internships in your home community too.

Internship announcements are regularly shared on the Political Science Student and Faculty Resource page on D2L--be sure to check there for links to internship sites.

Applying for Internship Credit

Once you identify a potential internship, complete the Internship Application; the internship coordinator can help you. Here are some key points to consider: 

• You will be billed tuition and fees for each credit hour of an internship.
• One credit of internship requires 40 hours of internship work.
• All Political Science internships require analytical weekly logs/journals, an analytical paper, and an evaluation letter from your supervisor.
• You must submit your application prior to the start of the term.

Financial Support

Some national internships can be costly, far beyond tuition--especially if you live in Washington, DC for a term. Resources are available, though they are often competitive:

• The James B. Curtis Memorial Scholarship offers $600-$1,200 for qualified students for Washington Center Scholarships.
• The Julie A. Curry Political Science Leadership Fund offers $400 for qualified students completing an internship, including summer internships.
• Apply for these opportunities in January when the scholarship system opens--the deadline to apply is March 15.