Why work as an intern? | Credit for Internships
–Photo by Claire Cooper
Internships are an important option for professional development at most schools in the U.S., and increasingly throughout the world. Each year majors in Political Science work as interns in a variety of places including governments (legislatures, executive agencies, courts), politics (political parties, campaigns, political advocacy organizations), interest groups, nonprofits, law firms, research organizations, k-12 schools and universities, and museums and historical sites.
By definition, internships are a way to learn by doing. This is important as today’s employers rank ‘workplace skills and experiences’ very high on their list of preferable college grads who are applying for jobs [1]. But how can you develop your workplace skills and experiences as a college student? Internships are one, major tool for you to do so. There are many sources in Political Science, and at UW-Madison in general, that can help you explore the value of internships, research possible workplaces, effectively apply to internships, and make the most of the internship experience once you start work.
Here are some important considerations as you decide whether or not to seek an internship, and to help you determine what type of internship might be right for you.
Why should you work as an intern during your college years?
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Gains Skills and Experience
Internships offer a relatively quick way to gain relevant workplace skills and experiences
Try this exercise. Scan one or more of your preferred job search sites, such as Handshake, Indeed, Idealist, UW Student Jobs, or even the Sunday want ads of a major metropolitan news source. Choose a range of very interesting positions that you would consider taking. Even include positions on your someday ‘wish list’ that you know are currently out of reach. Make a list of the desired or required skills and experiences specified in the ads. How many of these skills and experiences do you currently possess?
You are now facing a dilemma confronted by literally millions of students before you. Although you are prepared to start at the bottom of your preferred career field, you likely don’t meet all the prerequisites to compete for jobs at the entry level. The growing reality is that even entry-level professional positions often requires skills and experiences that colleges and part-time jobs don’t provide. An internship may offer a way out of this common dilemma by providing you relevant training and accumulated hours in your prospective career field while you are still in school.
Explore a Career
Internships offer a relatively risk-free way to explore a possible career path.
Believe it or not, the best internship may be the one that tells you want you don’t want to do for the next ten or twenty years. Think about it. If you put all your eggs in one basket, what
happens if your dream job turns out to be the exact opposite of what you want, or who you are? You may have invested several years in a career field that turns out to be wrong for you. No career guide or diagnostic test can substitute for first-hand experiences gained in your prospective career field.
Get Hired
Internships offer real opportunities to do career networking and can increase your chances of gaining a full-time position upon graduation.
You likely have heard the saying: ‘It’s not what you know, but who you know.’ For good or ill, the reality is who you know (and, equally important, who knows you) can make a big difference in you getting the job you want. Put yourself in the place of a busy supervisor who must hire for a vacant position. You can advertise the position, which requires a formal job announcement, review of resumes, and formal interviews. Or, you can rely on colleagues and subordinates to identify interesting and qualified applicant prospects. Often, supervisors and hiring managers will prefer candidates who are referred by someone they know and trust, or even those candidates who they already know as they are working in the organization. Even employers that do advertise a position don’t always conduct a thorough, full-blown job search. Instead, they employ shortcuts or coping mechanisms to streamline the process. The internship selection and hiring process, and the weeks you actually spend on the job can provide excellent opportunities to talk to professionals about careers and what you hope to do, your skills and traits, and ways to achieve your goals.
Credit for Internships
- Wisconsin in Washington
- PS 315: Political Internships
- Inter-LS 260: Internship in the Liberal Arts & Sciences
Offered in partnership with UW-Madison office of International Academic Programs, the Wisconsin in Washington DC Internship Program provides an academic framework for you to to intern in Washington D.C. with various hosts including U.S. Congress, the White House, executive departments and agencies, public policy advocacy and lobbying firms, think tanks, non-profits, law firms and legal institutions, print and broadcast media outlets, marketing and public relations firms, historical sites, and political organizations among many other possibilities. Internships provide effective ways for you to build necessary skills and work experiences in your prospective career fields. Research shows that students who intern through academic internship programs gain more from the experience than students who intern on their own. Through this academic internship program, you will gain first-hand experience in the workings of Washington, D.C and connect with UW alumni and other DC professionals while benefiting from an academic program that allows you to critically reflect on your intern experience and the political and cultural nuances of Washington D.C
Poli Sci 315 is a 3-credit course with weekly readings, as well as written assignments. The material covered in the course is designed to be relevant to students who are concurrently serving in legislative or agency internships.
- This is a fully online class.
- It is necessary to have secured an internship before applying for the course.
- Internships do not necessarily have to be in a legislative setting, but do need to be politically related and pertain to legislative issues to be eligible, specifically in one of the following:
- the governor’s office
- the lieutenant governor’s office
- the state legislature
- state agencies
- federal legislative offices
Contact Amy Gangl (agangl@wisc.edu) for questions about the course and appropriate internships.
Admission to this course is by application only. Please email Prof. Amy Gangl (agangl@wisc.edu) with the following information: 1.Name of internship 2.Hours you will work per week during the term and 3.Name and email contact of internship supervisor.
The Internship in the Liberal Arts & Sciences (Inter-LS 260) online course provides UW students who have found internships an opportunity to earn academic credit in connection with their work experience. Students will analyze their professional training experiences in the context of the goals of a liberal arts and science university education, by practicing critical reading, writing, and observation skills.
- This UW online internship course (Inter-LS 260) includes weekly readings, weekly online writing assignments, and a final reflection paper.
- It is worth 1 credit, and students may repeat the course up to three times.
- Grading is on the standard A-F system
Visit SuccessWorks’ website for more information and how to apply: Inter-LS 260
List of Current Internship Postings
wdt_ID | Position title | Host | Location | Time frame | Industry/Focus | Deadline | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 | Intern | State Senator Jeff Smith | Madison, WI | Rolling | Government | Unspecified | Internship: Unpaid |
99 | Intern | WISH | Washington D.C | Rolling | Various (Visit Website) | Rolling | Internship |
176 | NSA Student Programs | National Security Agency | Washington D.C., Texas, Colorado, various cities | Rolling | Government, Research, Varies | Apply 1 year in advance | Internship: Unpaid |
356 | Intern | Illinois Opportunity Project | Remote | Unspecified | Public Policy, Research, Government | Unspecified | Internship: Credit Available |
400 | Intern | WE International | Madison, WI | Rolling | Nonprofit | Rolling | Internship: Unpaid |
416 | Senate Messenger | Wisconsin State Legislature | Madison, WI | Part-Time or Full-Time | Government, Legislation | Rolling | Full-Time: Paid |
470 | Intern | The Borgen Project | Remote | 12 Week Program | Public Affairs, Government | Rolling | Internship: Unpaid |
516 | Training Program | Green Corps | Various | One-Year | Environmental, Legislation, Advocacy | Unspecified | Paid |
519 | Tutor | Achievement Connections | Madison, WI | Rolling | Education, Advising | Rolling | Volunteer Position |
529 | Various Positions | For Our Future Action Fund | Philadelphia, PA, Las Vegas, NV, Washington, DC, Madison, WI | Part-Time or Full-Time | Lobbying | Unspecified | Paid Positions |
550 | Campus Organizer | Student PIRGs | Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington | Full-Time | Administration, Environment, Organization | Unspecified | Full-Time: Paid |
590 | Intern for the Assembly Democratic Caucus | Wisconsin Assembly Democrats | Unspecified (Wisconsin) | Spring, Summer, or Fall | Politics | Unspecified | Internship: Unpaid (can receive course credit) |
591 | Legislative Intern | Wisconsin Assembly GOP | Madison, WI | Unspecified | Politics | Unspecified | Internship: Unpaid (limited # of paid positions) |
819 | Intern | Representative Tom Tiffany | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
820 | Intern | Representative Mike Gallagher | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
821 | Intern | Representative Brian Steil | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
822 | Intern | Representative Scott Fitzgerald | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
823 | Intern | Representative Derrick Van Orden | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Spring, Summer, Fall | Government | Spring - December 15th, Summer – March 15th, Fall – August 15th | Internship |
824 | Intern | Representative Glenn Grothman | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
825 | Intern | Representative Gwen Moore | Washington, D.C. or Wisconsin | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
850 | Intern | Joseph S. Nye, Jr. National Security Program | Washington, D.C. | 6-month term | Policy | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (stipend) |
971 | Campus Intern | Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) | Madison, WI | Unspecified | Activism | Unspecified | Internship: Unpaid |
989 | Legislative Intern | State Representative Katrina Shankland | Madison, WI | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship |
1217 | Intern | Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies | Honolulu, HI | Various | Research, Security, Policy | Various | Internship: Credit Available |
1243 | Political & Campaigns Internship | National Democratic Redistricting Commission | Washington, D.C. or Remote | Semester length | Advocacy, Policy | Rolling | Internship |
1246 | Intern | The City of Chicago | Chicago, IL | Semester length | Government, Policy, Legislation | Unspecified | Intern |
1247 | Youth Activism Intern | Turn Up | Remote | Part-time | Advocacy, Policy, Research | Rolling | Internship: Unpaid but credit available |
1248 | Intern | Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) | Washington, D.C. or Remote | Unspecified | Foreign Affairs, Policy, Research | Unspecified | Internship |
1253 | International Relations and Policy Intern | World Endeavor | Remote | Unspecified | Foreign Affairs, Research, Policy | Unspecified | Internship |
1281 | Intern | Dane County Human Services Department | Madison, WI | Unspecified | Government | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1286 | Public Policy Intern | National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota (NAMI MN) | St Paul, MN | Spring 2024 or Summer 2024 | Research, Public Policy, Legislation, Advocacy | November 15, 2023 (Spring 2024), May 1st (Summer 2024) | Internship: Unpaid |
1289 | Intern | The Council of State Governments (CSG) | Remote | Unspecified | Research, Public Policy, Legislative Affairs | None | Internship: Paid |
1310 | Intern | Office of the Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski | Madison, WI | Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 | Government | Rolling | Internship: Unpaid (credit available) |
1317 | Director's Financial Analyst Fellowship | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Washington, D.C. | June 2024 (Two year rotational fellowship) | Federal Government | Unspecified | Fellowship: paid |
1319 | Student Vote Intern | Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) | Madison, WI | Fall 2023 | Non-profit | Rolling | Internship |
1324 | Multiple Positions | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | Washington, DC | Spring 2024 | Think Tank | Unspecified | Internship: Paid |
1334 | Domestic Climate Intern | Center for American Progress | Washington, D.C. | Spring 2024 | Climate, Advocacy | Unspecified | Internship: Paid |
1335 | US Policy Intern | Future of Privacy Forum | Washington, D.C. | Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 available | Privacy, Advocacy | Various | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1337 | Intern | Brookings Institution | Washington, D.C. | Spring 2024 | Research, Advocacy, Public Policy | Various | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1342 | Intern | U.S. Department of Commerce | Washington, D.C. | Spring 2024 | Government | Rolling | Internship |
1343 | Public Policy Intern | The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Advocacy, Public Policy | Unspecified | Internship |
1358 | Policy and Advocacy Intern | The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence | Chicago, IL | Summer 2024 | Advocacy, Research | March 31, 2024 | Internship: Stipend |
1359 | Eau Claire Regional Lead | Opportunity Wisconsin (OWI) | Eau Claire, WI | Immediately through August 2024 | Organizing and Strategy | Rolling | Full time |
1362 | Intern | Purplely | Remote | Summer 2024 | Nonprofit, Elections, Research | June 1, 2024 | Internship: Unpaid |
1367 | Intern | State Representative LaKeshia Myers | Madison, WI | Spring 2024 | Government | Rolling until position filled | Internship: Unpaid |
1371 | Campus Organizing Fellow | The Wisco Project | Madison, WI | Spring | Campaigns and organizing | ASAP | Internship: Stipend |
1374 | Yale Predoctoral Fellowship | Yale Center for the Study of American Politics | New Haven, CT | 1 year, possible extension | Research | Rolling | Full time: Paid |
1376 | Intern | Nineteen Sixty Campaigns | Remote (Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago) | Unspecified | Campaigns, Political Consulting | Rolling | Internship |
1388 | Intern | Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, Inc. (STOP) | Remote | Summer 2024 | Research, Communications, Civil Rights | Undisclosed | Internship: Unpaid (college credit available) |
1389 | Public Law and Policy Intern | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Law, Public Policy | March 29, 2024 | Internship: Paid (Hourly) see Handshake for more details |
1392 | Project Assistant | Eimer Stahl LLP | Madison, WI | Spring/Summer | Law | Rolling | Full time: Paid (can start in Spring part time and transition to full time) |
1394 | 3 Intern Positions | Valens Global | Remote | Summer 2024 | National Security | Rolling | Internship: Paid |
1396 | Program Support Specialist | Mayor's Innovation Project at High Road Strategy Center (formerly known as COWS) | Madison, WI | Immediate | Local government, research | ASAP | Part time position: Paid |
1397 | Campaign Internships | Joe Biden for President | Various Locations | Immediate | Campaigns | ASAP | Full time and Internship: Paid |
1398 | Diplomacy & Global Relations Intern | A.S.E Global Bridges | Windsor, CT | Summer 2024 | Global Affairs, Sports, Arts | April 1, 2024 | Internship: Paid (stipend) |
1400 | Intern | ACLU | Remote | Summer 2024 | Law, Advocacy, Research | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (hourly) |
1404 | Intern | North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission | Remote | Summer 2024 | Government, Research, Criminal Justice | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1405 | Policy Fellow | The Klein/Johnson Group | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Lobbying, Public Policy, Research | April 29, 2024 | Internship: Paid |
1406 | National Security and Intelligence Analysis Intern | The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) | Washington, D.C. or Remote | Summer 2024 | Foreign Affairs, Defense, Research | April 19, 2024 | Internship: Unpaid (scholarships available) |
1407 | Intern | The Urban Institute | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Various focuses | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1408 | Executive Assistant to the Executive Director | For the Long Term | Remote, East Coast Time Zone preferred (FTLT - and thus the Executive Director - works across all US time zones) | Full-time job | Activism investment | Unspecified | $65,000-85,000 |
1409 | Intern | Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman | Detroit, MI, Indianapolis, IN, Milwaukee, WI, Washington, D.C. | June 3 - July 26, 2024 | Health law firm | March 7, 2024 | Internship: Paid (hourly) |
1411 | Domestic Program Summer Intern | The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) | Remote | Summer 2024 | Public Policy, Research | March 20, 2024 | Internship: Paid |
1412 | Intern | Save the Children | Mostly remote | Summer 2024 | Various but related to advocacy | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1413 | Legislative Fellow | The Greenlining Insitute | Oakland, CA | Full-time (Starts in September 2024 through August 2025) | Advocacy, Community Organizing, Environment, Racial Justice | April 5, 2024 | $60,000 |
1416 | RNC Committee on Arrangements | Republican National Convention | Milwaukee, WI | Summer 2024 | Republican National Politics | March 31 | Internship |
1417 | Analysis Career Field Intern | Defense Intelligence Agency | Alabama, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, Virginia | Summer 2025 | Defense, intelligence, security | Unspecified (program is for next summer) | Internship |
1418 | Senate Employment Bulletin | United States Senate | Washington, D.C., sometimes in home state of Senator | Various | Government | Various | Internships and Jobs |
1419 | Fellowships | Meridian International Center | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Various including Global Affairs, Communications, Journalism, Business, etc | Various (apply soon!) | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1420 | Intern | Senator Tammy Baldwin Campaign | Madison, WI | Summer 2024 | Campaign, Elections | March 13, 2024 | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1421 | Intern | Schreiber Government Relations Group | Madison WI | Summer 2024 | Government Affairs | April 1st | Paid |
1422 | Scholarship | The Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service | Global | Undergraduate Juniors entering their Senior Year | Public Service | Unspecified, if applicable apply asap! Finalists notified in May | Scholarship: Up to $50K Student Debt Relief, $2,000 travel stipends, $20,000 Airbnb credit for 10 years post graduation |
1423 | Intern | Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) | Washington, D.C., New York, NY, or remote | Summer 2024 | Foreign Affairs (various focuses) | Various | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1424 | Intern | Women's Foreign Policy Group | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Foreign Policy, Communications, Program Planning | April 5, 2024 | Internship: Paid (stipend) |
1425 | Legislative Analyst | Congressional Research Service | Remote | Full time | Research, Government, Congress | March 25, 2024 | Full time job |
1426 | Research Associate Intern | FHI 360 | Remote | Summer 2024 | International Aid, Global Health, Civil Society Reform | Unspecified | Remote: Paid (Hourly) |
1427 | Congress Watch Advocacy Intern | Public Citizen | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | Congress, Public Policy, Research | March 25, 2024 | Internship: some positions are paid apply asap! |
1428 | Intern | Paul Hastings LLP | Washington, D.C. | Summer 2024 | International Law, Research | Unspecified | Internship: Paid (Hourly) |
1429 | Green Corps Organizer | Green Corps | Multiple Locations | August 2024 - August 2025 | Environmental | March 30th | Paid: Full time job |
1430 | Movement Labs Fellow | Movement Labs | Remote | Summer 2024 | Community Organizing, Data, Advocacy | Unspecified | Fellowship: Paid (hourly) |
1431 | Fellow | Foundation for Civic Leadership - Democracy House | Remote | Summer 2024 | Civic Leadership, Advocacy | March 24 | Fellowship: Paid |
1432 | Max Kampelman Fellow | The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe - Helsinki Commission | Washington, D.C. | April 8, 2024 | National Security, International Affairs, Congress | April 8, 2024 | Fellowship: Paid (Hourly) |
Position title | Host | Location | Time frame | Industry/Focus | Deadline | Type |