Internship Checklist

1. Meeting with Political Science Department Coordinator

Each student should meet with the internship coordinator prior to seeking an internship site to discuss his/her interests and goals for an internship. The internship coordinator will provide suggestions on how the student may find a suitable agency or organization for the internship experience. Students may make an appointment by signing the list posted each week on the door outside 107 Keith Hall Annex.

2. Securing an Internship

The student, in conjunction with the internship coordinator, is expected to seek his/her own internship location. There are several sources of information that the student may refer to in order to get ideas about where internships might exist.

• Organizational websites are often a good initial place to look for internship opportunities.
• Internship sites where interns have previously worked. This information can be obtained from the internship coordinator.
• The Office of Career Services also has resource materials for those interested in obtaining an internship. The Office of Experiential Education is located in Pratt Hall.

IUP also is involved on a continuing basis in several programs which serve students from all departments. Among the most frequently utilized by Political Science Department students are:

The Washington Center and IEL, the Capitol Experience

The Washington Center and IEL, the Capitol Experience, place interns in governmental and government related agencies in the Washington, D.C. area. Housing, seminars, and some supervision are provided as part of the program. (Students are responsible for payment of fees to the placement organizations as well as university tuition.)

The Harrisburg Internship Semester (T.H.I.S.)

One student is nominated each semester for the Harrisburg Internship Semester. Students may be from any major and must have completed at least 57 credits and an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 to apply. The internship application consists of an application, letter of recommendation from his/her department faculty, and a graded writing sample. Applications are filed through Dr. David Chambers.

Student selected for the program will work in the Governor's Office, Senate, House of Representatives, Department of Education, Department of Environmental Resources, or Department of Labor and Industry. The student will have the opportunity to earn 15 credits; 12 credits internship and three-credit senior seminar. He/she will receive a stipend equal to the cost of room, board, and tuition for the semester plus local transportation from PolyClinic (student housing) to the Capitol.

Deadlines for T.H.I.S. applications:

• First Thursday in October for the spring semester
• Third Wednesday in February for the fall semester

Capital Semester Program

Internships in the Harrisburg area are intermittently available through the Capital Semester Program in the spring and fall semesters.

Deadlines for applications:

• First Monday in October for the spring semester
• Fourth Monday in May for the fall semester

Legislative Office for Research Liaison (LORL)

Students with strong research and communications skills are encouraged to apply for a LORL internship with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Deadlines for applications to LORL:

• First Monday in October for the spring semester
• First Monday in March for the summer
• First Monday in July for the fall semester

The White House

Students from various disciplines work for various offices within the White House.

Application deadlines:

• Second Monday in October for spring semester
• Third Monday in March for summer
• Fourth Monday in May for fall semester

3. Internship Approval

After an internship has been secured and approved by the Political Science Department's internship coordinator, the student must complete and file an IUP Internship Approval Form and Summary Statement. The form must be signed by the student, the Political Science Department chairperson, the faculty internship coordinator, and the college dean.

These forms may be obtained from the Political Science Department internship coordinator, 107 Keith Hall Annex, or downloaded below.

• Internship Approval Form(pdf)
• Internship Summary Statement (pdf)

These two forms must be submitted to the internship coordinator at least one week prior to the internship application deadlines, which are:

• Fall: First Friday in August
• Spring: Second Monday in November
• Summer: Second Monday in April

4. Review Part II of Internship Handbook

At the same time the student picks up the Internship Approval Form from the Political Science Department internship coordinator, he/she should review the Handbook For Undergraduate And Graduate Internships - Part II.

5. Register for Credits

All students must register for internship credits via MyIUP , the university portal.

6. Payment of Fees

The student must make arrangements to pay all required university fees on a timely basis for the university to appropriately recognize his/her internship. Off-campus interns may apply for a reduction of certain fees.