Eligibility for Credit

• Students must have junior or senior standing (54 or more completed credits).
• Students must have at least a 2.8 cumulative GPA.
• Students must work a minimum of 126 hours during a semester or summer session.
• Work done on-site must be substantive and related to the study of political science.
• Internships must be approved in advance by the internship coordinator. No retroactive credit will be given.
• Students cannot earn credit concurrently with another department for the same experience.
• Membership and/or leadership in a student organization does not qualify as an internship experience.

Registration and Other Requirements

• If you meet the above-mentioned criteria, please complete the Application for POLS 3991. This form must be submitted no later than the start of the semester (or summer) in which you will be completing the internship.
• Upon verification of your academic information and internship placement, the internship coordinator will provide information on course registration via email. Registration cannot be done via the Student Administration system.

Grading

• Successfully complete the academic requirements assigned by the instructor of POLS 3991. This online course is graded on an S/U basis.
• Perform the required minimum of 126 hours of internship service.
• Receive a satisfactory evaluation of your work from your internship site supervisor.
• Failure to fulfill any requirement will result in a grade of U (unsatisfactory).

Connecticut General Assembly (CGA)

Each spring semester UConn students serve as interns at the state legislature throughout its entire session.

Applications

• Completed applications must be submitted to the CGA program and the POLS internship coordinator by November 1.
• Interviews are held in November/December, and acceptances are sent in December.
• Applications are available online.

Credit Information

• Students earn credits based on the number of hours worked, the evaluation from the site supervisor, and a review of the portfolio completed while at the General Assembly.
• Final grades are determined by the POLS internship coordinator.
• Part-time internships are eligible to receive six credits (three credits for POLS 3991 graded on an S/U basis, and three credits for POLS 2998 graded on an A-F basis).
• Full-time internships are eligible to receive 15 credits (12 credits for POLS 3991 graded on an S/U basis, and three credits for POLS 2998 graded on an A-F basis).

Study Away Internships with Experiential Global Learning (EGL)

The Washington Center Internship in Washington, D.C.

Interns work full-time in federal agencies and departments, congressional offices, or government-related organizations. They also take a class and engage in professional development programming.

Applications

• Students apply via the EGL application portal. In addition, they must complete the Washington Center’s application.
• Students must have at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA.

Credit Information

• Summer interns receive nine credits (six credits for POLS 3991 graded on an S/U basis, and three credits for POLS 3999 graded on an A-F basis).
• Semester interns receive up to 15 credits (up to 12 credits for POLS 3991 graded on an S/U basis, and three credits for POLS 3999 graded on an A-F basis).

UConn Honors Congressional Internship Program

For one semester students become full-time Washington, D.C. staff members for one of Connecticut’s members of Congress. Students participate in the daily functions of the congressional office. Motivated interns usually earn additional responsibilities, such as attending committee hearings, writing policy memos, and researching legislation.

Applications

• Open to all UConn students in their junior or senior year.
• Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Students apply via the EGL application portal.

Credit Information

12 credits for POLS 3991 graded on an S/U basis, and three Honors credits for POLS 2998W graded on an A-F basis.

London Program with Internship

Students can earn political science credit while participating in an internship in London, England during the fall or spring semester. Participants take 12 credits, including the internship and a minimum of two additional courses.

Applications

Students apply via the EGL application portal.

Credit Information

• In order to receive three credits of POLS 3991 for the program internship, students must meet with EGL in advance of the program application deadline. A one-credit UNIV 3993 reflection course will be taken concurrently with the internship.
• Internship placement determines eligibility for earning major credit. Placement must be specifically related to political science and approved by the POLS department prior to the start of the program.

• CT Judicial Branch Experiential Learning Program
• Correctional Justice Policy and Planning Division
• CT Department of Children and Families
• Federal departments and agencies
• CT Governor’s/CT Lt. Governor’s offices
• Lawyers Without Borders
• Office of the CT Attorney General
• Political campaigns
• U.S. House of Representatives (state and local offices)
• U.S. Senate (state and local offices)
• UConn Office of Governmental Relations
• Law offices
• Lobbying groups
• Police departments

See how the Center for Career Development can help, or check out their recruiting management system, Handshake.

Don’t forget, if the POLS department hears about an internship opportunity we post it in the Polisci Weekly Brief and in SharePoint.

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) offers funding for research and scholarship projects to all undergraduates at UConn. Many of our students have taken advantage of IDEA Grants; Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts Research Experience (SHARE) Awards; and Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) Awards, to name a few.

View a list of OUR funding and programs.

The Alan R. Bennett Honors Program in the Department of Political Science provides competitive research assistantships with faculty members to honors students. These Bennett research awards also support student travel to professional conferences and presentations on campus at the Research Excellence in Political Science (REPS) poster sessions and Frontiers Undergraduate Research exhibitions. Contact the honors program director for questions and details on how to apply.

Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honorary society for political science majors based in Washington, DC. Membership signifies academic achievement within the field, and all members receive a certificate of membership as well as permanent enrollment in the society’s membership rolls maintained by the National Office. The purpose of Pi Sigma Alpha is to stimulate scholarship and interest in the subject of government by providing tangible recognition to students who have excelled in the field.

At the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, the department’s faculty advisor will issue an open invitation for qualified majors to join UConn’s chapter. Information regarding membership requirements, chapter activities, frequently asked questions, and an application form are all provided below. The present faculty advisor is Professor Kristin Kelly.

Membership is open to all students who meet the following requirements:

• A declared political science major
• A grade point average of 3.300 or higher in the major (Not Internships)
• The completion of at least 3 2000-level political science courses

If you meet these requirements, you should fill out the online application. Applications are due March 20, 2023.

Frequently asked questions regarding membership:

Can I join if I am taking my 3rd 2000-level course this semester?
No, you need to have grades for those 3 courses factored into your major GPA before you can join. You may join during the semester following completion of the 3rd course.

My G.P.A. in my major is listed on my transcript, right?
No, actually it’s not. What’s listed on your transcript are your GPAs for the semester (SGPA), division (DGPA), and total average (TGPA). The only place to find your major GPA is to look on your Academic Requirements Report. Or you can do the math yourself to make sure you have a 3.300 GPA in the major. Find the grade and grade point chart in the general catalog (listed under academic regulations), assign the correct grade point to all the political science classes you have taken (A=4.0, A-=3.7, etc.), and then divide the total by the number of political science classes you’ve taken. This is your GPA in the major.

I fit all the requirements, but no one asked me to join. How come?
We send out membership invitations based on overall GPA rather than major GPA; hence some students who do not qualify for membership received one, while some students who do qualify did not receive one. We sincerely apologize if you belong to this latter category, and we would still be excited to have you become a member. Membership is a nice thing to list on your resume, but it really is just restating what your transcript already reveals — that you are a good student.

How much does it cost to become a member?
Submitting an application to become a member of Pi Sigma Alpha is free.  If your application is accepted, you will be provided with a code that will enable you to officially register as a member on the National Website for Pi Sigma Alpha.  To become a member you will be required to pay a one-time fee of $35.00. This fee covers the cost of your induction certificate and ensures your permanent enrollment in the society’s membership rolls maintained by the national office. At graduation, Pi Sigma Alpha members are entitled to wear honor society regalia. Graduating members of the Honor Society can purchase cords and/or medals from the national website.

Does the chapter meet frequently, what kinds of activities does it plan, and what is its organizational structure?
The answers to each of these questions varies tremendously from year to year. Precisely how active the chapter is depends on the enthusiasm and interest of its members. One dynamic that seems constant is that most students join when they are seniors, which means not only that they are already very busy, but also that membership roll-over is very high. It is not uncommon for the chapter to have 90% new members each year. In order to handle paperwork and financial issues, volunteers within the group are usually solicited. Monthly meetings have sometimes proven to be useful venues for the exchange of information on graduate and law school applications and preparations. The level of activity and the nature of organizational responsibilities are really up to each year’s members.

The UConn Undergraduate Political Review is a scholarly publication dedicated to providing a diverse analysis of political events and issues. Learn more about the publication and view their latest issue.

The UConn Stamford Politics Club is a nonpartisan, student-led, professionally-run organization committed to creating a space that encourages intellectual dialogue, facilitates civil discourse on political subjects, and helps students grow intellectually, socially and professionally. All students from the Stamford campus are welcome, and students from other campuses are welcome to attend our special events. Events include debate watch parties, candidate debates on campus, town halls, strategy meetings, and presentations. For more information contact beth.ginsberg@uconn.edu.