Internship Opportunities
Why internships?
To lead in a democratic society, citizens must be able to tolerate ambiguity and manage multiple standards of inquiry comfortably. The political science faculty at IWU encourages students to use their off-campus experiences—internships, study abroad, and other opportunities—to cross and bridge the multiple learning domains they master in the classroom. The internship seminar brings students and faculty together to facilitate research projects in partnerships that serve the community and enhance our quality of life. If you'd like to hear more about our alum's personal experiences with internships, click here for more information.
What is the place of the internship in the liberal arts education?
As a political science department at a liberal arts college, we focus on starting our students down the path of general education. They become specialists in their major, but through the general education program they also become generalists able to make connections between and among all the major areas of scholarly research and artistic endeavor. The ability to bridge multiple domains of learning is essential to developing a meaningful philosophy of life. It is also essential for effective leadership and action in the sphere of civil society. The internship program in political science provides students with opportunities to work in multiple domains on projects that benefit the community. In this sense, when students participate in internship seminar projects they fulfill the highest ideals of a liberal arts education.
For more information, please see PSCI 396 or 397 – Which internship should I take?
IWU/Bloomington-Normal Programs
Illinois Farm Bureau Legislative Affairs Internship
State of Illinois Programs
Environmental Law and Policy Center Internship
Graduate Public Service Intern Program
Illinois City/County Management Association (ILCMA)
Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program
James H. Dunn Jr. Memorial Fellowship
The Michael Curry Summer Internship Program
Semester/Summer in Washington, D.C.
American University Washington Semester Program
National/International Programs
American Kurdish Information Network
Associated Colleges of Illinois Career Path Project
Center for International Policy
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Council on American-Islamic Relations in Chicago
Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.
Foundation for Middle East Peace
Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
National Immigrant Justice Center
National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
William Munro - Betty Ritchie-Birrer '47 and Ivan Birrer, Ph.D. Endowed Professor of Political Science
Department - Political Science