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Internships
We encourage you to consider doing an internship during your studies. If you secure an internship during the Fall or Spring semesters, you can receive credit for it to block off time in your schedule. Please note that while internship credits may count towards the 120 credits you need to graduate, they do not count as electives that fulfill major or minor requirements.
One popular internship opportunity for Political Science majors is Pitt's Institute of Politics. This program offers a 4-credit, letter-graded course that integrates internship and seminar components (PS 1910). Students are placed with local, state, and federal elected officials in the Pittsburgh area, earning two credits for their work in the official’s local office and two credits for a concurrent weekly seminar. Please note that the Institute of Politics runs this program in-house and so questions should be directed to their team. Students must apply in person at the Institute (710 Alumni Hall); participation is awarded on a competitive basis.
Students may also arrange internships themselves. If you find and secure an internship and would like to get academic credit for it (PS 1900), please complete this form no later than one day before the add/drop deadline of the semester during which you’ll be interning. Please carefully read the Dietrich school guidelines for academic internships and have your internship supervisor sign this document before filling out the form listed above. If you’ve completed the form by the deadline, we’ll enroll you in PS 1900 and you’ll be added to the course CANVAS page, where you can turn in assignments and an end-of-term timecard signed by your supervisor.
Numerous internships in the government, non-government, and private sectors can qualify for experience in Political Science, if they have some political component. Here are some examples of what folks have done in the past.
If you have any questions regarding whether something counts as a political science internship or about this process for enrolling in academic credit, please reach out to Dr. Anthony Ocepek for more information.
Research
Starting in fall 2016, the Political Science department is recruiting interested undergraduate students to work as undergraduate research assistants for Political Science faculty members. This is a great opportunity to get a first-hand, up-close look at the research process while working with close collaboration with a faculty member. Undergraduate research assistants work either 5 hours per week for 1 credit hour (S/NC) or 10 hours per week for 2 credit hours (S/NC). Weekly tasks vary by research project, but may include data collection, analysis, literature reviews, editing, etc.
The Department encourages students to get involved in research, whether they are considering careers in the private sector, government, or the academy. Our degree programs are designed to provide students with the skills they need to conduct meaningful research. All Political Science majors write research papers in their capstone seminars, where they have the chance to work closely with faculty members on their projects.
In addition, many students choose to work with faculty members on research projects of various kinds. Finally, the B.S. and B.Phil. degrees offer students the chance to undertake significant original research under the close guidance of a faculty mentor.
An ideal trajectory for students interested in research would begin with the Office of Undergraduate Research’s First Experiences in Research program for second-term Freshmen. In their second year, students might work on faculty research projects (perhaps continuing with their First Experiences mentors) and developing their substantive knowledge and research skills through coursework. For more information about research at Pitt, please see the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity. Also, in their second and third years, students might consult with faculty members about developing their own research projects, which could be support through a departmental Rathburn International Research Award or Carroll Memorial Award.
For the opportunity to work as an undergraduate research assistant, please see more undergraduate opportunities.
For students completing the B.S. or B.Phil. degree, summer research during the third year is vitally important. Students interested in completing these degrees should identify faculty advisors and begin their work by the fall of the third year. For more information, see degree requirements.
Service Learning and Related Opportunities
Service learning combines public service with academic study in a way that enhances both experiences. Students interested in service learning might consider external service learning opportunities to enhance their degree experiences. The Political Science Department has found that opportunities with the following programs have been especially useful for our majors.
Amizade serves as a central information source for a variety of service learning opportunities in various locations. It focuses on connecting volunteers with local organizations in nine different countries on four different continents, promoting service learning tasks that also provide real assistance to populations in need.
Humanity in Action sponsors a summer fellowship program that focuses on democracy and tolerance, and includes sites in New York, Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris, and Warsaw. This five-week summer program brings together students from the United States and Europe to pursue cooperative learning and rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry into human rights, diversity, and minority issues.
Study Abroad
If you’re studying abroad and need to have a PS academic advisor sign your study abroad form, you can submit here. Before submitting, please ensure that your form as all your information (including your signature on the second page) as well as the classes that you’d like to have count. We’ll process new forms every Friday during the Fall and Spring semesters. If you’re submitting a form over the Summer or if you have additional questions about this process, please reach out to Dr. Horia Dijmarescu.
For many students, the study of Political Science can be enriched by learning experiences in other countries. The Department of Political Science encourages our students to consider adding a study abroad component to their undergraduate experience. For more information on the various study abroad programs that are available to Pitt students, consult the study abroad office.
Pi Sigma Alpha
Political Science majors can be eligible to join Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science honors society (Xi chapter).