Internships and Undergraduate Research

Internships are an important component of the undergraduate experience, and our majors are encouraged to undertake an internship in the course of their undergraduate studies. Our students regularly secure internships with law firms, political campaigns, media outlets and in legislative offices, both through faculty contacts and on their own initiative. In addition, the Department of Political Science has ongoing relationships with Washington semester programs through American University and George Washington University. We routinely send students to the Fund for American Studies internship program where scholarships are available.

Students should contact James Wallner, Ph.D. (jwallne@clemson.edu) regarding the process of receiving internship credit and Tara Trask, Ph.D. (ttrask@clemson.edu) for questions regarding transfer credits.

Resources

• Clemson University Career Center Internships
• American University Washington Semester Program
• George Washington University Washington Semester Program
• The Washington Center
• DC Internships.org
• The Fund for American Studies

The Department of Political Science provides a broad selection of opportunities for its majors to work on faculty-led Creative Inquiry research teams. In the past, students have participated in research teams focused on ethnic violence and civil wars, congressional voting, U.S.-China relations, presidential rhetoric, Canadian politics and local government. Several students have presented their research at major political science conferences including the American Political Science and the Midwest Political Science Associations’ annual conferences, as well as the “Posters on the Hill” conference sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research. A few of our undergraduates have even published their research with faculty in leading political science journals.