Emerson College: Washington, D.C. - The Washington Center

Qualified juniors and seniors may enroll for one semester of study during the fall term only at Emerson's newest external program, the Emerson Washington Program. This residential program offers students the opportunity to spend a fall semester in Washington, D.C., focused on the issues and process of government and politics, the role of communication in developing and implementing public policy, and how social advocacy and diplomacy are practiced in the nation's capital. Emerson College has affiliated with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, an independent, nonprofit educational organization located five blocks north of the White House and one block north of Scott Circle. The Washington Center serves hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and other countries by providing selected students challenging opportunities to work and learn in Washington, D.C. for academic credit. The largest such program, with more than 60 full-time staff, The Washington Center has over 36,000 alumni, leaders in numerous professions and nations around the world. Student housing [mandatory] is located in professional-style apartment buildings, most of which are in suburban Maryland and the Arlington and Alexandria areas of Northern Virginia, and easily accessible by mass transit. 8 internship credits at a site chosen for your specific goals and interests anchor a semester schedule which includes a full course load of 16 credits. Students may count up to eight credits of internship toward the major requirements. Only juniors and seniors with a current 2.7 GPA are eligible. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of internship, directed project and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Marrying theory and practice while using Washington, D.C. as a laboratory for learning, this schedule also keeps you on track for graduation. Internships are available in the social advocacy, government, political, and media and technology arenas. The program is geared toward students in the Communication Studies department; however, juniors and seniors from other majors, including Journalism, Marketing, and Communication Disorders may also apply. The courses offered are designed for the Communication Studies major in leadership, politics, and social advocacy but may be applied to other majors with permission of the appropriate department chair. Students from majors other than Communication Studies may want to meet with the Department Chair, Richard West, before meeting with their own department chairs. All rules concerning internships apply to this program, including the minimum required grade point average of 2.7 and junior standing.