Washington Semester Program
The Washington Semester Program (WSP) is known for its students who turn ideas into action and action into service. By opting for American University’s WSP you will be a member of an elite corps of students who not only learn about public policy issues but also get first-hand experience helping to solve problems and implement programs. The WSP consists of an academic seminar led by a full-time American University faculty member, and a part-time internship. Whether you are enrolled in the Peace and Conflict Resolution Program or the International Business and Trade Program, you will meet and work with a variety of professionals that range from embassy diplomats to world trade experts.
Located in Washington, D.C., the WSP is located in a city that serves as an international hub for government agencies, businesses and organizations. Internships at organizations such as the International Trade Commission, CNN News, or Merrill Lynch will give you contacts for the future and invaluable work experience. As a full-time American University student, you will also have access to all of the resources, amenities, events, and services offered to fulltime American university students.
Housing
Washington Semester students stay in one of three residence halls on the Tenley Campus of American University. Rooms are wired for cable television and the university’s computer network provides free access to the Internet; the Tenley Campus and American University main campus both have wireless internet. Residence halls also have kitchens and laundry facilities. Students will find coffee shops, restaurants and movie theaters just a few steps away as is DC’s rail transit system, the Metro, which provides easy access to internship and seminar locations. The main American University campus is just a 10-15 minute walk up the road and a free shuttle bus runs continuously between the two campuses.
Courses
Students have the option of applying to one of 13 programs of study ranging from American Politics, to International Environment and Development, to Economic Policy. The WSP consists of three components: the Seminar (8 credits), the Internship (4 credits) and an optional Research Project or Elective Class (3 or 4 credits).
The Seminar- Forget about set class schedules, textbook learning, and one-sided lectures: students won't find them at the Washington Semester! Each week students receive a schedule for the next week's seminar activities, which include field trips, reading assignments, discussions, debates, class presentations, and most importantly, the agenda for class guest speakers.
The Internship- D.C. is an internship capital -- whatever your field of interest, there is an organization, company or “think tank” here that can help cultivate your career goals. Washington Semester students intern two days per week on the days that they do not attend seminar classes. With 50 plus years of operation, the WSP has fine-tuned the art of combining meaningful, hands-on internships with challenging academic courses. And, the program’s fully searchable online internship database boasts over 2,000 different internships at thousands of sites-all in the D.C. metro area.
The Research Project or Elective Class -- Students have the option of choosing to conduct an in-depth research project or to take an elective class from American University’s hundreds of course offerings. Students opting to enroll in an American University elective class will be required to pay a supplemental tuition fee.
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