The
General Program Information
2008-2009
The
Washington Semester program, sponsored by the
Detailed
information about the Washington Semester program is available on the Web at www.washingtonsemester.com. St. Olaf students can choose to study in one
of many possible tracks:
·
American National
Politics
·
Economic Policy
·
Foreign Policy
·
International Business
and Trade
·
International
Environment and Development
·
International Law
and Organizations
·
Journalism
·
Justice
·
Peace and
Conflict Resolution
·
Public Law
·
Transforming
Communities and Public Policy
Brochures describing each
track in more detail are published annually by the
A
two-credit seminar, involving
four to six hours of class time each week with practitioners and policy makers
in the area the student has chosen, complemented by a series of readings and
lectures provided by American University faculty. Speakers include members of Congress,
legislative and executive staff, agency officials, White House personnel,
embassy staff, media professionals, attorneys, lobbyists, corporate executives,
judicial appointees, and other members of the
A
one-credit internship, in which
students work two full days each week of the semester under the joint
supervision of the host agency and American University faculty. Positions are available in over 2000
organizations and agencies, from Capitol Hill to National Public Radio to the
State Department. Examples of specific
internship placements are included in the brochures for each program
track. The Washington Semester program
hosts an “internship bazaar” at the beginning of the semester, making the
search and interview process part of the overall internship experience. Students can choose this option, or they can
search the WS internship database and begin arranging for their internships as
soon as they are accepted into the program and have paid their deposit. This is often a better option for internship
placements for which there is high demand, though students are cautioned to
make sure they have complete and accurate information about their
responsibilities before finalizing their acceptance of a position.
A
one-credit course of advanced independent research, tailored to the student’s program and supervised by
an
The
two-credit seminar and the internship are counted as Level II credits. The independent research project may be
eligible for Level III credit, depending on the department or program from
which the student is seeking credit.
How
Arranging
for St. Olaf credit for your
Arranging for
credit toward a major or concentration. Students arrange for credit toward a major or
concentration in consultation with the Washington Semester program adviser and
the chair of the department or program to which they would like their credits
applied. Some Washington Semester
credits may be counted only as electives within the major or concentration,
while others may be appropriate for meeting specific major or concentration
requirements. In addition, some
departments limit the number of Washington Semester credits which may be
applied toward a major or concentration, although students majoring in those
departments will still receive four credits toward graduation. Typically, political science students receive
two credits toward their major after successful completion of one of the
politics or policy semesters; see Applying Washington Semester Credits
Toward a Major or Concentration for
additional details. Other departments
that may grant major or concentration credit for one or more program components
include American Studies, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, History,
and Women’s Studies. Students who are
double-majoring, or who are majoring in one department and concentrating in
another, may be able to count one or more Washington Semester credits toward
both their programs. The program
application packet includes a Request for Credit Toward a Major form to
be signed by the relevant department chair(s) and the Washington Semester
program adviser. This form is not returned to the Office of
International and Off-Campus studies; instead, signed copies should be provided
to the student’s academic adviser, the Academic Administrative Assistant of the
program or major from which the student is seeking credit, and the Washington
Semester program adviser, in order to ensure that the student receives the
anticipated credit within his or her major or concentration.
Arranging for General Education credit. Washington
Semester program credits may be eligible for credit toward a Studies in Human
Behavior and Society (HBS) requirement.
The research seminar may also be eligible for a Writing in the
Disciplines (WRI) requirement. If a
student plans to seek GE credit for any component of the Washington Semester
program, he or she must obtain the approval of the Washington Semester program
adviser, and the program adviser will notify Helen Stellmaker in International
and Off-Campus Studies.
The cost of the Washington Semester program, including
tuition, room, board and required fees, is the St. Olaf tuition plus an
additional program fee as noted in the International and Domestic Off-Campus
Programs brochure. Important: The fees and
credits listed in the brochure are for the current academic year. Actual fees and credits for the next academic
year will be higher, but the exact amounts will not be determined until
sometime in the spring semester prior to the student’s participation in the
program. Students should consult with
the Office of International and Off-Campus Studies for details on estimating
total program costs.
The cost of the spring program is lower than the cost
of the fall program. The spring program
begins in January and, because students cannot participate in a St. Olaf
interim course, additional tuition funds are applied to the spring program
fee. Students should consult with the
St. Olaf Office of Financial Aid for assistance in adjusting their financial
aid award to reflect the increased costs associated with their participation in
the Washington Semester program. In
addition, students are encouraged to apply to the
In
order to receive St. Olaf credit for participation in the Washington Semester
program, students must apply through the
St. Olaf Office of International and Off-Campus Studies and observe all IOCS
application deadlines. They should
not apply directly to the Washington Semester program or to