Internships

Internship Program in Political Science

For an insider’s experience of politics or government, whether in an international, domestic, or local setting, consider the Baruch Internship Program in Political Science (POL 5452).

Picture yourself in any one of our exciting range of placements: observing foreign policy debates at the Council on Foreign Relations; mediating commercial disputes at the Department of Consumer Affairs; assisting with the investment of city pension funds in the Bureau of Asset Management or reviewing corporate tax returns in the Office of Tax Policy; exploring the criminal justice system in the D.A.’s office or defending women’s rights at NOW; or doing casework for your senator, congressperson, or city council member.

These are just a few of the many internship positions available. You can find more internship opportunities in the Blog for the Internship Program in Political Science

How can you sign up for the internship as a course?

1. First, you need to arrange your internship placement by yourself. For the spring semester, it is best to start searching for intern positions from October, and for the fall semester from March. Try to send out your application materials as early as possible.
2. Once you find an intern position, you need to get approval for taking POL 5452 (Field Work in Government) from Professor Viviana Rivera-Burgos.
3. Then, forward the email confirmation to the departmental email address, wsaspoliticalscience@baruch.cuny.edu. Be sure to include your CUNYfirst EMPLID #. You will receive permission to register for the course in CUNYfirst. After permission is entered, you will be allowed to register for POL 5452.

How many credits will you receive?

1. You will receive three credits and can take the course up to two times with a different internship. You can get a total of six credits.
2. If you get selected for the CUNY Washington D.C. Internship and the New York State Internship programs, you will get six credits and 12 credits, respectively.
3. You must be a sophomore, junior, or senior in good standing.

What is required for you?

1. You are expected to work 8 to 10 hours per week, except for those special CUNY internship positions, which require 10 to 15 hours per week. This means that if you work as an intern too short, for example, two or three hours per week, those intern positions cannot be accepted for the POL 5452 (Field Work in Government).
2. Some outside placements require more than 10 hours per week. If that’s the case, this will be stated on the websites when they announce intern positions. The time will be arranged at the mutual convenient of your placement supervisor and you. We usually recommend you not to work more than 10 hours per week.
3. You need to keep a written account of your internship experiences, periodically meeting your Baruch supervisor, Viviana Rivera-Burgos, and attend the CUNY Forum, a panel discussion broadcast on CUNY-TV (Channel 75, NYC-TV) on a different policy issue each month of the semester.

When is it offered?

Internships are offered every fall and spring semester, but not in the summer or winter.

For more information on finding a good internship position and doing it successfully, please visit the Blog for the Internship Program in Political Science.

I’m Interested, but Want to Talk Further. Whom Do I Contact?

Professor Viviana Rivera-Burgos, Department of Political Science, Room 5-276, Newman Vertical Campus. Telephone number: (646) 312-4416. E-mail: Viviana.Rivera-Burgos@baruch.cuny.edu.