School of Arts and Sciences
Department of Political Science

PS 99 Internship: Fieldwork in Politics

Starting in Fall 2022, the internship can be online, in-person, or hybrid. If you have any questions about whether a particular internship is allowed, please contact your faculty advisor, or email psstudent@tufts.edu.

As a layer of precaution and prevention regarding COVID-19, the acknowledgement form is now required by the department to be signed and returned before beginning any PS 99 internship that involves an in-person component. Please sign, scan, and send the form to your internship advisor in the department, or reach out for more information.

Course Overview

This course enables students to combine the academic study of politics with practical work experience in the public or private sector in Massachusetts. Students interested in pursuing an internship in Washington DC should apply to the Tufts in Washington Program. At the end of the semester, the Professor of PS 99 will contact the internship supervisor to evaluate the students’ work, and discuss a letter grade. View course syllabus.

The requirements for Political Science 99 include:

  • One departmental course related to the internship position
  • A position (paid or unpaid) involving approximately 10 hours employment per week
  • Written assignments relating field experience to coursework in political science

Although the department obtains positions for some students, most obtain placements through their own efforts. Students will meet periodically with the PS 99 Coordinator to discuss their paper topics and the progress of their internships.

Note: There is NO credit for summer internships. Your internship must be taken concurrently with Political Science 99 during the fall or spring semester.

Course Objectives

This course has three objectives.

  • PS 99 seeks to develop an understanding of political processes, and an ability to critically analyze political systems, relationships and problems. Internships provide students with an opportunity to test concepts learned in the classroom in a professional or organizational setting.
  • The course encourages students' capacity for intelligent, responsible citizenship by exposing students to the day-to-day workings of various government agencies
  • PS 99 provides the opportunity to develop professional skills and awareness of the marketplace, and also to explore possible postgraduate employment or graduate study

Prerequisites

Admission to PS 99 requires sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor. Students wishing to take PS 99 must have one completed foundation course, and two other related Political Science courses. One of the related courses may be in progress during the internship semester.

For questions about political internships, email Shin Fujihira, Lecturer, at Tufts University.

Admission Procedures

Students wishing to take this course must submit the PS 99 application form to Shin Fujihira, no later than the second week of classes. This brief form requires the student to:

  1. Provide the name, address, telephone number, and supervisor's names for the proposed internship
  2. Briefly describe the proposed internship position and the work involved
  3. Describe how the position relates to the student's previous course work in political science

Course Requirements

PS 99 is a full-credit course that is taught twice a year. We do not accept full-year internships. There are two requirements for this course:

  1. An internship position (paid or unpaid) involving approximately 10 hours employment per week,
  2. One 2,500 word (10 page double-spaced) paper that relates your field experience to academic materials.

Grades

Students must take PS 99 for a letter grade. The course grade will be determined as follows:

  • An evaluation of your written work - 50%
  • Your employer or internship supervisor's written evaluation your work - 50%  

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