The purpose of the Tufts-in-Washington
program is to allow Tufts undergraduates to study our national
government first-hand. Participating students attend the Washington
Semester at American University, and may take one of three tracks
that comprise the program: American National Politics; American
Foreign Policy; or Economic Policy. We have made special
arrangements with American University to provide Tufts students with
the best possible learning experience available in a Washington
semester. The program includes the equivalent of four courses, the
cornerstone being an internship of the student's choosing, which is
arranged soon after arrival in Washington. Students work two days a
week at their internships.
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Ashley Samelson meets with Senator Susan Collins (R.-Maine) |
The second course is an independent research project supervised by an
American University faculty member. This project results in a major
paper on a topic selected by the student. Program applicants must have
a general idea of their research topic before going to Washington. A
more detailed proposal is developed upon arrival in Washington. Tufts
students MUST complete the research project with a satisfactory grade
in order to get Political Science credit for any of the
Tufts-In-Washington courses.
The third and fourth courses consist of a double-credit Washington
seminar that includes meetings two or three times a week with
political elites such as members of Congress, executive branch
officials, representatives of interests groups, journalists and the
like. Some seminar sessions integrate the work of political scientists
with students' observations of the real world.
Eligibility: Students need not be political science majors but they
must have taken political science, international relations, or
economics courses in the area they intend to pursue in Washington.
Applicants may not apply before their fourth semester of college work;
that is, students must be at least a first semester junior by the time
they enroll in the program in Washington.
Admission: Admission to the Tufts-in-Washington program is
competitive. The faculty committee that evaluates the applications
looks at each student's qualifications in the following areas:
- Background: students should have completed or currently be taking
courses relevant to the area of study they plan to pursue in
Washington.
- Performance in social science courses: applicants should have a good
record in the social science courses they have taken.
- Grade point average: although students are not judged strictly on
grades, their overall scholastic achievement is a factor that must be
considered.
- Research proposal: as a very important part of the application process,
students will be asked to give the selection committee a brief summary of the
individual research project they propose to do in Washington. Click here for
research proposal guidelines and tips.
- Faculty Recommendation: Students should supply the committee with the
name of one faculty member who is familiar with their work. The only
way to participate in any one of the three tracks in the American
University Washington Semester is through application and acceptance
to the program through the Political Science department at Tufts.
Students wishing to participate in one of the other American
University tracks must apply to American University directly.
Political Science Department at Tufts
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Sam Goldhar at his internship at the House of Representatives |
Application Procedures: Interested students must apply directly to the
Political Science Department at Tufts. Application forms become
available during the first week of the semester in January. Candidates
are encouraged to see the department's TIW program director to discuss
the application procedures. Applicants are notified by mid-March of
the committee's decision. Students may elect to participate in the
program in either the fall or spring term of the following year.
Grades and Credits:
Political Science majors taking the American National Politics or American Foreign Policy program
may count three courses toward their Political Science major. Political Science majors taking the
Economic Policy program may count one course (the internship) as a political science course.
- Political Science majors taking the American National
Politics, American Foreign Policy, or Gender and Politics
program may count three courses toward their Political Science
major. Political Science majors taking the Economic Policy
program may count one course (the internship) as a political
science course.
NOTE: The Washington seminar DOES NOT fulfill the
Department's seminar requirement for all Political Science
majors.
- International Relations majors in the American Foreign Policy program
may transfer up to four courses toward their IR major. The way these
courses count toward an IR major can vary depending on which IR track
the student is pursuing. Consult your advisor or the Director of the
IR Program for specific advice. The Tufts-in-Washington Seminar does
not fulfill the IR Seminar requirement.
- Political Science minors taking the American National Politics or
American Foreign Policy program may count two courses toward the
Political Science minor. Political Science minors taking the Economic
Policy program may count one course (the internship) toward the minor.
- Economics majors taking the Economic Policy program may count two
courses toward their Economics major.
Costs and Housing: Students pay Tufts University their normal
semester's tuition. They are housed in dormitories on the American
University campus, and pay American University directly for room and
board. Students receiving Tufts financial assistance will continue to
receive their aid while in Washington. There is no provision, however,
for continuation of work-study during the semester in Washington.
Our website http://ase.tufts.edu/polsci/ will have updated information
on the Washington semester program that you should read carefully. You
also may refer to the American University website:
http://www.american.edu/ . If
you should have any questions about American University, they provide
students with a toll-free phone number: 1-(800) 424-2600.
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