Washington Program: Courses

The Washington Program integrates work and study in a four-course credit program. All courses must be completed for a letter grade. Students will normally not have the credit/no credit option on any program courses. The program will permit this option only in extraordinary circumstances (e.g., serious illness) and only with the consent both of the course intructor and program director.

Government 30: Internship in Politics. This course is an intensive internship in which students work five days a week. This full-time presence distinguishes Claremont interns from most other interns and allows them to be treated as regular junior staff and integrated quickly into office routines as trusted employees who can meet deadlines.

Read the list of internships Washington Program students have recently completed.

Government 125: Readings in American National Politics. This course gives students an understanding of how Washington, particularly the executive branch leadership, deliberates about, and makes decisions with respect to key policy issues confronting the United States in the twenty-first century world. Recent topics include "Jihadism and the War on Terrorism", a consideration of the domestic political debate about the meaning of jihadism and its impact on U.S. foreign policy and "Jihadism, the Middle East, and U.S. Foreign Policy", examining current policy debates and key historical, political, ideolocial, and theological roots in the U.S.-Middle East relationship. Taught by Professor Elizabeth Spalding.

Government 126: Public Policy Analysis. This course explores aspects of the modern federal system of government, especially with respect to Congress and considers the implications for American politics and public policy. Recent topics include: congressional campaigns and elections, congressional power and presidential authority, congressional policy making in the 109th congress, and the federal budget process. Taught by Professor John Haskell.

Government 127: Research on the Political Process. This course is a tutorial designed to produce a major research paper. Frequent meetings and communications between the insutructor and each student cover everything from possible paper topics to the final draft. Since paper topics almost always relate to the student's internship, on-the-job supervisors or colleagues may also become involved in the research project. Taught by Professor Adam Wolfson.