Website: https://www.american.edu/provost/ogis/washington-semester-program/index.cfm
Offered by the Office of Global & Immersive Studies , the Washington Semester Program was established in 1947 and has enabled thousands of students from hundreds of domestic and international universities to live, work, and study in Washington, DC with American University. Often credited with establishing the first DC internships for undergraduate students, the Washington Semester Program (WSP) allows students to earn American University (AU) academic credit that can count towards the requirements of their home school degrees.
The WSP motto, “DC is Our Classroom,” highlights the unique value of the program-combining coursework from a nationally ranked university and experiential learning through topical seminars with structured and supervised internships at some of DC’s most dynamic institutions. The 3-days-a-week internship, program-specific seminars, and AU elective courses allow students to earn from 8 to 16 credits.
Students study at AU for the fall or spring and enjoy the services and benefits of full-time AU students. Additionally, students learn from experienced AU faculty and are supported by dedicated program administrators and academic advisors. Students can participate in AU’s hundreds of clubs and activities and immerse themselves in the richly diverse campus community.
Variable Credit Program:
With permission from and guided by an active Memorandum of Agreement with their home institution, a student may take a variable credit program of between 8 and 17 credits.
WSP administrators and faculty work with the home institution to provide the students with a customized program to suit the home institution’s needs.
Unless otherwise specified, AU will bill the home institution the current AU per-credit rate for each student enrolled in the WSP variable credit program.
Seminar Courses:
WSP students can take program seminars and electives from the following topics:
- American Politics
- Foreign Policy
- Global Economics and Business
- International Law and Organizations
- Journalism and New Media
- Justice and Law
- Sustainable Development
WSP Global Economics and Business Track:
WSP students can enter the WSP Global Economics and Business Track offered in conjunction with American University’s Kogod School of Business.
Students in the track work with the Kogod School of Business Office of Career Engagement to secure a business-oriented internship placement.
Students take courses from the following:
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WSP Seminar 2: One course from the following topics (4 credit hours):
- Criminal Legal System: Roots of Mass Incarceration and Racial Disparity
- Managing the Pandemic in Globalized Societies
- National Conversations in Times of Crisis
- Political Transitions and Policy Implications
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One course from a Kogod School of Business elective course list (3 credit hours)
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WSP Global Business and Economics Internship course (4 credit hours)
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