POSC 495 · Political Science
Political Science Internship
Supervised professional placement in a legislative office, public agency, non-profit advocacy organization, or legal setting under the dual guidance of an on-site supervisor and a faculty sponsor. Requires a formal learning contract, 45 on-site work hours per credit, and an analytical reflective portfolio.
Catalog overview
Course Essentials
- Credits
- 1–6
- Level
- 400 upper division
- Typically offered
- By arrangement
- Prerequisites
- POSC 101, junior standing, and consent of instructor.
400-level courses: advanced capstone, senior research, and specialized seminars. Counts toward the 36 upper-division credits every bachelor's degree requires (Undergraduate Catalog §2.3). Details: Undergraduate Catalog §9.16.
Department of Political Science
Department page →Questions about a major or your plan: Academic Advising Center, Lovell Hall 101, (555) 555-0158.
POSC 495 has no scheduled class meetings. You arrange it with a faculty sponsor in your department, who agrees the plan of work, meeting schedule, and how it's graded before you register. Department chairs make teaching assignments each year (Faculty Handbook §5.1), and every instructor posts the syllabus in Canvas by the first day of classes (Faculty Handbook §5.2).
Generative AI in this course
Every syllabus must state one of three levels: Level 1 (AI not permitted for graded work), Level 2 (AI permitted with disclosure for specified tasks), Level 3 (AI permitted broadly with disclosure). Check your section's syllabus in Canvas. Unless it says otherwise, the university default applies: generative AI tools may be used for brainstorming, studying, and feedback on your own drafts, but not to produce work you submit for a grade.
Details: Student Handbook §5.7 and Student Handbook §5.8. See what each AI level allows.
Degree planning
Where POSC 495 fits
What to take first, what this course opens up, and the requirements it can satisfy, from the Undergraduate Catalog.
Take first
Catalog wording: POSC 101, junior standing, and consent of instructor.
Leads to
All Political Science courses →No other catalog course lists POSC 495 as a prerequisite.
Counts toward
All programs →- Elective Political Science (BA) Can count toward: Six 300/400-Level Political Science Electives. Undergraduate Catalog §10.5
Every course also counts toward the 120 credits needed for a bachelor's degree. Confirm your plan with your advisor or the Academic Advising Center.
AP credit
AP equivalency table →No AP exam awards credit for POSC 495 (Undergraduate Catalog §3.11).
Registration
How to enroll in POSC 495
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Check the prerequisites
POSC 101, junior standing, and consent of instructor.
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Add it in AlkimiHub
POSC 495 is offered by arrangement with a faculty sponsor, in any term. Agree the plan of work with your faculty sponsor, then submit the signed proposal or learning agreement through AlkimiHub by the add deadline; the Registrar enrolls you once it's approved (Undergraduate Catalog §2.13 and Undergraduate Catalog §2.14). Details: Student Handbook §3.3.
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If the section is full, join the waitlist
When a seat opens, AlkimiHub offers it to the first student on the waitlist and emails you. You have 24 hours to claim it before it goes to the next student. Details: Student Handbook §3.10.
All dates: academic calendar. Registration help: Office of the Registrar.
POSC courses
More in Political Science
- POSC 101 American National Government
- POSC 105 Introduction to Comparative Politics
- POSC 210 International Relations
- POSC 220 Political Theory: Ancient to Modern
- POSC 250 Political Science Research Methods
- POSC 310 Congress and the Presidency
- POSC 315 Technology Policy, Cyberlaw, and Surveillance
- POSC 320 Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties
- POSC 335 European Union Politics
- POSC 345 U.S. Foreign Policy
- POSC 360 Politics of the Developing World
- POSC 420 Advanced International Security
- POSC 490 Senior Seminar Capstone in Political Science
- POSC 495 Political Science Internship (this course)