CHIP Washington, D.C.

Study Away

Southwestern cooperates with the Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) in Washington, D.C., through the United Methodist College Washington Consortium.

This internship and academic program offers opportunities for coursework and internships in politics, economics, and foreign policy as well as journalism, fine arts, and architecture. Depending upon the specific program, students work as interns at the White House, on Capitol Hill, in the courts, or in public interest groups. This program is open to students in all majors.

Sunset at the Lincoln Memorial Sunset at the Lincoln Memorial

CHIP Washington, D.C.

APPLY IN VIA

Eligibility

Open to any student who has achieved junior or senior standing by the start of the program. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.0. Well-qualified second semester sophomores may be accepted.

Cost

Students register at Southwestern and pay standard tuition for the semester and standard room and board that is equivalent to Brown-Cody level housing and a 19 meal plan. Students who normally qualify for financial aid are eligible to receive most forms of aid (excluding work study) from Southwestern.

A $250 non-refundable application deposit is due at the time the application is submitted. This can be in the form of a check or money order.

A $500 housing deposit will be charged to the student’s SU account upon acceptance into the program.

Students pay a $50 textbook/IT fee upon arrival in Washington, D.C.

Southwestern University will pay the student a stipend to cover food costs. The stipend is issued as a lump sum check before the beginning of the semester and is mailed to the student’s permanent address, or other designated address.

Students must provide their own medical insurance. Students should be sure to check on stipulations within their insurance policy that dictate terms for “out of network” doctor visits and medical procedures.

Courses

The course plan for a Southwestern University student is:

Internship: 32 hrs/week x 15 weeks = 480 hrs	8 Credits: graded P/D/F
Intern Seminar: 2.5 hrs/week	3 Credits: graded P/D/F
Academic Seminar: 2.5 hrs/week	4 Credits: letter grade
Total Credits	15

Credits appear on the student’s Southwestern University transcript

Students must work with a Southwestern faculty member for their internship.

The Director in Washington, D.C. offers students suggestions on internships, monitors the internships, supervises residential life, provides a 2.5 hour intern seminar each week that adds an intellectual and personal context for the internship experience, teaches a 2.5 hour academic seminar each week, and may supervise independent research projects. The Director also provides a not-for-credit social program for students

Internship

For more information about The Capitol Hill Internship Program in Washington, D.C. please click HERE

Students should be proactive with their internship research process.

Please visit Time On The Hill for information on internships.
Check out previous internships Southwestern students have completed in the past: sample internships.
Set up an appointment with the SU Internship Office to discuss the internship process as well as required internship paperwork.
Students looking to work with a government agency (anything that requires background clearance) need to start this process well ahead of time, even a year before SU’s application deadline.

Internship options include:

Housing & Meals

Housing is composed of flats on Capitol Hill. These flats are within blocks of the Capitol, the Supreme Court Building, Union Station, and the Folger’s Shakespeare Library. All flats are completely furnished, including TVs, and contain a common room and furnished kitchen. Bedrooms within the flat sleep four. There are also washers and dryers available for student use for free. All utility, maintenance, and cleaning costs are included in the housing fee, which Southwestern University pays on behalf of the student.

At least three PCs are available for student use. There is also free WiFi available throughout the building. Students are encouraged to bring their own laptops with WiFi capability.