Kaprielian Hall 268
(213) 740-8964
FAX: (213) 740-3167

Director: Ann Crigler, Ph.D.

The Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics (UIP) offers intern positions with governmental, political and activist offices and organizations in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Each spring semester the Unruh Institute organizes a student seminar to the state capitol in Sacramento where students from colleges and universities throughout California meet with members of the California legislature, lobbyists and the media to discuss important issues in state politics. It also sponsors a Distinguished Leadership Series where prominent political, government and business leaders are invited to lecture at USC and meet with small groups of students in an informal setting.

Directed Government and Political Internship

In the Los Angele area, students volunteer to work in one of over 250 political and governmental offices, which enables them to gain firsthand political experience. As interns, students acquire basic political understanding and skills in governmental, campaign, media, legal or activist organizations. It is on such assignments that students also have an opportunity to develop an instinctive understanding of the many ways in which people are important to politics and politics to people.

Most important, by experiencing this "hands-on" insight, interns gain an appreciation of the political skills required by doing the work themselves, thus developing marketable skills while obtaining invaluable experience. Many interns have been fortunate and talented enough to secure full-time employment based upon their internship.

Students enroll in POSC 395 Directed Governmental and Political Leadership Internship, for two to eight units.

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