Partnership in DC Program

GSIS began its “GSIS in Washington DC Program” in fall 2005. With a programmatic emphasis on development and globalization, the GSIS in Washington Program will focuses on the conceptual issues, policy processes, and practical dimensions of development through a combination of coursework and supervised internships. The idea of connecting GSIS with the Washington DC area has long been a priority for GSIS Dean Tom Farer. “For our graduate students, the DC site will facilitate internships and job-oriented networking with the very large band of GSIS graduates already pursuing successful careers there.”

GSIS participates in this program with the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) and Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. For the past five years, GSPIA and the Maxwell School have operated a DC program that combines professional internships with an array of graduate courses taught by adjunct faculty drawn from the Washington's pool of experts in international relations and economics. Participating students work 20-30 hours per week at their internship location, and attend one or two classes per week. GSIS Director of Student Services, Susan Rivera, sees the GSIS in Washington Program as an important development in GSIS' commitment to professional international affairs education. “This program is a wonderful opportunity for our second year MA students. It has opened new professional doors for them.”

Close interaction with policy officials and experts in trade and investment, economic development, conflict resolution, transitional justice, and democratization expose GSIS graduate students to the rules, procedures, policies, institutional approaches associated with processes of development and globalization. GSIS in Washington will also enhances professional skills and provides numerous networking opportunities unique to being located in the nation's capital. GSIS Director of the Office of Career and Professional Development, Jodi Lundin, views the program in terms of GSIS' commitment to placing students in the Washington DC area – and the importance of linking current students with the broad network of alumni based in Washington.

Overview

A combination of academic and professional training in the Washington DC area. Participants take 1-2 academic classes (meet once a week in the evenings) in conjunction with a 20-30 hour/week internship.

Students participate during the fall quarter each year. As the Washington Program operates on a semester system, participants will be in DC from August through mid-December; they can also opt to begin the internship portion earlier (in June if they can obtain the internship then).

Course Offerings

The following courses have been tentatively slated (subject to change) during the 2007 Fall term:

• Financial Issues in Developmental Economics
• Strengthening Interagency Negotiations
• Defense Challenges in a New Century
• Post-Conflict Reconstruction – Sec 1
• Post-Conflict Reconstruction – Sec 2 (Africa)
• NGO Leadership
• Global Trade & Developing Markets
• Global Development Policy

For a complete listing of the course descriptions, please click here.

Financial Aid

Students continue to receive their University of Denver financial aid package (loans, scholarships, grants, etc). Please note that work study and research assistant funding will not transfer to the DC program. However, GSIS will select approx. 15 continuing students to participate in this program and will help prepare a revised FinAid request packet to assist in increasing the students’ loan packages by approx $4500 to help off set the extra expenses of living in DC for approx. 4.5 months.

Contact Information

Please contact Student Affairs at: 303-871-6451 or gsissta@du.edu.

Application Information

The Washington Program application form can be accessed here.

Applications are due by the last Friday in February each year.