In the Classroom

Students in the Washington Program take classes taught by faculty that are experts and practitioners in their fields. Classes are held at Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs Washington Office, in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. All students take a 15 credit semester. The required courses are held during the day on Thursday and electives take place in the evenings.

Academic Tracks

Students in the Washington Program apply to either the Arts & Letters track (offered both fall and spring semesters) or the Global Affaris track (spring only). 

• Students in the Arts & Letters track take Foundations of Public Policy as their core seminar. Learn more. 
• Students in the Global Affairs track take Reimagining the World as their core seminar. Learn more. 

Required Core Courses

All students in the program take the Public Policy Visits course and receive credit for their internship.

Public Policy Visits

In this graded, three-credit course, students meet with alumni experts working throughout Washington D.C. They learn about institutions, organizations, and decision-makers in Washington. It is helpful for career discernment and learning about the policy landscape in D.C. 

Washington DC Internship

Students secure an internship of their choosing and work 24+ hours per week. The internship does not need to be politics or policy related. This course is three credits, graded S/U. The Washington Program staff works directly with each student to identify professional objectives, and offers extensive resources to assist them in securing an intellectually-rewarding internship. Internships are a mix of in-person, hybrid, and remote experiences.

Electives

To round out their academic schedule, students take two additional three-credit electives from a small selection taught by Notre Dame faculty.  Students are given priority registration for their track's elective offerings. After the within-track registration period has passed, students can register for open seats in any elective course, regardless of track.

Most courses are in Political Science or Global Affairs. Prospective students should know that language and STEM courses are not available. When considering courses, students should consult with their academic advisor(s) to see which courses will allow them to stay on track with academic requirements for their major.

Learn More About Washington Program Electives

Human Rights Clinic

The ND Washington Program offers our students unique, 1-credit opportunities through our Human Rights Clinic. In these courses, students gain hands-on experience in human rights advocacy work.

Classes are typically held in-person, but ND reserves the right to change the manner of delivery as it deems necessary in its sole discretion in response to changing circumstances or, if needed, to protect the health or safety of students, faculty and staff.