What is the Federal Semester

Federal Semester is a selective, year-long program combining a fall seminar on federal policy with a spring internship in Washington, and includes workshops, trips to Capitol Hill, and conversations with policy leaders. The program is booming: starting fall 2006 with a seminar course on Federal Health Policy, the program has tripled in size, adding a course on Federal Homeland Security Policy fall 2008 and on US Policy in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict fall 2009. Student internships this year include congressional offices, the House Armed Services Committee, the Department of Education, the Department of Defense, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health, and so on. Student trips included meetings with top officials and policy leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Capitol Building, and the Hall of States. The program encourages applications from rising juniors and seniors of all majors, with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0.

 

Federal Semester students following a visit and meetings at U.S. State Department.

The Federal Semester provides a unique opportunity for University of Maryland students to gain insight into federal policy and to have a professional experience in an agency or organization working with federal policy initiatives. At the center of the program is a seminar on federal policy, supported by additional courses and the opportunity for students to earn credits for an internship in the federal government or a related organization. Federal Policy is shaped and carried out in every governmental agency and across countless related organizations. The Federal Semester program will provide an important opportunity to learn about and work within the federal policy process. Students will apply their coursework to their internship and see aspects of policy first-hand.

Rising juniors and seniors with strong academic backgrounds and an interest in the federal government are encouraged to consider this opportunity. The program runs over two semesters, and supplements many students’ academic plans. Students from all majors are eligible and are encouraged to apply.
The Federal Semester consists of three primary components:

1. The Federal Semester Seminar: A three credit seminar focused on a thematic area of federal policy. In the Fall 2009 there are three seminars : UNIV348P Federal Health Policy, UNIV348T Federal Homeland Security Policy, and UNIV 348M US Policy in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

2. The Internship within a federal agency or related organization (3 credits).

3. The Course work including: Two regular UM courses that complement the Federal Semester mission and a series of  Federal Semester Workshops that will allow student discussion of topics and offer guidance in preparing for the internship experience (6 credits).

In order to apply, students must:

1. Have completed at least 45 academic credits at the time of the application

2. Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

3. Complete an application and submit to Dr. Joan Burton, Director, Federal Semester Program, 3103 Susquehanna Hall, or mail to Federal Semester, 2130 Mitchell Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742.

Each Federal Semester Concentration is limited to 20 students.