Washington Semester Program

Combine practical experience while studying in the nation's capital

The Washington Semester Program (WSP) is a semester long program for Penn undgrads interested in learning political and governmental processes by interning and taking courses in Washington, DC.

The WSP is suitable for students who have a serious interest in public policy, politics, and government.  Majors include political science, economics, humanities, and a number of others.  The program features three to four course units of study (which can include an independent research project) and a work assignment in an organization or agency related to the student's career and research interests.

The program is led by Dr. Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, Adjunct Associate Professor of Political Science and Non-resident Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution.  All living and classroom arrangements are located at the University of California Washington Center, located in downtown Washington.

Are you a Washington, D.C. organization looking to hire Penn student interns? E-mail your announcements to pennwsp@gmail.com. A program representative will distribute the information to students.