Preparing for Policy Work in Washington

Catalog description

While the Penn in Washington program allows students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to their internships in real time, some amount of preparation in advance of the semester would make students both stronger applicants and employees, more able to take advantage of learning opportunities, and develop meaningful connections with mentors and peers in the policymaking world. In this course, students will learn what Washington reads, how Washington writes, and what Washington expects from interns and entry level staff. Students will learn for example why congressional hearings matter, will map the actors in policy subsystems, and will explore the importance of the budget process to every policy issue. Hearing directly from Penn alumni working across Washington, students will also spend time learning who the employers in Washington are, how Congressional offices are staffed, what role interns and entry level staff play in different institutions, and how to communicate effectively in the internship search process. Finally, a substantial part of the course will be devoted to learning how to write for policy audiences. Assignments will be devoted to practicing writing think tank reports, congressional memos, State Department after action reports, and other products common in Washington. This course is offered during the spring semester on campus and is open to all students, regardless of their interest in the Penn in Washington program.