Program Overview

Washington Program Student at the Washington Monument

More Than Just an Internship!


The Washington Center's Three-Part Program

Full Time Internship: INCO 682-I

  • Students interview with internship sites according to their interests and career goals, then choose from those that offer internships.
  • Interns work full time, roughly 30-35 hours per week
  • All are guaranteed to be >80% substantive work!
  • TWC's Sample TWC Internships.

Career Readiness Seminar: INCO 682-A

  • All students participate in this career readiness course which focuses on your transition from academic to professional life.  Course includes academic enrichment, lectures, professional development, networking, guest speakers, and reflection--leading to the completion of an academic portfolio.
  • This is the seminar that, when paired with the internship, makes the experience worthy of UNH academic credit.  

One Evening Class: INCO 795

  • Students are required to enroll in one TWC evening course.  There are over a dozen to choose from.
  • All courses have a maximum enrollment of 18 participants.
  • TWC employs highly qualified faculty to teach these upper-level, seminar-style courses.
  • UNH awards four credits for this class; students may work with UNH faculty to determine if the course can satisfy a major or minor requirement.

 

How TWC Works at UNH

Below you'll find more information about how The Washington Center program works at UNH.

Every UNH and UNHM student is required to meet with the UNH Liaison to The Washington Center, prior to applying and after acceptance.  Additionally, every applicant is assigned a TWC Pre-Arrival Advisor, who can answer specific questions about the application process, internship matching, housing, and other topics.

Academic departments may allow students to count part of the TWC experience as major or minor requirements.  Students are encouraged to work directly with their academic advisor in those departments to determine if this is possible.

  • Students pay their usual UNH tuition and fees (a few fees are dropped)
  • Housing is billed from and paid directly to The Washington Center, for those who choose to live in their housing, which we strongly recommend.
  • Financial aid is applied for and received from UNH.
  • Some financial assistance may be awarded by TWC, in the form of awards to defray part of the cost of TWC housing.
  • Thanks to generous support through donor gift funds, the College of Liberal Arts will support up to 15 TWC COLA students each year with awards of $1,000. The awards recognize the achievement of being accepted into the important program and are meant to help offset the costs involved with a long-term internship in the Washington, D.C. area. All COLA majors who are accepted into a semester or summer TWC residential internship program will be considered.  
  • Paul College students are eligible to apply for the Shaughnessy Family Fund or the Internship Opportunity Fund stipends.
  • The New Hampshire State Society offers a Washington DC Stipend
  • Other State Societies such as that of Rhode Island may also offer scholarships or stipends for state residents interning in Washington DC. 
  • National Collegiate Honors Society
  • Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Scholarship.
  • Outside sources of funding may be available for qualifying students
  • Students may also utilize NHEAF loans and other educational resources to pay for TWC.

  • Students remain enrolled at, and receives academic credit from UNH.
  • Grades are awarded based on an evaluation performed by The Washington Center staff, the internship site supervisor, TWC faculty, and UNH campus liaison.
  • All TWC courses are for letter grades and are calculated into your UNH GPA.
  • Fall or spring semester provide a total of 16 credits (8 for the internship, 4 for the seminar, 4 for the evening class). Summer session, which is just 10 weeks long, is 12 credits (4 for the internship, 4 for LEAD seminar, 4 for the evening class). For a great comparison of summer to the academic year experience, visit this page.

  • The Washington Center guarantees housing for any intern who wishes to live in their apartments, and meets all deadlines and requirements.
  • TWC owns a Residential & Academic Facility ("the RAF"), a luxury apartment complex right in the trendy NoMa neighborhood of Washington DC, and within walking distance to Union Station and Capitol Hill.
    Washington, D.C. Metrorail System map
  • You'll share your apartment with other TWC interns from all over the US and the world. You'll have access to Washington's Metro subway systemCapital Bikeshare, shops, restaurants, museums, and grocery stores.
  • Most students live in the RAF, however in times of high enrollment, students may be placed in nearby units.  Although there are differences among the various housing units, all of them offer the following amenities:
  •   Fully-furnished 4-person apartments, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
    •   Fully-equipped kitchens with granite countertops and full-sized appliances, including dishwashers and microwave ovens, as well as all cooking and eating utensils
    •   Individually controlled heating and air conditioning units
    •   Washer and dryer unit in the apartment
    •   Vacuum cleaner, plunger, ironing board and iron provided as well
    •   Mounted TV on wall, high speed wireless internet access