Program Features

Students in the SIWJ program work four days a week at a professional internship, and take classes on Fridays and at least one other evening. During the full semester, students will also enroll in one other course with GWU’s School of Media and Public Affairs, making a full 12.0 credit courseload. It’s an intense week but it’s also designed to be fun. Students work hard, but play just as hard attending outside activities and special events with classmates.

Internships

What differentiates the Semester in Washington Program from other DC experience programs is the internship program. Students work directly with the SIWJ Director, Amos Gelb, to find not just a good internship, the right internship. After working two decades in the media business and placing interns, he not only knows which internships are worthwhile, but also which ones will fit individual talents and skills. Students are never left to “fend for themselves.” This program guarantees an internship for every student and finalizes most placements before students arrive in DC. Take a look at our list of possible internships. With the Semester in Washington Journalism Program you become a part of the organization, not just a visiting intern. Many students have walked away from their semester with projects, clips and pieces to add to their professional portfolio. The internship component of the program is worth 3.0 college course credits which are eligible for transferal to a students home school.

Course Structure

The Semester in Washington Semester is designed to provide a foundation for practical and theoretical understanding of the new media. While not a production or writing course, every session starts with a week-long boot camp to make sure students have a basic foundation of necessary skills to thrive at internship placements. After the first week, the course is divided into weekly modules where we explore issues ranging from covering Congress to current events, from how the White House manages the news cycle, to core journalistic issues of ethics, journalism as a business, the transforming evolution of journalism and the media (both old and new) today. The Semester in Washington Journalism Program Seminar is worth 3.0 credits in the summer session and 6.0 credits during the Fall/Spring semesters.
*Please note that during the Fall/Spring semester students also have the option of taking an additional 3.0 credits at the George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs to make a total of 12.0 transferable credits.

Why Attend the Semester in Washington Journalism Program?

• Hands-on experience through internships
• Course seminars discussing the state of the media today
• Networking events to get your foot in the door
• Guest speakers and educational trips to some of the most amazing news and media organizations in Washington, DC
• Opportunity to work on professional pieces to add to a resume or portfolio

The bottom line is, many students come to the program to help get a job after graduation. In reality, most students pursuing journalism or media won’t work in traditional news outlets.  Historically, almost 20% of the SIWJ students are offered jobs before they leave the program, in careers they never realized existed. Some have used the program to jump ahead to more opportunities in the field. For others, the SIWJ program helps students realize the career of their dreams is not for them! Instead, they leave heading in a new direction with a better sense of what the future may hold. The SIWJ program also connects students to industry leaders working in media and communication.