The Department of Political Science encourages students from all majors to enhance the practical side of their education by engaging in an internship experience.
"I am currently an intern for the Office of the City Manager of the City of Dublin. This experience has been incredibly valuable to me, providing me with endless opportunities to experience and interact with political professionals and elected leaders of the Dublin community. I have gained experience researching, tracking legislation and grants, and working in a local government setting, all experiences I have yet to encounter in my traditional coursework as a Bachelor of Arts political science student. The team I work under is overwhelmingly supportive, guiding me to contribute as much as I can in meaningful ways. I have found my experience interning for the City of Dublin extremely rewarding and complementary to my education at Ohio State." - Alexis Wade (Class of 2026)
Have questions about internships?
Contact: Sydney Green, Internship Coordinator: green.2525@osu.edu
If you have an internship opportunity that you would like us to share with our students, please contact Sydney Green, Academic Advisor & Internship Coordinator, at green.2525@osu.edu.
Most political science majors do not become professional political scientists; they go into careers such as law, education, business, and federal, state, or local government. A degree in political science or world politics can also open doors to a wide range of rewarding part-time and volunteer opportunities.
Students can earn 3 credits and start exploring potential careers by registering POLSCI 3950 Careers in Political Science. This course is designed to help students explore different career paths related to Political Science, engage with professionals working within a range of careers, and build a portfolio in preparation for entering the job market.
Career Paths
Our graduates have found employment with:
- Law firms around the country
- The State Department
- The White House
- Local government offices and agencies, such as the Mayor’s Office
- Public offices as elected officials
- State government offices and agencies, such as the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Federal agencies such as the CIA
- The Democratic and Republican parties at the local, state, and national levels
- Congressional and presidential campaigns
- Congressional offices
- Colleges and universities
- Think tanks and research institutions, such as The Brookings Institution and RAND Corporation
- Non-profit and advocacy organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders, Common Cause, and Innovation Ohio
US News article: What Can You Do With a Political Science Degree?
BestColleges.com guide to the Best Careers for Political Science Majors.
Career Resources on Campus
The ASC Career Success office in the College of Arts and Sciences has extensive information about experiential learning opportunities such as internships, volunteer positions, and off-campus research positions in both the private and public sectors. Career Success can help to arrange interviews with prospective employers and offers career counseling for students entering the job market after graduation.
For more information, please visit their website or stop by their office in 100 Denney Hall. For students entering the job market after graduation and seeking career counseling, please visit Career Counseling and Support Services.
For a complete list of job opportunities available to Ohio State students, please visit the Handshake website.
General Employment Links
OSU Arts and Sciences Career Page
Government Employment
USAJOBS (United States Office of Personnel Management)
USAJOBS Mastering the Application Process PowerPoint
US State Department Careers (and Internships)
Federal Bureau of Investigation Employment
Internet Job Source (for State Jobs)
American Politics
Mass Political Behavior
Race, Gender, and Ethnicity
Political Parties and Elections
Campaigns and Elections Magazine
Congress
Comparative and International Politics
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
France's Permanent Mission to the UN
Italy's Permanent Mission to the UN
Spain's Permanent Mission to the UN
International Organization Careers
The International Monetary Fund
Professional Associations
American Political Science Association
Midwest Political Science Association
Southern Political Science Association
American Association for Public Opinion Research
The Society for Political Methodology
The Association for the Study of Middle East and Africa (ASMEA)
Political Science Internship 4191 (3 credit hours), is a full-term course. 4191 is typically offered during Autumn, Spring and Summer semesters. There are no pre-requisites for the internship course, and the course is open to students from all majors.
To enroll in the internship course, you must provide a position description or a short paragraph about your internship duties, complete the Internship Information Form and the Terms of Agreement Form (including the signature of your evaluating supervisor) and submit them to Sydney Green via email at green.2525@osu.edu. Once these forms are received and approved, your internship will be added to your schedule and you will have access to the appropriate Carmen site where you can find the syllabus.
- Political Science Internship 4191
- Students earn 3 credit hours for completion of any of the 4191 internships. These courses are graded A-E. In addition to your work experience, there are several required academic assignments. These assignments are designed to enhance your learning and assist in your career development. Carmen is used to manage all assignments and course communications. There are no in-person requirements for this course.
- You may only earn political science credit(s) once per workplace and you cannot earn credit from different departments (like Communication or International Studies) or a different college (like The John Glenn College of Public Affairs) for the same workplace and term that you seek to enroll in 4191.
- PS 4191 is repeatable up to a maximum of 9 hours and counts as upper division credit in the College of Arts and Sciences. Up to 6 hours from 4191 can count toward the requirements for a major in Political Science or World Politics. Three (3) hours of credit from 4191 can count toward the requirements for a minor from the Department of Political Science.
- PLEASE NOTE: if the addition of the internship credit hours put you over the 18 hours maximum semester load permitted by the University, you will need to complete a petition. Contact Sydney Green for assistance with a petition by emailing green.2525@osu.edu.
[pdf] - Some links on this page are to Adobe .pdf files. PDF files require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open them. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may use the following link to Adobe to download it for free at: Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you need this information in a more accessible format, please contact polisci@osu.edu.
Handshake - Handshake is OSU’s position posting system where students have access to search and apply for part-time jobs, internships, co-ops, and full-time career opportunities. Thousands of jobs, internship and career opportunities are posted in Handshake as well as information on upcoming career fairs and on-campus recruiting events.
The American Political Science Association (APSA) - APSA supports political science students in their professional development by highlighting relevant internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
International Organization Careers - Most professional posts in the UN and other international organizations require several years of experience and advanced degrees; however, there are a few internship programs in place to help highly qualified students and young professionals get their foot in the door.
Need help getting started?
- Schedule a Career Coaching Appointment
- Attend a Resume Writing Workshop or Interview Skills Workshop
- ASC Career Success offers additional services to support students in their internship search
- Meet with Your Academic Advisor
- Keep in mind that not all organizations advertise their internship opportunities. If there is an organization or person you are interested in working with but you can’t find a publicly available list of internships, reach out directly to ask.
Law School Preparation - We offer a number of upper-division courses that explore legal, judicial and constitutional issues, and can help prepare you for law school including:
- Political Science 4130, Law and Politics
- Political Science 4132H, Supreme Court Decision Making
- Political Science 4135, American Constitutional Law
- Political Science 4136, Civil Liberties
- Political Science 4137, The Politics of Legal Decision Making
- Political Science 4138, Women and the Law
For more information about law school and legal careers, connect with your Pre-Law advisor and explore the ASC Pre-Law site.
Additional Pre-Law Resources
- Law School Admissions Council - Visit this site for information about the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This site is the primary source for information about the law school application process.
- Internet Legal Resource Guide - A curated and categorized collection of internet sites selected by current law students to assist others with applying to law school.
- Boston College Online Law School Locator - This site allows applicants to quickly assess the LSAT and GPA expectations of different law schools across the country and determine which schools they may wish to research further.
The State Government Internship Program is coordinated by The Ohio State University Office of Government Affairs and Department of Political Science
About the Office
The Ohio State Office of Government Affairs works to build and support productive relationships with public officials and their staff.
The team works regularly with members of Congress, the Governor’s Office, the Mayor’s Office, the Ohio General Assembly, Columbus City Council, and other federal, state, and local agencies on legislative, regulatory, and budget actions impacting the University and the higher education community.
About the Internship
The State Government Internship Program provides sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Ohio State with a semester-long internship experience at the Ohio General Assembly. Students selected for the program will be placed in the office of a State Representative, State Senator, or a caucus policy office located in downtown Columbus. Participants will have the option to earn three hours of academic credit through enrollment in Political Science 4191.
Interns will contribute to a wide range of tasks, including assisting with the resolution of constituent issues, identifying constituent and community achievements for recognition, conducting legislative and policy research, drafting letters and memos, and attending committee hearings and legislative sessions. In addition to hands-on experience, students will attend three professional development seminars that focus on distinct aspects of working in state government.
This program offers valuable exposure to the policymaking process and provides meaningful opportunities for interaction with public officials and government staff. Transportation is not provided; however, the Ohio Statehouse is accessible via multiple COTA bus lines, which are free with a valid BuckID.
Application Timelines
Autumn 2025 Internship Application Timeline
- Application Released: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
- Application Due: Sunday, August 3, 2025
- Application Review Period: Monday, August 4 – Thursday, August 7
- Finalists Notified: Friday, August 8, 2025
- Decision Deadline for Finalists: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Finalists will be notified by Friday, August 8, 2025, and must confirm participation by Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Selected students will then begin their internship experience.
Spring 2026 Internship Application Timeline
- Application Released: Monday, November 17, 2025
- Application Due: Sunday, December 7, 2025
- Application Review Period: Monday, December 8 – Thursday, December 11, 2025
- Finalist Notified: Friday, December 12 2025
- Decision Deadline for Finalists: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Finalist will be notified on Friday, December 12, 2025, of their selection into the program. Finalists will have until Tuesday, December 16 to accept or decline the offer. Selected students can accept or decline the offer and begin their internship experience
Program Requirements
- Interns are expected to work 10–15 hours per week in shifts of 4–5 hours.
- Availability on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is a plus but not required.
- Mandatory attendance at a pre-internship orientation.
- Attendance at 2 out of 3 professional development seminars on campus.
- Completion of an internship agreement form.
- Completion of all assignments as outlined in the Political Science 4191 syllabus.
Gluck-Asher Financial Award
Five students will be selected to participate in the internship program and will be eligible for a one-time $1000 award. The award is credited to the student’s account at the end of the semester upon successful completion of all program requirements, including earning at least a grade of B in the Political Science 4191 course. This award is made possible through the generous support of Ohio State alumnus Barry Gluck, in honor of Professor Emeritus Herb Asher, to support students interested in pursuing a career in public service.
Please note: The stipend can only be awarded up to the cost of attendance.
Qualifications
- Open to students of any major.
- Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Must have completed at least one year of undergraduate study at Ohio State’s Columbus campus.
How to Apply
Submit your application, resume, class schedule, and personal statement via the Qualtrics form:
https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cx0LckpvF0eLdWK and/or go.osu.edu/gluckasherapp
- A copy of your class schedule - Spring 2026
- A current resume
- A personal statement (included in the application form)
Contact: Sydney Green, Internship Coordinator: green.2525@osu.edu
Questions?
Contact: Sydney Green, Internship Coordinator: green.2525@osu.edu
Many of our undergraduate students had an exciting summer completing internships.
Read below to get to know our students and their summer experiences.
Summer 2024 Internships
Benjamin Brooks
Graduating Year: 2026
Internship Host: Cleveland City Council
Length of Internship: 3 Months
A little about my internship: During my time at Cleveland City Council, I shadowed the Council President Blaine A. Griffin, assisted him in various community events, and worked with the policy department, the City Council Legal Department and the communications team. This internship taught me how to read and understand policies, what some forms of the policy enforcement looks like, and how the policy process works.
Elyssa Molody
Graduating Year: 2025
Internship Host: The Lex Fellowship in Madrid, Spain
Length of Internship: 2 weeks
A little about my internship: The Lex Fellowship is a summer legal internship in numerous countries in Europe that allows interns hands-on experience at a multitude of law firms throughout their chosen city. Within the two weeks I was there, I had the opportunity to experience seven different firms which all specialized in a different field such as corporate law, criminal law, and anti-money laundering law while also attending seminars that educated me on expectations of law school as well as offering a free practice LSAT.
Ashley DeAngelis
Graduating Year: 2025
Internship Host: The Superior Court of New Jersey Ocean County Vicinage
Length of Internship: 3 months
A little about my internship: This summer I worked as an intern for the chambers of the honorable Pamela M. Snyder, who presides in the Criminal Division. This summer was really quite interesting as I was able to assist in the daily activities of Judge's chambers, sit in on court proceedings, and my personal favorite, assist in the proceedings for our Recovery Court programming. Recovery Court is a rehabilitative expungement program offered through the New Jersey courts that seeks to help those convicted of non-violent crimes, achieve success outside of the court system through parole guided rehabilitation for those struggling with alcohol and substance abuse. I was very happy to work alongside such admirable people and to have learned as much as I did this past summer. Thank you to Judge Snyder and to Courtroom 8 for the opportunity to work and learn alongside you all, it was truly a pleasure!
William Cron
Graduating Year: 2025
Internship Host: Invariant - Government Relations Intern in Washington, DC
Length of Internship: 10 weeks
A little about my internship: I interned for Invariant, which is a bipartisan lobbying firm with fortune 500 clientele. I primarily worked with environmental and financial policy for companies such as Apple, Chevron, and Toyota. I covered congressional hearings and worked on research projects related to our clients.
John Nanni
Graduating Year: 2026
Internship Host: McCaulley & Company
Length of Internship: 3+ Months
A little about my internship: I got to work very closely with the team and was fortunate enough to be apart of projects involving the clients. I learned so much about the legislation process and the ideas/activities behind lobbying work. Grant research, new writing skills, and a look into the world of politics are just some of the activities I was able to be apart of and get to continue being apart of on the team.
Aaryan Pathak
Graduating Year: 2028
Internship Host: District Office of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08)
Length of Internship: 3 months
A little about my internship: I worked in areas like Constituent Services, Casework, Planning/Assisting Community Outreach Events, Handling Phone Calls, and Assisting Staffers.
Madison Kittrell
Graduating Year: 2024
Internship Host: J.P. Morgan Dallas Private Bank, Ohio House of Representatives
Length of Internship: 9 weeks, 3 months
A little about my internship: In 2022 after successful completion of the 6-week Advancing Black Pathways Fellowship with J.P. Morgan, I was selected for their full-time Summer Analyst position as a Global Finance & Business Management Summer Analyst program with the Dallas Private Bank. Kittrell has spent the past summer as a JP Morgan Wealth Management Summer Analyst in Wealth Management at the Dallas Private Bank. This marks Kittrell’s second internship with the financial services firm, as last summer she was an Advancing Black Pathways intern. She helped create pitch books for clients, participated in mock client meeting simulations, ran investment models, and learned more about the financial services industry. Throughout her experience, she has made great friends, found amazing mentors, and networked with top industry professionals across the world. I also served as the Legislative Intern for Ohio House Representative Willis E. Blackshear, District 39/ Dayton, Ohio. I Developed spreadsheets, graphics, and informational materials to track and research legislation, as well as researched and conducted interviews with legislative offices and constituents to aid in the enactment of H.B. 340, which is a bill that recognizes September as International Underground Railroad Month. This internship taught me about serving the community and how to best address their needs through political action.
Daizhon Cox
Graduating Year: 2026
Internship Host: Franklin County Board Of commissioner President Kevin Boyce office
Length of Internship: 1 year
A little about my internship: My internship with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners was an incredible experience that provided me with a firsthand look at local government operations. As an administrative intern, I engaged in day-to-day activities and worked on various policy initiatives that directly impacted my community. Contributing to proposals aimed at addressing local issues gave me a sense of purpose and connection to the residents I was serving. In addition to policy work, I honed my skills in scheduling and managing constituent cases. This unique experience taught me the importance of effective communication and responsiveness in public service. Overall, my time with the board deepened my appreciation for community engagement and has inspired me to pursue a career focused on making a positive impact locally.
Past Summer Internship Sites
Summer 2023
- Chodosh & Chodosh Law Office
- Democratic Attorneys General Association
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Federal District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- NSF-REU site in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Ohio Senate
- Ohio State House / Franklin County Court of Common Pleas
- Stibbs & Co., P.C. (Law firm)
- Supreme Court of Ohio
- Voice of the People in Washington D.C.
Summer 2022
- Addison Caruso for Ohio State Representative
- Citizen University (Civic organization)
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
- Flannery Georgalis, LLC (Law firm)
- Johnson and Associates Law Firm
- Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office
- Office of US Senator Sherrod Brown
- Ohio Civil Rights Commission
- Online Computer Library Center (OCLC)
- Richland County Prosecutor’s Office
- US House of Representatives
- VoteSmart