College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Academics > Political Science > Student Resources > Internships

Internships

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General Information

An internship experience with a congressional office, government agency, law firm or non-profit organization can be deeply rewarding and provide insight into possible career tracks.  Working with specific organizations during college can also lead to a permanent position after graduation.   

Students can earn academic credit for an internship through the Department of Political Science. In order to get academic credit, students must sign up for PSC 392 during the Quarter of their internship and must have a minimum of 100 hours of work experience with an organization (though this can be spread over more than one quarter).  The students must also work with the Department's intern coordinator (or another faculty member) to produce a few short papers reflecting on their experience. The Department intern coordinator can help students find a position and will also ensure that the prospective internship qualifies for credit.  The coordinator (or faculty member) will also work out the details of the academic part of the internship.  Credit is not given simply for doing a job that is related to politics or government; there must be an academic component to the class.

Identifying an Internship Location

Students can find an internship position through the Political Science Department, the University Career Center, or on their own.  A listing of organizations, offices and law firms where DePaul students have worked in the past is below.  In addition, DePaul's Career Center keeps a file of internship opportunities.  Alternately, students can contact any of the offices listed below directly about such opportunities.  

As you will note from the listing below, most federal government departments and agencies have internship positions available, and many are in the Chicago area.  There are also numerous internships available with federal and state legislators, local government offices, non-profit organizations and local law firms or other legal service providers.  The listing below is designed to help you identify opportunities and organizations that might be suitable to you. 

Where to get more information

Please contact the Political Science Department at polisci@depaul.edu for additional advice and information or reach out to the DePaul University Career Center​.

Internship Websites

​​​​​The following is a partial listing of offices where DePaul Political Science majors have interned in the past. More information on the internships, how to apply, and deadlines for application can be found via the links provided below.

Disclaimer: This list of websites is provided for informational purposes.  Please note that by clicking on any of the links below, you will leave our website and enter a privately-owned website belonging to an outside organization.  Providing links to these websites is not an endorsement of their products, services, or privacy/security policies.

Congressional Offices

 

Senator Dick Durbin Chicago Office

https://www.durbin.senate.gov/help/internships

 

Senator Tammy Duckworth

https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/help/internships

 

Rep. Mike Quigley (5thDistrict)

https://quigley.house.gov/services/internships

 

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (9thDistrict)

https://schakowsky.house.gov/services/internships

 

Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia (4thDistrict)

https://chuygarcia.house.gov/about

 

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF Congressional Internship Program)

https://www.cbcfinc.org/internships/ and https://www.cbcfinc.org/leadership-institute/pathways/

 

Also, for permanent positions (and internships in other Congressional offices) see:

U.S. Senate Placement Office 

https://www.senate.gov/reference/Index/Employment.htm

 

and

 

U.S. House of Representatives Vacancy Announcement and Placement Office

https://www.house.gov/employment/positions-with-members-and-committees

 

 

U.S. Government Agencies

 

U.S. Department of Agriculture

https://www.dm.usda.gov/employ/sip/programs.htm

 

U.S. Department of Commerce

https://www.commerce.gov/work-with-us/internships

 

U.S. Department of Justice

https://www.justice.gov/crt/volunteer-and-paid-student-internships

 

U.S. Department ofState 

https://careers.state.gov/interns-fellows/

 

U.S. Department of the Treasury

https://www.treasury.gov/careers/hq-careers/Pages/student-employment.aspx

 

White House Internship Program

https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/internships/

 

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-programs/

 

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Includes Chicago Based internships.

https://www.fbijobs.gov/students/undergrad

 

Government Accountability Office (GAO) – Includes Chicago Based internships.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/586412800#

 

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

https://www.usccr.gov/about/careers.php

 

 

Political Party Organizations

 

Democratic Party:

Democratic National Committee

 

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

 

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

 

Republican Party:

Republican National Committee

 

National Republican Congressional Committee

 

National Republican Senatorial Committee

Governor Pritzker’s Office

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/about/opportunities/Pages/default.aspx

Illinois General Assembly Offices

 

State Legislative Offices

State Senator, Sara Feigenholtz - https://www.senatorsara.com

 

State Representative, Ann Williams - https://www.repannwilliams.com (Lincoln Park)

 

State Representative, Margaret Croke - https://crokeforillinois.com (Lakeview)

 

Illinois State Government Fellowship and Internship programs

https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/internships.html

 

Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program (Paid program for recent grads)

https://www.uis.edu/illaps/ilsip/

 

Serve Illinois/Americorps Illinois – Volunteerism and Community Service

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/serve/pages/default.aspx

 

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/Pages/default.aspx

 

State of IL judicial internships

https://www.cookcountystatesattorney.org/careers

 

City of Chicago/Mayor’s Office

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/Internships/Press-CommIntern_TC_4030.pdf

 

City of Chicago

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/narr/misc/jobs/intersnships.html

and 

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dhr/provdrs/emp/svcs/internships.html

This second link contains a number of listings for the City of Chicago, including:

-Chicago Fire Department 

-Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA)

-Cultural Affairs and Special Events

-Housing

-The Mayor’s Office

-Office of the City Treasurer

-Office of the Inspector General

-Small Business Development

-Public Health

 

 

Aldermanic Offices

 

Some of the offices that have hired DePaul students in the past include:

 

Alderman Brendan Reilly (Ward 42) City of Chicago

http://www.ward42chicago.com

 

Alderman Michele Smith (Ward 43) (Lincoln Park)

https://ward43.org

 

Alderman Tom Tunney (Ward 44) (Lakeview)

https://www.44thward.org

 

 

A complete listing of Aldermans can be found here:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/about/wards.html  

and a map of the wards here: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/about/banners/WardsOverviewMap.pdf

 

 

Cook County/President Preckwinkle

https://www.cookcountyil.gov/agency/office-president-0

 

Cook County Public Defender’s Office

https://www.cookcountypublicdefender.org/about/internshipsexternships

 

Cook County State’s Attorney 

https://www.cookcountystatesattorney.org/careers

 

Cook County Sheriff’s Office

https://www.cookcountysheriff.org/employment/internship-opportunities/

 

Chicago/Cook County Workforce Partnership

https://chicookworks.org/services/youth-programs/

Economic Development, Equity and Social Service Providers

Citizens Action of Illinois

Research on exploitation of pay day loans 

http://www.citizenaction-il.org/about/contact

 

Metropolitan Planning Council

-Dedicated to a more equitable, sustainable Chicago.  Has programs in Housing, Accountable Government, Environmental justice, and Economic development.  Offers paid and unpaid Research Assistant positions and internships.

https://www.metroplanning.org/about/Employment0.html

 

Heartland Alliance – Heartland Alliance is one of the premier non-governmental social service providers in the City of Chicago.  The work in areas of housing, poverty alleviation, immigration, economic development and health care.  You can find out more about their work at:

https://www.heartlandalliance.org

 

Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)

https://www.imancentral.org

 

Schriver Center on Poverty Law 

Thinktank and advocacy group focused on poverty and economic and racial justice.

https://www.povertylaw.org/about-us/employment/

 

 

Immigration and Refugee Issues

 

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

https://www.icirr.org

 

Latinos Progresando

Social and Legal Service provider and cultural organization based in Little Village.

http://latinospro.org

 

National Immigrant Justice Program

Part of Heartland Alliance.  Provides legal services to refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers. 

https://immigrantjustice.org/be-intern

 

Refugee One  

Works with the US State Department Refugee Admissions program to resettle refugees in the Chicago area.

http://www.refugeeone.org/workwithus.html

 

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights

Provides legal services to unaccompanied minors and separated children facing deportation.

https://www.theyoungcenter.org

 

Labor

 

Chicago Federation of Labor, Workers Assistance Committee

 

International Labor Organization (ILO—US):

https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/employment-opportunities/lang--en/index.htm

 

SEIU – Service Employees International Union

https://www.seiu.org/jobs/

 

Gender and LGBTQ Issues

 

Lamda Legal 

https://lambdalegal.org

 

Human Rights Campaign-Chicago

https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area/illinois

 

Apna Ghar (South Asian Women’s Shelter and Legal Aid)

http://www.apnaghar.org

 

 

Philanthropy

 

Chicago Bar Foundation

https://chicagobarfoundation.org/fellowships/

 

Chicago Community Trust

https://www.cct.org/about/

 

MacArthur Foundation

https://www.epip.org/summer_internships_at_macarthur_foundation_mf

https://www.macfound.org/pages/philanthropy-nonprofit-employmen/

 

United Way of Metropolitan Chicago

https://liveunitedchicago.org

 

Pritzker Foundation

https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/about/volunteer-internships

Foreign Consulates and Trade Missions in Chicago:

https://www.embassypages.com/city/chicago

 

Chicago Council on Global Affairs

https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/council-internships

 

Council on Foreign Relations

https://www.cfr.org/career-opportunities/internships

 

World Chicago

https://www.worldchicago.org/what-you-can-do/job-internship-opportunities

 

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

https://adc.org/about/work-with-us/

 

CAIR – Chicago (Council on American-Islamic Relations)

https://www.cairchicago.org/volunteer-center/

 

National Council on U.S. Arab Relations

http://bit.ly/2021-ncusar-intern-program 

 

Bulletin of Atomic Scientists

https://thebulletin.org/about-us/

 

American Friends Service Committee

https://afsc.org

Cook County Public Defender's Office

https://www.cookcountypublicdefender.org/about/internshipsexternships

 

Cook County State's Attorney Office

https://www.cookcountystatesattorney.org/careers

 

Cabrini Green Legal Aid

https://www.cgla.net/careers

https://pili.org/agencies/cabrini-green-legal-aid/

 

Uptown People’s Law Center

https://www.uplcchicago.org/get-involved/volunteer.html

 

Public Interest Law Initiative

https://pili.org

 

Law Offices of James E. Fabbrini

https://www.windycitylawfirm.com

 

Harrison Held, LLP

https://www.harrisonheld.com

 

Parrillo, Weiss, and O'Halloran

 

Jenner and Block

 

Law Offices of John C. Seastrom

 

Arnstein and Lehr, LLP

https://www.saul.com

 

Firms associated with Chicago Bar Foundation’s Justice Entrepreneur’s Project:

https://info.jepchicago.org/category/profile/

 

Chokshi Filippone Law, LLC  

https://www.law-cf.com

Each of the following programs/funds provide upwards of $2500 for eligible undergraduates who are working in an unpaid internship. The deadlines for applications are generally during the quarter before you start your internship. More information on each program can be found via the links below.

 

DePaul University Internship Plus Program

https://resources.depaul.edu/career-center/jobs-internships/internships/Pages/Internship-Plus.aspx

 

DePaul University Community and Project Based Learning Internship Scholarships

https://las.depaul.edu/student-resources/internships/Pages/cpbl-internship-scholarships.aspx

 

DePaul University Career Readiness and Experience Fund

https://resources.depaul.edu/career-center/services-resources/Pages/cref-award.aspx

 

DePaul Political Science Cathy May Endowed Scholarship Awards

​​Updated on March 19, 2021.  Please report any non-working links to polisci@depaul.edu.​