Politics & Public Policy Track

The late Tip O’Neill, Boston congressman and speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, was fond of saying that all politics is local—and there is no more interesting mix of local, state, and national politics than in Boston. As the urban hub of the metropolitan region and as the state capital of Massachusetts, Boston plays a major role in local and state politics. It is also the center of federal government for New England, home to numerous federal agencies, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the First District of the Federal Reserve.

Through courses in areas such as international economics, public policy, political analysis and activism, international relations, and diplomacy, students prepare for internships at government agencies, think tanks, lobbying organizations, and PR firms, among others.

Perspectives from an Intern
"The BU Summer Study Internship Program gave me real-world experience in one of the best cities in the country."

Ian Qua, Davidson College
Intern, The Office of Senator Edward Kennedy

Summer 1: The Academic Phase
(May 19 – June 26, 2009)

The dates for the 2010 program have not been announced yet. Please check back on December 15 for next summer's information.

You’ll spend your first six weeks of the Summer Study Internship Program taking two 4-credit courses chosen from the following offerings in politics and public policy. The course section has course descriptions and schedules.

Select Two:

  • CAS EC 320 Economics of Less-Developed Regions

    • Theoretical and empirical examination of the structural changes associated with the process of economic development; special reference to poor regions and countries; rigorous analysis of criteria for policy judgments in developing planning and programming.   [ 4 cr.]

    Prereq: CAS EC 101 or CAS EC 111 and CAS EC 102 or CAS EC 112.

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Lucas CAS B06A M, T, W 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • CAS EC 387 Introduction to Health Economics

    • Concepts of health economics applicable to both developed and developing countries. Topics include effect of health on the economy, effect of health care on health, hospital behavior, health work-force supply, and demand for health care.   [ 4 cr.]

    Prereq: CAS EC 201 or CAS EC 211.

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Choi CAS 208 M, T, W 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • CAS IR 330 Diplomatic Practice

    • Introduces the practice of diplomacy as management of a country's foreign relations with a view to secure or restore peace. The nation state in diplomatic relations; foreign ministries, diplomatic missions, embassies, and consulates; the peacekeeping role of international law and international government organizations.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Hare CAS B18B T, R 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
  • CAS PH 251 Medical Ethics

    • Examination of a number of value problems arising within the context of medicine and health care. Particular ethical problems of euthanasia, abortion, human experimentation, reproduction, and allocation of scarce resources; critiques of contemporary medicine as an institution.   [ 4 cr.]

    Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing.

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Richman KCB 107 M, T, R 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • CAS PO 241 Introduction to Public Policy

    • Undergraduate core course. Analysis of several issue areas: civil rights, school desegregation, welfare and social policy, education and urban housing, energy and the environment. Characteristics of policy systems in each issue area are analyzed to identify factors which may affect the content and implementation of public policies.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Rossell CAS 221 M, W 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
  • CAS PO 300 Special Topics in American Politics

    • Summer 2009 topic: Campaigns and Elections. Examines the American electoral system with an emphasis on voting behavior and the institutions that govern U.S. elections. The focus is on modern elections, and topics will include (among others): media, campaign strategy, party identification, the nomination process, polarization, political information, campaign advertising, and third parties.   [ 4 cr.]

    Prereq: junior standing or consent of instructor.

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Reeves PSY B53 T, R 2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
  • CAS PO 352 North-South Relations

    • Employs a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the relations between the industrialized nations of the "North" and the developing nations of the "South." Addresses historical and current issues in North-South relations, including trade, investment, migration, regional economic integration, and the environment.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Thacker IRC 220 T, W, R 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • CAS PO 364 The Politics of Post-Communist Russia

    • (Meets with CAS IR 364.) Analysis of the emergent political forces, institutions, and alliances in the post-Soviet Russian Federation, against the background of the unresolved economic, ethnic, and social problems that are the USSR's legacy to the "new Russia"; prospects for stabilization are assessed in the context of the multiple crises facing Russia today.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Connor CAS B18A T, R 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • CAS PO 369 China: from Revolution to Reform

    • Introduction to modern Chinese politics including the development of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the political development of the PRC since its founding in 1949. Focus is on the party's official policy and its changing relationships with the people of China.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Fewsmith PRB 148 T, W, R 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • CAS PO 548 The Politics of Education

    • Overview of the origins of public schooling, the purpose of public education, and controversial educational policies and research.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Rossell CAS 225 M, W 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM
  • CAS SO 215 Sociology of Health Care

    • Social, cultural, and intercultural factors in health and illness. Training and socialization of medical professionals, roots of medical power and authority, organization and operation of health care facilities. U.S. healthcare system and its main problems. Comparison of health care systems in the U.S. and in other countries.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Guseva SOC B65 M, W 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
  • MET CJ 251 Policing the Urban Milieu

    • This course examines the policies, strategies, procedures, and mechanics of policing in the environment of the 21st century American urban polity. The police function, duties, and responsibilities will be surveyed, explicated, and critically analyzed through the prism of successful and innovative strategies that have won praise and commendation as well as through institutional and individual failures that have resulted in criticism and condemnation.   [ 4 cr.]

    Offered: Summer 1 2009

    Section Type Instructor Location Days Times
    SA1 IND Cronin FLR 121 T, R 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Summer 2: The Internship Phase (July 6 – August 14, 2009)

The dates for the 2010 program have not been announced yet. Please check back on December 15 for next summer's information.

For the second six weeks of the program, you’ll be placed as an intern in a Boston-area organization or business that matches your interests and experience. You should expect to work five days a week for a minimum of 35 hours.

Politics & Public Policy Internship Opportunities

Internship placement opportunities are available at state, local, and federal government agencies; international agencies and organizations; think tanks; lobbying organizations and political action groups; political parties; and public relations firms.

Internship Placement

  • Guaranteed internship placement for 35 hours a week
  • Internship matches are based on your interests, abilities, and experience
  • All internship sites are accessible by public transportation
  • Visit our Placement Process page for additional information

Summer Study Internship Course (May 22 – August 11, 2008)

The dates for the 2010 program have not been announced yet. Please check back on December 15 for next summer's information.

Throughout the 12 weeks of the Summer Study Internship Program, you will participate in a required 2-credit Summer Study Internship Course. This course serves as a means of preparing you for the internship and provides support as you adjust to a new workplace. It will also provide you with an opportunity to explore links between your academic coursework and your work experience.

You'll have a faculty advisor and a shared forum with other interns to address your expectations, goals, and challenges as an intern. In the Internship Course, you will continue to develop as a professional by addressing topics such as workplace culture, networking skills, and self-assessment.