This course offers the practical link (a semester-long internship in a congressional office on Capitol Hill) to the Legislative/Congressional Externship Workshop. As such, students must also concurrently register for the Legislative/Congressional Externship Workshop when registering for this course. It is essential that students be able to dependably meet their externship and classroom requirements in DC. They must also be available at least one month prior to the beginning of the semester in order to provide writing samples, provide a resume, and, potentially, interview with offices. Placement at a legislative/congressional office is not guaranteed.  This unique opportunity allows students to work in a congressional office (personal or committee) for two full days each week for a semester to learn about how Congress works. Assignments may range from bill drafting to speech writing to legal research for investigations. Grading for the Legislative/Congressional Practicum is on a Credit/No Credit basis.

A sampling of current and prior externships includes:

• The Committee on Environment and Public Works, Majority Staff, U.S. Senate
• The Committee on Environment and Public Works, Minority Staff, U.S. Senate
• The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Majority Staff, U.S. Senate
• The Committee on Homeland Security, Majority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Committee on Homeland Security, Minority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Majority Staff, U.S. Senate
• The Committee on the Judiciary, Majority Staff, U.S. Senate
  The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Majority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Minority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Majority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Minority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin, U.S. Senate
• The Honorable Rodney Davis, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Honorable Dick Durbin, U.S. Senate
• The Honorable Andy Harris, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Honorable Ann M. Kuster, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Honorable Jan Schakowsky, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Honorable Jeanne Shaheen, U.S. Senate
• The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, U.S. Senate
• The Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice of the Committee on the Judiciary, Majority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives
• The Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary, Majority Staff, U.S. Senate
• The Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, Majority Staff, U.S. Senate