POLIS 2136EX - Washington Congressional Internship
External - Summer - 2016
The course information on this page is being finalised for 2016. Please check again before classes commence.
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code POLIS 2136EX Course Washington Congressional Internship Coordinating Unit Politics and International Relations Term Summer Level Undergraduate Location/s External Units 3 Contact Variable ? internship placement in office of US Senator or member of Congress. See comment under 4.2 below. Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N Prerequisites 36 units of study including at least 12 units at Advanced or Level II Incompatible POLIS 2132EX Quota 2 ? selection determined by placement coordinator in Washington Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Felix Patrikeeff
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
At the successful completion of this course students will be able to:
1 Gain practical, applied experience in a working political environment 2 Develop skills in assessing public policy issues in a practical form that mirrors post-university professional work 3 Enhance skills in the development, management and finalisation of specified projects at an advanced level 4 Gain experience in applied tasks within a working political office. These are likely to include: research policy briefs, and written and oral communication, all consistent with professional standards and skills 5 Acquire a high-developed awareness of the ways in which contemporary US policy is shaped by interaction with voting groups, lobby organisations, industry, community and/or government agencies, and through engagement with US Senators and/or Congressional members 6 Develop an understanding of the ways in which policy related research skills, methods, knowledge and information are relevant to post-university working life and advance career prospects and applications accordingly University Graduate Attributes
No information currently available.
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Students will receive a briefing on their placement and their defined tasks before leaving for Washington. There will be no lectures or seminars offered by the University other than pre-departure and return briefings. They will undertake research as directed by their Congressional host. Students will remain in email contact with the course co-ordinator while overseas.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
156 hours (plus) over duration of the internship while conducting research and working for the Congressional/Senate or Committee Office.Learning Activities Summary
The course involves a placement in a Congressional, Senate or Committee Office. The exact nature of the work undertaken will depend upon the tasks set by the host office.Specific Course Requirements
There are no direct ancilliary charges, but students will be required to cover travel and living expenses in Washington, estimated at ~$14,000. -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Learning Outcome Written portfolio Formative and Summative 100% 1-6 Assessment Detail
Assessment is based upon a portfolio of work done while in the placements together, where appropriate (i.e. where the work
done on the placement has consisted of some less academic activities) with written appraisals of the Washington Congressional system as well as a reflective essay. This assessment does not comply with the formal assessment policy requirements, but similar arrangements have been supported by exemptions granted by the Exec Dean in previous versions of such internship placements.Submission
All written work is to be submitted to the course coordinator after the student returns from Washington.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Policies & Guidelines
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