INTERNSHIPS and CLASSES

Internships

Students work with the LCWS staff to secure an internship in their area of interest.  Internships can be in any major and the number of hours earned, as well as the requirements for completing the internship, are determined by the Luther department granting the internship credit.  Students earn 4-8 credits, depending on the department.  Students work at their internship sites from Monday through Thursday each week they are in Washington.

Classes

Students take two classes taught by Washington, D.C. practitioners.  Each class meets one evening per week and all of the classes are held in the Luther College Washington Semester offices, located in the same complex where the students live.  Students can satisfy the Paideia 450 and J-Term requirements.  For a list of the courses offered, including description of their content, see the Washington Semester site. https://www.washingtonsemester.org/courses

Exploring the Nation's Capital

The program is not solely academic but also an opportunity to experience an urban environment, which happens to be the nation's capital.  On Fridays there are field trips, lectures, and seminars at various sites throughout the D.C. area. These events are exclusive to LCWS and are designed to expose students to the many aspects of life that together make Washington, D.C. one of the most vibrant cities in the world.  Field trips engage students in D.C. culture, arts, politics, social justice, science and technology, communication, leadership, history, and community engagement.

Field trips and events vary from semester to semester, based on the availability of guest speakers, programs, and venues.  Past semester field trips have included:

• U.S. Capital Tour & U.S. Supreme Court Tour
• Holocaust Survivor Speaker at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
• White House Tour
• Pentagon Tour
• Conversation with a Civil Rights Legend & Tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Guided Tour of the National Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
• Embassy Row Walking Tour
• Theater Performance
• Completion Ceremony at Mount Vernon