For Students

About the Undergraduate Associates Program

We invite students at the beginning of their junior year to apply to Eagleton's Undergraduate Associates Program. The program offers an opportunity for a select group of students to study government and politics together during their last three semesters at Rutgers. By means of special seminars, a supervised internship, and discussions with governmental officials and political practitioners, Undergraduate Associates explore applications of political science to the practice and processes of American politics. Selected students will spend the second semester of their junior year and all of their senior year as Undergraduate Associates.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

• 1.5 year certificate program offered by Eagleton Institute of Politics
• Basic requirement are three courses (9 credits) with minimum of B grade and a 140-hour internship
• Spring of junior year – Practice of Politics course (Wed mornings)
• Summer/fall of senior year – Internship and Seminar course (Wed evenings)
• Spring of senior year – Process of Politics course (Tues mornings)

PROGRAM DETAILS

Undergraduate Associates are required to take the following 9 credits of political science courses (each 3 credit course counts toward major credit in political science) - an entry seminar in the spring semester of the junior year; an exit seminar during the spring of their senior year; and a summer or fall internship accompanied by an internship seminar during the fall semester of the senior year.

*	Practice of Politics (entry seminar): focuses on the concept of "politics as choice." Each week the students analyze different political decisions such as the Constitutional Convention, juries, voting, budgeting, public education, legislatures, campaigns, presidential programs, and American foreign policy. Guest instructors participate in about half the seminar meetings, and the course emphasizes small group interaction and cooperative learning.
*	Internship & Seminar: Through the required internship, the Eagleton Undergraduate Associates Program affords students the opportunity to connect classroom learning with the experience of working in government, politics, or public affairs. In recent years students have been placed in internships in the New Jersey Legislature, the Governor's Office, various departments of state government, public affairs offices of corporations, public interest groups, state associations, political campaigns, and lobbying firms. Students take a 3-credit graded internship during the summer or fall of their senior year for which they spend 10 hours a week (140 hours during the semester) in their placements. The fall internship seminar is required as an accompaniment to the internship placement, and credit for the internship is awarded only upon completion of the seminar.
*	Processes of Politics (exit seminar): focuses on political processes, such as representation, leadership, campaigning, lobbying, management, and ethics. Guest practitioners conduct or participate in about half the seminar meetings, making use of their professional experience and case studies in applying political science to the arenas of American politics. This course also emphasizes small group interaction and cooperative learning.

All Eagleton Undergraduate Associates must maintain an average grade of at least a B. Upon satisfactory completion of the program (9 credits at the B level or higher), each student will be awarded an Undergraduate Associates Certificate from the Institute.