Internships, Jobs & Careers
Internships
Why an internship?
- Learn through practical experience
- Invaluable as a means of professional networking and career advancement
- Make connections between regular classroom work and possible profession
- Earn college credit
- Intern in DC via our affiliation with The Washington Center
Placements
- national, state, and local executive and legislative offices
- government agencies
- political campaigns
- party and interest group organizations,
- think tanks
- judicial agencies
- law firms
- international business
- international non-government organizations (NGOs).
For Employers
If you are interested in sponsoring an internship, please email us at plsdept@gvsu.edu with the following:
- Position Description
- Estimated hours
- Length of Position
- How to apply
- Contact information
Set Up Your Internship
Internship Syllabus
PLS & IR Internship Syllabus
Experience Matters
See examples of GVSU Political Science internships from each student's perspective at the Experience Matters site.
Contacts
Political Science: Dr. Donald Zinman
Phone: (616) 331-8714; Email: zinmand@gvsu.edu
International Relations: Dr. Polly Diven
Phone: (616) 331-3282; Email: divenp@gvsu.edu
Internship Postings
April 17, 2018
State Rep. Jim Lilly (R-MI 89th) internship announcement
March 21, 2018
U.S. Senator Gary Peters State Office Intern Opportunity
Paid Political Campaign Fellowship with Students for a New American Politics PAC Summer 2018
February 26, 2018
Paid Political Campaign Fellowship with Students for a New American Politics PAC Summer 2018
Jobs, Careers, Grad School & Law School
Jobs & Careers
The department faculty work closely with Career Services and students on internships and career advising. Students are highly encouraged to pursue an internship. Capstone professors help senior students to prepare for careers and graduate school. For more information, consult our career guide and visit with your faculty advisor.
Career options
- Advocacy
- Business
- Campaigns & elections
- Communication
- Criminal justice
- Education
- Government
- International affairs
- Law
- Non-profit
- Public administration and policy
Graduate & Law School
Political science is a suitable major for many graduate programs:
- Business
- Communication
- Criminal justice
- Education
- International relations
- Law (Pre-law information)
- Political science
- Public administration
- Public Policy
- Earn a dual degree in political science and law through LEAP. Earn a BA or BS from GVSU political science and a JD from Michigan State University College of Law
For more information:
Pre-law
See the graduate school section of our career guide.
Spotlights
Selected as UN Delegate
Pursuing PhD and Studying Medicare Policy
Campaign Fundraiser Founds Consulting Firm
Actor
Quinlyn Mork
Studying Abroad in Ghana
News
March 23, 2019
PLS 325 Human Rights and Democracy in Russia and the Post-Communist World
March 20, 2019
PLS 339 Democracy and the Authoritarian Challenge: Mondays / Wednesdays 3:00-4:15 p.m.
March 05, 2019
2003 International Relations Graduate Featured in Grand Valley Magazine
February 12, 2019
Steven's Paper is a comparative analysis of electoral systems
Deadline Extended for the Summer 2019 Henry Congressional Internship Award
February 07, 2019
Don't Forget to Apply!
Events
Human Rights Movie Series: Gattaca
March 26, 2019 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
HUMAN RIGHTS MOVIE AND PIZZA NIGHTS - CO-SPONSORED BY RELIGIOUS STUDIES Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) has always fantasized about traveling into outer space, but is grounded by his status as a genetically...
Lecture by Prof. Hilary Earl, "Educated Murderers: The SS-Einsatzgruppen Leaders"
April 4, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Hilary Earl is Professor of European History at Nipissing University, Ontario, Canada. Her research and teaching interests include comparative genocide, war crimes trials, perpetrator testimony,...
Miller Johnson Pre-Law Student Intern
April 8, 2019 All Day
Miller Johnson Pre-Law Student Intern – Fall 2019 Program Description Miller Johnson partners with Grand Valley State University to provide an academic semester-long internship opportunity...
Wesorick Lecture: Building Healthy Community: Inequities and Polarized Tensions
April 9, 2019 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Barry Johnson, Peter Whitt, and Lindsay Burr offer a fresh way of seeing and addressing reoccurring conflicts and tensions that affect the health of communities. They offer an important message and...