College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Washington Learning Program

Earning Credit

Students participating in Butler's D.C. Program earn credit through a combination of on site courses and their internships.

In an individually designed program that consists of coursework and interning, students are able to earn up to 20 Butler University credits. Six credits may be earned from two classes taught on site:

  1. Foreign Policy Making in Washington (3 credits)
  2. Power & Presentation: The Arts of Public Washington (3 credits)

DC Course Descriptions (PDF)

Students may earn one, two, or three credits from a series of "D.C. Seminars" offered throughout the semester. These courses, each one credit, are taught by visiting Butler and Ithaca College professors.

D.C. Seminars meet one weekend during the month and usually focus on a topic that is applicable to the political, cultural, and historic environment of Washington, D.C.

Classroom in the Washington Center
Classroom in the Washington Center

Fall 2009 Short Seminars (WORD document)

Here are some titles of past D.C. Seminars:

  • Politics & Mass MediaFinancial Scandals
  • Rhetoric of the Presidential Campaign
  • International Sport Marketing Seminar
  • The Federal War on Drugs
  • The Declaration of Independence
  • Educational Reform: History, Issues and Trends
  • The History of the Holocaust Museum
  • Title IX: Thirty Years of Resistance and Change
  • Business, Government and Public Policy: The World after 9/11
  • US-Russian Relations in a New Era
  • Writing: The Personal is Political
D.C. Program students at the DEA museum during a field trip for "The Federal War on Drugs"
D.C. Program students at the DEA museum during a field trip for "The Federal War on Drugs".

Remaining credits may be earned through the internship experience and independent study.To find out how many credits a student may receive for his internship, he must check with his department.

Although students may earn up to 20 credits while in D.C., past participants usually register for 12-15 credits. Because students intern full time, take classes in the evenings, and will want to take advantage of all that which D.C. offers, we strongly encourage them not to take more than 15 credits.

For faculty advisors: Course Enrollment Form (MS Word)
This form is for reference only. Students accepted into the program will be given the official course enrollment form at the DC Program registration meetings.