Curriculum

The Washington Program is a part of the Hamilton Department of Government, which also includes concentrations in World Politics and Public Policy (the latter two being interdisciplinary). The department staffs the program with a full-time Hamilton Professor who resides in Washington for the duration of the program. The director teaches three classes and supervises the research paper, schedules speakers, excursions, and organizes other activities. 

Now starting its 56th year the Hamilton Program in Washington DC has become well-known in Congress and in a variety of executive agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The College often receives requests from these offices for Hamilton interns. In addition, a number of program alumni have made careers in Washington after graduation. Students spend four days a week as full-time staff members in their internship office. The internships are graded credit/no-credit, and count for a single course toward graduation.

Another course (that also counts toward graduation, but is not counted toward departmental concentration) is called Intern Participant/Observation (IPO). It meets during a weekday evening and consists of a series of student debates and student-led discussions, based on an issue that is parallel to those raised in the seminar. Several spaces in the IPO schedule are left open so that timely issues on the national agenda can be included. A set of short papers based on the debates is also part of the IPO.

This seminar meets on Wednesday mornings. The seminar topic is chosen by the Faculty Resident Director for the semester. Past programs have covered a wide range of topics including elections, civil society and government, budgetary politics, militarization, authoritarianism, regulatory reform, and race and class inequalities in the modern world. 

The fourth part of the program is the independent research paper due at the end of the term that also counts as a single course (making a total of 4 course credits) toward the Government/World Politics/Public Policy concentrations and may also count as the senior thesis requirement for senior concentrators in the program. Two or three formal tutorial meetings with the director lead up to the final paper.