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Study Center Specific Information
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UC Washington Center
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Winter/Spring 2009* Spend a term of your UC Education Abroad Program studies in Washington D.C. It’s not just for All majors are welcome. |
Washington DC is a global center of diplomacy, commerce and information. It is home not only to the US Federal government, news organizations and the World Bank but also to some of the world's best museums, libraries and collections. The UCDC Program provides opportunities not only for students of American politics but for students of Shakespeare or communications as well. From the Library of Congress to CNN, from the National Institutes of Health to the National Museum of African Art, from the Folger Shakespeare Library to the Smithsonian and the National Gallery, Washington provides a vast range of opportunities.
EAP Reciprocity students are invited to apply for participation in this unique program.
Students will be accepted to this program based on their academic qualifications and subject to available space. Each campus program makes decisions about program participation after a competitive review process. Participation cannot be guaranteed by EAP.
* Interested students are advised to apply for winter/spring terms since they will not likely be accepted to the Education Abroad Program in time to meet fall UCDC application deadlines. Some campuses have a combined early fall/winter application deadline, so students may find spring to be the most practical term for which to apply. The program on your campus may also have an alternates list for winter placements that you could join. See the campus web pages for deadlines and contact information.
Undergraduate participants live and study with UC students and professors in the UC Washington Center located in the heart of the US capital.
The academic program consists of two main components:
- Coursework and research
- Internship experience
The number of units enrollment in courses, research and internships components may vary by campus. See individual campus program pages for specific enrollment requirements. Reciprocity students must enroll in a minimum of 12 units (full-time enrollment is required to maintain student visa status).
Courses
Students enroll in courses taught by resident professors
from each of the UC campuses.
Internship
Program participants gain practical experience though placement
in an internship position.
Previous participants have served as interns at C-SPAN (film production), CNN, Institute of Woman’s Policy Research, American Civil Liberties Union, the National Endowment for the Arts, Republican and Democratic National Parties, Nature Conservancy, International Trade Association, Smithsonian Institute among others.
Some internships may not be available to non-US citizens. Work outside the host UC campus is not allowed under your visa status while an EAP student and UCDC participants cannot be paid for their internship experience.
Special Events
Throughout the term the UC Washington Center sponsors a variety of special
events for its students.
Program participants live and study in the UC Washington Center inaugurated during the 2001-02 academic year. The 11-story Center features a distance learning facility, computer lab and an extensive array of multimedia, network and Internet services. Not only a teaching venue, the Center is a place for lectures, academic symposia, forums of educators, national policy makers and leaders and virtual town meetings. Students share furnished, two bedroom apartment-suites (two students per bedroom) that include a bath and kitchen.
Academic Eligibility
Students must be nominated for participation in the EAP program
by their home university.
Participating students must enroll at the Center as full-time students (minimum 12 units), attend class regularly completing all required assignments and to sit all required examinations.
NOTE: Program participants must have strong English language skills.
Applicants must meet the following minimum academic requirements:
Students must apply for the UCDC program directly through the host UC campus UCDC office and may not apply prior to acceptance by the Education Abroad Program. See program web pages for details and deadlines.
Undergraduates
In addition to the standard UC/EAP undergraduate application and
supplementary documents, applicants must usually submit this type of
documentation:
See individual campus program pages for specific requirements.
These pages give excellent recommendations and examples for development of a U.S. style curriculum vitae, letter of intent and letters of recommendation
*Recommendations are from the UCSD UC Washington web page. They are for your reference only. Do not contact the UCSD advising staff.
Though students receive assistance and advice in applying to your internship, they are not automatically placed in an internship position. Applicants must be prepared to actively participate in their internship search.
Note: The UC Washington Center
Academic program is a system wide collaboration. Students may be
placed under the mentorship of a UC campus program that is different
from their host UC campus. For example, the student might attend
the UC Irvine campus but join the UC Riverside group at the Washington
Center.
Students will be placed in a host UC Program based on their academic
qualifications and subject to available space. Participation cannot
be guaranteed by EAP
Participants remain enrolled students of the University of California while on the UC Washington program. This means that tuition and campus fees are covered by UC exchange agreements for Reciprocity students and there are no additional expenses for Reciprocity participants beyond living expenses and fulfillment of the mandatory host UC insurance requirement. As for any regular term spent at UC, students are automatically enrolled in and billed for the host UC international student insurance (unless a waiver has been requested and accepted by the host UC or insurance has been paid by EAP by special arrangement with the reciprocity student's home university).
Students generally report that the cost of living in Washington D.C. is higher than the cost of living at their host UC campus. Each apartment-suite in the Center includes a kitchen for meal preparation and can be a help to students on a budget. See student comments on costs.
Prospective UC Washington program participants also need to plan for round-trip California-Washington DC airfare and additional costs for a professional wardrobe. The casual clothing that students grow accustomed to wearing to attend class in California will not be acceptable. Interns are expected to dress for work in a professional office environment.
See individual campus UC Washington Academic Program web pages for living expense estimates. All estimates are subject to change and actual expenses will vary depending on the student’s lifestyle and leisure activities.
Travel to and from the U.S. is not included in this estimate.
Contact your home university international office to confirm that you are authorized to participate in the Program before applying.
For more information about participation in the UC Washington Center Academic Program, contact Paulette Greisner or visit the UC Washington Center homepage.
