POEC 21
Fieldwork in Public Affairs and Private Non-Profits
Last Offered Winter 2014

Cross-listed PSCI 21
This course is not offered in the current catalog

Class Details

This course is a participant-observation experience in which students work full-time for a governmental agency, nongovernmental (including voluntary, activist, and grassroots) organization, or for a political campaign. Students may find placements in government and nonprofit organizations in which their work involves significant involvement with public issues. Examples include: town government offices; state or federal administrative offices (e.g., environmental agencies, housing authorities); interest groups that lobby government (e.g., ACLU, NRA); nonprofit organizations such as service providers or think tanks (e.g., Habitat for Humanity; Cato Institute); and grassroots, activist or community development organizations (e.g., Greenpeace or neighborhood association). In 2009, students are especially encouraged to train and become certified IRS Volunteer Income Tax Preparers through a special section of the course. The instructors will work with each student to arrange a placement; such arrangements must be made in advance of the Winter Term. Students should first make their own contacts with an institution or agency. The instructors and members of the Political Science department are available to help students find placements, if necessary. Each student’s fieldwork mentor shall send a confirmation letter to the instructors verifying the placement and describing the nature of the work to be performed by the student. Students will read a few short articles distributed at the beginning of Winter Term and must agree to keep a journal, maintain weekly contact with the instructors, and write a final paper summarizing and reflecting upon the experience. A group meeting of all students will occur after winter study to discuss the experiences.
The Class: Format: wsp internship
Limit: 30
Expected: 30
Class#: 2268
Grading: pass/fail only
Requirements/Evaluation: requirements 90 hours of fieldwork; satisfactory evaluation from the institutional sponsor; 10-page final paper or equivalent; participation in final meeting
Extra Info: Paula Consolini, Ph.D, (UC Berkeley, 1992) is the Coordinator of Experiential Education at Williams and supervisor of the North Berkshire Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program
Prerequisites: none
Enrollment Preferences: at the time of registration, interested students should send a resume and letter of interest to Paula Consolini
Materials/Lab Fee: cost to student approximately $15 for readings, student covers transportation costs to and from internship site
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
PSCI 21 POEC 21

Class Grid

Updated 10:51 am

Course Catalog Search


(searches Title and Course Description only)
TERM




SUBJECT
DIVISION



DISTRIBUTION



ENROLLMENT LIMIT
COURSE TYPE
Start Time
End Time
Day(s)