Internships

Internships are an integral part of the Levinson Program. CAPS majors and minors are required to hold internships in governments, businesses, the media, think tanks, research institutes, and other organizations during their (optional) semester in Washington, D.C., and in Beijing. Students  may have an alternative to complete a summer or winter internship in the Greater China area either right before or after their Beijing semester as well.

No academic credits are granted for internships, but students may combine their internship experience with their coursework or Independent Study. 

For internships in China, CAPS has adopted the following guidelines:

• Students normally undertake an internship in Beijing during their semester at Beida with assistance from the Levinson Program Office in Beijing. They intern for 2 days a week, a full day on Monday and two half days on Tuesday and Wednesday. Internships should begin within one week of the start of classes and should end during the last week of classes.
• Alternately, students may opt to undertake a summer internship in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, or other Chinese cities in the summer after their junior year. A summer internship should last for at least four weeks (five workdays per week).
• Students are expected to complete an internship questionnaire – Part I at the beginning of their internship and Part II at the end of their internship
• No academic credit is earned for the internship, but students may incorporate their internship experience into their course work.
• Internships are unpaid unless you are eligible for work-study. 

Contact the CAPS Main office to obtain additional information on Beijing internship experiences from former students. 

Cornell in Washington has the following guidelines for internships in Washington, D.C.:

• 3 days a week, Monday-Wednesday is recommended, to allow time for academic work, touring Washington, and for the occasional trip to Ithaca or home.
• No academic credit is earned for the internship, neither from Cornell in Washington nor any other department.
• Most internships are unpaid unless you are eligible for work-study.  If so, you may be able to find a non-partisan internship which will compensate you.  Let CIW know if you are interested in this possibility, and they will provide more details. 
• Internships should begin within one week of the start of classes and should end during the last day of classes.

Click here to learn more about internships in Washington, D.C.  You can have access to the CIW Online database for internships when you complete your online application to the program.