Designed specifically for students in Georgetown's Semester in Washington Program, the Politics and Public Policy Academic Seminar advances students' knowledge of the political system and current legislative issues. Meeting once a week in the mornings, students learn from assigned readings, lectures, preeminent guest speakers, and discussion groups—all of which give students a holistic perspective on complex elements that help shape today's political landscape.

The academic seminar leverages the expansive resources on the Georgetown campus and in Washington, D.C., enabling students to connect with a wide array of professionals from Capitol Hill, federal agencies, corporate firms, nonprofit organizations, and the White House. Guest speakers frequenting the seminar address both theoretical insights and applications in practice, giving Semester in Washington Program students a behind-the-scenes perspective on the trends and challenges of the American politics profession. Through on-site visits, students have the unique opportunity to discuss the roles and interactions of elected officials and key players in national policy directly with them.

Students also engage in scholarly discourse and learn from their peers, exploring the foundations and theories of U.S. politics and institutions, reflecting on current and future policy debates, and examining the strategies of political leaders and systems. Seminar discussions cover a broad range of up-to-the-moment topics, from the presidency, elections, and campaign financing to women in politics, public opinion, and political behavior. Rooted in Georgetown's Jesuit tradition, the seminar keeps leadership, ethics, and social justice at the forefront.

As part of the academic seminar, students reflect on their internship experience. The electronic portfolio allows students to critically analyze their internships in a creative and academic manner. Capturing both process and outcome of their respective internships, the e-portfolio presents a lasting depiction of their Semester in Washington experience.

Participation in class discussions, on- and off-campus presentations, respective class assignments, and the e-internship portfolio, are integral for students' academic development and success in the Semester in Washington Program academic seminar. While the academic seminar constitutes 60 percent of each student's final grade, the internship constitutes 40 percent of the overall Semester in Washington internship/academic seminar grade. Students earn a total of 3 credits for the combination of academic seminar and internship.