What are YOU doing this summer? Try jump-starting your senior year by participating in a seven-week learning program for undergraduates. Offered by the Department of Economics at the Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, the summer policy internship is a seven-week learning program for undergraduate students entering their senior year. Interns work with faculty members on policy research projects in the school's research centers.

Internships are available for a select number of students who have demonstrated overall academic achievement, as well as an interest in an area of public policy. Areas of study include environmental economics, international economics, state and local governance, public financial management, education and education reform, health care, and many other topics vital to a functioning society

Separate yourself from the pack

What do graduate admissions offices and employers look for when recruiting newly minted college graduates? Experience. Internships can help you focus your career interests, improve your resume and prepare for graduate school. You'll gain experience in policy research by developing a research project that emphasizes the practical application of knowledge and skills gained during your undergraduate studies. You also will participate in a weekly seminar and are eligible for three semester hours of credit at the upper-division undergraduate level for a directed readings course which, with your home institution's permission, could be applied for degree credit. All of this prepares you for successful graduate studies or employment.

Who should apply?

The summer policy internship program welcomes successful students with a broad range of educational backgrounds, including the social sciences, economics, education, political science, business, the physical sciences and humanities, among others. If you have an interest in policy studies and have demonstrated academic achievement in your area of interest, you are encouraged to apply.

Areas of study
Areas of study include a variety of projects underway in the following centers:

• Domestic Studies Program
• Environmental Policy Program
• Experimental Economics Center
• Fiscal Research Center
• Georgia Health Policy Center
• International Studies Program
• Regional Atlanta Civic League

Applicants should indicate interest(s) in order of priority on the application form.

Detailed information on the program goals and schedule

Comprehensive information about the program can be found in the 2007 Annual Report. The report includes information about activities, a list of projects, and program details. It is a very good guide to the program, and it is highly recommended that you read it.

Internship stipends

Interns receive a $3,300 stipend for the seven-week period.

Academic credit

Interns will participate in a weekly seminar to explore policy issues with the research center faculty. Students are encouraged to take the seminar for course credit (three semester hours of directed readings). If you elect to receive academic credit, you will register as a transient student.
 
Living in Atlanta

An international city, Atlanta is home to the offices of more than 450 of the Fortune 500 firms, the major legislative, executive and judicial offices of state government, the Atlanta Braves, Hawks and Falcons sports organizations, and a vibrant and diverse arts community. The GSU campus is centrally located downtown, near the Underground Atlanta entertainment complex, CNN's world headquarters and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Also close by are the new Georgia Aquarium, recently expanded High Museum of Art, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and The Carter Center. Learn more about these points of interest and living in Atlanta here.

Application instructions

For further details and application instructions, see the attached application form. (Trouble downloading? Print this form.) We strongly encourage minority and female students to apply.

Questions?

For more information on the summer policy internships, contact Mary Kenyatta at 404-413-0141, e-mail mkenyatta@gsu.edu, or Professor Neven Valev at 404-413-0162, e-mail nvalev@gsu.edu.

Regular mail:
Summer Internship Program
Department of Economics
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3992
Atlanta, GA 30302-3992

In person mail (FedEx, UPS, etc):
14 Marietta Street NW
Suite 524
Atlanta, GA 30303

Photo: Participants in the 2007 Summer Policy Internship Program