Strongly Academic

Academic Seminars are designed to deeply explore a major topic of the year and the inner workings of national and international institutions. Lectures and panels of relevant and timely leaders create a context in which to learn about the issue at hand. Then, through small group discussions, experiential field work, model simulations, interviews, readings, written work and other experiential models, students refine their perspective and integrate new ways of thinking about the complex and interconnected world around them.

This is an immersive experience. Seminars include site visits to government agencies, embassies, think tanks, media companies, and other influential organizations; there are receptions and special events unique to Washington, D.C. Some of the common activities across all seminars include:

• Hearing from nationally recognized journalists, politicians, analysts and scholars.
• Expanded knowledge of American and international politics.
• Visiting places such as Capitol Hill, executive agencies, think tanks, trade associations and media organizations in Washington D.C.
• Engaging and networking with nationally and internationally recognized public officials and business professionals.
• Asking tough and insightful questions of respected thinkers, and getting answers.
• Meeting other exceptional students from campuses across the country and, possibly, abroad.

Interact with Today's Newsmakers

One of the highlights of The Washington Center’s Academic Seminars is the access you’ll have to some of the day’s most prestigious newsmakers. In addition you’ll have the rare opportunity to question them directly.

Past seminar speakers have included

• Juan Zarate, Fmr. Deputy, National Security Advisor for Counterterrorism [ Watch His Speech ] [3]
• Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff [ Watch His Speech ] [4]
• Mickey Edwards, Fmr. Congressman from Oklahoma [ Watch His Speech ] [5]
• Ed Gillespie, Fmr. RNC Chairman [ Watch His Speech ] [6]
• Juan Williams, NPR News Analyst [ Watch His Speech ] [7]
• Brian Lamb, C-SPAN Founder [ Watch This Video ] [8]
• Ann Compton, ABC News
• Charlie Cook, Cook Political Report
• Andrea Mitchell, ABC News
• Sam Donaldson, ABC News
• Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune
• Chuck Hagel (R-NE), US Senate
• Ted Koppel, ABC News
• Dana Perino, White House Press Secretary
• Antonin Scalia, US Supreme Court
• Brian Lamb, C-SPAN
• Bob Schieffer, CBS News
• Bob Woodward, The Washington Post
• Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, Arab Republic of Egypt
• Ambassador Husain Haqqani, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Mike McCurry, Fmr. White House Press Secretary

A Typical Day

Though every seminar is different, a typical day may include:

• Lectures or panel discussions around a public policy issue with notable speakers and experts, possibly covered by C-SPAN.
• Briefings at an embassy followed by a Q&A with a diplomatic representative, possibly the ambassador or other high ranking official.
• Visits to a Washington think tank or lobbying organization or political campaign headquarters.
• Visits to a national media organization’s D.C. headquarters.
• Small group discussion and reflection sessions facilitated by your faculty leader.
• A reception at the National Press Club.
• A bus tour of Washington, D.C.

Academic Credit

TWC’s Academic Seminars are designed to qualify for academic credit at many colleges and universities. A one-week seminar is equivalent to one or two credit hours and a two-week seminar equivalent to three or four credits.  While The Washington Center does not grant academic credit, your home institution may; therefore, to receive credit you must make arrangements with your home institution through your campus liaison or a faculty sponsor.

Students are not required to receive credit, but all participants are required to fully engage in all the activities organized and complete all assignments regardless of their credit arrangements.

Evaluations

Students are typically placed in small groups led by a faculty leader with an advanced degree and university classroom experience. The faculty leader oversees the students’ learning experience and assesses their performance with a written evaluation and a recommended grade. This grade is then submitted to the student’s home institution via the school’s designated liaison with TWC or campus sponsor as indicated in the student’s application. All students are evaluated and their campus liaison or sponsor will receive an extensive evaluation and recommended grade for each student, even if they are not participating in the academic seminar for academic credit.

Actual credit and grades are awarded by a student’s home institution through each campus liaison or sponsor. The final grade recommended is usually based on attendance, participation, completion of assigned readings, written assignments such as a journal or essays and demonstrated efforts to achieve established academic and professional learning goals commensurate with each student’s level.