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Higher-education Opportunities in Washington, D.C.Academic Seminars are an ideal way for institutions to use the resources of Washington, D.C., for academic purposes.  These programs are especially attractive to students:

• Who wish to explore the resources, both academically and professionally, that Washington, D.C., offers.
• Who are otherwise unable to arrange a semester or summer in Washington for an internship.
• Who are at any academic level, even those who have just graduated, who are seeking new, expanding opportunities to network and meet professionals in their field of interest.
• Who do not necessarily need academic credit, but want to be exposed to academic programming in a specific policy area to enhance their credentials.

Institutions often encourage their faculty to promote these seminars or even accompany their students as faculty leaders or faculty fellows in order to:

• Offer the academic seminar as a course (such as a January or May term or summer school offering) or as part of a course.
• Enhance the institution’s presence in Washington, D.C., and ensure its students have a wide range of experiential and civic engagement opportunities off campus, often at a more affordable cost than study abroad.
• Provide freshmen and sophomores with a taste of off-campus programming provided by the institution, resulting in greater retention and a more focused academic and professional career path.
• Provide enhanced faculty development opportunities, especially for faculty involved in various forms of engaged learning on or off campus.