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Awarding Academic Credit

The Washington Center does not award academic credit. Typically though, many colleges and universities have granted 2-4 semester hours of credit to their students for participation in the two-week convention programs. For this three week program, which involve considerably more contact hours and fieldwork, at least 3 credit hours are warranted. Occasionally institutions have granted more than 3 hours of credit when academic requirements beyond those set by the Washington Center are met.

Arrangements for the awarding of credit by the student's home institution are solely the responsibility of the student. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to make every effort to clarify the requirements they must meet prior to attendance at the seminar.

This Washington Center academic seminar has been designed to be a comprehensive course of study with rigorous evaluation standards. Program components during which there is professional supervision and evaluation total approximately 60-80 hours, while additional activities on the weekends and evenings could add more than 20-25 hours of student involvement (a college course for three semester credits usually meets three times a week for fifty minutes for fifteen weeks. This totals approximately 37.5 contact hours).

Students Receiving Academic Credit

The faculty leader is required to submit an individual student evaluation, along with a suggested letter grade, of each student's performance according to the specified criteria. These evaluations are forwarded to the student's campus liaison or another faculty member or campus sponsor designated by the student.

The faculty leader is also available to provide academic assistance to students who have additional academic requirements from their home institutions. This may involve suggestions for reading and research or evaluation of preliminary drafts of essays written during the program. Students engaged in more extensive academic assignments or research should contact The Washington Center prior to the program.

Students Not Receiving Academic Credit

Students or other participants who will not be receiving academic credit for the program are still expected to participate in all phases of seminar activities and complete the assignments.  To do otherwise would be disruptive and counterproductive to the goals of the program.  It is expected that these students will meet with the faculty leader at the beginning of the program and come to a professional, preferably written, understanding about satisfying the academic requirements of the program.  Nevertheless, faculty leaders will still prepare a written evaluation of all seminar participants.  If no campus liaison or faculty sponsor is available for the student, a copy of the evaluation will be sent directly to the student, with the original maintained at The Washington Center.

The convention programs offer students an opportunity to be evaluated by respected faculty and other professionals in a high-pressure environment. It is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate one's ability in situations that could serve to impress these individuals. Even though a participant may not be earning credit for the program, it would be unfortunate for a non-credit student to pass up an opportunity to gain an important letter of reference by not fully participating in the components and activities of the program. Many faculty report keeping in touch with their former group members long after the convention programs are over.

While The Washington Center records grades for all participants, the written evaluations are kept for only about six months.  No written evaluations are required for students whose faculty leader is from their own institution.

For more information, please contact us at C2012@twc.edu.

Photos from the 2008 Conventions

View the 2008 Political Conventions photo set