UCDC Academic Internship Program

Option: UCDC Academic Internship Program

The primary mission of the Capital Internship Programs is to foster undergraduate education by providing students off-campus learning and developmental experiences utilizing the valuable resources and unique educational environment of Washington, DC.

Participants earn UCI credit, maintain their financial aid eligibility, and may receive a UCDC scholarship. Internships are available in a wide variety of fields. Students live in the University of California Washington Center building together with students from all UC campuses participating on the program, which provides an intellectual and social community throughout the quarter.

UCDC Website

Courses:

Students must enroll in 12 units minimum (Per UCDC policy).

  • UCDC 170 – WASH DC INTERNSHIP- P/NP only – 4 units
  • UCDC 180 – Must choose from an approved list of courses - 4 units
    • Note:  Washington Focus may not be used to fulfill field study requirements
  • UCDC 190 – General Elective – 4 units OR an additional 4 units of UCDC 170

 The two courses, UCDC 170 WASH DC INTERNSHIP (4 units) AND UCDC 180 THE SUPREME COURT (4 units) combine to fulfill 4 units of SocEcol 195 field study.

  --PLEASE NOTE: Both UCDC 170 and UCDC 180 must be completed (4 units each) to count toward the SE field study requirement.

If you are interested in using the UCDC experience to also satisfy the "additional upper division course" school requirement, the following courses, if taken for the exact number of units listed below, have already been approved (just submit a DegreeWorks Update Form so that our office can update your DegreeWorks):  

  • UCDC 170 – WASH DC INTERNSHIP - P/NP only – 8 units
  • UCDC 180 – 4 units
    • If you choose to enroll in only 4 units each of UCDC 170 and UCDC 180 to fulfill your field study requirement, it may also be possible for UCDC 190 to fulfill the "additional upper division course" requirement. PLEASE NOTE: you must submit a Course Waiver Petition to request to use the UCDC 190 coursework towards your "additional upper division course" school requirement, but approval is NOT guaranteed. The UCDC 190 course will be evaluated against the academic standards of Social Ecology upper division courses. 

What You Need To Do:

  • If your DegreeWorks DOES NOT pull into your field study requirement, once you enroll in your UCDC courses through the UCI system, please email sefieldstudy@uci.edu with your name, id#, quarter you are participating in UCDC, and the classes you are taking.  We will update your audit accordingly.    
  • If possible, it is a good idea to meet with either someone from the field study team or an academic advisor to review you’re your courses and plan prior to departing for Washington, DC.
  • If you are wishing to use a UCDC 190 elective course to fulfill the "additional upper division course" requirement, submit a course waiver petition upon completion of your courses. Be sure to attach your papers, presentations and other course work you may have completed so that we can review it in accordance with Field Study Minimum Standards and render a decision. 
  • Check your degree works audit to ensure that it was updated, and that the course is marked as fulfilled AFTER grades post to your transcript.