Students in their junior or senior year are invited to participate in the public interest internship seminar course sponsored by the Loyola University School of Law and the Department of Political Science. The class counts for 3 credit-hours in political science. The class is co-directed by Professor Alan Gitelson, Department of Political Science, and by Associate Dean James Faught, Loyola University School of Law. The course is limited to no more than 10 students.

The internship/seminar has three components. (1) Every student is placed in a public interest law internship: for example, the States’ Attorney Office or the Public Defender’s Office. The internship requires an 8 hour commitment per week at the placement (you must be able to devote one whole day to the internship, generally a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday); (2) students are required to attend a seminar approximately every other Thursday, 3:00-4:30, at the School of Law (Water Tower Campus). Loyola University Law School professors and local judges will conduct seminars on the law and issues related to the internship program; (3) the grade for the course is based on attendance at and participation in the bi-weekly seminars, journal reports on the internship placement, placement supervisor evaluations, and a term paper.

Students must (1) have junior or senior status at the time that they participate in the internship/seminar, (2) an overall 3.0 GPA or higher and (3) one letter of recommendation (e-mailed) from a Loyola faculty member. You do not have to be a political science major or pre-law to participate in the internship/ seminar. Permission is required from Dr. Alan Gitelson, Department of Political Science, to register for the class.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Students should send an e-mail (agitels@luc.edu), briefly expressing why they want to participate in the course and include their e-mail address, telephone number, and Student I.D. number; arrange for an e-mail letter of recommendation (from a full-time Loyola faculty-member) sent directly to Dr. Gitelson; and have an unofficial copy of their complete academic transcript sent by e-mail or campus mail to Dr. Gitelson, Political Science Department, LSC.

The deadline for applications for the 2012 Fall Semester is April 10, 2012. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

For more information, email Dr. Alan Gitelson at agitels@luc.edu.