Internships

Students are required to complete at least two internships as part of their GHD degree requirements:

Summer Internship:

Students are required to complete a 10-12 week internship at an overseas field site the summer between their first and second year of the program. Past students have interned at a variety of development organizations, including NGOs, aid agencies, development consulting firms, social enterprises, multinational corporations, and foundations.

DC Internship:

Interning in Washington, DC while enrolled in the GHD program provides an invaluable opportunity for professional growth and expanding students’ professional networks. Students who intern are able to develop professional skills, enhance their resumes, refine their career objectives, and build on lessons learned in academic coursework. GHD students are required to have at least one internship during their course of study in addition to the summer work internship between the first and second year. Internships can be:

• for a semester or a year

• paid or unpaid

• with one organization or multiple, depending on a student's area of specialization, thematic focus, and regional interests

Please note that the GHD program requires a full-time course load of 12 credits per semester and a number of co-curricular requirements including weekend retreats and workshops. While the class schedule allows for the possibility of part-time work or internship opportunities, students are responsible for ensuring that they can manage the academic and co-curricular components of the program. The program does not encourage an outside professional commitment of more than 10-15 hours/week.

International students are not able to work off-campus during their first year in the program due to visa restrictions.

Report your DC internship here. We will use this information to update your degree audit and ensure that you are on track to graduate.