In order to complement their academic training with first-hand experience in a foreign country, students are also required to complete 3 units in a study abroad program. Graduates from the IR program are well prepared for careers in government, private industry, law, education and the nonprofit sector, as well as for graduate study in political science and international affairs.

University of San Diego students have the opportunity to enroll in a semester-long internship program in Washington, D.C. and earn academic credit toward their major. These internships are coordinated through the Political Science and International Relations Department and the Washington Center, a nationally recognized internship program that pioneered the development of full-time internships in the nation?s capital. The internship program combines real-world work experience with academic learning in a unique environment that fosters success and achievement. Students earn 12 semester units for participating in a full-time fall or spring semester program, and 6 to 9 units in the summer.

Students also have the opportunity to enroll in a 3-unit intersession course in Washington, D.C. (POLS 434 Washington, DC: the Press and the Presidency). This course provides students with an opportunity to study current political, social, and economic issues while living in Washington, D.C. for two weeks.