Frequently Asked Questions

The UCDC Summer Internship Program sends students to Washington D.C. during the summer for internship experiences, with coursework being optional. Each student admitted into the UCDC Summer Internship Program works closely with the student coordinators and staff advisors in preparation for the internship application and living experience in D.C. Students from all majors and class standing (including seniors graduating in June) are encouraged to apply. A minimum GPA of 2.75 is recommended but not required.

Financial aid eligibility is maintained when participating in UCDC Fall, Winter, or Spring quarters. Students may qualify for Summer financial aid if enrolled in coursework at the UC Washington Center or through UCI Summer Session.

Absolutely not! UCDC is open to students of all majors and interests. There are many opportunities for students interested in journalism, communications, computer science, engineering, physical sciences, biology, theater, and much more. See the Internships page for more information on the various opportunities in Washington, D.C.

The UCDC Internship Program is typically 10 weeks long, depending on the quarter. The summer program starts immediately after finals week in June (typically mid-June through mid-August). Students residing at the UC Washington Center must arrive by a certain date (announced early in the program) to attend a mandatory orientation. June-graduating seniors participating in the summer program may seek a waiver to avoid the fee for missing the orientation.

All 9 undergraduate UC’s have a UCDC program. UCDC students from all UC campuses stay at The University of California Washington Center as a part of the program.

The UC Washington Center is located a few blocks from the White House in the heart of the city and is within walking distance from multiple metro stations. The Washington Center provides fully furnished apartments, classroom and conference facilities, a computer lab, a gym, a TV room, a laundry room, and much more. The Washington Center is under 24-hour security with ID verification required to enter the building for safety purposes.

Please visit the UC Washington Center website for more information about housing, including what to expect in your apartment and what items are necessary for you to bring with you.

In most cases, your internship site will allow you to set your own hours. Some students may choose to work full-time while others will work a few days during the week so that they have more time to experience the city. 

Once you are accepted into the program, there are many resources available to you through the Office of Civic Engagement, the Division of Career Pathways, and the UC Washington Center that will help you find an internship. We frequently refer to various websites and directories to inform our students about internship opportunities. UCDC staff work closely with each individual student in assisting them with their resumes, cover letters, and interview techniques. Please see the Internships page for more information.

During the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters, all students enroll in an internship course and earn units for their internships.

During the Summer, there are several ways you may earn units for your internship. Students affiliated with a school or program that requires field study, practicum, or an internship (e.g., School of Social Ecology or Program in Public Health) may elect to use their internship to fulfill their major/program requirement. Students should speak to their respective academic program directly about this process and enroll in units before Spring quarter to get approval. Another option is University Studies 193, a course that offers 2 and 4 units for approved internships. Individuals can also approach a faculty member for a 199 Independent Study for the Summer. Finally, students may enroll in a course through the UC Washington Center to earn up to 8 units of credit for the internship.

All students participating during an academic term (fall, winter, or spring) must enroll in 12 units of UCDC courses. The units are a combination of a 4-unit UCDC Seminar and 4-8 units for your internship (based on hours per week). Students may choose to take an additional UCDC Seminar if needed to reach the 12 unit requirement. Summer students are not required to take courses as part of the summer program. 

For both academic and summer terms, we generally do not recommended taking additional courses while in D.C. During academic terms, it is possible to take 1 UCI online course concurrently with UCDC (in addition to the minimum 12 UCDC units). During summer terms, it is possible to enroll in UCI online courses. In either case, if the UCI course is offered on a synchronous basis, you will need to ensure that the course times do not conflict with either your internship hours or UCDC seminar course time (if in an academic quarter).

Most students apply to the UCDC Internship Program first and then apply for internships while in the program. Students interested in applying for sites with early deadlines (i.e., FBI, CIA, U.S. Department of State, etc.) can apply to those internships prior to applying to the UCDC Internship Program. In addition, more motivated students tend to seek out and apply for internships before they get accepted into the UCDC programs.

There are so many opportunities in D.C. that it is very rare for students to leave Irvine without an internship secured. However, if you do not have an internship secured prior to leaving for D.C, you may still go through the program. There have been several students who have found their internships after arriving in D.C. As part of the UCDC program, we do our best to make you the strongest candidate and applicant possible. We also directly assist you in the internship-seeking process. 

You are welcome to apply for the program regardless of your immigration status. If you have any concerns about your ability to travel to Washington, D.C. for this program, we encourage you to seek counsel at the UCI DREAM Center. We have had many undocumented students participate in the past and secure internships.

If you are a degree-seeking international student, you are welcome to apply for the program, but you must have the appropriate visa and documentation required to work in the US. (Please check with the UCI International Center for proper documentation). While there are some sites in DC that require U.S. citizenship to participate, we have had many international students participate in the past and secure internships.

All UCI undergraduate students are eligible for the CCE Minor!

The CCE minor allows you to choose from a multitude of courses across many fields of interest to make the minor suit your interests and passions. Each student completes 7 4-unit courses for the minor.

Every student in the minor is required to take University Studies 10, and complete a 4-unit internship. The remaining 5 courses are fulfilled by electives of a student’s choosing across a variety of fields. 

Areas of interest with pre-approved elective courses include environmental stewardship, educational equity, health and communities, public history and public art, global citizenship, social justice, leadership and public policy.

The full list of pre-approved courses, electives, and internship options for the CCE Minor is on the UCI General Catalogue.

In some cases, elective courses or the internship course may be substituted by petition. To petition, students must complete the petition form and provide compelling evidence of how the proposed substitution fits within the purposes of the Minor. After submitting the petition, students will receive notification of the status of their petition via email to their UCI email address.

The Leadership Track of the CCE Minor (which requires UNI STU 85A and 85B) is back! The two required courses are offered in Summer 2024, and are expected to also be offered during the 2024-2025 academic year.

As per the UCI General Catalogue, a maximum of two courses for the CCE Minor may overlap with courses required for a student’s major or for another minor.

For specific questions about your course schedule and how the Minor courses will interface with your major, we recommend meeting with your academic advisor.

To declare a minor, contact the academic advising office of your major. This applies even if your intended minor is outside of the school of your major. Contact your academic counselor to update or remove your minor.

Absolutely! For general questions about the CCE Minor, we encourage you to make an appointment with our team. For specific questions about your course schedule and how the Minor courses will interface with your major, we recommend meeting with your academic advisor.