The Archer Center

Academics

Course Descriptions

Policy Making Process
Dr. Julie Donnelly- Download the course syllabus
Mondays, 5:45-8:45pm

This course will focus on the role of the Media, the Congress, the President and other governmental and non-governmental actors in the policy-making process.  Through a variety of sources (academic texts, newspaper and journal articles, websites, blogs, advocacy papers) we will look at (and hopefully reconcile) the textbook and “real world” versions of how policy is made in Washington, D.C.  

This course is divided into four phases where we will use a variety of techniques (lectures/discussion, in-class presentations and guest speakers) to gain a better understanding of the policy-making process.  In Phase I, we will discuss how policy is defined: where ideas come from and who plays a role in defining what we consider to be important policy problems. In Phase II, we will look at how policy is made and how the structures of our unique form of government affect the policy-making process. In Phase III we will meet with policy-makers to hear their first-hand accounts of the policy-making process and finally, in Phase IV we will try to understand the policy-making process through a legislative simulation and class discussions/debates of some of the important issues of the day.

Beyond Congress and the White House - Download the course syllabus
Dr. Joel Swerdlow
Wednesdays, 5:45-8:45pm

This course will help you better understand power in our nation’s capital, especially what lies beyond Congress and the White House. We will study Washington, D.C. in a way that is only possible right here, using the National Mall and nearby locations such as Arlington Cemetery and the National Archives as a textbook. Each week, we will visit different places as we examine complex issues such as the use of DDT to combat malaria, the relationship between democracy and war, and the future of the Internet. This class will be conducted like a graduate seminar, emphasizing discussion and other forms of participation.  To the degree possible, our work will relate to your internships and to headline-making events such as the 2012 Congressional elections. Core readings are by James Madison and Walt Whitman.

Advocacy in Applied Settings - Download the course syllabus
Dr. John Daly
3 weekends throughout the semester

This course is an introduction to the issues individuals face when placed in the role of being advocates for an issue, idea, or even for themselves. The goal of the course is for class participants to grasp concepts they will see and experience during their internship in Washington D.C. We intentionally schedule half of this class for the beginning of the semester. You will not only learn about advocacy, but hopefully many of your questions and concerns about the internship process will be answered during the course. Readings are Machiavelli’s The Prince, Advocacy: Championing Ideas and Influencing Others by Dr. John Daly, and Life's a Campaign: What politics has taught me about Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success by Chris Matthews.

Archer Center Washington Internship - Download the course syllabus
Dr. Joel Swerdlow
Daily, minimum of 40 hours per week

Students secure full time internships in Washington, D.C. organizations ranging from the Supreme Court to the United Nations Information Centre. Participation in the internship for at least 40 hours per week is required throughout the duration of the semester in Washington. Students will be evaluated regularly via supervisor surveys, and will be required to submit a final report on their experience. Additionally, students will be encouraged to bring their internship experiences into their other classes for discussion and contribution.

Professor Biographies

John A. Daly (Ph.D. Purdue) focuses on practical ways of bolstering the communication skills of individuals. He has examined topics such as shyness, personality difference in communication, communication difficulties people experience in their personal and professional relationships, and issues involved in assessing communication competency.  Dr. Daly’s course specifically designed for Archer Fellows focuses on the practical application of political communication and persuasion in the workplace and Washington, D.C. environment.

Julie S. Donnelly (Ph.D. Wisconsin) Prior to moving to Washington, DC in 2005, Dr. Donnelly spent almost 20 years at Wellesley College as a member of the faculty and then served in a variety of administrative positions, including Class Dean.  She earned her doctorate in Political Science, specializing in legislative studies. She has taught courses on American Government, the U.S. Congress, the Presidency, and legislative-executive relations and was awarded the Pinanski Prize for excellence in teaching. Dr. Donnelly has been teaching at the Archer Center since 2009.

Joel Swerdlow (Ph.D. Cornell), who currently teaches at Johns Hopkins University, is an author, journalist, and researcher. He was a senior writer and assistant editor for ten years at National Geographic Magazine, and the lead writer for its 1998-1999 Millennium series. His work – for popular, academic and scientific publications – has been translated into more than three-dozen languages and is included in two collections, Best of the Washington Post and From the Field: Writing From National Geographic Magazine.  He has written for Rolling Stone and the Harvard Business Review and is a National Magazine Award Finalist. His nine books include a novel, and To Heal a Nation: The Story of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which became an NBC movie.  Swerdlow covered the Watergate conspiracy trial and the White House for National Public Radio.