Archer Fellowship Program Courses
The Archer Fellowship is a unique academic experience, which includes the classes below. All undergraduate Archer Fellows enroll in the same 15 hours.
Politics of National Memory (Beyond Congress and the White House) - 3 credit hours
Professor Shema Mbyirukira
This course will help you better understand power in our nation’s capital, especially what lies beyond Congress and the White House. Class participants 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, students will visit different places in order to 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 is conducted like a graduate seminar, emphasizing discussion and other forms of participation. To the degree possible, coursework will relate to students' internships and to headline-making events. Core readings are by James Madison and Walt Whitman.
Watch this video produced by an Archer Fellow alumnus for a firsthand perspective of the Archer Fellowship Program course Politics of National Identity.
Politics of National Memory (Beyond Congress and the White House) - 3 credit hours
Professor Shema Mbyirukira
This course will help you better understand power in our nation’s capital, especially what lies beyond Congress and the White House. Class participants 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, students will visit different places in order to 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 is conducted like a graduate seminar, emphasizing discussion and other forms of participation. To the degree possible, coursework will relate to students' internships and to headline-making events. Core readings are by James Madison and Walt Whitman.
Watch this video produced by an Archer Fellow alumnus for a firsthand perspective of the Archer Fellowship Program course Politics of National Identity.
| Politics of National Memory - Spring 2023 |
The Policymaking Process - 3 credit hours
Dr. Michelle Chin-Miller
This course will give you a brief introduction to the federal policymaking process from the perspective of the legislative branch of government in the United States. Students will work closely with the class lecturers, each of whom is an experienced policy expert, to identify stakeholders in the federal policy process and understand the various entry points for these stakeholders to influence the policy outcomes. The class will operate as a policy simulation in which students role play members of Congress and learn how to craft legislative policy through participating in simulated congressional hearing and bill mark-up in a congressional committee.
Watch this video produced by Dr. Michelle Chin-Miller for a firsthand perspective of the Archer Fellowship Program course The PolicyMaking Process.
Dr. Michelle Chin-Miller
This course will give you a brief introduction to the federal policymaking process from the perspective of the legislative branch of government in the United States. Students will work closely with the class lecturers, each of whom is an experienced policy expert, to identify stakeholders in the federal policy process and understand the various entry points for these stakeholders to influence the policy outcomes. The class will operate as a policy simulation in which students role play members of Congress and learn how to craft legislative policy through participating in simulated congressional hearing and bill mark-up in a congressional committee.
Watch this video produced by Dr. Michelle Chin-Miller for a firsthand perspective of the Archer Fellowship Program course The PolicyMaking Process.
| The Policymaking Process- Spring 2023 |
Advocacy and Politics - 3 credit hours
Dr. John Daly
This course is an introduction to the issues individuals face when placed in the role of persuading others to adopt an an issue or idea in a political environment like Washington DC. Students will learn ways of communicating ideas memorably and impactfully, techniques for building and maintaining a “brand” name that motivates people to listen to you, ways of building allies through narrative and networking, methods for framing issues so they are potentially adoptable (i.e., pre-selling), and ways to apply various theories of persuasion to political issues. The goal is for class participants to grasp concepts they will see and experience during their internship in Washington D.C.
Half of this class is intentionally scheduled for the beginning of the semester. Students will not only learn about advocacy, but hopefully many questions and concerns about the internship process will be answered during the course as well. Readings are The Prince by Machiavelli, Advocacy: Championing Ideas and Influencing Others by Dr. John Daly, and Hardball: How Politics is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game by Chris Matthews.
Dr. John Daly
This course is an introduction to the issues individuals face when placed in the role of persuading others to adopt an an issue or idea in a political environment like Washington DC. Students will learn ways of communicating ideas memorably and impactfully, techniques for building and maintaining a “brand” name that motivates people to listen to you, ways of building allies through narrative and networking, methods for framing issues so they are potentially adoptable (i.e., pre-selling), and ways to apply various theories of persuasion to political issues. The goal is for class participants to grasp concepts they will see and experience during their internship in Washington D.C.
Half of this class is intentionally scheduled for the beginning of the semester. Students will not only learn about advocacy, but hopefully many questions and concerns about the internship process will be answered during the course as well. Readings are The Prince by Machiavelli, Advocacy: Championing Ideas and Influencing Others by Dr. John Daly, and Hardball: How Politics is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game by Chris Matthews.
| Advocacy and Politics - Spring 2023 |
Archer Center Washington Internship - 6 credit hours
Dr. Sahar Shafqat
Students secure full-time internships in Washington, D.C., organizations ranging from the Supreme Court to the United Nations Information Center. 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.
Dr. Sahar Shafqat
Students secure full-time internships in Washington, D.C., organizations ranging from the Supreme Court to the United Nations Information Center. 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.
| Archer Center Washington Internship - Spring 2023 |
