Washington Focus

Our nation’s capital is a center of governance and politics but also of historical sites, research institutes, arts and cultural institutions, and diverse communities. In this seminar you will become acquainted with Washington DC—its beauty and problems, its inspirations and dissentions. Each week, our class will explore one aspect of the city.  Working sometimes in teams, as individuals, or as a class, we will both learn about and visit:  various neighborhoods, the city’s history (National Building Museum), memorials on the National Mall, research centers, selected museum exhibits, public buildings such as the Capitol, selected art exhibits, and more.  Some of these assignments may connect directly to your internships. Appropriate readings will be assigned to prepare you for your visits, and you will also be required to keep abreast of “news of the day” in Washington. During the term you will write short weekly papers connecting various reading assignments with your site visits and complete a journal of your explorations of the city.    (UCI/UCR/UCSB/UCD/UCSC only)