Semester in D.C. | Ohio University

Overview

The Scripps Semester in D.C. undergraduate study away program gives students the chance to study and gain experience in our nation's capital. All students with a major or minor in the Scripps College of Communication are encouraged to apply.

The program gives students the opportunity to learn from industry professionals working in Washington, D.C., focusing on journalism (print, broadcast, data and photojournalism), strategic communication, commercial photography, information graphics, data visualization, publication design for print and digital, scripting and UX design, social media and public relations.

During the fall and spring semesters, the first four weeks of the term will be spent in a seminar setting, with each week focusing on different topics. (During summer, the first two weeks are seminars.) Students will receive three credit hours for each week of classes. Those participating in the program will meet with a wide range of industry professionals from media outlets, tech firms, communication-related operations of government, public policy professionals and non-profit organizations working in the Washington, D.C. area.

Additional topics will include:

Multimedia storytelling
Data journalism and visualization
Ethics
Strategic communication
Photojournalism
Public Policy

During the second part of the fall term, students will be immersed in a 10-week internship (practicum) in the D.C. area tailored to the areas of interest and study. All practicums will be 40 hours per week.

Living Arrangements

The summer cohort of Semester in D.C. students

All students will live in furnished apartments in D.C. conveniently located near public transportation. Housing costs are included in the program fee. Any additional anticipated costs will be outlined in the student budget worksheet (located below under Cost). Roommate assignments may include students from universities other than Ohio University. 

Information Sessions

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m., Schoonover 380
Additional sessions TBA

Program Dates

Spring Semester 2023-2024: Jan. 8 - April 20, 2024
Summer Semester 2023-2024: May 13 - Aug. 9, 2024
Fall Semester 2024-2025: Aug. 26 - Dec. 9, 2024 (tentative)

This program is now offered annually each fall, spring and summer.

Application Link

Students can find the application in the new OGO App system. The application requires students to submit:

a personal statement
a resume/cv
DARS
contact information for three references

Application Deadlines

Rolling applications are accepted, but please observe the following deadlines to be considered for the following cycles:

Spring Semester 2023-2024: Oct. 6, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.
Summer Semester 2023-2024: Early decision deadline, Dec. 3, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.; final deadline, Jan. 30, 2024, by 11:59 p.m.
Fall Semester 2024-2025: April 20, 2024, by 11:59 p.m.

Academics

FALL and SPRING: 12 credit hours from 4 classes listed below.

Week 1: VICO/JOUR 4001 Covering D.C.
Week 2: VICO/JOUR 4902 Semester in D.C.: Seminar I
Week 3: VICO/JOUR 4903 Semester in D.C.: Seminar II
Week 4: VICO/JOUR 4904 Semester in D.C.: Seminar III

Each course will have an intensive week-long seminar during weeks 1-4 and will have grading and work products due throughout the remainder of the program dates.  

SUMMER: 6 credit hours from two courses listed below:

Week 1: VICO/JOUR 4001 Covering D.C.
Week 2: VICO/JOUR 4902 Semester in D.C.: Seminar I

BOTH PROGRAMS: 4 credit hours for JOUR/VICO from the course listed below:

VICO/JOUR 4926 Semester in D.C.: Practicum

During the Fall and Spring Semester programs, students begin their internship placements in Week 5, whereas students in the Summer Semester program begin internships in Week 3.  These placements are expected to be full time for the remaining 10 weeks (Fall or Spring) or eight weeks (Summer).  Students will work with the on-site director of Scripps in D.C. Hebah Abdalla, to prepare for the internship application process.

Cost

The program fee for this program includes: student accommodations, pre-loaded metro card, excursions, National Press Club Membership, welcome and farewell dinner. In addition to the program fee, students should plan for 10-16 credit hours of tuition*, administrative fee, and out-of-pocket costs.

The student budget worksheets for this program, outlining these costs, follows:

Items that are not related to the program (ie. additional entertainment, souvenirs, extra travel, contingency funds) are not included in the cost estimates provided and should be budgeted for separately.

*Note:

Non-resident surcharge waived for the credit hours associated with this program.
If you are nominated to this program, you will be required to pay a deposit to confirm your participation. The deposit is a down payment on the total costs to be billed by OHIO and is determined by the total cost of the program.

Funding Opportunities

View Additional Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Eligibility and Requirements

Preference given to juniors and seniors. Students must also have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Program open to Journalism majors or minors, VisCom majors, Communication Studies majors and Media Arts & Studies majors only.

In addition to the online application, students must include a personal statement explaining how participating in a Washington D.C.-based program fits their career goals, a resume, a list of three references (at least one being a faculty member from their department) and a copy of their DARS. An interview with one of the Program Directors will also be required.

Students who will be on probation at any point during the program for a conduct offense that took place less than a calendar year from the program start date may not study away. Read the entire conduct policy .

Participants must have a at least a high school diploma or the equivalent (e.g. GED) by the start date of the program to be considered for eligibility. Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CC+) are not eligible for study away programs.