Public Policy Careers, Internships, & Co-Ops: Student Resources

Students who have been accepted to a public policy-related co-op or internship are eligible to apply for the Student Public Policy Experiences Award, a financial stipend through the Portman Center.

To apply for a stipend, students must complete the online application upon acceptance of their internship or co-op position. The full funding rules and requirements can be found within the application.

The Portman Center maintains a database of career and internship opportunities available in Cincinnati, the tri-state, nationally, and internationally. The database includes regularly updated position postings related to areas including public policy, government, politics and campaigns, and the judicial system. The database also includes links to a variety of job boards and resources for students interested in pursuing a public policy-related internship.

Access the Portman Center Careers & Internships database to browse available internship and career opportunities. A UC email address is required to view the database.

Interested in receiving a biweekly newsletter with selected public policy internship and career opportunities? Sign up here to receive the Portman Center Careers & Internships Newsletter.

Students can receive academic credit through the completion of a public policy-related internship or co-op. There are two options to receive academic credit—one through the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), and one through the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS).

Read about SPIA internships for academic credit.

Read about CCPS elective co-op opportunities. 

• The Portman Center offers various programming to help students prepare for career opportunities. Follow Portman Center events. 
• The Portman Center partners with the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) to recruit public policy-related employers for the biannual A&S Social Sciences & Humanities Career Fair. View upcoming career fairs.
• The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards supports UC undergraduates interested in applying for major external fellowships, such as Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Churchill, and Goldwater Scholarships.
• UC Handshake Career Platform
• UC CareerShift Job Board Aggregator
• UC Interstride Career Platform