About the Opportunity

Enhance your experience in Washington, D.C.

The Washington, D.C. experience gives you the opportunity to study in the heart of our nation's capital, while connecting with a network of support and unique experiences and opportunities.

We have an extensive network in Washington, D.C., giving you opportunities to connect with adjunct faculty and alumni, and to network through mentorships, employer information sessions, career panels, and guest speakers. And with our connections and geographical proximity to the capital, you’ll have excellent chances to intern and make connections there.

At our dynamic Washington Center, our D.C.-based staff, adjunct faculty, and alumni connect with Pittsburgh students via videoconference. Established in 2008, the center is located in the Golden Triangle district, a short walk from Dupont Circle. For any questions, contact Alastair Hamilton.
The Global Security and Development Program gives you the chance to spend a fall semester attending classes in Washington. Most students also fulfill their internship requirement during this semester, choosing an opportunity from a wide range of D.C. employers, including the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Senate, USAID, the CIA, the FBI, the European Union delegation, and the Center for Defense Information. This program is a great fit for students in all degree programs, but it’s ideal if you’re interested in national and international security, emerging markets, international development, international trade, economic security, or post-crisis stabilization. Classes are taught at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

If you’re interested in working at the intersection of law and policy, there’s also the Lobbying, Advocacy, and Public Diplomacy Program, which runs in the spring semester at the Pitt Washington Center, in conjunction with Pitt Law School. Participating students take courses taught by Professor Elena Baylis and adjunct faculty, using teleconferencing to connect with students in Pittsburgh.

If you’d like, you can even combine these two programs to spend an entire year in D.C. You can apply for either of these experiences through GSPIA Connections.
During the summer, we offer two intensive courses — each lasting one week, for three credit hours — through our Washington program. Space is limited. You can enroll through my.pitt.edu.

Take a tour of our Pitt Washington Center.

We call Pittsburgh and Washington, DC home. With a full-time staff member, semester or year-long study programs, and the ability to connect students in Pittsburgh with DC-based experts in public and international affairs, the Pitt Washington Center is a cornerstone of connecting our students to opportunities in the nation's capital.