Northeastern vs George Washington for political science: which is better for internships and policy opportunities?

George Washington has the clearer edge for political science internships and policy access. Its campus is in downtown Washington, DC, close to federal agencies, Capitol Hill, think tanks, advocacy groups, international organizations, and campaign offices, so policy work is built into the school’s day-to-day environment.

At GW, the biggest differentiator is proximity. Being in DC makes it much easier to take part-time internships during the academic year, attend policy panels after class, network with alumni working in government, and build relationships that can turn into future jobs. Political science students there benefit from a campus culture where internships in government, nonprofits, and public affairs are extremely common rather than occasional.

Northeastern’s strongest advantage is its co-op system, which is excellent for structured, full-time work experience. That model can be very valuable if you want longer placements and a formal career-development process, and students can absolutely pursue government or policy-related roles through co-ops. But for political science specifically, Boston does not offer the same density of federal policy institutions that DC does, so the network is broader in a civic and nonprofit sense than in national government.

Another difference is the type of connections you are likely to build. GW’s network is especially useful for students interested in congressional work, federal agencies, international affairs, and public policy organizations because many alumni stay in DC and remain closely tied to those sectors. Northeastern can still open doors, especially if you are drawn to applied work experience and like the co-op structure, but when the goal is internships and policy opportunities tied directly to government, GW is the more advantageous setting.