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Through the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program (WHIP), students experience a semester in Washington, DC, while serving internships in political offices, policy centers or media outlets. At the same time, these students earn a total of fifteen credit hours from Hillsdale College. 

WHIP is open to all majors, upon completion of Political Science 101: The U.S. Constitution. Students should apply for acceptance into WHIP through the Political Science Department and secure their own internships in Washington with the assistance of Hillsdale College faculty and staff. Potential students should plan to participate in WHIP for a semester during their junior or senior year. Only in exceptional cases will second-semester sophomores be allowed to participate in the program, and freshmen are ineligible.

The application process includes a written essay, letters of recommendation and an interview with the selection committee. Important factors include grade point average and the ability to represent Hillsdale College in a professional manner.

Students receive three grades at the completion of the WHIP semester: one grade for the nine hours of WHIP credit based on successful completion of the internship, and separate grades for each of two courses: American Politics or Public Policy, and contemporary American Foreign Policy or National Security, taught by Hillsdale College adjunct professors in Washington.  Students may count six hours toward the political science major or minor or six hours toward the political economy major. The nine WHIP credits count toward the student's general electives.

Tuition is the same as for a semester on campus. Room and board vary, but may be slightly higher than on-campus levels, and scholarships are available. Hillsdale College's Dr. David Bobb now resides in Washington full-time as coordinator of the DC program and teaches one of the courses during the semester. For more information, please contact WHIP Director Dr. Thomas Krannawitter in the Political Science Department or Anita Folsom, Director of Special Programs and Internships.