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Political Science College of Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies

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The Sacramento Semester Program

Active Learning at Its Best

The Sacramento Semester Program, established in 1976 at California State University, Sacramento, is active learning at its best. As the most populous state in the U.S., California has a large and complex state government that deals with public policy on virtually all the issues that confront the nation.

Who Should Apply to the Program


The Sacramento Semester Program is an immersive internship program run during the spring semester on the campus of CSU, Sacramento. This rigouros experience is designed for students interested in the policy-making process. Participants will be required to enroll in a 6 unit internship course requiring a commitment of working an average of 24 hours a week at their site; additionally, students will be enrolled in 6 units of coursework consisiting of a Thursday evening seminar and Friday morning class. Please refer to our FAQ for other commonly asked questions about applying to the program.

Application and Program Timeline

  • Mid September: Applicants obtain advising from your department's Internship or Major advisor to review program requirements and impact on planned graduation date.
  • Late October: Submit application by Friday, October 20, 2023
    • Applicants receive decision notification last week of October/first week of November
  • Mid-November: Accepted applicants must confirm particiaption by Friday, November 17, 2023
  • December-early January: Confirmed participants enrolled in program courses. Enrollment for visiting students may vary depending on receipt and processing of required forms.
  • Mid January: Mandatory program Orientation held January 16-19, 2024
    • Spring semester officially begins January 22, 2024
  • May: The program ends in mid/late May.

Accepted Applicants

Once admission decisions have been made, students will be notified via email and will be given a deadline to confirm their participation for the upcoming semester. Visiting students will also be given required forms to complete their enrollment. All students will also be invited to apply for the program scholarship once particiaption in the program has been confirmed. For the answers to other commonly asked questions, please check back soon for our FAQ.

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