Prospective Community Partners

The B.A. in Public Affairs offers an in-depth and engaged educational experience with a clear public service ethos. Drawing from UCLA Luskin’s expansive resources in Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning, the major combines critical thinking, social science methodology, and experiential learning, connecting the dots between theory and action.

Experiential learning connects the dots between theory and action. Luskin faculty developed the experiential learning requirement for the B.A. in Public Affairs to engage students in a relevant, rigorous, and rewarding educational experience through meaningful community-based learning.

Organizations such as yours provide a learning environment where students actively apply and/or critique theoretical concepts they study in the classroom and learn directly from leaders doing the work in the community. The ultimate goal is for the student and agency relationship to be mutually beneficial.

Ideal placement sites provide students with a pre-professional experience and structure activities that allow the student to:

• Contribute to the day-to-day activities of the organization by working on duties and tasks related to Public Affairs.
• Develop an understanding of the organization’s vision, mission, inputs, activities, and outcomes.
• Develop interpersonal and technical competencies required in the workplace.
• Receive supervision, mentorship, and feedback from a professional in the field.
• Apply the conceptual, analytical, and/or methodological skills students have learned in their courses.
• Produce a professional-quality capstone product (e.g., a presentation, report, etc.) that will be useful to the organization.

Site supervisors should review the Roles & Responsibilities section of this page to learn more about what is expected of the UCLA Public Affairs Department, Students, and Internship Sites.

If you are interested in becoming an approved internship site with the Public Affairs Undergraduate Program in 2026-2027, please fill out our internship site recruitment form.

• Prepare student for internship experience through coursework, professional development series, and capstone seminar
• Advise students on their internship placements
• Establish and maintain channels of communication between the department and the agency
• Co-plan the internship and capstone requirement with the Supervisor
• Share with Supervisor the expectations of the internship and capstone requirement
• Arrange meetings with Supervisors for site visits to confirm an Internship Placement site and to check-in with the Supervisor on the student’s progress
• Plan and hold events for the Department, Student, and Supervisor to meet one another, understand the requirements of the internship placement, and present the capstone projects
• Reconsider placement assignment of any student if problems relevant to that student cannot be resolved in the agency

• Structure the internship to provide an intentional and meaningful learning opportunity
• Develop and assign responsibilities to the student
• Clearly communicate expectations and responsibilities to students
• Schedule hours during the academic quarter so that student can complete the hours required
• Adhere to program requirements and deadlines
• Provide the space and equipment needed by students
• Provide training, supervision and feedback to each student (recommended .5-1 hour per week)
• Provide a verbal and written evaluation to the student and certify the number of hours the student completed
• Contact UCLA staff if there are any problems or issues that cannot be resolved with the student
• Assume responsibility for liability incurred in connection with agency assignment

• Complete the minimum number of hours (220+for the academic year)
• Provide appropriate notice to Supervisor if the student will miss a shift (minimum one business day in advance) and immediately reschedule those hours
• Adhere to all agency regulations, policies, and procedures
• Conduct the business of the agency in an appropriate way
• Be engaged, inquisitive, and ready to learn and contribute
• Approach this learning in an open manner which includes dialoging across difference
• Share with the Supervisor and/or UCLA Department any issues or impediments to experiential learning