PIPS Research Internships

The Project on International Peace & Security is taking a programmatic pause until the 2027-2028 academic year. The deadline for research internship applications for 2028 is TBA.

PIPS is looking for freshmen and sophomores who want to learn how to conduct policy analysis by assisting the PIPS research fellows during the spring semester and writing a related executive summary or independent policy white paper over the summer.

PIPS research fellows have written white papers on wide variety of topics, such as: biofuels, climate change, counterinsurgency, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, crypto-currencies, foreign aid, international development, public diplomacy, military affairs, sovereign wealth funds, and U.S. grand strategy. Click here to look at past white papers.

Successful applicants for a PIPS internship have strong writing and analytical abilities, advanced research skills, excellent time management, and a demonstrated interest in international relations. The application guidelines can be viewed here.

PIPS interns have the opportunity to:

Develop their research, writing, and analytical abilities through close interaction with faculty and other students as part of a research team;
Interview senior policy analysts and officials on campus or in Washington, D.C. in support of their fellows’ project;
Participate in an end of the year policy retreat, in which fellows present their work to policy analysts and officials at a variety of venues in Washington, D.C.;
Write a policy brief proposing a solution to an emerging challenge to international peace;
Receive career counseling and additional support for finding internships and jobs related to international security in Washington, D.C., or internationally; and
Earn 3 hours of academic credit in the spring semester.

Working with PIPS:

The estimated work load for PIPS interns is approximately 10-15 hours per week. Interns are expected to attend weekly PIPS meetings on Friday from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

For more insight into the PIPS experience, click here. If you would like to talk to a previous PIPS intern, please email PIPS at pips@wm.edu and we will connect you.

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible to apply for a PIPS internship, students must:

Have a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA. First-year student GPAs are based on their fall semester grades.
Be an academic freshman or sophomore
Be a full time William & Mary undergraduate student during the spring 2024 semester. Students that are away on study abroad are ineligible for a research intern position.