Certificate in Religion and Public Life Internships

*Sultan Khan, MDIV '24, poses in the lobby of the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, where he completed his Certificate in Public Life Internship in Summer 2023.*

“This internship provides an invaluable opportunity for students to connect their work at the Divinity School and in the Religion & Public Life program to the larger global community, and experience how organizations are grappling with some of the most challenging aspects of religion and society. Our team was grateful for the thoughtful, nuanced approach our intern took in their work as a result of the program's philosophy, and we are better for it." –Religion and Society Program, Aspen Institute

All HDS students pursuing the two-year Certificate in Religion and Public Life (CRPL) are required to complete an internship in their professions track (arts and popular culture, education, government, humanitarianism, journalism, or organizing). This internship provides students with relevant work experience related to their professions track and the opportunity to work with a supervisor who is an experienced professional in that field.

Students apply the methodologies from HDS 3300 to the context of their internships and work toward learning goals in relation to a set of CRPL core competencies. Additionally, internships provide opportunities for students to gain skills and experience in communicating and demonstrating how a robust understanding of religion enhances professional and civic competence within a particular profession for the purpose of advancing just peace.

Students may pursue a variety of internship roles, including but not limited to working with an external organization or agency, conducting research with a faculty member or instructor, or apprenticing with an established artist or activist. While RPL does have long-standing relationships with a number of organizations, students are encouraged to research and explore additional sites that may be a better fit for their interests.

Students interested in engaging with another HDS internship that can meet the CRPL internship requirements (e.g., Field Education) must first discuss and receive approval from the Assistant Dean of RPL and the other relevant HDS office. Please see the CRPL Handbook for more internship details, including compensation and supervision.

Hosting HDS Student Interns

“The students from HDS are motivated, passionate, and self-starters. The HDS students quickly became an integral part of our team and have made long-lasting contributions to our work. We truly hope to work with more HDS students in the future.”
–International Center for Religion and Diplomacy

Hosting an HDS student intern can be rewarding for both the organizational setting and the student. Students have the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge of religious literacy principles in a practical setting; organizations gain mentorship experience and benefit from new and different perspectives.

When evaluating internship sites, RPL considers the following criteria:

Internship settings must provide students with the opportunity to employ and hone the skills and knowledge they developed in the HDS 3300 Religious Literacy and the Professions course.
While recognizing that interns’ specific responsibilities will be determined given their experience and capacities, we expect students to do more than pure administrative work.
The setting must have an identified supervisor who will work with the student throughout the life of the project and complete supervisory requirements.
The setting must be in one of the current RPL professions tracks but need not have an explicit focus or program related to religion.
The setting and work must provide opportunities to support efforts in service of just peacebuilding.

If your organization is interested in learning more about hosting a graduate student intern for the CRPL, please contact us at rpl@hds.harvard.edu.