Beyond the Classroom

The University of Chicago was founded in the belief that scholarship should be put to work for the social good. Harris continues this practice by providing opportunities for students to apply classroom learning to real-life problems, and to enrich classroom learning through professional relationships with policymakers.

Practical Experience

Through practical experiences in Chicago and around the globe, you'll round out your educational experience at Harris and gain invaluable professional training.

Drive real-world impact: In a real-world policy context, you’ll apply the analytical tools that you develop in the Core.

Broaden your network: Practical experiences at Harris broaden your professional networks and give you the opportunity to explore new industries and career paths.

Policy Labs 

Harris Policy Labs is a unique initiative in which teams of second-year Harris students apply their rigorous core education to real-time public policy challenges facing client organizations. Students who complete the program are better-prepared policy professionals with a competitive advantage in the job market.

Are you an organization who could benefit from participation in Policy Labs? Engage current Harris students.

Harris Policy Labs strengthens students’ professional experience and skills. Through the program, students gain hands-on experience with analyzing, developing, advocating for, and implementing policy in “real-world” contexts. In addition, Policy Labs students build other professional skills including client and project management, while expanding their professional networks.

Mentor Program

The Harris Mentor Program facilitates relationships between students and seasoned professionals and policy practitioners, many of whom are Harris alumni. The program broadens students’ real-world learning experiences, expands their professional development, and helps them build powerful professional networks. Mentors include city and government officials, executive directors of non-profits, policy analysts, consultants, and other policy practitioners who freely give their time and insights to the important task of nurturing our next generation of policy leaders. 

Research Opportunities

Faculty and student research at Harris is guided not only by theoretical interests, but also by a strong commitment to solving enduring public policy problems. Students are frequently involved in faculty research through research assistantships, coursework, independent studies, and research centers housed at the School and throughout the campus.