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Department of History

History Internships

Why consider an internship?
Internships complement academic training and expose students to valuable and practical new experiences by providing instruction beyond the classroom. Hands-on training under the close tutelage of a mentor helps shape personal, educational and professional goals. Internships afford students the opportunity to meet with proven leaders in their  fields, establishing valuable contacts and networking opportunities vital to a future career. Internship experience also enhances the curriculum vitae and/or resume, strengthening a prospective job applicant's qualifications. Upon successful completion of an internship many supervisors provide effective letters of recommendation. In some cases, internships lead to full time positions within the organization. The Baltimore-Washington area offers unique opportunities for internships unmatched anywhere else in the United States. Institutions featuring local and broader topics in art, media, education, museums, government service, libraries and archives are readily accessible to UMBC students.

How do I earn academic credit for an internship?
 Graduate students should register for HIST 790 (3 credits). Graduate students may earn up to 6 academic credits in HIST 790. Graduate students in the Public History Track must complete two distinct HIST 790 internships for a total of 6 credits. Undergraduate students may register for 1-3 academic credits in HIST 391.

Registration for HIST 790 or HIST 391 requires pre-approval from a History Department faculty advisor. Students must register for HIST 790 or HIST 391 only during the Spring or Fall semesters, although the internship may be completed any time throughout the academic year.

Students must dedicate as much time to an internship as they would to a traditional for credit course. For a three-credit-hour internship this amounts to about 150-200 hours. The project must be useful to the host institution as well as to the student, and implemented at a level that makes optimum use of the student's historical skills (i.e., no busy work). There must be some mentoring at the host institution and internships are pre-approved by a history department faculty member. Students must submit a completed InternshipContract Form before beginning an assignment.

Upon completion, student interns should prepare a three-to-five page paper describing the experience. The completed paper should be submitted to the faculty advisor and a copy should be maintained by the student for their public history portfolio.

The two internships for the Public History Track in the Master of Arts in Historical Students should be sufficiently different to provide the student with experience in distinct public history contexts - this means different institutions or at least different responsibilities and work at the same institution.  

How do I get an internship?
 Generally, students should begin looking for an internship opportunity several months prior to a desired start date.  Identify your interests, goals and needs, and contact your academic advisor for guidance on an internship that will best meet your requirements. The Department of History features Special Internship Opportunities on its website each semester. The UMBC Shriver Center is also a good source.  Some organizations offering internships require an application form (often available for download at their web site).  Many positions also require a writing sample. A number of federal organizations require background security checks that have long lead times, so applying early is crucial.

Many organizations receive fewer applications for fall and spring than summer. Fall and spring sessions generally allow interns a more substantive role in their assigned offices due to the longer length of stay.

Additional resources for finding an internship:

Note: 
The Public History Reference Shelf located in the UMBC Department of History's main office contains several guides to historical and cultural institutions. Some of these offers internship opportunities. The American Association of Museums Directory, Historical Organizations in the United States, and The Directory of Federal Historical Programs are especially useful. These guides contain descriptions of the various organizations, including names and contact information for staff and Intern Coordinators.  

What does an intern do?
Once accepted into an organization, you will be introduced to your area of responsibility.   History-related internships are often interdisciplinary, so you can expect to be involved in many of the functions integral to the organization's daily operations.   As an intern, you may have the opportunity to:

conduct academic research create finding aids
write analytical reports catalog primary documents

attend meetings and conferences

 develop interpretive talks
plan events, coordinate conferences answer research queries
prepare brochures and educational materials update web sites
monitor current events serve as a tour guide

Are interns paid?
While some internships do offer a stipend, many are unpaid positions.  Nevertheless, the value of an internship should never be measured in monetary terms.  Non-funded interns can seek funding from outside the prospective organization.  For stipend information and application, write to:
Office of Fellowships and Grants
955 L’Enfant Plaza, Suite 7000 MRC 902
Washington D.C. 20560

Additional information may be found in the following publications:

And on the World Wide Web at:

Possible internships at-a-glance

Featured Internships from the UMBC Department of History

 

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