Graduate Internships

Statement of Purpose: The primary purpose of an internship in public history is to give students professional, hands-on experience in their chosen field and to help them make professional contacts. Students will propose a project in cooperation with a professional supervisor at an historic site, museum, cultural resource management firm, preservation group, government agency, non-profit, or consulting group. An internship is an opportunity to apply some of the research and interpretive skills learned in the classroom to a public setting.

Credit Hours: 3 credit hours/15 hours a week for 12 weeks during the fall and spring semesters and 15-40 hours a week during summer semester. Graduate students in public history are required to complete one internship for credit.

Checklist:

Prior to Internship
____ Meet with Dr. Franz to discuss your internship search. Remember many internships have application deadlines months in advance of the start date. So start early! You should also consult the professional resource page.
____ Consult the University Academic Regulations for Internships.
____ Complete an Internship Proposal (To Dr. Franz).
____ Have your intern supervisor fill out the Job Description Form (To Dr. Franz).

Once approved, you must register for the internship. Fill out the following forms:
___ Registration Form (to Registrar).
___ Consent and Release Form (to Registrar).

During Internship
____ Meet with Dr. Franz in the first week of classes or at the beginning of the sumer to get a copy of the HIST 691 syllabus and set up a meeting schedule.
_____ Keep a work journal reflecting on experience (one entry per week).
_____ Write final paper (12-15 pages) critically evaluating internship experience .
_____ Prepare an oral presentation of internship project.
_____ Give the evaluation form to your internship supervisor and have them return it to Dr. Franz before exams. The evaluation is a large and important part of each intern's final grde. Letters of recommendation and evaluations will be considered confidential and will be kept on file in the coordinator's office.